I put my curtains to soak because Plan A was to continue cleaning the boat. Rick had asked for a little help in pulling in the wiring and hosing for the refrigeration system but he had prepared everything else yesterday. These were famous last words. We started at 8AM, didn’t stop for lunch and we were still not really finished at 5:30PM but we stopped anyway. While trying to fish the wire in we tried first from forward back and then from midship forward. We broke two pull strings and in the end fished small sections at a time until we completed the full run. The hosing was worse. We were pulling in 2 runs of 5/8-inch hose from stern to bow. We lifted what floorboards we could and fished the other areas. We had to go around and through bulkheads, some of which needed larger openings so needless to say, this was also a pig of a job. When all was done, I suggested we have a shower and go out for dinner since we both earned it this day. Before the shower I had to first rinse and hang the curtains to dry.
Finally I was able to really start cleaning the inside of the boat. Rick walked over to Prickly Bay to buy a few things at Budget Marine and I started emptying all cupboards and storage areas. I was able to put together 4 grocery bags of canned and dry goods and a few new blankets we had never used on the way down here and would certainly not use while here. John the bus driver picked everything up and offered to distribute it to some needy people. I was washing walls and louver doors when Rick returned and wanted his hair cut. We took a break and he cut my hair as well. Afterward it was almost time for Spanish (I had missed dominos again) and Rick offered to do some cleaning while I had my shower and join the gang for our lessons. He emptied and scrubbed the bilge which I really appreciated. Time was up, we had to get changed because 13 of us were going for a Mexican dinner at the True Blue Restaurant. It was an enjoyable evening and True Blue Bay is a very pretty place that we’ll have to revisit.
Cleaning finished in time to play Dominos after which we headed to the airport to pick up Kelly. Her flight was 20 minutes late but that’s pretty good for island time. We arrived back at the marina in time for Rick and Kelly to have one beer before Happy Hour was finished. The restaurant was closed for a wedding and the Squall Bar was serving a buffet but at $75 EC ($28 US) per person. We felt it was a little expensive so went back to the boat for pasta.
A good Canadian pancake breakfast with bacon and maple syrup got us off to a good start. We watched Kelly’s dance videos and then she looked at our trip pictures. Rick then wanted to finish the last few preparations for the refrigeration system so Kelly and I went and sat by the pool with Christian and Nicole. We had lunch at the restaurant that is right by the pool and headed back to the boat a little after 2PM. Rick was still working so Kelly and I laid down to read for a while but we both ended up having a siesta. Rick as usual finished in time for Happy Hour. Dinner this night was at the Secret Harbour Restaurant.
Emancipation Day in Grenada. Almost everything was closed so we went for a walk over to Prickly Bay partially for exercise and to spend some time in the Internet Café. We spent the afternoon by the pool.
After dropping our laundry with Claire we headed up the hill to wait for our
bus. I had arranged an all day tour of the island. We visited a waterfall, a 200-year-old spice
plantation, and a nutmeg processing plant, a 200-year-old rum distillery, a
chocolate factory and the rain forest. We stopped in between and had lunch at a
plantation on the north side of the island overlooking Kick em Jenny and Diamond
Rock. The tour was great but the excitement started at the chocolate factory.
The bus driver John and our guide Darries had a little dispute unbeknownst by
all of us until John announced he had quit and would not be driving for Darries
any longer beginning immediately. We were half way across the island without a
driver since Darries is blind. Jim one of the cruisers offered to drive the van.
The other 10 of us assisted by providing continual advice. Keep to the left,
think left, turn right etc. The best
part was going around or through
roundabouts when the advice was to watch out, go and stop all spoken at the same
time. While going through the rain forest Rick requested that Jim turn the
wipers on so that we could all see where we were driving. The tour ended with us
all arriving safely at the marina about 7:30 PM.
Rick, Kelly and I sat by the pool most of the day. We took our hand held radio as we were waiting for a call from Enza Marine. Somehow we missed the call and when we returned to the boat we found the fridge sitting in the cockpit. We could tell that Craig had tried to start the installation but because we had everything locked he couldn’t do much. We returned to the hotel for a buffet dinner and steel band in the evening.
Craig arrived at 8AM to start the installation. Rick wanted to work with
Craig so Kelly and I decided to go to St Georges for the day. We had wanted to
visit Logos II which is a book boat that is on the cruise ship dock this week.
It is similar to the mobile libraries in Canada and the States that travel to
small towns but on Logos you purchase your books. It wasn’t open when we arrived
so we moved on. The next stop was an internet café for Cappuccino and email. We
then visited Fabrik Batik which is a clothing stored owned by Lilo who lives on
her boat around the corner from us. She manufactures batik clothing, hiring many
of the local deaf people who she has trained to do the batik artwork. We
continued up and down the hill on Young St. to the Market. While at the Market I
realized I had left my credit card in an ATM back in the Carenage. We quickly
walked back there to find out who services the machine. Huffing and puffing
after climbing the hills I learned that the NCB Bank back in the Market
maintains the ATM. Back we went, up and down the hills again. I spoke to a lady
in the bank who told me that if I checked with her the next day she would
probably be able to return it. I put a temporary hold on the card and we
continued on. We had lunch at the Nutmeg Restaurant and then took a local bus to
the Grand Anse Mall to pick up a few groceries. When we returned to the boat
Rick was just tidying up and the installation was complete. Kelly and I went for
a swim at pool.
Rick, Kelly and I went to the Aquarium Restaurant for swimming and snorkeling. We had lunch there and then returned to the marina for a swim in the pool. I called the bank and they had recovered my card which was great news. Since it was Friday there was a Barbecue at Secret Harbour then a gang of us took a cab to Prickley Bay to hear the band they always have at their barbecue. There was no band this evening because all the steel bands were involved with carnival.
We went to Grand Anse Beach with Bob, Marta and Dan and Karen from Dakari. We sat on the beach for a while and then used one of the pools in a lovely hotel. While there we met Brian and Amy a couple we had met the previous day at the Aquarium. We had lunch at a beach bar and then went to the Grand Anse Mall for a few groceries on our way back to the boat. Later Brian and Amy showed up. They were exploring and when they saw Wind-Borne they recognized the name so stopped by to visit for a while. Later after Happy Hour, Bob and Marta came for the evening and brought Bob’s homemade chili for dinner. We all watched Kelly’s dance video and were very impressed with her dancing the salsa.
It was very windy in the morning so after breakfast we all just relaxed and read for a while. Later after the wind died we took the dinghy over to Hogs Island and tipped it on its side to scrub both the bottom and topsides. There was a little world famous beach bar called Roger’s there so halfway through we had to stop for a break. Later, back at Secret Harbour during Happy Hour we learned that an outboard had been stolen from a dinghy the night before. The motor had not been locked to the dinghy.
Kelly, Rick and I spent the morning at the pool. Lunch was a party in the hotel overlooking the pool. Dan on Dakare organized the party to celebrate a few birthdays, anniversaries and Kelly’s Bon Voyage. It was a very good excuse to have a get together. Gary from Elusive had an allergic reaction during the meal so Kelly (who can run faster), and I hurried to the boat for an epipen. She got the pen but scratched her knee in a nasty fall. I found a carnival band looking for people to entertain. I had the band follow us back up the hill to the party. They provided great entertainment and afterward shared some of the birthday cake. Gary never did use the epipen but kept it with him overnight. His swelling didn’t start to disappear until almost morning.
Kelly said her good-byes to Bob and Marta and then we took a taxi to the
airport. Her flight was delayed a little and we had arranged for the taxi
to pick us up so we couldn’t wait to see her flight take off. We went back
to the marina where we found a mega yacht (145 footer) named “Gran Finale”
docked next to us. Most of the gang had gone to town for the Carnival
Parade so there were only a few people left. Rick finally tried a game of
dominos and enjoyed it.
Rick and I went to town. We visited the fish market, vegetable market, marine store, hardware, Internet café and most important the bank to pick up my credit card that was recovered from the ATM where I left it. Finally we picked up a slice a pizza and ate it on the run as we hurried to the grocery store. We finished all of our shopping and were ready for the 2 PM bus to take us back the marina.
First all day rain since arriving in Grenada. I called Canada to take
the temporary hold off my credit card and the bank apologized but they had
goofed and already cancelled it. All my phone calls to them keeping them
up to date on the recovery of the card had been a waste of time and money.
We had to move over one slip to make room for another big yacht (Gran Finale). We called this one the little big yacht because it’s only 85 feet. This was a good day to catch up with email.
I think the generators on the two large boats beside us are interfering with our ham radio. I cannot seem to get a good connection to send or receive any email. We walked over to Prickly again to use the Internet café. Just as we were leaving Bob and Marta arrived. We waited for them and then the four of us went for a long walk to find the Rendezvous Restaurant. Lunch at the Rendezvous was worth the walk even if it was up and down the hills in the heat of the day. Later we had the regular Friday night Barbecue at the Marina after Happy Hour.
Rick checked and cleaned batteries. Rust was starting to get onto the previously greased terminal posts. It was very humid so I put away laundry and pumped the water out of the dinghy but most of the day I just sat around and read. Jim and Andreas from Sitara called to see if we would like to go see Jody Foster in Panic Room at the theater. We agreed to meet them at happy hour and take a cab from there. Their nephew Tim who was visiting was really good with Danea who is only 13 months. During the show she made a little whimper but when I took her she just cuddled right up and went to sleep on my lap for the whole movie.
We helped Joe and Evelyn move Evelyn’s Beach to dock. We were then supposed to go over to Hog Island for a barbecue but we passed due to weather. Black clouds were bringing downpours regularly and we had been caught in a couple already. During Happy Hour the crowd was much smaller since the majority of cruisers were still at Hog Island. We watched a few dinghies try to race a wall of water with thunder and lightening rumbling all around on their return from the barbecue. They made it safely back but were definitely drenched as the wall of water engulfed them.
The forecast was for rain on and off during the day. We decided to start working on the outside teak with a two part cleaner. The rain would help us keep everything wet. We got some done in time for a siesta and Happy Hour.
Our 26th Wedding Anniversary Pretty soon I will no longer be able to spend money at all. I went into the marina office and told them that the credit card impression that they had taken when we first arrived was no longer any good as the card had been canceled. I carry a different credit card for situations like this and asked them to take a new impression. They did and in doing so completely destroyed my alternative card. I am now cardless and must rely upon Rick for money.
We sanded some teak in the morning and then walked over to the Red Crab for our Anniversary lunch. So far the Red Crab is our favourite restaurant here. If we go for lunch rather than dinner we can walk. We have been advised to take taxis after dark. On our way back to Secret Harbour we stopped at Prickly Bay for the Internet access.
Our first tropical storm and it was a doozy. The weather forecast had not mentioned anything other than a few showers throughout the day but it hit us just before lunchtime. Boats started dragging and a few in our harbour went aground. They went aground on mud and in the mangroves so there was not really any damage. Just after lunch the second part of the storm hit and it was much worse than the previous. Many boats that had been anchored for months dragged. A boat in Prickly Bay ended up on the rocks and it took a few large boats many hours to get it off. We were about the most sheltered boat in the bay since we were tucked into the lee of Gran Finale (145 footer). The crew on Gran Finale put out many more dock lines, a third anchor, picked up additional mooring balls, ran their engines and used their bow thrusters to ensure they stayed put. Boats popped fenders and were leaning in 45-degree angles over the dock. The winds during the second storm were so strong that I was worried that Gran Finale just may not hold. If it broke loose we would be goners. So I made Rick get off the boat with me and head up to the Rum Squall Bar. Even the walk to the Squall Bar was dangerous. The waves were coming over the cement dock and the winds were 55 to 60 knots (sustained). Rick told me to get off the dock and run across the parking lot in the wind because he was afraid the winds and waves over the dock would either knock us down or we would be hit by flying debris.
As soon as everything settled down, Rick jumped into the dinghy and went to help the boats that had broken loose or run aground.
There were very few people at Happy Hour but those that were there had many stories to tell.
We had a wonderful dinner aboard Sirena. Marta cooked a real Cuban meal for our Anniversary. She prepared all of this as the boat rocked and rolled enough to toss things off tables and shelves onto the floor. They were on the windward side of Gran Finale. The best part of dinner was Bob’s new hairdo. Rick and Bob made an agreement months ago that Bob would grow his hair long enough to wear a ponytail and if he actually accomplished this then Rick would get his ear pierced and wear an earring. Well, Bob’s hair was in a ponytail albeit with a lot of hair spray. Marta gave Rick a little gift box that contained a large needle and a single earring. The conversation was extremely humorous all evening.
The weather forecasts were not promising today. George said that if we thought yesterday was bad, it was really a ‘cake walk’ compared to what we could expect this weekend. We didn’t get a lot done today just tidied and cleaned a bit. Rick put an additional stern line and chafe gear out to another mooring ball. We now have 3 mooring balls holding our bow off of the dock. While doing this we were talking with the crew from Gran Finale. They were not aware of the forecast and said that they would rather ride it out at anchor than at dock. Sure enough Gran Finale left the dock in the early afternoon which means we no longer have them as a three-story break wall.
Rick and I headed into the market today. We’ve learned that the container ship with fresh produce arrives on Thursday each week so Friday is the best day to pick up groceries in Grenada. We had a nice morning in town and took the local bus to the Boulangerie Cafe for lunch near Spice Island Mall and finished our grocery shopping in the food store there.
So far so good with regard to the weather. According to all of the weather guru’s, the nastiness we were expecting dissipated before the wave reached us. There was the odd shower throughout the day as Rick and I worked at stripping and sanding the teak on deck. I took a break in the afternoon for dominos but Rick continued working until Happy Hour.
Another day of woodwork in the rain. I wasn’t a lot of help outside but I did work on the computer quite a bit. I think the fact it was Sunday encouraged us to relax a little.
It rained all night long and well into the morning. It was not just a sprinkle it was a heavy downpour the whole time. As soon as it let up a bit Rick went out and emptied the dinghy, which had at least 8 inches of water in it. He also discovered that there had been a Squid attack. At this time of the year the squid are very plentiful and when chased by predator fish they jump out of the water. They land on decks, dodgers and even biminis. Although we only found one this time we have been told we will find many more. He continued his work on the teak and I gathered and packed cold weather clothes to take home with me next week.
I normally don't write about my cooking skills but the dinner that I prepared this day was very memorable so I thought that I would share it with you. When we were in the market last Friday I was looking for some red and green peppers when I saw one of the ladies with small red, yellow and green peppers in a bag. They looked just like the normal bell peppers but were the size of cherry tomatoes. I asked her if they were sweet or hot peppers and she assured me they were sweet and could be used fresh in salads or for cooking. I was extremely pleased with my find because they were very pretty and fresh. In my mind I could already picture the colourful meals I would prepare using them.
Now the story… We returned from Happy Hour and the wind had died quite a bit so we decided to barbecue chicken and I would make some Spanish rice as a side dish. In the galley I put the rice on to cook, chopped some onion and was busy cleaning the peppers. They were so small that it was easier to cut the tops off and slice them in half. Then using a finger, just wipe the seeds out. I was busy cleaning quite a lot of them as this was going to be a very colourful Spanish rice. Although it was about 7:30 PM it was still very warm. The wind had died down so it was not unusual to be glowing (women glow, men perspire), by the stove. I turned the galley fan around to direct the wind my way. Rick saw me using the back of my hand to wipe a bit of the glow off my face so opened the hatch above me that I had forgotten was closed. By the time I finished cleaning and cutting all of the peppers, my hands and face were burning. I went into the head and washed both and applied a little cream. Rick, wise man that he is, commented that just maybe they were hot peppers and not sweet. By this time I didn't even have to taste one, I was sure they were hot because the burning sensation on my face was getting worse. I again washed my hands and face and this time I applied Solarcaine. The burning continued to get worse. Rick took over dinner preparations while I now applied a cold gel bag to my face. When dinner was ready Rick ate with gusto but I just couldn't find an appetite for a meal that had caused me so much pain. Within a couple of hours I was back to normal with no indication of the severe burns I had suffered.
This was a beautiful breezy day that was perfect for applying Cetol to the teak. We had a pot luck happy hour. There was so much great food that no one cooked dinner afterwards.
I helped Rick reseat the chocks on the stern of the boat. It was a two man job but he said I would do. After happy hour we had made arrangements for dinner with Jim, Andreas and Danea from Sitara and Joe and Evelyn from Evelyn’s Beach at the Little Dipper Restaurant in Clarkes Court Bay. It was the cutest little restaurant with only four tables overlooking the bay. They serve authentic Caribbean food. Rock, the taxi driver and husband of Joan, the lady that owns the Little Dipper drove us to and from the restaurant at no charge.
Everyone’s talking about Tropical Storm Dotty. It’s the first significant weather feature in our area so far this season. Although it is at 12 degrees and heading west directly towards us, it is still thousands of miles out to sea and is forecasted to turn northwest very soon. The winds are 60 MPH and it covers an area of 80 miles.
Well it looks like Dotty may dissipate quickly. She absorbed a huge amount of African sand that was traveling west with one of the waves and the winds immediately reduced to 45 MPH. In addition, the storm has turned north and is now forecasted to miss to Caribbean completely.
