Our first week on Yola 1

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It’s been a week since we landed in Tortola. Over the past few days, we’ve managed to establish some organization on board and gained a better understanding of what needs to be done before we embark on our first crossing to Saint Martin—a 20-hour overnight sail, which may be in another 2 weeks.

We arrived late Sunday evening after three flights and two layovers. Travelling with six checked bags, six carry-ons, and two exhausted children was no small feat, but we made it. Michelle and Eric met us at the airport, and after a short taxi ride to a nearby marina, we loaded a small dinghy with all our bags and made our way to Yola 1, anchored in Trellis Bay. Tired and adjusting to the high humidity, we climbed aboard and ate a quick supper, surrounded by piles of disorganized gear. After a brief attempt to put a few items away, we each found a spot to collapse into a deep, sweaty sleep.

The following day, we sailed downwind to Road Town on Tortola—a two-hour trip in 15–20 knot winds. Everything went smoothly until we entered Road Town Harbour. After running the main engine for a short time, it overheated, triggering a heat alarm and forcing us to sail onto anchor. For the sailors out there, that’s far from a fun activity, and not the ideal way to begin a trip.

Eric and Michelle had been troubleshooting the overheating issue. Each attempt to run the engine ended in overheating, and upon investigation, they discovered a disintegrated impeller, which was replaced.  For those who don’t know, an impeller resembles a rotor that helps pump water through the cooling system. Michelle had replaced the impeller a second time, and after grabbing some food, we set off for Cooper Island to anchor for the night.

Cooper Island is one of the outlying islands, popular for its day mooring options and excellent snorkelling near the reef—hence the mooring buoys only. Upon arrival, it was crowded, so we left for a nearby outer island, Salt Island. It was more exposed but far less busy. We arrived late Monday evening, set anchor, and the first order of business was jumping off the stern of the boat. The kids were eager to get in and cool off.

As someone completely new to the tropics, I couldn’t help but think about large fish with teeth and the idea that predators hunt at night. But I was so hot I just jumped in anyway.

The following day was spent swimming and diving with the kids, pretty much all day. We saw a stingray, a turtle, and plenty of small fish. The children were now fully in aquatic mode, and by evening, it was a real struggle to get them out of the water.

Salty Island Snorkelling

After another night at the same anchorage, we headed back to Beef Island Airport to drop Eric off. He had an awesome trip. After a sad farewell, we set off once more for Spanish Town on Virgin Gorda, enjoying a solid upwind sail in gusts reaching 20 knots. At one point, we hit an impressive 8 knots—what I believe is our maximum hull speed. Spirits were high; it finally felt like we were getting the hang of this whole sailing thing.

As we approached Virgin Gorda Yacht Marina, we radioed in for clearance and received directions to our slip. But shortly after starting the engine, the overheating alarm went off again. Only this time, our very capable Uncle Eric was no longer on board—it was just us, and once again, we had to sail onto anchor while carefully avoiding other boats. After a few choice words, we dropped anchor, and Michelle headed back into the engine room.

I kept the kids fed and hydrated while she investigated. Upon closer inspection, we found the impeller had completely disintegrated—again! We replaced it once more. Thankfully, we bought a couple of extra impellers.

Once the impeller was replaced, we radioed the harbour and wasted no time getting into our slip—it went very smoothly. Michelle handled the boat with ease, as always.

We spent the next two comfortable nights enjoying air conditioning, takeout food, proper showers, and a much-needed opportunity to clean and organize all the unpacked gear—camera equipment, spare parts, clothes, and more.

Spanish Town Yacht Harbour - Virgin Gorda

Spanish Town Yacht Harbour - Virgin Gorda

Michelle also had the chance to consult with our invaluable coaches, Jamie and Behan, and catch up with a friend Michelle made in the harbour while purchasing the boat. He recommended replacing the water pump entirely. Luckily, there was a spare onboard which Michelle was able to swap out, along with making several other small adjustments to the engine. A short test showed the engine running well, better than before.

Feeling refreshed and like the boat was finally starting to feel like home, we set out for an anchorage near the Baths on Virgin Gorda. We motored over to a dinghy line that sat beside a beautiful coral beach. After a long swim (for a six-year-old), we reached the shore, using the dock line for safety. The kids had been eager for a proper swim, and they finally got one, along with a long snorkel and some time exploring ocean life.

Little Harbour Anchor, with a stern line in the shot

That evening, we returned directly to Salt Island. By this point, we knew we wouldn’t have to fight for space there, and the slight exposure no longer seemed like a big concern. The following morning, we sailed on a nearly constant bearing to Little Harbour on Peter Island, a popular anchorage known for excellent snorkelling with sea turtles. We’re still here after one night, finally enjoying some real R&R. Fingers crossed the engine doesn’t overheat again.

Now, our skipper Michelle is focused on further refining the boat. A new to-do list has been created... and so it continues. Water maker troubleshooting with associated leak and refining forward rigging. This next week will see us further organizing and testing the sailing capabilities of the boat, as well as really getting the kids into the routine, including chores that they have to get done daily. It’s a slow process, no different from being at home. Some things stay the same!