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Back to the Pitons with Stu and Cathy.

3rd February

The following morning we set off at 8.30 and crossed from Wallaibu Bay and
headed straight back to the Pitons. It was a close Haul in about 20 knots of wind, we sailed at about 45-50" to the apparent wind and we made a good 6 knots all the way there. We arrived at the Hilton beach moorings. Yet again boat boys came out to take us to the mooring claiming it "was their job". After last nights fiasco we were dead against boat boys so told them we didn't need any help. They stayed with us all the way, trying to pursued us When we got the mooring boy the picked it up and we insisted we didn't want their help and besides didn't have any money to give them - They said they would do it for a
coke and some biscuits. Helen got stroppy and they went off to try to get
"Christina" (just behind us) on the mooring buoy. they had the same treatment, and the same result. Eventually they went away.

We had caught a big 5 lb King-Fish on the way over- a sort of Tuna-type
fish. We cooked it up and we all ate it on our boat in the evening. There was platy left for tuna pasta the following day.

It now started to rain quite a bit and some sort of "weather" was on its way. Rob did school with the Sophie and Emma and Helen, "Christina" and the 2 youngest went off for a walk up past the Hilton and up to "Bang" a restaurant, club beyond. They met the man who owned it; by the man who started Mystique, and dated Princess Margaret's Lady in waiting completely crazy man.

That afternoon we took the boat a mile around the corner to "Bennies"
restaurant beach. I called up on VHF and they were pleased to help us onto the moorings - "No Hassle - No fee". He was a sort of Vigilante against the annoying boat boys. We all went to his restaurant - well more his house really. He was really against the boat boys and had us fill out forms telling of our experiences. He was trying to persuade the government and the tourist board to put a stop to the hassling boats, and I couldn't agree with him more. The home cooking was fantastic and we had Creole chicken and Curry chicken with local home grown vegetables of Plantain, Bread Fruit, sweet potatoes, Dasheen, Christopheen and more It was very tasty and a great local experience. We rounded the meal of with Banana Flambé. We were taxied from our boat to the restaurant by the son, and he kids befriended the 8 year old daughter and had fun playing hide and seek around the house.

A lovely evening.

Back to Rodney Bay.

5th Feb Heading north
WE left Benny's in the morning and headed north. What seemed to be an easy sail up with all the sail up turned into a 25 knot beat to windward with one reef in. We managed to stick with "Christina" in speed and angle to wind and made it up the coast to Rodney Bay. The final hour we spent tacking into Rodney Bay.The "weather" had definitely arrived, it was getting overcast and the wind was pretty gusty upto 30 knots.

We anchored next to Ocean Breezes in 3 metres of water with 30 metres of
chain and I swam onto "CHristina's" anchor as they put it in. (it was the first time they had used their anchor). They kept hitting rock and were in too deep water. Chris eventually came out in the dinghy and we hunted around for a good patch of snad to lay it in. just next to OB was good and I watched as they laid the anchor and reversed it in - It sunk in nice and deep. I then swam to my anchor and it was caught on a rock - a bad place. So I pulled up our anchor and relayed it further forward in a good patch of sand and dug it in good and proper. After all the running around and swimming I did, I ended up doing something wrong to my stomach, and after a long "sit-down" had to go to bed with some paracetomol.

6Th Feb
from Emma
This morning we swam to Conner and Finlay's Boat.We went for about half an
hour.I dived all the way to the bottom and brought up some sand, as well as all that it is 3 metres here!

fromSophie
yesterday I went to the beach with Connor and Finally we found little cockles in the sand. We found about twenty of them then we went back to ocean breezes for a movie and tea.

7th Feb
I wake up this morning and thought it is daddy's birthday tomorrow. I know
what I will make for his cake.Stuffed spuds with bacon and cheese.
Emma

Work and My Birthday.

9th Feb Work and a Birthday

Unfortunately during the trip up I have found some cracks in the rigging.
I'm not sure when they arrived. Maybe since the Atlantic. A swage fitting on the port Shroud is cracked and other fittings on the fractional rig look cracked

As well. I've had lots of opinions, but my plan is to get to Martinique to Marin where there is a big charter base of Fountaine Pajot Cats, and get some riggers to take a look. I suspect I'm going to have to get some of the rigging
replaced...... watch this space.

On a good note we have been doing well with rain water collection. I have
permanently rigged a funnel under the awning at the back of the boat and when pulled down in the centre it drain all the water rained on the rear of the awning and it funnels into a pipe into a 20 litre container. A good night of rain
gets a good 20 litres of water. I'm thinking of making a gully around the roof of the boat to collect even more water direct into the water tanks. As it happens the water maker has been getting slowly worse and is now only generating about 750 psi, rather than the normal 1000 psi I could usually generate. I think the Main pump needs a good service, valves, and seals need replacing..... Another good job for Marin, Martinique.

I finally changed the belts on both engines, the starboard a bit tricky as the main shaft is extended to a universal joint to drive the "Big-Alternator". Checked Oil and water, and a general Engine check. The night before my birthday "Christina" and "OB" came around and we had drinks and played cards. My birthday was a great day. Although the days have been blowy, and rainy we had the tarpaulin out and the cockpit is dry as a bone. I awoke to various hand made presents from the kids, paper boxes and poems, and a practised Guitar song from Sophie. Helen got me the Trinidad and Tobago cruising Pilot, and a book on reef fishes. We had a nice lunch which Emma wanted to make for me - Cheese and bacon Jacket potatoes. WE then went to the beach in the afternoon with Ocean Breezes and met another Boat "Finale" with 2 kids who are rushing off to head to the Panama and the Pacific to get to New Zealand by Nov. We all came back to Dolphins and had (16) pieces of chocolate cake.

Dodgy Outboard carb..

10th Feb

So both ours and Christina's Outboards were having troubles. We have put it down to bad fuel from St Vincent. I took apart the carburettor from our 4 stroke and stripped it down. it was completely full of crap and water. The jets were all blocked. I gave a good clean and made sure everything was clear. Then I got more fuel, and put it all back together. After a bout 3 hours I surprised my self and it worked beautifully. The following day Stuart stripped his down on our boat and although it didn't look as bad as mine did inside, when we put it back together again it all worked perfectly again. So we must have done something right.

I attempted to take a look at the water maker, stripped down the pre-pump and cleared a blockage from the through hull stop-cock, but still only 750 psi. Not too happy about that, and still a little depressed about the rigging.

Went to the chandlery to day and bought a glass inline filter for the dinghy fuel line, took the new cruising chute in for repair, and a cockpit cushion in to the same place to see if they can replace the zip. Helen took the kids off for a swim today, It rained. It chucked it down by the bucket load with rain today. Helen went of in search of "Finale" for a book swap and got soaked again.

The Bees !.

14 Feb Bees!
We took a Saturday out and went off to a Bee farm that Helen organised. We and Christina jumped in a taxi and ended up at the ministry of agriculture for St Lucia where we met Donald. It was his hives and he arrange us to go and see them. Sophie dressed up in all the kit, oversized overalls, size 1000
wellies and the hat with netting. She went with Donald and his smoke machine and the prized open the lid of a bee hive. The rest of us were hovering around Donald's truck taking photos and looking at what they were doing. We were about 15 feet away. He did mention if the bees ot a bit frisky that we should get in the van. Donald mentioned that a bee had stung his hand and that when a bee stings it sends out a scent and others may likely sting him again - they didn't. About 5 minutes later a stray bee buzzed around Stuarts head and he started flapping and then he started running. He ran back down the track we came, and when he eventually stopped it stung him his head. At this moment we decided to get in the truck. All three kids and 4 adults were squashed in the truck watching and sweating in the heat.

We watched as Donald peeled back more layers of the hive squirting more smoke and looking for the queen bee to show us. Sophie was mesmerised and really enjoying being in the thick of it - brave girl. HE couldn't find the queen in this hive so put it back together and went to the next. Helen took her chance and while the bees were back in their hive she got out and took some more photos. Then a bee buzzed her hair and she tried to get back in the van. - It then stung her, right on the forehead. She then clambered back in the van and we picked the sting and its sack out of her head.

We were at this stage quite adamant not to leave the van as we had 2 people stung now. In the meantime Donald had found a queen bee and had brought a whole tray of honeycomb with bees crawling around and stood there trying to show us the queen through the window. There was a slit at the top of the window, enough to give us some air, a vicious bee was starting desperately to get in - banging on the window - (honestly), then it found the crack of the window, we all panicked, it was actually trying to get in ! Stuart Emma and Jack had opened the doors on the other side and were starting to pour out of the vehicle, but Cathy threw her hand up to block the gap - and it stung her! We then wound the window up.

It was all starting to get extremely humorous - we were all sweating in the car - all scared of the bees - wanting to get the hell out of there. In the end He packed up and while squirting a shadow of smoke over the car we all got out and ran for cover. - funny - very funny.

WE bought a bottle of honey and ate some honey comb, and got some for Lisa's birthday. Then we got a lift in the back of his truck to the bus stop for the ride back home.

10 days around Rodney Bay.

16th Feb 10 days in Rodney Bay
We have had a busy week living! We don't seem to be doing any cruising.......we only planned to stay here until Wednesday - but it was Lisa's birthday on Saturday so we stayed on to celebrate.

The dinghy outboard tick over jets are still getting blocked. I should really give it another clean (as I forgot to flush the old fuel out of the pipe to the tank which crapped it all up again) It seems to be clearing so Il keep an eye on it.

We have had fun collecting water with a new funnel. I've attached a length of hose to it and it now sits permanently connected under the pulled down awning at the back of the boat leading to a 20 litre drum. On a good night of rain we can collect 20 litres. Im still thinking about making a gully around the top of the coach roof - this would bring us loads of water.... watch this space.

Christina has been doing jobs here and there using the "cheap" chandlery at
Rodney Bay. Its not as well stocked as Marin in Martinique, but is certainly cheaper. I'm still after the oil seals for the saltwater pump for the starboard engine, but Ill have to wait for Marin for that. Its still dripping, but with the
bilge pump on its still not critical.

Ocean Breezes are here waiting for passports and the next years Calvert school boxes.

Helen typing now..........

Chris had bought some 'fins' to go on the prop on the outboard of his dinghy...it makes to dinghy go faster, is more streamlined and it planes faster ( so he says)....... lots of boy zooming about around the bay to see how the
improvements are!........before I know it ROB has arrived home from the latest trip to the chandlery with .....Guess what ......a set of fins for our dinghy.....I'm calling Ocean Breezes 'Ocean Jones's' now...... can't wait to see if Stuart gets some!

The wind has been strong here all week - quite wearing - apparently it is due to a small hurricane that has gone to the north of the Caribbean....giving constant 20 knot winds down here. We went to the beach and flew the stunt kite very successfully!...dive bombing everyone in sight.

My washing needs to be threaded onto a rope and tied across the foredeck to
stop it getting lost at sea. Its been good
to escape to shore to get out of the wind. We have spent two lovely afternoons over at the marina where there are huge
grassy lawns. We played leapfrog and general gym demonstrations. Roly-poly, piggy in the middle - on fresh cut grass it felt like a summer sports day. We joined up with the kids from another boat ( Finale) and the kids played football.
This is all in between the huge down pours we are getting - basically squalls from the Atlantic - one minute we are playing happily outside and the next sheltering from very wet rain! We thought this was the dry season!

I have been very busy - making bread first thing in the morning before school! We have had Cathy and Stuart here for lunch most days this week - so a full loaf of bread is needed! The kids have been swimming every morning before
school - despite the wind here the sea is very inviting. Swimming before
school involves jumping in off the side, and screaming loud enough to disturb everyone in the anchorage. Everyone has had a new rubber ring so I cant keep them out of the water. Jack is as crazy as ever leaping into the water off the side of the boat in his rubber ring. We don't have to go in with him now as the girls swim with him and we watch the craziness from the side.

Cathy and Stuart have been arriving at 9.00 so that Cathy can do school and
Rob has been helping Stuart out. Cathy has helped with school out four times this week - 2 times with Sophie and Emma inside and then 2 times with Louisa and Jack in the cockpit, while I have the other two. The whole boat gets in turmoil with things out to keep Jack busy! ( beads, cars, jigsaws, water play, playdoh.....nearly playgroup!) We have just about finished school and tidied up by the time Rob and Stuart arrive for lunch!

I did a months shop with Emma . The food here is very cheap compared to Europe and Martinique. The supermarket is a decent size but piled high with all the basics. The flour, sugar and rice is in clear plastic bags....no paying for
marketing and packaging here! I have been buying all the local produce and
testing them on everyone.... sweet potatoes, local squash, breadfruit. All delicious and cheap. I filled two trolley loads - 700EC's - an equivalent of £125 pounds for a months shop ( we were spending £400 in europe). The assistant from the supermarket wheeled the second trolley back up the main road , through a car park and right down the dock to the dinghyed it for me.....I was expecting boat boy treatment ...i expected him to hang around for a tip - but as soon as the last bag was in the dinghy he turned and returned to the shop with the trollies. So different from 5 miles down the coast. That is not the end of the shop - we are anchored right outside the bay......so with a fully loaded dinghy we speed out of the channel....only to be hit by a huge downpour ...totally soaking us and all the contents of the shopping. This made unloading difficult as the cardboard packaging had all melted and the plastic bags were all full of rainwater!

On Sundays the beach that we are anchored by fills up with locals having Fun. During the week it is pristine and empty. By evening there are food stalls set up selling delicious smelling food. All the locals eat there - so we thought we had better try it ( after the goat stew experience in St Vincent we are a bit wary). All three boats went ashore with wine and plastic cups. We asked what they had at the stall - but they were pretty empty - so they cooked up a meal
especially for us. Cooked chickein with rice and fig salad. The kids had
fishcakes. All delicious. I lit a fire on the beach ....I was unsuccessful with matches - but the lady from the stall gave me a burning ember to get us started. We all ended up round the fire in the darkness. The kids were explorers scouring the beach for more wood. We would have stayed longer - but the next squall hit and we all piled in the dinghies in an absolute downpour Both Louisa and Emma have had sleepovers on Stuart and Cathy's boat ...much to their absolute delight. They have been packing their bags first thing in the morning and then trying to contain their excitement until after teatime! Cathy and Stuart have read stories and played games with them - neither of them wanted to come home for school!!!!! Emma did end up swimming home so that she could beat the teacher to school!

I have been trying to improve my daily bread. Making a loaf a day gives me
an opportunity to experiment and they all turn out quite good anyway.! In St Vincent when it was really rainy the bread rose right out of the pan and produced a real bloomer. I think this was because the air was damp - so
now I rise the bread wrapped up in a damp tea towel. The basic recipe I use is.... flour, dried yeast, 1 tsp sugar, pinch salt, 1 tsp marg.,1 cup warm water.....chuck it all together and knead. I have tried olive oil instead of marg. - much softer loaf. I have tried milk instead of water ....much creamier with a
harder crust. My rolls are much more successful than my loaves because they
always cook all the way through - often if I don't time it right ( all the time ) the loaves are still doughy in the middle!

We have been anchored opposite a Sandals resort.....lots of watersport activity, inexperienced hobie cats giving us near misses all day and delicious smells from the all day buffets. There was a big, blue, floating trampoline just off the beach, so a couple of afternoons Cathy took the girls over to bounce........hours of fun, After the third trip I think they had had enough of us - so they politely asked us to leave... 3 afternoons of entertainment for nothing!
Saturday was Lisa's birthday - ( we went to the bees) we made a batch of
shortbread biscuits in the shape of anchors and gave half to Cathy to say thankyou for helping with school and the other half as a birthday present. Emma gave her a sugar bowl made from a papier mache'd and painted margarine tub with a handy notch to put the spoon in and Louisa made her a dolphin puppet. We had a party on OB with banana smoothes and rum punch.

St Anns - Martinique - Again - one holey propelor.

20th Feb, St Ann's Martinique( again)
First I dropped a rollock.....from the wooden sailing dinghy over the side. Chris and I went diving for it and we noticed that the starboard propeller looked like it had been eaten by some under water sea mouse. Bites had been taken from the edges and it looked rather like a piece of Swiss cheese. Immediately the discussions started...... stray current leak or galvanic corrosion between the aluminium prop and the antifoul that had been painted on it. The port
hand prop was ok. What could the problem be ???

First thoughts were that the yard in Lanzarote painted the props with
International soft Antifoul. I had bought prop antifoul but the yard had painted the sail drive and the props with the normal stuff. Trusting the yard I didn't think any more about it. Could the prop be eaten away by the voltage difference between different metals such as Aluminium and maybe any copper that may be in the antifoul. With my volt meter in hand I measured the voltage between negative on the battery and the bolts on the sail drive : 0.76
volts ! It was the same to the rudderpost. The 2 things that were touching the sea. I then put a long bit of wire in and measured that it too was 0.76 volts. This suggested to me that there was a stray current leak. I switched off all
the batteries - still the same. I then went around all the batteries and
disconnected all the positive battery leads one by one.... STILL the SAME. This proved to me that there were no stray current leaks as the batteries were
disconnected.

Looking in the Nigel Calder's Boat Bible at the Galvanic table of voltages
it said that Aluminium has a negative anodic voltage of 0.76 volts with reference to a Stainless steel cathode. - Spooky - 0.76 - was this a coincidence. I could not get my head around the whole things of where the Galvanic circuit that I'm measuring was. But my conclusion was that the antifoul on the starboard prop had some metal in it that was causing the corrosion on the starboard prop. The port prop was not being eaten as much because I never use the port engine apart from the odd 5 minutes of
manoeuvring. Long periods of propulsion I use the starboard prop as the
starboard engine has "Big Al" the 200 Amp alternator. The extra agitation of the prop through water would increase the voltage and therefore the reaction. The leg drives are galvanised aluminium, so they are probably more resistant.

So I dived under the boat and took off both props and sanded down one leg
drive of all antifoul. I then wire brushed the good prop back to aluminium and primed it and coated it with the correct antifoul. I replaced the knackered prop
back on the starboard side and left the good one off to have plenty of coats
with 6 hrs between coats A new prop is 300 Euros. Maybe they are cheaper in England and can get Maine's or Judith to bring one out. Moral!: Never trust a so-called professional to antifoul the boat.