Yes, we are still in Trinidad working on the boat. The davits are being fitted tomorrow and the stern stanchions re welded – hopefully! Since the last update we have done very little other than work on the boat, either repairs or cleaning. It has given us a chance to get lots of things sorted out and to ensure we leave with the boat in good order and with lots of provisions on board. The only outstanding problem is the batteries which seem to be discharging very quickly so looks like we may be buying 5 new batteries.
Hopefully, we will be leaving Thursday if not Wednesday. This depends on us getting all the safety gear put back on the pushpit after the welding is done. We're worried that we will be compared with the American's if we stay any longer! They seem to spend most of the season here waiting for a 'weather window'! Given the winds are consistently 10-20 knots and from the NE we are not sure what they are waiting for. The water is never flat, there is always an Atlantic swell of between 6-15ft but the winds never exceed 30 knots and are all quite manageable for a boat our size.
We have had a bit of relaxation meeting up with friends we have made. People are very friendly and very helpful. Most of them have been sailing the Caribbean for years and then go home for the hurricane season. There is a cruisers net every morning where you can get help and also pick up items other people are getting rid of. Its a real expat community mainly run by the American contingent. We have recently met a Canadian couple who have sailed the Pacific for years in a 30ft boat, very brave. They now have a bigger boat and seem content to base themselves in Trinidad and cruise the Caribbean.
Hopefully our next update will be from somewhere other than Trinidad!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Back in Trinidad!!
We had a good New Year toasting the year in with champagne with our feet in the sea watching fireworks! We left Bequia the following day and headed to Canouan (just a few hours away) for an uncomfortable night being rolled around by the swell. So we left the next day and headed to Mayreau where we had a chance to look around the island. Most notable resident – a bright green iguana!!We have not been into Tobago Cays yet (supposed to be brilliant for snorkelling) as the weather was too unsettled. Union Island was our next stop which was lovely especially the bar in the middle of the reef where we could watch the sunset while drinking rum punch!
After a quick stop in Grenada it was a lovely sail back to Trinidad. Before Dawn and Jeff left us, we all went to a bird sanctuary called Asa Wright Bird Sanctuary, our first trip in Trinidad. It was amazing to watch birds so closely and they were all such lovely colours, especially the humming birds. Some were feeding just inches from our faces and it was incredibly special!!
Since we have been on our own, it has been back to work. The generator is now re-installed and works after 2 days of trying. Waiting for the bill and wondering how to get a large overdraft from here! Numerous other jobs are getting done but we keep adding to the list of outstanding tasks quicker than we remove them. I think we are on the treadmill but at least they are getting down to things that are not vital on a day to day basis and should not stop us sailing
We will be here for at least another week as we are having work done on the davits to strengthen them, which is not starting until Wednesday. In the meantime, we have got rid of the heavy dinghy which was causing so many problems when sailing and are using the new one we brought with us.
I (Karen) managed to step off the dock and miss the boat! I caught the guard rails so only got my feet wet but holding myself on my arms has pulled quite a few muscles! In hindsight I think it would have been easier to fall into the water and get up the ladder to get back on the boat, other than the fact the water is quite dirty in the marina!
The plan is to head back directly to Union Island once most of the jobs are done (I don't think they will ever be finished) and then work our way up the Islands. We still want to do our PADI diving course but at the moment I seem to have a desire to breathe through my nose rather than my mouth so keep managing to choke on lots of sea water! Until I master this I can't do the course. Mike is a natural at it and really enjoys it so hope I can do it.
We have realised we need to get lots of provisions on board while in Trinidad as supplies are limited up the Islands and are a lot more expensive. We are also surprised by how limited fruit is as we were expecting to be falling over it given the tropical climate. It's often quite scarce and expensive.
The heat was much more bearable when we were at anchor. Back in the marina it becomes very restrictive as its too hot to do much after about 10am. However, it's nice to sleep through without worrying whether the anchor is dragging or having to hold onto the bed because you are being rolled so much by the swell. Anchoring is also a stressful business as some places have bad holding and others are so crowded that it takes us multiple attempts to be happy with our position – still, it can only get easier as we get more experienced.
Speaking to friends in England it all sounds very depressing news and very cold. I think we may have left at the right time!
Finally we have attached some pictures! Enjoy!!
Karen
After a quick stop in Grenada it was a lovely sail back to Trinidad. Before Dawn and Jeff left us, we all went to a bird sanctuary called Asa Wright Bird Sanctuary, our first trip in Trinidad. It was amazing to watch birds so closely and they were all such lovely colours, especially the humming birds. Some were feeding just inches from our faces and it was incredibly special!!
Since we have been on our own, it has been back to work. The generator is now re-installed and works after 2 days of trying. Waiting for the bill and wondering how to get a large overdraft from here! Numerous other jobs are getting done but we keep adding to the list of outstanding tasks quicker than we remove them. I think we are on the treadmill but at least they are getting down to things that are not vital on a day to day basis and should not stop us sailing
We will be here for at least another week as we are having work done on the davits to strengthen them, which is not starting until Wednesday. In the meantime, we have got rid of the heavy dinghy which was causing so many problems when sailing and are using the new one we brought with us.
I (Karen) managed to step off the dock and miss the boat! I caught the guard rails so only got my feet wet but holding myself on my arms has pulled quite a few muscles! In hindsight I think it would have been easier to fall into the water and get up the ladder to get back on the boat, other than the fact the water is quite dirty in the marina!
The plan is to head back directly to Union Island once most of the jobs are done (I don't think they will ever be finished) and then work our way up the Islands. We still want to do our PADI diving course but at the moment I seem to have a desire to breathe through my nose rather than my mouth so keep managing to choke on lots of sea water! Until I master this I can't do the course. Mike is a natural at it and really enjoys it so hope I can do it.
We have realised we need to get lots of provisions on board while in Trinidad as supplies are limited up the Islands and are a lot more expensive. We are also surprised by how limited fruit is as we were expecting to be falling over it given the tropical climate. It's often quite scarce and expensive.
The heat was much more bearable when we were at anchor. Back in the marina it becomes very restrictive as its too hot to do much after about 10am. However, it's nice to sleep through without worrying whether the anchor is dragging or having to hold onto the bed because you are being rolled so much by the swell. Anchoring is also a stressful business as some places have bad holding and others are so crowded that it takes us multiple attempts to be happy with our position – still, it can only get easier as we get more experienced.
Speaking to friends in England it all sounds very depressing news and very cold. I think we may have left at the right time!
Finally we have attached some pictures! Enjoy!!
Karen
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