We spent three nights on a mooring in front of Ivan's this past February- Friday, Saturday, and Sunday aboard our Sunsail 38 monohull (we had extra time since we had had to cancel Anegada due to winds and seas).
We were actually surprised that several moorings were open at any given time on Sunday, though Friday and Saturday were quite busy.
Of course we were fairly early in the post-Irma cycle, so that might also account for the vacancies. But yes, I can see where as sailors return, clockwise cruisers might be arriving White Bay on their first day out. Our goal and best advice for getting a mooring in White Bay is always to arrive early- no later than 11 am or so, so we usually come there after a night nearby at Great Harbor or off Diamond Cay or Cane Garden Bay. Just for us, White Bay has always been our end-of-cruise save-the-best for last kinda thing.
Saw some interesting stuff in our three days there. Saw a very small Boston Whaler type boat (no more than 15') with 6 people come into the mooring field in front of Ivan's near us on Friday. They didn't come in through the channel, but right over the reef (yikes). Well, they probably only drew a foot or so, so it worked. Right behind them was a large cat who of course came through the channel with their eye on the same mooring. Yep, you guessed it- the whaler took the only remaining mooring just as the cat came in behind them.
As rough as the seas and winds were that week, the whaler could not have come from any farther than Great Harbor. Maybe a launch from a large yacht? In such a boat, I would just drop a lunch hook over by Soggy or even in front of Ivan's. No way I would take one of the few moorings in a dinghy or whaler like that.
Well, one of the crew aboard the cat called over very politely to the folks on the whaler and asked if they might not- as a favor- let them have the mooring instead. The folks on the whaler said no, as is their right, but I have to say it was pretty crummy and un-seamanlike to take that mooring so needlessly. Oh- the folks in the Whaler left as soon as the dinghy from Ivan's started to make the rounds to collect the 30 dollar mooring fee. Sadly by then the cat was long gone.
Next day, Saturday, with all moorings full, a cat came in and dropped anchor right in the middle of the mooring field amidst four other boats on moorings. Well, we all know that a boat on anchor does not swing like a boat on a mooring, with much more rode and larger swing radius. A tense hour or so ensued, and while we couldn't hear all the exchanges, two boats from moorings left after some heated words and narrowly averted collisions. And of course the cat on anchor then took one of the moorings. Anytime I've dropped anchor while awaiting a mooring, I always did so well clear of boats on moorings. There is a nice spot for this in the eastern end of White Bay that carries 6 feet. I guess I thought everyone did that.
Ahhhh, almost seems like things are back to normal!
Cheers and wishing we were with you all on JVD next week! The Sunday BBQ at Soggy is awesome! And if anyone is there on Friday or Saturday night, Hendo’s serves up an amazing lobster!
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