Captain's Log Page 21

Tideline Yacht Sales
17 Lockwood Drive
Charleston, SC 29401

PHONE: 843.813.3711
FAX: 866.467.8840
Email: glen@tidelineyachtsales.com

      At about 6.00 it started getting light, and we started heading around the head of the island to the leeward side, where the main town and anchorage were. It was interesting to motor offshore, within about 1 mile of the beach, and have the depth sounder indicate that we were in such deep water that it could not read the depth. In fact, we were in over 7000 feet of water, and not 500 yards away was a shelf that was no more than 20 feet deep. This is a well known dive destination, and is known as "The Wall". I doubt Pink Floyd had anything to do with the name!

We came alongside a high concrete wall, and tied up while we cleared in. All the government buildings are prefabricated buildings, very similar to temporary classrooms one sees at schools. Once we found the relevant authority, and had cleared in, we were free to wander around the island. It is technically a desert, and the ground is limestone, just like the Bahamas. When the Bahamas gained independence they attempted to get the Turks and Caicos to join them, which geographically made sense. Today the Turks and Caicos are very popular with tourists, as well as being an offshore tax haven. When we returned to our boat, the chief Customs officer was on the dock. After confirming that we had cleared in, he was very friendly and helpful. He told us he was waiting for a boat that was coming from Haiti, and he pointed it out to us. It was barely a spot on the horizon, and if he had not pointed it out to us we never would have been aware of its impending arrival.

The boat arrived in the late afternoon, and was it was interesting to see how they operated. The "mast" consisted of a tree, and the spreaders amounted to a knot in the wood, from which the stays were run. The entire hull was wood, and there was a 45 hp outboard off the transom. The engine would be used only when there was no wind. As the boat approached the anchorage, the crew threw the "anchor" overboard. It amounted to nothing more than a rock, with rebar tied around the rock at various angles. The line was paid out, and the boat was poled alongside the dock! The entire contents of the boat were emptied out onto the dock, and customs inspected the goods. Once they had cleared, the vendors were allowed onto the dock to buy the goods. There were no electronics on the boat, and they navigated by the stars only!

After relaxing at anchor for 3 days, we decided to carry on toward the US. Once again, we hauled up the main, unfurled the genoa, and started sailing. And as before, the wind died within a few hours. We furled the genoa and motor-sailed. continue to page 22 >>