I’m behind again.
You know you have been in one country too long when…your flag is shredded.
Since we had no replacement flag we decided to head to the Turks and Caicos, and upon arrival realized we never bought a TCI flag. Oh well, I don’t think they even noticed. All they wanted was their money for checking in, and of course checking out. TCI was expensive and the anchorage is far from anything so we didn’t really take any “pretty” pictures. You can’t even fish there unless you buy a license for $300. TCI was more of a stop-over than a destination. In fact, when or if we ever pass through there again we will keep our Q flag up and not bother checking in. If you’re in a resort I am sure it’s very enjoyable there but from the outside it will get a “pass” from us.
Another long overnighter so we keep food and drinks in the cockpit. You don’t want to be down below in rough seas. Dinner, chili and cornbread, the rest are snacks including a fresh loaf of banana bread:
Along the way I hooked a blue marlin. We seem to be practicing “catch-and-release” but Tanya was able to snap a couple of pictures before he shook himself loose at the side of the boat:
We arrived west of Providenciales and motored ten miles east through the Sandbore Channel anchoring here in Sapodilla Bay:
Sunset and squall Sapodilla Bay TCI:
Nice boat just southeast of the anchorage:
I took the dinghy around the point to the commercial port to check in. Landed on the beach next to this lovely fishing vessel. We have never seen so many wrecked ships as we did in the Turks and Caicos, probable nine or ten within a mile of the port.
Up to the port authority:
TCI immigration apprehended this Haitian boat the previous night:
They take the Haitians into custody and stack the boats on the shore:
This is a pretty boat, about four million dollars they told us, sitting in the Southside Marina:
Propeller and shaft from pretty boat:
See the zinc in the center? Almost new right? This boat was on its maiden delivery voyage. The owner, who was onboard at the time of the mishap, hired a captain to safely deliver his brand new boat. The captain plowed the boat onto a reef ripping the props, shafts and transmissions away from the engines and through the bottom of the hull. The boat sank, a salvage company floated it, a yard sealed the holes in the hull and now it sits in this marina waiting for…? He told us the waverunner on the top deck has zero hours, never been launched.
Again, didn’t do much in the TCI…