Weather Window

Well here we sit in Curasco waiting on a weather window. We made the 10 hour hop from Bonaire to Curasco on Mother's Day. We probably should have waited for better weather. The wind was high and the seas were big. We even saw gusts up to 37 knots!! Artemo does great down wind and no one except me, seemed too bothered by the gusting wind and getting belted down. Happy Mother's Day to me!

In amongst these huge waves and wind, we saw a military boat coming right at us. I couldn't believe my eyes. I yelled at Graham to get up on deck because a boat was heading right at us at mock speed. He recognized the boat right away as a military boat, so we yelled at the kids to poke their heads out to see this zodiac manoeuvring in these huge winds and waves. So there is the Perry family with this military boat at us and we are all waving and smiling. All of a sudden I realized that they probably wanted something, so Graham ran down below and turned on the radio. Sure enough they wanted to know our intentions etc. All good though.

We made it to our anchorage which was the bay we stayed at during Christmas. Graham and I somehow forgot how terrible the holding was??? It all came back to us fairly quickly as we anchored, re anchored, re anchored, and so on and so on. Finally we were exhausted and hungry and angry and we are at the front of the boat "discussing" options and still drifting. We finally arrived at a solution. We would use the pole that holds out our Genoa to hold up our second anchor and we would pull up 20 feet of chain and attach the second anchor to it. Viola! We were holding but just to be sure we each took turns staying up on anchor watch for 4 hours at a time. We are holding though. Haven't budged an inch.

So here we are in Curasco for the week waiting on the good weather this weekend. The kids begged us to use their money this week and to get Open Water Dive Certified!!!! and can you believe....I SAID YES! So since Monday, they have been taking their course all day and studying all night. I have never seen them so dedicated. It is really great. I can't tell you how frightening it is though to watch them gear up and head out to the ocean and disappear beneath the water. I think it would be so much easier if I was a diver. Tomorrow is their big test and they can only get 15 questions wrong. We are studying like mad. Cross your fingers for them. I have been taking video and pictures, so hopefully I can post a video soon of their adventure. I am so happy that my fears and worries don't seem to rub off on the two of them. They make me very proud. I on the other hand will be breathing alot easier once their final dive is done tomorrow!

We are heading to Aruba on Saturday and then we have decided to go out with a BANG and do a 3 overnight trip direct to Cartagena! Weather looks like it will be good and it will be a good test, to see how we do at multiple days at sea.

We are all talking nonstop about coming home and getting really excited. We are working on things like summer camps, school for next year, accommodation and finding work! All exciting stuff. We will post some blogs on the last leg.

Can't wait for patio season in TO!

Julie