30/11/09 Monday
Hello from Grenada.
On Monday 16th November, Simon Spencer married Erin Worrel in South Korea where they are working as English teachers. We are very happy for them and wish them every happiness for the future.
On Tuesday 24th November our new son-in-law, Ben Deacon went into hospital for major surgery to remove a cancer from his bowel. The operation was successful, but it has left Ben very weak and it will take him quite a while to recover and eventually be back at work. We hope that he and Emily manage to cope at this enormously difficult time, especially when we are so far away.
Almost at the same time, our good friend, Guido, whom we met in the Canaries and subsequently in the Caribbean on many occasions, underwent a triple heart bypass operation. He had sailed home from the Caribbean; he was dismasted and had to buy a new mast in New York and suffered gales crossing to Falmouth. Just in time he was operated upon as the doctors gave him two weeks to live. His operation too was successful.
As you can see Kathy and I are very pleased to be sitting in Prickly Bay, Grenada, on anchor in the sun, worrying about what to wear this evening for a meal out! Trinidad was great for getting the boat fixed up. It was also cheaper than the rest of the Caribbean (in our limited experience) and Power Boats, Chaguaramus was really helpful (Thank you to Brian Bell from “Small World” for that recommendation).
In Trinidad and Tobago, the Customs were too much. We even had to inform them when we anchored for the night in the beautiful former leper colony on Chacachacare Island which is six miles from Chaguaramus. We made some good friends at “Chag” and were helped by the boating community to bring Sal Darago up to scratch. On our launch day we were less than pleased when a ship, the size of a large trawler, called “Save Our Seas” overfilled one of its diesel tanks and deposited thick oil all over the next boat being launched – you guessed – Sal Darago.
On our night sail of 80+ miles from Trinidad to Grenada, we reefed the mainsail. At 2030, in the dark, we ran over a large fishing net which snagged around our rudder. Sal Darago stopped. A few moments later she gybed which throws the mainsail over to the other side of the boat at speed (20 knots of wind). This ripped one reefing block from its track and we were left snared by the rudder with no reefing capabilities. Kathy and I rolled up the foresail. Then, with Kathy holding the torch, I tried to pull the top line from the nets on board. The boat hook was wrenched from my hand in the large swell. I decided to get into the water with the bread knife. I really hate cutting fishing nets, but we were in some danger. I clung to the ladders and cut the net away. The swell sometimes came over my head. Slowly we moved away when we were again caught by another piece of the net. The process was repeated. Finally, we dropped the main and I replaced the reefing block on the outside edge of the boom. We continued to Grenada, arriving at ninish in the morning.
We are so happy to be cruising again.
Monday, 30 November 2009
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Photos from Trinidad
We stayed at Emily and Ben's house for a few days before starting part two of our travels. Looks cosy, doesn't it?
Jeremy is at the top of the mast changing a block and putting on a halyard.
This is what happened to his shoes as he came down the mast. The glue must have melted in the heat during the months the boat was stored on land.
This is one of the two new solar panels that we had to persuade Customs to release from their store. Both are now fitted and working.
Shaun is fitting the new bimini and sprayhood.
Sunday, 15 November 2009
Still on Land
Happy birthday, Gavin!
We are still sweating buckets, trying to live and work on Sal Darago in heat and high humidity. We recorded 111 degreesF as we waited for Shaun to arrive to fit our new bimini (sunshade over the cockpit) and sprayhood. He arrived two hours late and had to work in the hottest part of the day. Jeremy, in an unfamiliar role for him, worked as Shaun’s assistant. Together they drilled and bolted the frame in place. As always with boat maintenance, there were one or two blips, but once the ceiling panels had been removed, the curtain rails hacksawed 6 inches shorter, the wardrobe emptied of clothes and a locker emptied of shoes, the new fixings could be accommodated. Four hours later, we had a new blue bimini and sprayhood and a week later we had two side panels to go with them.
Here in Chaguaramus, there is a Cruisers’ Net over the VHF radio Mon-Sat. We heard someone was giving away memory chips for laptops and walked to the Trinidad and Tobago Sailing Association (TTSA) anchorage to meet Alan from Kia. Our memory has now been doubled and everything is working much more quickly than before.
We went on a shopping trip organised by Members Only, the company that has taken us to and from the airport. We were able to buy fresh produce and check prices and dates for reprovisioning before we launch. As I was feeling more confident, I went on my own on the next shopping trip, leaving Jeremy sanding, filling and painting the bottom of the boat. We had a special visit to a gourmet deli on the way back, where I was amused to see Heinz baked beans displayed for about £2 a tin! I didn’t buy any.
We have had a launch; the dinghy is now afloat! Quite by chance, as we were motoring across to another marina, Jeremy recognised a yacht we knew called Moonshiner, last seen in Gran Canaria a year ago. Dick Emery was on board and the next day we chatted with him and Sarah for about two hours, exchanging experiences of crossing the Atlantic and visiting different places. They are going to Panama but probably not at the same time as us. Anyway, it was good to meet up again.
The heat finally became unbearable and I was finding it hard to cope, so after a brief altercation with Jeremy, I went to the office to rent an air conditioner. Would you believe, they had none left, but we’re first on the list?
Today, Selwyn is cleaning and polishing our topsides (the green bits). I’ve been scrubbing the decks and Jeremy has painted the bow and side decks. We are getting nearer to being ready to launch. I’ll let you know when we do.
We are still sweating buckets, trying to live and work on Sal Darago in heat and high humidity. We recorded 111 degreesF as we waited for Shaun to arrive to fit our new bimini (sunshade over the cockpit) and sprayhood. He arrived two hours late and had to work in the hottest part of the day. Jeremy, in an unfamiliar role for him, worked as Shaun’s assistant. Together they drilled and bolted the frame in place. As always with boat maintenance, there were one or two blips, but once the ceiling panels had been removed, the curtain rails hacksawed 6 inches shorter, the wardrobe emptied of clothes and a locker emptied of shoes, the new fixings could be accommodated. Four hours later, we had a new blue bimini and sprayhood and a week later we had two side panels to go with them.
Here in Chaguaramus, there is a Cruisers’ Net over the VHF radio Mon-Sat. We heard someone was giving away memory chips for laptops and walked to the Trinidad and Tobago Sailing Association (TTSA) anchorage to meet Alan from Kia. Our memory has now been doubled and everything is working much more quickly than before.
We went on a shopping trip organised by Members Only, the company that has taken us to and from the airport. We were able to buy fresh produce and check prices and dates for reprovisioning before we launch. As I was feeling more confident, I went on my own on the next shopping trip, leaving Jeremy sanding, filling and painting the bottom of the boat. We had a special visit to a gourmet deli on the way back, where I was amused to see Heinz baked beans displayed for about £2 a tin! I didn’t buy any.
We have had a launch; the dinghy is now afloat! Quite by chance, as we were motoring across to another marina, Jeremy recognised a yacht we knew called Moonshiner, last seen in Gran Canaria a year ago. Dick Emery was on board and the next day we chatted with him and Sarah for about two hours, exchanging experiences of crossing the Atlantic and visiting different places. They are going to Panama but probably not at the same time as us. Anyway, it was good to meet up again.
The heat finally became unbearable and I was finding it hard to cope, so after a brief altercation with Jeremy, I went to the office to rent an air conditioner. Would you believe, they had none left, but we’re first on the list?
Today, Selwyn is cleaning and polishing our topsides (the green bits). I’ve been scrubbing the decks and Jeremy has painted the bow and side decks. We are getting nearer to being ready to launch. I’ll let you know when we do.
Saturday, 7 November 2009
Back in Trinidad
Hi Everyone
Well here we are again in Trinidad getting ready to continue our travels. Our last six months in the UK were hectic. The obvious highlight was Emily and Ben’s wedding. Congratulations once again to Mr and Mrs Deacon! We were reunited with most of our family at the wedding. It was wonderful seeing Simon and Erin again. They are engaged and soon to be married – where and when are yet to be decided – somewhere abroad. Good luck to them as they finish their teaching in South Korea and start travelling in Indonesia.
I have officially retired from teaching, been given my P45 and my last pay cheque. Soon I hope to start to receiving my half pension. Jeremy has his pension now, so we’ve been able to eat out twice in one week! The house should be let but our first tenant cannot make up her mind, so our agents are advertising again. Does anyone want to rent a 3 bedroom house in West Lancashire?
Our journey here took 26 hours. We arrived in Trinidad about 6.00am on 30/10/09 and spent the next 2 hours stuck in the morning rush hour in our taxi/minibus. Sal Darago was in fine shape. The old tent cover had disintegrated but she was clean and dry inside. We had to go to Immigration and Customs here in Chaguaramus, even though we had been cleared at the airport. We checked into our apartment at 1.00pm. The air conditioning was lovely but we got cold as we slept! The next day the water went off, just after the office had closed for the weekend and stayed off until the following afternoon! It was distinctly unreal for Jeremy to have to carry water in containers from the boat tap across the yard, so that we could wash, cook and drink! It was even more bizarre to be standing in a washing up bowl in the shower!
We have worked hard when the heat would let us, getting up at 5.00am when it’s only about 70 degrees F. By mid morning it’s 90plus. Yesterday, when Jeremy was replacing our hot water tank, it was 100F! After 4 nights in the apartment, we moved on board. The heat was unbearable – too much for our UK blow heater on cold and our 12v computer fans! I hired a fan from the boatyard and I’m sitting here in front of it now at 7.55am, wearing a bikini top and swimming shorts! The down side is the biting insects! You can see the mosquitoes and they are not really a problem. Some tiny, Scottish midge type creatures, called locally “no see-ums”, bite you round the ankles and knees as you walk. It’s only later, when the red marks and itching start that you know you’ve been bitten. We’re going to get through a lot of deet and sun lotion!
So far, we’ve replaced the spinnaker pole and had to move the housing on the deck as the new one’s a little shorter! Jeremy bought a second hand hot water tank and fitted it. The broken dinghy floor boards have been replaced and painted, all the halyards and sails are on and tins of antifoul paint have been sourced. We still have a long list of jobs to do before we can launch.
I am sure my colleagues at Skelmersdale will be relieved that inspection week is over. I hope you all achieved the usual high grades and have no more inspections until next year!
All the best to everyone.
Well here we are again in Trinidad getting ready to continue our travels. Our last six months in the UK were hectic. The obvious highlight was Emily and Ben’s wedding. Congratulations once again to Mr and Mrs Deacon! We were reunited with most of our family at the wedding. It was wonderful seeing Simon and Erin again. They are engaged and soon to be married – where and when are yet to be decided – somewhere abroad. Good luck to them as they finish their teaching in South Korea and start travelling in Indonesia.
I have officially retired from teaching, been given my P45 and my last pay cheque. Soon I hope to start to receiving my half pension. Jeremy has his pension now, so we’ve been able to eat out twice in one week! The house should be let but our first tenant cannot make up her mind, so our agents are advertising again. Does anyone want to rent a 3 bedroom house in West Lancashire?
Our journey here took 26 hours. We arrived in Trinidad about 6.00am on 30/10/09 and spent the next 2 hours stuck in the morning rush hour in our taxi/minibus. Sal Darago was in fine shape. The old tent cover had disintegrated but she was clean and dry inside. We had to go to Immigration and Customs here in Chaguaramus, even though we had been cleared at the airport. We checked into our apartment at 1.00pm. The air conditioning was lovely but we got cold as we slept! The next day the water went off, just after the office had closed for the weekend and stayed off until the following afternoon! It was distinctly unreal for Jeremy to have to carry water in containers from the boat tap across the yard, so that we could wash, cook and drink! It was even more bizarre to be standing in a washing up bowl in the shower!
We have worked hard when the heat would let us, getting up at 5.00am when it’s only about 70 degrees F. By mid morning it’s 90plus. Yesterday, when Jeremy was replacing our hot water tank, it was 100F! After 4 nights in the apartment, we moved on board. The heat was unbearable – too much for our UK blow heater on cold and our 12v computer fans! I hired a fan from the boatyard and I’m sitting here in front of it now at 7.55am, wearing a bikini top and swimming shorts! The down side is the biting insects! You can see the mosquitoes and they are not really a problem. Some tiny, Scottish midge type creatures, called locally “no see-ums”, bite you round the ankles and knees as you walk. It’s only later, when the red marks and itching start that you know you’ve been bitten. We’re going to get through a lot of deet and sun lotion!
So far, we’ve replaced the spinnaker pole and had to move the housing on the deck as the new one’s a little shorter! Jeremy bought a second hand hot water tank and fitted it. The broken dinghy floor boards have been replaced and painted, all the halyards and sails are on and tins of antifoul paint have been sourced. We still have a long list of jobs to do before we can launch.
I am sure my colleagues at Skelmersdale will be relieved that inspection week is over. I hope you all achieved the usual high grades and have no more inspections until next year!
All the best to everyone.
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