Back in the Sunny Caribbean!

 

Unloading Aspen in St. Thomas, USVI

Conditions in Patagonia at exactly the time I would have been there.  It would not have been pretty with hurricane force winds and nearly 40 foot seas...

Maria enjoying St. Thomas again

Dinner with Fred on his catamaran, Dakota Dream

Maria and Fred, leaving Charlotte Amalie Harbor, St. Thomas; going to meet Aspen

Aspen transiting the Panama Canal from the Pacific Ocean, back into the Caribbean Sea

Maria and I dropping Aspen off in Golfito, Costa Rica on the transport vessel Yacht Express

Visitors in Golfito, Costa Rica

Steve, Maria, Peggy and Bruce playing golf in Costa Rica.  Great venue!

 

S/Y Aspen – March 25, 2022 – Log #181

Aspen Position: 18 degrees 21’ N, 64 degrees 44’ W

Francis Bay, St. John, USVI

 

Back in the Sunny Caribbean!

 

Aspen arrived safely in St. Thomas, USVI aboard our transport ship Yacht Express.  What fun was that, seeing her glide into the warm Caribbean waters once again?

 

With Aspen loaded onto the ship in Golfito, Costa Rica, Maria and I had time to explore Costa Rica.  Everywhere was where the jungle met a blue Pacific Ocean with so many endless beaches.  It was stunning, to say the least.

 

The active Arenal volcano, with Baldi Spa built on its’ flank, was so relaxing, along with the vibrant and active beach towns of Dominical, Jaco and then Flamingo Beach.  We watched the sunset every night at Flamingo Beach with our Colorado friends Peggy and Bruce, who spend winters in the tropical sun.  Golfing, beach walking, dinners and hiking passed the time while we waited for Aspen to arrive in St. Thomas.

 

Then it was a redeye flight to Houston, followed by a direct flight to St. Thomas where we felt at home again.

 

Our friend Fred, who spends winters in the Caribbean aboard his catamaran Dakota Dream, invited us to stay aboard his catamaran before Aspen made it safely to St. Thomas.  It was so much better and fun living on his boat, rather than on land while the time slipped by.

 

Unloading Aspen from our Dockwise ship in St. Thomas was easy and smooth, helped by our friend Fred who got to experience a float on-float off transport ship.

 

Once Aspen touched the warm Caribbean waters in St. Thomas, we prepared her for the sea again: rigging sails, cleaning and getting all the onboard systems functional after her long Pacific Ocean wanderings.

 

As I write this, we are tied to a national park mooring at Francis Bay, St. John, USVI.  Warm tropical breezes are wafting through Aspen’s rigging with a brilliant white sand beach off our bow and endless hiking trails disappearing into the surrounding hillsides. 

 

It just doesn’t get much better than this.

 

Sail on, sail on Aspen…