Dominica
Untethered rested quietly at anchor overnight and sits alone 200 yards off the beach. Perfect conditions for a morning swim. This daily ritual was broken on Montserrat but I gladly float, swim and snorkel this morning ahead of the 3rd solo day. Today will be another ~90nm passage from Guadalupe to Dominica and an early start along with a stiffer breeze today should bring us to anchor ahead of sunset. Dominica is another Volcanic island with steep approaches and a central peak reaching 4,700’, nearly a mile high. The island gained independence from the British in 1978 after centuries of French and British rule. Also, another island in complete COVID lockdown with few options for sailors and a strict 14 day quarantine aboard before venturing on to the island. On this trip south to the Grenadines it is only intended as an overnight stop on the journey south, but no meal ashore tonight. Dominica allows overnight anchorage for boats in transit, or quarantine, but in only one location on the island….the “Quarantine Anchorage Zone”. Untethered connects frequently with other boats making transits throughout the Caribbean and all signs suggest the Dominica authorities take Quarantine seriously and will board and forcibly move boats at anchor outside the “Zone”.
Anchors up by 6:30am and another morning slipping by an island coast. The view and panorama of an island from the deck of a boat is all together different from the vantage of a car onshore. Beaches and Island Harbour towns, church steeples are set in a different perspective, as they were built, as refuge from the sea for sailors and fisherman. The location of each making perfect sense from an ocean approach. This morning the local fisherman are out in craft of every imaginable shape and size as the lee of the island is protection from a powerful Atlantic Ocean just a mile across the island to the east.
As the blow pushes clear of the island to the south, we begin to feel the trades and seas that will set the tone for the days sail. This time of year, the Easterly Trade Winds are relentless and consistent in the absence of large or local storm systems. A solid 17-20knts, day in and day out, makes the Caribbean a perfect place to sail, island hop, explore. Today looks to be no different and with full sail out and 19knts on the beam Untethered feels perfectly at home as she points again south to Dominica.
Sailing has often been described as countless hours of complete boredom interjected with seconds of shear terror. Hours at sea are filled with only the motion of the boat and sound of sea, hull, sail and wind. These passages are a single tack and heading with little sail adjustment and no course adjustment or change. The peace can be perfect and once out of sight of land it is a seemingly infinite expanse where one truly appreciates the insignificance of the boat and crew. Amid this, the day is filled with the daily chores aboard, minor maintenance and once done many hours of reflection and quiet. Solo sailing heightens every aspect of this peace and reflection and is a rejuvenating force with no reference to days of the week, calendars, phone calls or appointments, just boat, sea and steady progress South.
Untethered arrives in the main harbor of Portsmouth just ahead of sunset and the Quarantine Zone is obvious with more than a dozen sailboats at anchor, all flying the yellow quarantine flag. We find a good spot to drop anchor with plenty of room to “swing” at anchor overnight. There is just enough light to drop into the water over the stern with mask and snorkel to swim over the anchor and ensure it is well dug in. A nice benefit of anchoring is the need to swim the anchor daily and is a great refreshing end to the day as well as creating some peace overnight knowing the boat is firmly tethered to the bottom. So ends Solo Day 3.