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It is no longer clear that we will have time to visit Ile a Vache. Perhaps we will wave at it ala Cap’n Sparrow.

I thought I would share a bit about of passage planning before we take off Sunday morning. We ended up being delayed here in Aruba waiting for a replacement Xantrax inverter/charger. Tragically, in a rush, when one crew member went to fetch something for another crew member before we left for shore leave we left a hatch open. Then it rained, and the rain found its way through a bunk and fried the battery voltage sensing control board. Obviously, not a warranty item. A few boat units of sigh. Anyways, we got the new inverter/charger and after investigating our options on getting the old one repaired, we decided that Auckland, New Zealand makes much more sense than expensive shipping of the broken 60 pound unit. New Zealand a year from now!

Possible Routes

Ad Astra is wrapping up her stay in fabulous Bonaire. We are heading to the Cayman for the winter holidays. Along the way to the Caymans, we will stop in Curacao, Aruba – and most exciting – Île-à-Vache! That is right – Ad Astra is going to stop in at Captain Morgan’s old base: We are doing private sailing and diving charters. We are doing this as a low-key way to share our adventures with friends and cool people recommended by our friends.

Chris Verstappen of Technical Dive Services, Bonaire 46m / 150 feet below the surface on the sandy bottom just outside the La Machaca Reef, Bonaire. Opening my waterproof wet-notes wallet, I see two math problems that my Jedi-level Technical Diving Instructor Chris Verstappen has left for me to solve at this depth to see if I can feel some sort Nitrogen Narcosis effects. What is the Best Mix for 150 feet?

Anchored off a remote island in the Venezuelan archipelago of Los Roques it was magical to lay back on the flybridge and watch the dark and clear starry night. I used the word “watch” over the expected “star-gaze”, because with the night sky so clear and dark, there were plenty of meteors burning through the sky about every few minutes, demanding a much more active viewing than gazing.