TRINIDAD SPREADER LIGHTS and GOOD KARMA

While the messages I am getting from cruisers in Trinidad is that it is Business as Usual it is clear that there is some quite serious restrictions being applied in some spots.

COMMISSIONER of Police Dwayne Gibbs yesterday stated that the entire country is under curfew restrictions during the specified period of 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

This contradicts statements made by National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy and Attorney General Anand Ramlogan.

On Tuesday at a news briefing at the National Security Ministry on Abercromby Street, Port of Spain, Sandy and Ramlogan said that citizens living in communities in which there are no curfew restrictions are free to go about their business.

Sandy had stated that persons who live outside the curfew zones were free to congregate on the roadways, and even have parties in their communities, once they conform to the rule of law.

Ah well I will give it a week and see what is going on.

Weather wise Hurricane Irene is pounding the Bahamas tonight and may become a Cat 4 by the time it hits the USA. This will not be good for the outer banks and a full scale panic is underway up there. Meanwhile down here in Grenada things are quiet and the next two being fired out of the Cape Verdes are almost certainly fish storms.



As I will be overnighting if and when I head down to Trinidad I thought I needed to fix my spreader lights. So I had someone go up the mast yesterday for the 10 minute job of replacing the bulbs in my spreader lights. BUT they were not the right ones, despite being marked spreaders. In fact the young man was not able to get the sealed light unit out so I got him to bring down the whole light assy. down. I have been into town and traipsing around the chandlers and hardware stores in search of something that would fit or if not I was prepared to buy new ones. I had phoned the most convienient store who told me they did not have the bulbs I needed. I finished up there last knowing that they had new but different ones in stock which would mean changing the screw holes and what did I discover - the right sealed light units arrrrrggggghhhhhhhh.

Ah well at least I got them and know what to ask for next time.

Zach came back today and I now have working spreader lights. Much good karma for Zach!

Had a real fright as I started to write this, my screen went grey and I thought that it had died for good. This is not the place to buy a lappie! But a rest and a reboot and it is trucking along as usual. Phew.

TRINIDAD and BIG RAYS

AT midnight last night, TRINIDAD was placed under a limited state of emergency to facilitate anti-crime curfews in hot spots, by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The measure specifically allows the 5,000 Defence Force powers of search and seizure, and of arrest, so they will be able to better supplement the work of the TT Police Service. The measure follows two recent instances of mass killings, namely four persons shot dead at Jonestown, Arima, on Thursday, a woman killed at Pt Lisas on Friday and three killed in Laventille and another in El Socorro yesterday .

The 2011 murder rate is about 261 persons.

YIKES I had just asked on the net if anyone else was going down to Trini as I thought a buddy boat might be good. Plans to go are on hold !


Had a good snorkel yesterday on the outer reef system off Hog Island and got a great shot of a big ray. Not sure what kind but he flapped around the spot I was working for about 10 minutes. Maybe I was on his territory?





Oh yes my second experiment with my water collection system also failed. Back to the drawing board.

An Archers Bow, subtle sunset and a funny little boat.

After hoping for rain at the weekend to fill my water tanks using my new water catching system we got some today but I had dismantled the system so missed the chance but the everywhere god hung the archers bow in the sky to console me.

Quiet sunset tonight which reflects my mood as I think I have caught the lurgy that seems to be going around the cruisers. Possibly passed on to me at a meeting I attended about sailing in Venuzuela. Cough splutter and retires to bed.



This funny little boat is a smaller version of one parked in the mangroves at Hog Island.

I wonder how well or badly it sails.

SOME MAGIC CRUISING MOMENTS

I was lying in bed with the hatch above me wide open and the gentle night sounds lulling me to sleep when I saw some faint streaks appear in the sky.

Middle of August so it is time for the Perseid meteor shower I thought. I guess I was lucky because a few minutes later the moon rose and obliterated any chance of the trails being visible.



The next magic moment was in the afternoon when I took of the headphone after a prolonged Skype session to hear singing floating across the water. I had seen the little local tug appear earlier on during the day with a couple of floating platforms and had been curious as what was going on. It turns out it was the 4th Clarkes Court Bay dinghy concert.


http://youtu.be/1i2ST8wRsxo


The song she is singing reflects my cruising life at the moment, things are good.

EMILY SPICEMAS and a BOAT ON THE REEF

Well EMILY brushed past well to the North. This spectacular sunset was a result of one of the outlying rain bands. Some of the northern islands got a bit of a drenching but know wind damage as she never really developed just flattering to deceive.

However there are a couple of waves showing signs of potential development out there.

It is SpiceMas [Carnival] here I visited one of the prelim events where the kids dress up.

I would have liked to take some pics but did not. It's a shame that such an innocent amount of joy is now a forbidden subject.

Also I am just trying to decide if I want to get up early and pay my $75 EC to go and march with one of the bands. The weather is forecast to be good sooooo I might just................. beeee lazy and stay in bed.

Some excitement on Friday morning as "Fox Sea" found the reef in Calvigny Bay! Now mostly when they find the bottom out here a few dinks get it off by heeling the boat and possibly pushing the nose around. But not this time, either she hit at speed or the swell lifted her on to her side on the reef.

Kudos go to the Grenada coastguard who got there quickly and horsed her off the reef. Apparently they were in the area anyway checking on cruiser's immigration documents. Nice to know that they're now willing to tow.

Fox Sea are are now on the hard drying the boat out as they had some water ingress and assessing their hull damage.