Category: Life On A Boat

Stuck Outside of Provo

Proof again not to make plans on a sailboat came this week in Provo, Turks and Caicos. We brought Captain Jeff on board on Wednesday and were ready to go for our passage to Puerto Rico. Provisions were in, boat was clean, we were ready. It wasn’t to be: the engine conked out on our way to the fuel dock and we are stuck outside of Provo, Turks and Caicos.

Engine Problems

We hadn’t even left the island. An hour in, heading to a marina to fill up the water and the fuel for the journey, I smelled burning. I mentioned it and Jeff saw smoke. Brian turned off the engine and we went down below to check out the damage. Based on our history, we tried adding coolant. Then turned the engine on and looked. It looked like we needed a water pump.

After sourcing a pump from the U.S., we think it will be here on Tuesday. Maybe we will get out on Wednesday. But I know better than to make any plans!

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Down Time on the South Side

We are in Provo, Turks and Caicos for a few more days, hanging out and getting ready for our next big jump. While we are here, we’re exploring our surroundings and taking down time on the South Side.

Moving South

We moved from the north side, Turtle Cove, to the south side, Sapodilla Bay, on Friday. Though only a 30 minute car ride from here to there, the sail took most of a day.

Turtle Cove to Sapodilla Bay Providencia Turks and Caicos Map
Quick drive from Turtle Cove to Sapodilla Bay
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A Week in Provo (Turks and Caicos)

We have already been in the northernmost island of Turks and Caicos, Providenciales, for a week. Or as everyone here calls it, Provo.

Boat Work

We needed some work done, as you may have heard, so we docked Sava at a marina to have easier land access. We spent 6 nights on the boat at Turtle Cove Marina. It was a good location to get our errands done and explore the island.

If I am sleeping on the boat, I prefer sleeping at sea. Being docked we felt the oppressive heat, no wind, and fought a lot of bugs. We need a few days at sea to get rid of all the bug bites! But, as many people have said, if that’s our biggest problem, we can’t complain.

I like Provo. The locals are friendly and it’s a very international crowd. We met people from England, South Africa, Switzerland and Puerto Rico who call Turks and Caicos home.

Turtle Cove, Provo

Eating Out

When we arrived in Provo, we were almost out of produce, protein, snacks, we did a job on our stores. We had been cooking up a storm on board, and had to stock up at the grocery store. But first, we were going to eat out and save the provisioning until right before we started sailing again. We tried all the restaurants near Turtle Cove and a few more.

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