This is May Day, a holiday in Grenada/Carriacou and we forgot to buy bread yesterday. Normally this would not be a problem because we could have something else for breakfast but our donations have been going well and there is no longer a lot of food stored onboard. Rick loves rolled oats for breakfast but we have no oats left. How about pancakes? I have maple syrup, butter, eggs but no flour. He loves arepas so that’s usually a good fallback as I have cheese to put in them. Well, I had purchased some corn flour locally and while making the arepas I could tell that the texture wasn’t right. The local corn flour was almost like a cornmeal. In the end, poor Rick had peanut butter on crackers for breakfast.
Lunch was a little better as I had time to plan.
The cleaning frenzy continued and our Bob Marley music kept us energized. Rick was cleaning lines and canvas outside. I removed the buttons from the settee cushions. I want to take the covers off to wash them this time. I sure hope that the buttons go back on as easily as they came off.
I washed the fabric buttons but not the cushions yet. The watermaker is running full blast trying to keep up with us but I will need a lot for the covers. Instead I removed and washed the curtains which are shear and small needing very little water..
The laundry went into the yacht club as soon as the doors opened, from there Rick charged over to see Beverley in Alexis Supermarket as soon as the bread was delivered. In fact, it was still warm when he returned to the boat.
Today, Rick worked on deck stripping the pieces of wood that we call the eyebrows. He got them taped, sanded and prepped to go tomorrow.
Inside, I removed and washed all of the settee covers on the starboard side of the main salon. As they were outside drying, I removed all of the outside plastic windows around the dodger and washed them. The cockpit is going to be a little windy for the next few weeks but since the windows are washed they are going to be rolled and packed away, I’m not putting them back up to get salty.
Rick put on his chefs hat and made some wonderful callaloo soup for lunch and homemade pasta sauce for dinner.
It was a little after 2:30PM when we both jumped in for a swim. The strong winds made it an energetic swim against both the wind and the tide so we used our noodles and made our way over to Rasi. Graham and Ann just returned from a charter today and they were busy cleaning in preparation for another charter that arrives this Friday. They couldn’t come out to play.
The watermaker is (touch wood) working as hard as we are. By the end of the day when Rick calculated how much water we made with all of the washing I did plus our showers it totalled about 100 gallons, and I used almost all of it.
As we sat in the cockpit with our sundowners, we turned our heads just in time to see a beautiful moonrise from behind the hills on the island. At first, Rick thought that there was a large fire on land but within seconds, we could see the top portion of the full moon. We watched until the complete moon was above the hills, which happens very quickly down here.
The settees on the port side were washed today. While the covers were soaking I began the task of putting the buttons back on the starboard cushions. By the time I finished with the buttons, my fingers were numb and it was lunchtime. All in all, it was a little easier than I expected but I am now in dire need of a manicure and hand massage.
Rick continued working on the exterior wood and made trips ashore for whatever we needed.
I have declared the interior of the boat a disaster area. Today, I put the buttons back on the port side settee cushions. I will never have buttoned upholstery on a boat again. It’s interesting that at home we would hire or rent a steam cleaner. I have learned that most upholstery fabric wears like iron. It washes up beautifully and it doesn’t shrink or wrinkle. The trick is that it must be easily removable from the cushions. Mine has great zippers that are useless with the buttons holding the covers to the cushions.
I removed the mattress and it’s cover from the aft cabin. While it was soaking, anything that I had put back in the aft cabin to store was now all over the main salon.
Petra (In Stitches) came by in the afternoon while Rick was in town. She wanted to fit some of the new canvas covers including the one for the dinghy motor. I told her where Rick left the dinghy and after she finished with the hatch covers on the boat she took off to the main jetty to check another measurement on the outboard motor.
By the time we finished for the day I was exhausted. We went (a little later than normal for us) to the Lambi Queen for dinner. While we were there, Sherwin asked if we wanted to go to Whites Island with him on Sunday. Why not, we could use a day off. I promised to make some salads and he and Josie would take care of everything else.
Rick was hoping he could grease the seacocks that are accessed from the aft
cabin before I started neatly placing all of the items to be stored there. It
was a good try but he said that he would have to wait until we haul before he
could do it properly.
I am taking a day off from playing laundry lady and instead trying to tidy some of the mess I’ve made.
Rick took a shopping list and went into town to purchase the items I need to make salad. He checked my list, which indicated 16 potatoes, he thought this would be impossible to find. I explained that I really only need 12 but I’m sure that out of 16 at least four will be rotten inside. I asked for a dozen green cooking bananas as well so if he can’t find potatoes I will make green banana salad. Other than the makings for coleslaw which can always be found I asked for celery with a little “ha ha” noted on the list.
He returned before lunch with what appeared to be every potato on the island.
He was so excited when he found them at the first store and then again at the
second store he just kept buying.
I immediately began cooking potatoes, bananas and eggs. By 2PM I had prepared three big salads. The boat was tidy so we both jumped in for a swim.
Luciana (Kima) returned from Union single handing the boat in the afternoon, so Rick jumped in the dinghy to help her pick up her mooring as a few boats had anchored pretty close to it leaving her very little manoeuvring room.
It was around 5:30PM when we went ashore to meet with Mark and Deb (Seacycle) for dinner at Lucky’s. They had brought a crowd with them so we had a fun time. It was 8:30 PM when we returned to the boat after enjoying a dinner of ribs and chips.
A lot of boats left this morning. The winds were supposed to have let up a
bit but they were still blowing 15 to 20 knots as we watched everyone heading
out of the bay.
Sherwin arrived at 10:30AM in his speedboat to pick us up and take us to White Island. He had Nicky (his cousin) and Lorraine (a landlubber who has been coming to Carriacou for at least 6 years) with him.
Sherwin was a little disorganized this morning. He had been to a party at
Levi’s (an uncle) house last night and didn’t get home until 4AM. He had
Lorraine pick up
some chicken and potatoes at the store this morning. He was to
bring the drinks and although I had asked for water, the one thing he forgot was
water. As he was heading for our boat, he phoned and asked me to bring some
seasoning for the chicken. I could see him coming so I quickly grabbed a jar of
herb and garlic seasoning and a little flour to mix with it. I should have known
better, when the islanders talk seasoning they really are referring to what we
would call a marinade. Sherwin had no cooking oil with him and the chicken was
to be barbequed over a wood fire that we would make in the sand. It wasn’t too
bad, Sunday is the day that all of the locals come to White Island so we
scrounged a little oil from a lady.
Sherwin stayed awake long enough to go out and empty a fish trap so we would
have fish to eat as well. Nicky
cleaned and washed the fish while Lorraine and I
got the chicken and potatoes ready. Other than a few French people from a
charter boat, we were the first group to arrive on the island. The French group
had started and finished with their fire before Rick and Nicky had finished
gathering the wood for ours. Rick used their hot embers to start our fire.
It was a gorgeous day and White Island has such crystal clear turquoise water surrounded by protective reefs and the whitest sand that it is extremely easy to get sunburned. We creamed up with protector and spent most of the time in the shade of a sea grape tree. I had brought the salads and serving spoons and since Sherwin forgot everything else I thought I’d check whether he remembered to bring plates and cutlery. He looked at me funny and said no but it was all right. I was a little concerned that the salads would go to waste if we had no means of eating them. We had only been on White Island by ourselves before, never on a Sunday with a group of locals. Now we learned to picnic as the locals do. Some had brought calabash bowls as they were cooking a big pot of mutton stew on the fire. Others (as Lorraine all ready had experienced), ate using a large sea grape leaf as a plate and a small leaf as a spoon. Great idea as there was no garbage and no washing up when we were finished. Many of the locals enjoyed the salads, which I had brought in calabash bowls so by the time the stew was ready; I had a large empty calabash bowl to try some of the stew and dumplings. Each of the groups brought and cooked something different. One group kept going into the water and returning with conch, whelks and collywash. Another group had someone spear fishing so they were barbecuing large fish. It was a lot of fun and very interesting.
Sherwin had finally come alive in time for food. The sun was almost ready to set so we raced back to Tyrrel Bay while there was still daylight.
We were getting a little low on water so I wasn’t able to fill the bathtub today. Instead I sorted through shoes and then Rick and I cleaned the bilge. He was the one standing on his head scrubbing and I took inventory of what was returned and stored way down there.
Rick was craving lamb so I prepared a huge leg of lamb for dinner. Normally we would invite people to share this with us but with cleaning and rearranging things we’re not really in good shape for entertaining. I tossed some herbed potatoes in with the lamb and found that it all just barely fit in the oven.
While dinner was cooking, Petra and Andy (In Stitches) came by with the last of our new canvas and joined us for sundowners.
We were back to having plenty of water. I removed the upholstery cover from the large forward berth, soaked and washed it.
Rick had a lot of running around to do in the morning but when he returned, he polished the stainless in the cockpit. Later he washed the walls and forward bunk before I replaced the mattress.
As soon as breakfast was finished, I put the three sail bags to soak and then started removing the dodger and the canvas between the dodger and bimini. Rick gave me a hand with the bimini. Although we have the sun awning up, it certainly feels that we are wide open to the elements now with no dodger and bimini.
It was so nice and windy that I was able to soak and wash not only all of the cockpit canvas but the mainsail cover as well. Between the two of us, we wrestled the mainsail off the boom onto the side deck and held it down with our feet, arms or any other body part that was handy while we folded and packed it away for the season.
With all of the canvas off the frames, Rick found lots of stainless steel that needed to be polished.
Rick happened to notice that the Monday that the boat is to be hauled out is
Whit Monday, a holiday in Grenada. He went into the yard and spoke with Tim the
manager to determine if the yard will really be open on a holiday. Good thing he
did, as we are now getting hauled on the Saturday. Since we’re ahead of schedule
it won’t be much of a problem. We will have an issue with food on the Sunday and
holiday Monday. We plan to stay at the yacht club while the boat is on the hard
and I already told Trevor we would not required the cottage with cooking
facilities as we would eat our meals at the club, which won’t be open those two
days.
The Amelia (ferry from Grenada to Tyrrel Bay) was late and we had asked for
help from other cruisers to offload the 40+ cases of reading books for the eight
schools on Carriacou that were on the ferry (http://www.boatersforbooks.org/).
The ferry finally arrived and the cruisers gathered together by Allayne (Audrey Paige) came and so did Sherwin with his pickup truck. We all formed a chain and passed the heavy boxes along the line of volunteers into the truck. Sherwin drove the truck down the jetty and we proceeded to use the same process to offload the boxes into Bek’s restaurant where the schools would come to get them tomorrow.
We returned to the boat just in time for sundowners.
We awoke to another beautiful day but heard on the weather report that the first named storm had already formed up near the Georgia, Carolina Coast. It’s very early for a storm as the tropical waves haven’t even started to cross the Atlantic yet.
As soon as breakfast was finished just after 8:30AM, I started calling each of the eight schools to let them know that the books had arrived and had to be picked up today.
I don’t have many fabric items left that need to be washed so today I thought I would clean the oven and barbecue grill using oven cleaner. The barbecue itself I left for Rick as it’s a designated blue job.
Rick was cleaning and servicing blocks and washing the running rigging.
At lunchtime we went to Bek’s Restaurant for lunch and to check how many boxes of books were left to be picked up. I took along my phone and Rick took his back brace, just in case we had to call a friend to help deliver any left over boxes. It was a nice surprise when we walked in and found that all of the schools had come and taken their books shortly after I called them.
We returned to the boat and I removed all of the screens from the ports. A couple of screens needed to be fixed after they were washed. Rick said that was a good job for tomorrow.
We had sundowners but dinner was cancelled due to a large lunch.
The weather has been so perfect for cleaning. Although the temperate has been in the thirties, the wind has been keeping us cool. This morning while we were sitting in the cockpit eating breakfast, we noticed that the wind seemed a little lighter than it has been. It was more like 10 to 15 knots rather than the 15 to 20 to which we’ve become accustomed.
Quickly, before doing dishes we hurried forward on deck and removed the forward portion of the sun awning so that we could drop the head sails. It was touch and go as we could feel the wind starting to gust a little higher. We waited each time for a lull then unfurled and dropped the sails as though we do it every day of the week. We were able to fold and bag them on the leeward side of the deck. All are now stowed nice and dry in the aft cabin.
It felt like we had done a days work but it was only 9AM. I worked away down below while Rick soaked and washed lines, cleaned and polished more stainless as well as repairing screens.
Just before dark we headed to shore for dinner at Lambi Queen. This was Luciana and Andrea’s last night on the island. They are both leaving to go home. Luciana will go to Italy first and then visit family in England. Andrea is on her way home to Germany for at least a month.
We sat together with them and Braham (Bad Dog) for a nice dinner of lambi fritters (conch). There was no band scheduled to play tonight but Aaron arrived with his bongo and a little later, there were a couple more drums. Gradually as the locals could hear the drumming sound more and more arrived, some with drums and others just to enjoy the beat.
It was 9:30PM when we returned to the boat and the wind was quite strong but the sky was full of stars.
The wind howled all night and all I could think of was that our timing was perfect in removing the sails.
I continued sorting through things to stay and things to toss as well as things to take home. All in all the boat is in chaos again. However, I did complete a little more inventory.
Rick continued polishing the stainless and washing halyards. I think we’re starting to slow down a little. We either need a day off or we’re almost finished, I’m not sure which.
It was Mother’s Day and I was pampered. Rick made his perfect poached eggs, which he always makes on a Sunday morning. He almost slipped when he told me to hurry with the breakfast dishes as he wanted to turn the watermaker on. It didn’t take a lot of reminding that dishes were not something that a pampered Mother should do.
I received Mother’s Day cards in my email and a nice phone call from Karyn who lives in Western Canada.
Today was mainly a computer day for me. I copied CD’s that I want to take home. I updated the web site with a few new pictures and backed up everything on the computer.
While disks were copying, I inventoried first aid items and sorted through drawers and cupboards in the head.
I repacked and inventoried 2 suitcases. Yesterday’s chaos is under control again at least for a while.
Steve and Gloria (I’Lean) invited us to their boat for happy hour. We had an enjoyable time and then all went to the Lazy Turtle for a nice Mother’s Day dinner.
It’s getting difficult to clean and organize much more inside the boat. There’s not much left to pack other than our clothes and get rid of food items. The problem is that we are still wearing the clothes and eating the food.
I used the printer for what I hope is the last time today and then packed it away.
Rick helped me wash the deep hole behind the galley sink. I bagged and restored the items in there.
I had the makings for a tasty chicken stew so I put that together and had it simmering on the stove in the afternoon but it will have to wait until tomorrow to be eaten.
Our friends Cheryl and Gary (Latest Caper) arrived in the bay late yesterday with their friends John and Jenny. Since they were diving all day and are leaving for Grenada tomorrow morning, tonight was our only chance to get together. We all went to the Lambi Queen for dinner and had an enjoyable evening.
Rick serviced a few more ports and washed a couple more halyards today trying to keep ahead of the Camel Dung/Sahara Dust that is starting to coat everything. I worked on deck in the morning and cleaned the lifelines. That sounds like a snap of a job but it’s not. I haven’t cleaned them for a while. The salt spray and Sahara dust were baked into the white covering. The only thing I have found that makes them white again is to clean them with acetone. While using acetone in 15 to 20 knot winds the trick is not to let it all evaporate before finishing the job and not get any drops on the deck, which from experience I know, upsets the captain.
We were finished by noon and had chicken stew for lunch. After lunch, we went for a swim and while in the water, Rick decided to clean the snubber. When he came out of the water, his bathing suit was covered with krill. He whipped the swimsuit off so quickly there must have been as many krill on the inside as there was on the outside. Fresh water kills the krill so immediate relief was had when he turned the deck-wash hose on himself.
We sat in the cockpit for sundowners late in the afternoon but couldn’t see the sun set or boats that may be on their way into the bay. There was a small craft warning today for lack of visibility due to the amount of Sahara dust in the air (and I just cleaned the lifelines).
The Sahara dust is still with us but after checking the weather back home in Toronto, Sahara dust doesn’t seem all that bad. Toronto had extremely high winds and thunderstorms yesterday. The winds were strong enough to send a large marble slab flying off one of the downtown buildings. It fell 60 stories onto a main street and no one was hurt.
By the afternoon, we had finished washing and cleaning everything we were going to do for the day and we both retired to the cockpit. Many boats arrived today probably making up for all that didn’t want to move in poor visibility yesterday. The sunset was visible through the haze and we were able to see that there were even clouds in the sky.
This was a busy day. Rick went ashore early and picked up bread and laundry. By the time he returned to the boat, I had finished washing the dishes, had a shower and was almost ready to leave.
We went into town stopping first at the doctor’s office so I could get something for a sinus infection I have been fighting. The Sahara dust hasn’t helped the situation.
Next, we purchased our tickets for the high-speed ferry to Grenada. It was a very quiet day in town with very few vehicles and people. Thursday is normally a busy day but the lady at the grocery store said that it is the heat that is keeping people away. They will all come to town and shop after dark when it’s cooler.
We didn’t have a lot to purchase because we are still eating down our existing supplies on board but I did get a good supply of mangoes, bananas and papayas which all looked great. Norbert was there to pick us up and bring us back to the jetty.
In the dinghy we could see that someone had placed an anchor and hundreds of feet of line attached to it was floating around and getting tangled in everyone’s prop, including ours. I started pulling in the line that seemed to go on forever when Rick offered to help. He was able to pull it in much faster but at the same time, he splashed mud all over my shorts and top. The mud wasn’t a big deal and when we returned to the boat I rinsed the clothes and hung them on the clothes line. They dried very quickly but when we took them off the line, they both had a nice red line of Sahara dust from the clothesline. No big deal, I rinsed them again and hung them on my nice clean lifelines. Rick removed the clothesline and put it to soak with some halyards.
We had some wonderful huge Kingfish steaks for dinner that were caught and given to us by Steve and Gloria (I’Lean) before they left for Grenada a couple of days ago.
It was 6:45AM and my phone was ringing. I jumped out of bed and ran to get it. Our friend Fitzroy was calling to tell us he had purchased and just received a computer. It was all set up but he couldn’t seem to connect to the internet, would I come over and help. “Sure, what time would you like me to come?” He said, “I’m up, you could come now”. I asked him to let me make some breakfast for Rick first and then I would come over. I have never heard him as excited over anything like this before.
We went and checked out his computer and found that the antenna just wasn’t strong enough to pick up the WiFi signal. I told him he could look after mine for five months after next week while he tries to find one. They have been back-ordered in the islands.
It was almost noon by the time we returned to the boat. We both puttered around with small jobs during the afternoon. Rick hosed down the forward sun awning to remove most of the red dust on it before taking it down. The strong gusty winds have been causing it to rattle the rigging during the night awaking both of us. The winds are not forecast to ease off yet and the awning eventually has to be packed. Now seems as good a time as any.
It was Friday night so we went to Lambi Queen for dinner and the live band. There was a good crowd and it was a lot of fun. We left a little after 9PM.
Rick cleaned the last of the stainless steel while I caught up with emails. I tried to resend all emails since April 14th using a different email system. We learned that most but not all emails that we have sent during the last month are floating around in cyberspace. So if you haven’t heard from us, it’s not that we are ignoring you, in fact we have probably sent you a lengthy note, you just haven’t received it. Hopefully that has been resolved now.
We removed the forward portion of the sun awning in the morning before the winds had a chance to build. The boat is starting to look quite naked.
I finally started to wash or wipe the walls and ceiling down with a mix of water and bleach. Hopefully, this will inhibit any mildew growth in the closed up cabin while we are away.
Rick finished that last of the stainless steel and the boat almost sparkles.
In the afternoon, Brad and Alana (Witches Song) invited us to their boat for sundowners. Dan, Jaime (Nereia) and George and Genie (The Vagrant), joined us. We watched a very vicious looking large black cloud come over the hills and head our way. The wind picked up a little and we had maybe 10 drops of rain as the cloud continued moving quickly to the west. It was saving the main event for somewhere else. George and Genie told us they are getting married on the 29th of this month and invited us to their wedding at the Yacht Club and party afterward on the beach.
It was a fun evening and although we had planned to go for pizza afterward, instead we stayed until after 9PM and just returned to our boat.
I packed all of the clothes that are going home with us. If we need to wear any of them, we will be digging for them in the suitcase.
Rick had ordered a new (really it’s almost new) engine panel from Grenada Marine. It was our understanding that they would give it to Jonathon at Island Water World to put on the Amelia (ferry) with his shipment to the haulout as he normally does every Wednesday and Saturday. We saw the ferry arrive on Saturday and Tim went over as he always does and picked up the packages for the cruisers. There was no rush for us and the yard is not open on Sundays so we waited until today to pick up the package. There was no package!!! This was very strange because Grenada Marine had sent it but it wasn’t anywhere. The Amelia hadn’t left yet so Rick went over and looked around on the ferry, then he and Tim went and looked again. In the end after a lot of chasing around, we learned that the package might have been sent on the Osprey Express (the high-speed ferry) last Wednesday. The Osprey office doesn’t open until 10AM so Tim said he would check then. Well as it happened, Daniela was going into town so she would check at the office. She forgot. Rosy, was picking up her new car in town so Daniela asked her to check for it. Meanwhile we had a lovely afternoon; the winds were down so we went for a swim off the boat. Later, we spoke with Tim and learned that the package had been found and we could get it from Rosy tomorrow. The story continues however, Joe and Elaine (Island Girl) had suggested we get together for an evening before leaving the island. This was the night we were meeting at Lambi Queen for drinks and dinner. When we arrived, Sherwin told us he had a package for us. A little surprised, we asked how he ended up with the package. Evidently, Rosy wanted to celebrate getting her new car but she didn’t want to drink and drive, so Sherwin was driving for her when they picked up our package. Joe and Elaine wanted to take the package to their boat and deliver it to us from there after hearing the story, they felt that they were the only ones on the island that hadn’t played a part in the delivery of it. Rick wasn’t letting go of the parcel.
There are not many days left until we haul out. Today Rick helped me wipe down the ceilings with bleach and water. I took over for the walls and cabinets. In the afternoon, he changed the engine oil and transmission fluid.
Dinner was at the Lazy Turtle with George and Genie (The Vagrant), Brad and Alana were to have joined us as well but they must have forgotten because they didn’t show.
Rick asked nicely what was on the schedule today. We’re running out of things that can be done before we haul out. He decided to top up the batteries that are accessible from the cockpit locker. I washed the throw cushion covers and shower curtain (all showers in the cockpit from now on). In the afternoon we went ashore and Roy came and picked us up and took us up the mountain to Susan’s and his house. Just as he was parking the car, we could see some dark clouds coming over the hill. The island is desperate for rain. Susan has so many plants and flowers that she does rain dances when it gets this dry. Well we could see rain in the first couple of clouds but they went on by and didn’t provide more that 10 drops on Susan’s garden. We had a lovely afternoon and eventually, the four of us floated around in the plunge pool as we caught up on our gossip. After everyone was a little prune like we retired to the edge of the pool and had a nice meal that Susan had prepared. When everyone’s plate was clean we saw some heavy duty rain clouds coming over the hills headed straight for us. We retired this time to the deck by the house with a nice overhanging roof. There we sat and talked while Susan became very excited over the amount of rain that was falling. Eventually, the rain stopped and we called it a night. Susan gave us a ride back down the mountain to our dinghy.
We had to leave the hatches and ports closed all night as it rained off and on very heavily. In the morning, we heard the distant rumble of thunder that marks the beginning of rainy season. After the thunder sounds, everyone must tether or fence their cows, sheep and goats that have been roaming the roads and fields freely during dry season. The planting is finished and now the sprouts will begin to grow. If the animals are caught wandering and eating someone’s plantings the owners are fined.
Today I washed the cockpit cushions. That’s the last of any washing I can do and it means that in the cockpit we now sit on hard fibreglass. Rick went into town and pick up another engine part that he ordered. While he was in town, he picked up a few other necessities like mangoes.
In the afternoon, Guy and Nicole (Blue Tang) arrived and anchored behind us. Once they were settled, they came by in their dinghy to say hello.
We’re almost there… This morning, Rick cleaned the snubber and anchor rode. By noon, the fenders and lines were in place for docking. If the boat appeared to be in chaos before, it was worse now.
A little after 1PM we moved the boat over to the haulout slipway and really started to work. The water tank was full so I back-washed and pickled the water maker. We raised the outboard engine onto to back rail. Using a halyard, we manhandled the dinghy onto the forward deck. Rick serviced the outboard engine and finished just in time to get ready for sundowners at the yacht club with Guy and Nicole (Blue Tang).
While at the club, Fitzroy came by and said he was having problems with his “instant messenger” settings on the computer. We stopped by his house and Guy fixed him up before we walked along the beach to the Lambi Queen.
This was a drumming night at the Lambi Queen and as usual it was very enjoyable. I was fading quickly and anxious to leave but Nicole was ready to party. We hung in a little longer and then walked up the hill and along the road back to the yacht club.
It was early when we awoke but we both started getting a few more things done before the travel lift rolled down the dock for us. While on the water, it is a lot cooler than it will be when the boat is in the yard.
I turned the fridge off, the head is no longer available and all remaining food has been bagged and ready to move to the yacht club cottage where we will stay for a few days.
The forward bunk is now storage for all of the cushions that were bagged and piled on the aft bunk. The starboard settee cushion is on top of the port settee, the sails are bagged and piled on the bare wood of the starboard settee. The toiletries have been removed and bagged (not packed) so they won’t be forgotten.
It was still well before noon when Sammy finished power washing the hull and Edwin swung the boat in the travel lift into it’s new parking spot. They may have to move us on Tuesday to our final spot but for now, this is home.
The next trick was to get for large sports bags, one carry on bag, a backpack, three huge bags of food, and two toiletry bags down the ladder. I was impressed with Rick’s stamina. I carried my purse and the backpack down the ladder into the cottage and he carried everything else.
We had a late lunch at the club and then rested for a while in the heat of the afternoon. Just before sundowner time, Rick returned to the boat to close it up for the night.
We both had a difficult time sleeping last night. There were no waves lapping at the side of the cottage. There was no gentle rocking motion to keep us asleep. Initially, we both fell asleep easily. The air conditioner was running and when Rick awoke and turned it off sometime in the middle of the night, every strange sound woke me.
We went to the boat early in the morning before it got too hot. I washed the fridge and floor. We lowered the boom on to the deck, put the outboard on the floor in the cabin, secured the dinghy and flushed the engine with fresh water.
Nicole and Guy stopped by to say hello. As hunger struck, we left the boat and the few remaining chores for tomorrow.
Rick sat on a chair outside our cottage while I cut his hair. There is a
little kitten that has lost it’s mother and we have often heard it crying but it
wouldn’t let us near. As Rick sat in the hair-cutting chair and we spoke
quietly, it came quite close to us. Later, I put a bowl of milk on our deck and
sure enough, the kitten came and lapped it up. I was cooking chicken for dinner
and before adding the seasoning I cut up a chunk and placed it on a plate
outside our door. The kitten appeared again and gobbled it down.
Before dinner was cooked, Fitzroy appeared at our door (after the cat) and stayed to eat with us. We had champagne with dinner (last bottle from St. Martin) and Fitzroy who doesn’t drink alcohol, sipped away at some passion fruit juice.
We had just finished eating when Fitzroy’s cell phone rang. It was Daniela and gang returning from the regatta at Petit Martinique. They were almost in the bay and wanted some help at the dock.
We all raced to the dock and assisted “Relics” and crew into dock.
We both slept much better last night. Already we’re adapting to life on land.
While checking the weather this morning (on the internet) we noticed the first tropical wave of the season on it’s way across the Atlantic. It should arrive in the islands just about in time to mark the official beginning of hurricane season.
I put some bread and milk out for the kitten this morning but she didn’t come by.
Rick spent the morning finishing up the last few things on the boat. I repacked all of our bags again. I think this will be the final time for three of them. One bag is strictly clothes and items we need while in Grenada. I also did a little hand washing and hung the clothes out on a line to dry. The clothes were rinsed at least a dozen times with all of the rain we had off and on all day.
Rick returned to the cottage for lunch and afterward I went back to the boat with him to help do a few more things.
May 29, 2007, Carriacou Today was the day of Genie and George’s (The Vagrant) wedding. George’s brother and wife arrived from the States as best man and maid of honour. Genie’s family lives in the Polynesian Islands and they will have another ceremony there later.
When we awoke, it was pouring rain. The downpour continued until after 9AM. The wedding was to begin about 10AM. By the time the pastor arrived a little after 10AM the sun was shining and the sky was clear.
Slow had made a beautiful arch using palm fronds and flowers in the yacht
club gardens, “Patience” one of the local bus drivers was the pastor. “Here
comes the bride” was played beautifully on a steel drum. Christine (of Patty’s
Deli) baked the wedding cake. Allison, who works for Trevor arranged for all of
the appetizers. Trevor and his sister took care of the punch and champagne.
After the official ceremony at the yacht club, we arranged to meet at
Tanta Lizzies on the beach in a little over an hour. During that hour, the sky
darkened and it poured rain again. When it was time for us to swim and enjoy the
beach we had clear skies, it was awesome timing. We continued with champagne and
beer while Tanta Lizzie barbecued chicken for all of us.
Rick and I returned to the cottage to shower and change before going to the Lazy Turtle for dinner with everyone else. The yard had moved the boat while we were celebrating so Rick took a few minutes and dropped the chain onto a pallet on the ground. This is to prevent it from rusting in a ball while we are away.
I awoke at 5AM to the sound of rain on the roof. I had rinsed and hung our bathing suits and clothes from yesterday on the clothesline and after charging outside in the dark, I found everything wetter than when I first hung them.
I brought them inside and hung things in front of the air conditioner on chair backs in an attempt to dry everything before we leave.
The sky cleared after breakfast so I hung everything back outside again.
We went over to Fitzroy’s house in the morning and set him up with our WiFi
antenna. He is going to look after it for us while we are off island.
We killed time for the rest of the morning at the yacht club talking with Allison. When it was almost 2PM Fitzroy brought the car to the cottage and we loaded our bags into it. The ferry doesn’t leave until 3:30PM but Rick was a little anxious and wanted to leave for Hillsborough early.
The small Osprey was running today. We have only ridden on the large one. It
was a surprisingly nice trip down to Grenada arriving right on time, 2 hours
later.
We took a taxi from the ferry in St. George’s to the Flamboyant Hotel for our mini vacation. After checking into our room, we walked down the hill to the Beachside Terrace Restaurant. It was a six-course meal but we finished it by taking dessert back to our room because we couldn’t eat any more.
We awoke around 6AM and had some instant coffee and last night’s dessert for breakfast. It was 8AM when we walked down the hill and out to the main road where we got a bus into the St.George’s Market.
After buying lots of spices to take home, we rode the bus to the yacht club
where we had a little visit with Graham and Ann. It was only 10AM so I didn’t
want to hang around until lunch time. There is a freshwater pool at the hotel
and we’re on a mini vacation. We hopped another bus and asked the driver to take
us off the route, all the way to the hotel, no problem.
Once we climbed the hill again, we changed into our bathing suits, took our books and bottles of water and headed back down the hill. It’s seven flights of stairs from our room to the beach and I wasn’t coming back for any forgotten items.
We switched between the pool and the beach, having lunch at the Owl Restaurant and Bar on the beach. It was late afternoon when we returned to our room and watched TV until we were ready to order our dinner through room service. I was not going to walk those steps again!
