Every year, the Suspects plan a fall trip to the Caribbean in order to squeeze out that last drop of sunshine before we’re trapped in our igloos for the winter.  November has traditionally been the month of choice, but after Hurricane Lenny in 1999, and the week of “carwash” weather last year, I declared that “November is No More.”  Never before December 1.  Never.

Bookings of the boat had been very strong and there were only two openings available; two weeks straddling November/December and two weeks straddling December/January.  The first option contained that dreaded “N” month, so I was leaning towards a white Christmas in the tropics.  I played “wait-and-see” for as long as I could, hoping that a charter booking for one of the two openings would result in my booking the other.

In the end, it was the Taliban that made the decision for me.  Looking at piles of newspapers, CNN, Bin Laden, Al-Qaeda, Mohammad Al-Whichamacallit, box cutters, Ground Zero, the Stock market - I finally had enough.  I picked up the telephone, dialed some numbers, and instructed whoever picked up the phone to “just get me outta here!”   My Never in November decree was an empty one.

Booked Solid? - You Gotta Be Kidding!!!

With the mountains of bad press about airline passenger loads way down, airline bankruptcies and bailouts, I expected that the emergence of my credit card in broad daylight would attract a lot of welcome attention.  “Ah-ha, a CUSTOMER!!!” I was expecting to hear on the other end of the phone.  What I got was something entirely different.

Believe it or not, I was not able to get the airline bookings I wanted.  Air Canada, who now only flies when they feel like it, or when there is an opportunity to crush a competitor, had reduced their Toronto-Barbados daily nonstop service to “whenever”.   Barbados Independence Day weekend had taxed LIAT’s bookings to a point where they could not take my reservation because they were confused.

As a result of the airline bookings mess, our journey required layovers in Barbados each way.  A tough break.  While this cut into our anchoring time on the boat, it provided an opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream and visit the Mount Gay Rum Distillery.  The sacrifices we must make...

Inconsiderate Olga

Although Hurricane season officially ends November 30, not all Hurricanes know this.  Some simply never got the memo.  As I was packing my bags, from out of nowhere, the impossible happened.  A well-beyond-late-season hurricane named Olga formed in the sub-tropical latitudes near Bermuda, if you can believe it.  Great, this damn hurricane season is going to make sure it squeezes the last drop of irritation out of me.  I really didn’t need this, but I sort of expected it.  After all, it was technically still the last day of November.

I was never really worried about it heading south, however there were reports of heavy northerly swell in some of the anchorages.  I was concerned that the swell from Olga would interfere with my plans to moor in Britannia Bay Mustique, which can be quite uncomfortable in such conditions.  A quick e-mail exchange with our friends at The Firefly confirmed that we had nothing to worry about.

That damn storm continued to circle about the mid-latitudes for another 5 days, but I didn’t pay attention – I was safely in the “protective cone of ignorance.”  If I didn’t know about it, then it could not be a problem.

Window Seat

Just when I thought I had seen every possible cost-cutting measure in the airline business, Air Canada impressed me with one very creative original.  The Chief Purser had allegedly “forgot” the keys to the bar, and as a result, it was a dry flight.  They will go back for the Colombian coffee, but not the keys to the bar.  Strange priorities.

In the end, that was probably a good thing because I was able to capitalize on my advanced state of consciousness to enjoy an excellent view of the Caribbean Island chain from my window seat on the starboard side.   The volcano on Montserrat vented a plume of smoke that could be seen clearly from 35,000 feet.