All Safely to bed on Moorings after big taco night dinner and storm preparation

All are back aboard their boats after dinner. The girls are having devotions and getting settled in to ride out the storms aboard the boats. After spending the afternoon getting the boats ready for the storm, the girls have closed the companionway doors and battened down the remaining hatches for the evening. They will fix a big breakfast as the last of the heavy bands come through and we hope to be back sailing on the water as early as tomorrow afternoon. 

All the girls in the cockpit after a big taco dinner 

Doing devotion aboard Astrid as the first bands of the storm start to come through

Sail II BVI Program Safely Moored in Sopers Hole to Ride Out Bertha

After a beautiful day of sailing our boats made it into Soper's Hole in time to reprovision for the remainder of the trip and prepare the boats for Tropical Depression Bertha. The girls are tying secondary mooring lines, lashing down sails, and buttoning down hatches to ride out the coming wind and rain. Fresh provisions and good company will help the girls pass the time as the storm passes far to our south overnight. Once the storm clears tomorrow and conditions subside we plan to be right back on the water on schedule and sailing.

Securing the Main Sail for High Wind Conditions

Zipping Up the Sail Bag

Path of Tropical Storm Bertha, on track to pass to well to our south. Our location is right underneath the letter "a" in the position "8PM ET Sat 45kts (50mph)". We will catch some of the outer bands of the storm.

Reflection on Sailing - Videos from Sail - Anegada to Sopers Hole

Sailing Interview

View from the Bow

View from the Companionway

Anegada to Soper's Hole

The girls dropped moorings at Anegada after breakfast and are downwind sailing to Soper's Hole. Soper's Hole is on the main Island of Tortola and is a very protected. It was used by Blackbeard the pirate as safe harbor for many years. Once there we plan to provision the yachts and check on the latest a forecast for Tropical Depression Bertha. In the meantime we are getting as much sailing in as we can before the rain sets in. As you can see from the photos below, it is still beautiful today! We are expecting some heavy winds and rain from the outer bands as the storm passes to our south. We will ride out the weather in the safe harbor of Soper's Hole, just like our fellow North Carolinian Blackbeard the pirate did over 200 years ago. We will take advantage of the rain by teaching some advanced navigation and going over US Sailing exams and reviewing any deficiencies.

Open Ocean Sailing between Tortola and Anegada

Checking her Course

Video of the Dinghy Dragging behind the boat on the Sail from Anegada to Jost Van Dyke

Sailing Downwind from Anegada to Tortola