February
Wed
1st
We
chase up our life-raft. The bottom had dropped out and the flaps to
stop it blowing away had all come off. It was only two months out of
date when we dropped it off so the three year service interval is far
too long. It would have been useless for at least a year. We later
hear that they can fail after only a year and on one occasion a 10
soul casing had only a six soul life raft inside.
We
meet three Irish guys, Mick, David and Lonan who had announced their
arrival, towed in, with a broken gearbox over the cruisers “net”
(channel 68 at 8:30). the American controller suggests motoring to
Martinique duh! With no gearbox? Later on ch 68 the same guy asks
Mick if he is Israeli as that is what his accent sound like!
Thur
2nd
Another
day of cleaning and chasing.
Last
night Mick suggested taking a look at his SSB set up so I visit him
on “Transcendence”. He is very helpful in describing aerial,
dipole, ICOM, ATF, KISS and PACTOR elements of his set up.
Fri
3rd
Four
Rudder bearings have been made so we should be in the water over the
weekend. Get a message to say our life raft is serviced can they
deliver it now. We meet Hans who has “Pink Panther” a slightly
older version of our boat. He just lost a rudder, what a surprise. He
tells us about the Friday street party/jump up at Gros Islet. Life
raft arrives and Hans helps us winch it up into a housing in the boat
currently inaccessible due to us being 6 meters up in the air. We
take a bus to Gros Islet for the Friday jump up. The streets are
packed and music booms out. We meet a local, Greg, who has been
living in London for years who has come back to look after his dad.
Buses stop at 02.00 so we get a bus back at 01:00.
Sat
4th
We
discover only 1 of 4 bearings has been made so we will not be
launched until Monday. We pay for a boat clean ready for the launch.
We have been chasing a new log / transducer impeller from the
Raymarine agent and find out that this will cost $82 but with
shipping and brokerage this will come to $192. So we decide just to
rely on the GPS! Meet the Irish at our local bar “Captain Mike's”
where we have Mahi Mahi creole style. Excellent.
Sun
5th
We
are parked in front of “Solar” a French boat owned by Luca and
Paula, a Spanish couple, who want to launch. We are holding them up,
but assure them that we will be out of the way by Monday.
Mon
6th
Bearings
and rudders still not finished! So we get moved around the boatyard
so Solar can launch. Two years ago they lost their mast and are still
waiting for the insurance (Alliance) to cough up; yesterday he had
his outboard stolen from his dinghy; today the hoist broke so he is
still stuck on dry land. Seems to get a lot of bad luck.
Tues
7th
Should
be ready today so we book a launch for tomorrow at 10 am. Hoist still
broken and can't get parts....wash the decks again...Rudders are
completed but need an epoxy coating and anti-fouling; still looks
good for tomorrow.
Wed
8th
Its
chucking it down, the decks are filthy and we are waiting to see
dockyard manager before we launch. He needs to pay for the cleaning!
Access to our emergency tiller has proved impossible without removing
the deck fitting so new fittings are required. Still waiting for
rudder bearings to be fitted, but rudders have had epoxy and
anti-foul applied. Sail drive outer seals have been fabricated and
fitted, props back in place.
On
the hoist at 3.pm stb engine primes OK, but trouble with port. Turn
sea-cock off fill filter, start engine, turn sea-cock on and we get
water out from the exhaust and overflow. Finally we are in the water
again..we dock in the marina and complain about the state of the
boat, they will clean it tomorrow.
Thur
9th
Tjohn
arrives at 9 to clean the boat. There has been a problem with water
in the whole of Gros Islet and by noon there is no water left in the
marina. Francis from Dinghys and Life-rafts comes to tell us that he
does not have the cash to pay for our new dinghy so Budget Marine
won't release it. We already paid him the full price but he has had
an uninsured dinghy stolen and his cash flow has suffered as a
result. This means he wants us to sub him for a week or our dinghy
won't turn up. We owe him $1900 for the service of the life-raft but
he owes us a dinghy! I agree to pay his balance on my credit card and
he agrees to give us a better part ex for our old dinghy.
Fri
10th
Angie
and Shaun from Bequia turn up on the pontoon they invite us to dine
on Shaun's yacht as on their way up the caught a huge marlin. They
would have lost it but for the fact that in its struggle it got the
line wrapped around its tail an effectively drowned itself. They are
anchored in the bay and we decline due to the filthy weather, shame.
Shaun's furling gear bearings disintegrated and so they needed to go
to Le Marin Martinique to get a replacement manufactured.
Sat
11th
We
move out into the bay. Have a very relaxing, quiet gently rolling
night, best sleep for weeks!
Sun
12th
07:00
watch start of Diamond yacht race outside St Lucia Yacht club, ten
yachts start at 07:00 and begin arriving back from 13:00 to 15:00.
Dinghy 10 mins across the bay and go to the Jambe du Bois a local
arty driftwood type place and eat and listen to the live Jazz group.
We discover that they have an excellent book swap so need to go back.
Mon13th
Take
a trip to Castries by bus to look at more hardware shops!
Tues
14th
Oooh
valentines day, Go to Pigeon Island, a national park with military
buildings and an 18th century fort at the top of the hill.
On the way down we stop off at the jambe do bois for the book swap
and a beer.
Wed
15th
“Liming”
on yacht – reading sun-bathing etc..(liming = Caribbean word for
not doing very much)
Thur
16th
A
visit to the dental hygienist for both of us. Told off for drinking
coffee and red wine, but excellent cleaning job.
Fri
17th
Liming
again.
Sat
18th
Discover
another bearing is broken. More liming.
Sun
19th
Eighth
day Liming in Rodney bay although we are desperate to get north to
Dominica and meet up with old sailing pals, the rest in the bay has
been welcome and each night we await the perfect sunset on the yacht,
that as yet we have not viewed. Either clouds, yachts, land or motor
vessels have obscured the sun for the last eight months. Tonight is
the night, Trudy sees the perfect unobscured sun sink into the sea.
Unfortunately even though I was waiting expectantly for it I was so
engrossed in Isaac Asimov that I MISSED IT!
Mon
20th
Return
to the marina to get baring fixed and to collect dinghy (some hope!)
On
entry we have no gears on the port engine but we manage to get to the
fuel dock where loose cable is diagnosed and fixed. Elvis agrees to
get the baring made so we can leave today. True to his word the job
is completed by 5pm. However we have waited all day for the paperwork
to collect the dinghy from customs and a call from the broker
explains that it will be one more day. So we stay in marina one more
night, Trudy's birthday as it happens so its off to the Bosun's Inn
our favourite Thai restaurant in Rodney Bay. We buy some “love
apples” from a local guy, these are small pear shaped fruit, red in
colour with an elderflower nose with sharp appley-peary flavour.
Tue
21st
Call
Life-rafts and Inflatables to find our dinghy is on its way to the
local customs. Paperwork and customs inspection completed, we check
out of the marina and clear customs ready to leave at 7am tomorrow.
At 18:09 I finally get to see the perfect sunset. There was no green
“spike” but a definite bright green spot appeared just as the sun
disappeared. This was not the usual green afterglow you get from
looking at a light too long but instead a very bright green spot. I
think you need to keep a watch from the corner of your eye until the
last few seconds to see this. We'll keep watching. Today is the 33rd
anniversary of St Lucia's independence from the Brits. We have a war
ship in the bay and two visitors from England who we watch returning
on a motor launch flying the royal standard. We are told it was the
Earl and Countess of Wessex. According to blogs Lucians are not
impressed, they expected The Queen at least!
Wed
22nd
Leave
Rodney Bay for Martinique at 7:00 am. We have a great sail with both
of us getting 10.6 knots 60° off the wind with 20 to 28 kts of wind
and one reef in. Luckily the sea state is moderate. We make great
time and are outside St Pierre in the North of the island by 12:45 57
miles in less than 6 hours. It is Carnival in St Pierre, mardi gras
and all that; wizards, witches, dancers in ghost and skeletal
costumes, and they burn an effigy on the beach whilst bikers do
burnouts wheelys ect. Later the wind is all over and we have to
re-drop the anchor. The “shelf” for anchoring is narrow dropping
off to 50 metres quite quickly this means we need to anchor close
together and results in a few near misses so we end up staying awake
in turn on anchor watch. Until 6:00 am. Cup of coffee then....
Thur
23rd
Leave
St Pierre at 06:30 with one reef in and as soon as we round the
headland we are flying! Sea is big, up to 5 metres and wind get up,
we put in a second reef, then a third with minimum headsail. About an
hour later we let out a bit more headsail and we are then rigged for
the 30 to 34 knots of wind we are getting. i.e. near gale with gale
force gusts. We make good time again and arrive in Rosseau where
Desmond a very helpful boat boy meets us. He lets us off XCD 5 of out
XCD 30 of our mooring fee. Wind in the bay is all over (boxing the
compass) which is why we took a mooring buoy. Tying a dinghy ashore
to check in with customs is tricky as we have a rare westerly swell.
This means the dinghy rides up about a metre when each wave comes. We
watch a dinghy being smashed under a pontoon with the swell until
some helpful Brits rescue it. Our ride ashore for a beer in the
Zamzam bar is spoiled by watching our new dinghy thrash around the
“Anchorage” pontoon and when we come to leave the swell is quite
dangerous. Trudy starts the engine and I untie us, leap in pull on
our anchor line, it has dragged inshore but a quick reverse by Trudy
takes us out in the nick of time before crashing on the rocks.
Fri
24th
Leave
Roseau for Portsmouth at 10:30. arrive Prince Rupert Bay Portsmouth
met by Jack(ie) from “Eddison's tours” so he will be our Indian
River Guide for the time we are here. Read up on bars in the bay, but
will probably try the nearest three! On bar is closed so we try Big
Papas, and The Blue Bay. Big Papa is a hoot, he tells us that the
local dogs play up in front of tourists as the locals can't kick
them! e.g. one dog has pissed on his foot and another shat in the
middle of his restaurant!
Sat
25th
We
walk into town to price up cabs from the airport as the boat boys are
offering an all inclusive service from airport to boat. We are told
it will be cheaper to taxi from the airport, but this turns out to be
untrue. The bay is beautiful and calm and we have a good anchor hold
near to the shore, it could not be better.
Sun
26th
Do
a bit of cleaning and prep for our friends and arrange a trip up the
Indian River with “Blackie” AKA Eddison, for the next day.
Blackie is very dark! And manages his team of taxi drivers tour
guides and boat boys. They provide all services, ice, garbage removal
tour organizing water and road taxis and he gave us some mangoes from
his garden.
Helga
and Steve arrive on LIAT flight with no luggage, they are told it is
on the next flight....which gets cancelled. Luckily Stephan and Gabi
are coming in tomorrow and should be able to pick their luggage up.
Mon
27th
At
9:00 we are collected by Jackie and Blackie in pouring rain. We cross
the bay in a wooden boat with 30HP outboard, when we get to the head
of the river we have to get out and walk to the petrol station to buy
Indian River passes. We return to a rowing boat and head off up
river. The sun comes out and with no other tourists about we have a
very peaceful trip viewing various flora and fauna. You can see this
river in Pirates of the Caribbean parts 1 and 2! Steve and Helga took
loads of excellent photos, unfortunately we forgot to get copies! At
the head of the river there is a bar where we all have ginger tea.
Later,
Stephan and Gabi arrive at the dock with all the luggage, recognising
the bags, they just picked them up on the way out of the airport.
Tues
28th
We
all go on a tour of the island, first stop is Roseau where we buy
cakes for breakfast and trolling gear to catch dinner tomorrow. Then
off to the champagne dive site to see an excellent array of fish and
coral. Trudy and I were persuaded to take a dive guide for $10 as we
might miss the anchor attached to 4 cannon. (muddy mound with a bit
of chain and the end of a cannon showing). snorkelling out to a 70
foot shelf showed that the visibility was at least that far. Part of
the dive is over an area of seabed that vents gas from a volcano, so
you are snorkelling through bubbles. Then back up the hill for a BLT
and a beer. Next stop was at the Hibiscus falls and pool where we
could go for a freshwater swim.
Wed
29th
Set
off for Iles de Saintes with F7 and a good swell. On the way over
Steph catches not one, but two kingfish, the largest does for supper
tonight and the smaller for lunch on Thursday. We try to enter West
of an island but the sea seems to be breaking right across the
entrance so we go around and add an hour to the journey. When we
arrive on the mooring we go ashore to check in and are told that we
should wait on the boat for 20 mins. An hour and a half later we
finally pay for the mooring and go back ashore to join our friends
for A beer. Then back to the boat. It is a very roly mooring and we
are glad to set off for Guadeloupe the following morning.
March
We
had friends on board for the first part of this month and have
achieved our first goal of reaching St Martin during this season.
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