We wait for Ken, the Canadian instructor that can certify Christy and I for the Canadian tests we need (Ian is US only) to join the boat. Ian goes to the other boat, the monohull, and we all depart for Bequia.
Ken is very knowledgeable and an excellent sailor. Imparts wisdom along the way and then we do some maneuvers just outside Bequia harbor as it is far too windy everywhere else. We do a couple of hours of maneuvers (more than a typical day with Ian) and we are all tired and ready to make harbour. However Stephen asks to do some extra drills and Christy, Colby and I look at each other and roll our eyes.
We eventually convince Stephen that enough is enough (I am pretty sure Ken was ready to go for a beer long before) and we head back to Admiralty Bay to anchor and get ready for dinner. Christy and I have passed both our Intermediate Cruising and Catamaran Extension exams as well as the practical. Not much else to do although Christy has another idea in store. Colby and Stephen have a couple more to write but they will complete onshore in St. Vincent tomorrow.
That means it’s relax time and we head in for dinner at Mac’s where rain threatens but never lasts so we have enjoy a decent dinner and the other boats join us. Clearly Dan, the ex-military guy on the other training boat is a no-nonsense, no fun guy. (I can name names as there is no chance he will ever see this). He was afraid of anchoring close and when we pull up beside them in the harbor we are easily a kilometer away from the action. Ian says he has never anchored that far away. He is also completely smileless and impossible to engage in conversation. His wife is nice and chatty and I suspect he is crazy jealous of her.
But enough of him. Everyone else is nice and this time Colby can’t resist the lure of the New York socialites and while we head back to the boat Colby stays behind to see where life will lead him. Their chaperones (the father and the boyfriend) also leave them dinghy-less onshore.
Back on the boat Christy and I have a final final on the front deck while Stephen studies (Friday night and all). After a few minutes we decide we need to have a little adventure ourselves and take the dinghy out. We cruise by Mac’s but no one there so we decide to have a drink on the floating bar in the harbor. It’s closed. Oh well, we tried.
Around 2:30 am I get up to turn off the battery alarm (it goes off every night and I turn it off every night) just as Colby arrives via water taxi. He staggers in and we laugh and head to bed. Turns out they landed at Coco’s which morphs into a bit of a local reggae haunt late on Fridays. They eventually find someone who will find a taxi, gas it up and take them out to their boats.