CARRIACOU to GRENADA

October the 1st Monday will see Elephants Child putting her new blue bottom to the test on the sail south.

SPLASHED

It had looked a little uncertain at one point if I was going to make it back into the water this Saturday.

The local wooden boat that they had had to pull unexpectedly was sitting behind me and the space it was going into was occupied by another fishing boat who was supposed to be splashed today but was running on island time.

I talked to the guys working on the wooden boat and it turns out to be just 14 years old built in Petit Martinique but the wood they use for the planking is not very resistant to the dreaded ship worm and some of its planks were wormy.

Any way people arrived, the fishing boat got splashed and then it was my turn. I need to have a little time over the edge of the slip to deal with the centre board but it was all sorted out and it was good to be back in the water, bilge checked for leaks [ none found ] and was told I can stay at the dock till Monday am if I want to. But I will probably refit my back stay and move out into the anchorage if I can get some help from the fishing boat parked in front of me. It is all a bit tight on the dock just now.

Tyrell Bay Boatyard Zoo

We have chickens. One of which is actually laying on a boat in storage.

We have goats.

We have sheep. At least I think they are sheep but they could be different goats.

We have iguana. The locals spear them and hunt them with guns EEK! Guess we have some tough boatyard iguanas.

We have a very vocal donkey in earshot but not actually seen in the yard.

The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, Gang aft agley

Now I picked my spot in the boatyard carefully.

On the windward side so I would not risk someone upwind dry sanding epoxy. This is mission critical as I am allergic to epoxy dust. Nobody was doing anything dusty and messy like grinding steel on either side when I first looked. No pile of goat poo concealing a mega ant's nest below us and we were near a security light. On Monday I knew I had got it right and went to bed with a smug mug. .

Today Tuesday it all went horribly wrong. They start a building site right in front of my bow. Dirt, stoor, grit, cement dust etc all start coming my way. Then to add insult to injury the guys doing the rebar work set up right in front of my bow and were just starting the angle grinder when I spotted them For those who don't do this sort of stuff, the dust from grinding steel or iron get embedded in glassfibre and paintwork somehow and as they rust you get brown flecks, yes it's bad Elephants Child would have developed freckles. I mean who ever heard of an elephant with freckles.

I marched over ready to do battle and eying the power lead ready to pull it out. However when I explained the problem they moved to the other end of the yard. But I will still have to keep the hatches closed to keep the dirt out and the heat will build. The decks are already filthy and will get worse.

Ah well at least we have no ants so far and the donkey is quiet,

THUNDERSTORMS NON STARTING ENGINE and ROOSTERS

I had picked my spot and negotiated with the boat lift driver to be the first haul so there I was hot to trot at 8 am.

Which in fact was a struggle because for the second night in a row the thunder gods were angry, the wind gods were howling and the lightning fairies were on bonus.

So there I am at 8.00 well 8.15 to be truthful but what the heck it's ISLAND TIME.

8.45 and there is still no sign of the boat lift. Now I been doing work on my second cup of coffee so was only just coming too but thought I will go and look.

After all 8.00 9.00 same time it's ISLAND TIME.

Well the engine won't start. However they get it going by balancing a 5 gallon container of diesel on the engine box roof and gravity feeding the sucker. Well the non sucker as that had been the problem.

As before the main man gets in the water with a snorkel and mask to make sure he has the slings in the right places and out I come. My spot is free of goat poo

but we have plenty chickens and BLOODY BLIND ROOSTERS.

Anyway I had a productive day and a first class shower at the end of it, with a door and a lock and a light and some hooks for clothes so made it back to the boat to see if the wifi is working which it is well sort of.

The sky is lighting up every few minutes so that might be the cause.

Tyrell bay

Well I am up in Carriacou after an enjoyable sail, the rain clouds missed us although they did make the wind a bit changeable.

The boatyard has some spaces and I will look in tomorrow morning, buttonhole the boss and make sure one of them has Elephants Child written on it.

CARRIACOU BOUND

Bottom scraped, propeller cleaned, diesel and water topped up and I am off up to Carriacou from Grenada tomorrow as the winds are favourable.

Again it is the only yard that can fit me in at this time of the year. Not the plushest but rumour has it that they have a shower with a lock and a light now and the goats have been evicted, well mostly.

For some reason my new glasses which came from China cost a fifth of the Grenada price sailed through customs but a random selection of goods have been held up and am on my third visit to try to extract them.

Visit 1 told they need invoices. Explained invoices were in packages. Not acceptable.

Visit 2 returned with invoices. told I need a C 14 signed by customs. My Current C 14 is not acceptable.

Visit 3 returned with a new C 14. told I need a C 14 signed by customs DETAILING all the information on the invoices.

Epaulitits strikes.

A well I like visiting the friendly customs officer at Le Phare Bleu. My blinds will have to wait till after the haul out.

STORM CLOUD SUNSET

A very colorful sunset as a decaying thunderstorm cloud drifted up from Trinidad.

I had a day off today and went in to Taffy's bar to watch American Football on their big screen. I no longer follow a particular team as my hero Brett Favre has finally called it a day. I was cheering for the Washington Redskins though and their young quarterback and somehow felt good when they won.

Paul and Rachel Chandler have set sail from Dartmouth to restart their interrupted tour around the world aboard the same boat, a Rival called Lynn Rival, on which they were kidnapped by Somali pirates.

If I see them I will buy them a drink.

JAM and LACE ona SUNDAY

I wandered into Whisper cove marina overlooking the bay where I am at anchor for a while. The jam session was running and I joined in on the chorus of a horse with no name.

But i was en route to another venue where I said adios to Graham and Diana who are Panama bound with a date to be kept in New Zealand.

There first stop is Trini for a little work then the ABCs, so it was an early evening departure so as to hit the Boca in the morning.

So I was back on board to catch the ladies of the sunset dping a little delicate lacework. It was a fleeting effect and my pic does not do it full justice.

KAMIKAZI CAP

It is searching for Thanatos, it is suicidal, it is looking to shuffle of this mortal coil, it has a death wish and it did it again!

Due to the thinning thatch I need to wear a hat if I am out in the sun for any length of time. A baseball cap works well giving my eyes shade as well as protecting my bonce, Now I lose them over the side usually on passage when we get an unexpected gust. But they are usually faded, sweat stained and starting to fray when they go.

But this nice new cap has yet to start fading, the colour is still strong and there are no sweat stains but the little bugger has been over board at least 5 times already!

SYSTEM FAILURE

I have a system, each storage locker has a number and everything is listed and cross referenced to its locker.

So WHY CAN'T I FIND MY BRUSHES?

I WAS ALREADY TO LAY ON THAT FIRST VITAL COAT OF THINNED VARNISH AND CAN I FIND A BRUSH. NO NO NO.

DINGHY CONCERT

Le Phare Bleu organised the platform, the tug to move it and the musicians to play on it. The cruisers came in their dinks to listen, to drink their sundowners and to pay a small tribute to Grenada's golden boy back to visit the island after his Olympic success. So will I. Tomorrow is time enough to varnish. Tonight is for some live music.