Bequia

Got up this morning and was finally able to get into the Internet to check weather. Had been looking for an opening to move North to Bequia but it kept looking like the weather was not going to cooperate till later next week. Got a break and looked like the weather would be OK for the trip today so we picked up anchor and moved around to Hillsborough so we could clear out of Grenada.

Just before we approached Union Island we saw an "Ocean Going Refrigerator" - no door on but just floating along in the wind. Lesley wanted to call a Securite on the radio but never did. We had to alter course to avoid the thing though!

Had a pretty good trip, one large squall with 35+ knots of wind, rain and confused seas for about 30 minutes - otherwise the trip was fine.

We had so much rain over the past two days that we were able to catch enough water from the deck to fill the tank - think we must have captured at least 20 gallons overnight last night.

Saw a very large group of small dolphins on the way here today - nice because we had not seen much in the way of marine life yet this winter.

Heating water for showers now and getting ready to relax.

Happy Thanksgiving

We are still in Carriacou, anchored in Tyrrel Bay with the watermaker running and getting ready to heat up lunch. Weather is still warm and the wind is reasonable but a bit gusty at times.

We had a nice lobster for dinner last night with a side dish of Bobby's fried rice. Will have the leftover lobster tomorrow in lobster salad/rolls.

So far this season we have not had anyone anchor to close - that ended this morning when a French boat anchored along side in what we call a sneak attack! He anchored at an odd angle and we are now well over his anchor and chain at just about any direction the wind wants to blow - will be interesting if he decides to move before we do! Hope so!!!!!

Completed more projects yesterday - sewed a sunbrella cover for the helm seat teak to protect it from water when we come back aboard after swimming. I finally permanently installed the wiring for our Media Player (Western Digital) and Lesley re hemmed our new shower curtain. The head is nice and clean, with new caulking around the shower pan, and the new electric toilet motor and seals are installed. Also installed a 10 second flush timer that I mad this past summer - the switch portion of the control is the Lectrasan display unit with a new NE555 digital timer and relay driver circuit.

Have been enjoying the Kindles that Reuben sent us - I have not touched a printed book since I picked mine up in October!

WiFi here is spotty - not sure what the problem is but seems like it is problematic every year.

Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou

We made it to Tyrrel Bay about noon Friday. Took it easy, had a nice lunch and then a nice refreshing swim.

We took a bus into Hillsborough yesterday and picked up a few things in town before heading back to the boat. Changed the generator oil and did a once over, then installed some new muffin fans in the generator compartment, and installed our new media player so we can watch some movies.

Today we completed a few more projects - installed new membranes in the watermaker and got that working again and then finished rebedding some deck hardware that we suspected of aiding to a leak in the aft cabin. Pretty sure the leak is fixed so we plan to reinstall the aft cabin overhead hatch tomorrow.

Had another nice swim today and getting ready to take showers then will have steak ranchero, fettucine ala Lesley and a mixed salad for dinner tonight.

Hoping for our first "Green Flash" of the season at sundown - western horizon looks pretty clear.

Grainne is leaving

We will be starting out this morning going from the South Side of the Island to an anchorage off St George's tonight and then on to Carriacou in the morning. I still need to put the water maker back together but we are ready to move on.

Le Phar Bleu today

We had some unusually heavy overnight rain and spotty showers off and on throughout the day today. First project was to haul the forward berth mattress up to the Vastra' Banken (I'll post pictures tomorrow) and finish fitting some new sheets that Lesley made over the summer while we were in Florida. Sheet project is ongoing (6:30pm Wednesday evening) but nearing completion.

We did some final prep on the boat today hoping to depart tomorrow morning. Topped off the dinghy fuel, water tank, stowed some loose items, serviced the diesel engine changing the oil and all filters and also replaced the engine oil low pressure warning switch. We've had some intermittent problems with the alarm and decided, after seeing an older 4JH Yanmar that was completely ruined here several days ago, that it was time to replace the switch. Long story short - I did not have a socket that would fit the old switch and the terminal lug on top was frozen. Cut the wire from the lug, managed to get the old sensor out, and then using a borrowed 24mm socket got the new sensor back in - what a chore, but will feel better knowing that the low oil pressure alarm is reliably functional again.

The new bimini and connector panel worked flawlessly last night keeping the cockpit dry and nice - so happy that this is no longer an issue. Thanks to The Canvas Shop again............

Every Wednesday the Marina restaurant puts on a "Friendship Table" feast and we are headed up there shortly. Family style seating (30 folks at one long table) with everyone sharing food as it is delivered to the table. Lots of variety and local flavors - this will be our fourth time to enjoy dinner in this manner. Plus, we are both starving!

Will try to take some photos tonight and tomorrow and go back and add some visual information to some of our most recent posts. Reuben always says where are the pictures!

Getting things finished

Yesterday was uneventful - at first! Started off with an HPF error on the AC unit and quickly diagnosed to a faulty raw water pump. Quick, check the on line catalog, get the part number get the Digicel phone out and call Island Water World, they have one, the owner of the Marina will carry it back with him - what a great day! Then, looking at the pump specs the flow rate is not adequate for a 16kbtu AC unit. Go back on line, check other pumps and find one that is big enough, call Island Water World again and the next pump will be here by around 11 AM.

Pump made it right a 11AM and after about an hour and a few new cuts on my hands (hose clamps in the bilge and I do not get along) the pump is in and the AC is working.

David, from The Canvas Shop, stopped by to test fit the connector panel that goes between our dodger and bimini. Very close fit and it really looks good with only a slight move of a zipper and we should have a new dodger/bimini and connector panel. While here David wanted to mark the locations for our side curtain zippers. Amazingly the old side curtains lined up great and he will only have to make a slight modification and we will have compete canvas again for the first time in over a year.

We had a new Dodger and connector panel made last year by the Turbulence loft at Grenada Marine. The dodger turned out OK but the connector panel and attachments were a disaster. We had given written instructions along with drawings on what we wanted and how we wanted it done but Martin seems to only do things the way he wants. Long story short the cockpit was wet every time it rained and Martin was not willing to even discuss trying to fix the problems.

So, we decided to have the Dodger modified, have a new connector panel made and also a new Bimini while we were at it. Will post photos and a more detailed write up once everything is back in place.

In the meantime - I DO NOT RECOMMEND TURBULENCE, Grenada Marine................

I do recommend the Canvas Shop, Thanks Jane and David.

Happy Birthday to me!

My birthday was Thursday, 11 November, but between suffering with a flare up of gouty arthritis in the big toe on my left foot, being slightly dehydrated, and having a reaction to the pills that I took for my toe, I was not really in a birthday mood. Fixed that, I am fully recovered, and last night we had dinner at the poolside restaurant. We had a nice dinner and I had a wonderful large chocolate brownie with nutmeg ice cream for desert (no candles). Then came back to the boat and read the latest Daniel Silva book on our Kindle's - Thanks Reuben!

Also saw some unusual colored "fireflies" - a local explained that these bugs are only visible this time of year!

Today we hope to finish unloading the final barrel that we shipped from Florida - 250ft of new anchor chain. Also hope to have our new canvas fitted.

Gra'inne is looking good having installed new lines, some new lifelines, a new Yankee cut Jib, a new Bimini, new interior curtains and a new shower curtain in the head. We have had a busy week but the boat is ready to sail.

Bobby - Da birthday boy

Ackee

Several photos of the Ackee Tree in the front yard at "The Yellow House". The tree was brought to the Caribbean aboard a slave ship and introduced to Europe by Captain Bligh. The fruit (vegetable), if not properly prepared, is poisonous - more info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ackee

The tree

Fruit pod open

Yellow House

When we are in Grenada either getting the boat ready to launch or getting it ready to haul out before returning to Florida we stay at the "Yellow House". The efficiency is attached to the main house and is nicely equipped with a small kitchen, cable TV, and WiFi. The owners are very nice and we really enjoy staying here while we are working in the boat yard.

The boat is back in the water!

We arrived at the boat yard this morning at about 0800 and loaded some of the stuff that we had at the Yellow House.

We got things basically organized and I walked down to the office to pay our bill and to check and see when we would be relaunched. To my surprise we were scheduled to be the first boat moved.

The yard guys showed up right away and moved a small boat that was blocking our way out. Then they brought a lift trailer and wedged it in so that they could move our boat out so that the travel lift could move us to the water. We were so close to another boat, an IP named "Joule", that the yard guys had an extremely hard time getting the lift trailer in position. After about an hour of maneuvering the trailer, the lift pads were set and they pulled us out to the travel lift. I finished touching up the bottom paint and we went to the lift well and within 15 minutes we had the engine running, reefer running, and all systems were a go. Had a one hour trip from the yard to LePharBleu Marina and as soon as we were underway "Houston, we have a problem". We had some water intrusion into the headliner on the port side, and water started draining from the aft cabin overhead hatch. Lesley drove the boat while I collected the draining water in a large Tupperware container. Pretty sure that the leak was the result of us removing a plexiglass vent cover last year when we hauled out. Time will tell as we try to reseal each of the screws and hope to stop the water intrusion.

Boat is nice and shiny

We waxed the hull and put stuff away yesterday. Did some minor rewiring of the boat Navigation computer and tested the GPS - no position. Pretty sure that the coax connector on the cable from the antenna (internally) has gone bad so tried a spare antenna unit and the GPS is functioning OK. Will look for a new connector today while we are in St George's and replace it once the oat is back in the water. Started the engine briefly and happy to say it fired right up.

Today we plan to go to town for minor provisioning, a visit to Island Water World (Boat Parts), and will pick up some Kentucky Fried Chicken for dinner tonight.

Plan to take some pictures of the house here, some real unusual fruit trees (Ackee), and also some shots around the boat yard.

More work on the boat

We got to the yard early this morning and got the bottom painting finished. Washed the hull good and hauled in some scaffolding so we can wax the hull tomorrow. It has been warm in the yard this year but we have had lower humidity and some breeze so it is not bad. Lesley sprained her ankle just as we finished so we wrapped the ankle and then she hobbled to lunch. Had a nice chicken Caesar salad at the Waters Edge (located at the Bel Air Plantation) just up the road from the yard. Also had a few draft beers and then called a cab for a ride back to the Yellow House. Had planned to walk back this afternoon but the ankle sprain killed that.

Now taking it easy.............

Back in Grenada

We arrived back in Grenada yesterday. Today we picked up some of our boat parts and the took a cab to the yard and did some work - mostly installing new lines and cleaning up the boat. Ready to start bottom painting in the morning.