Rodney Bay Marina
Rodney Bay, St. Lucia, West Indies
14° 05.5 N 60° 58.2 W
I was up late last night and up early this morning. I am still in the habit of waking up with the sun. I lie there and try to fall back asleep because the boat is so quiet and I don’t want to be the noisemaker early in the morning. I was looking forward to breakfast as I was going to make pancakes for John, Nancy and I because there was now syrup on board. Yes, simple stuff like this makes me happy right about now. Last night after dinner John, Nancy and I went to the sports bar here at the marina to watch a college football game between USC and Texas. It started at 10pm local time. We watched until halftime, about 11pm, and then they wanted to close up because no one was buying drinks. After closing, John and Nancy took a NY father and son with them across town to another sports bar to watch the game and did not get back until 230am. The 2 guys needed a ride to their hotel but forgot where it was. They took the bartender with them and he led the way and then they had to drop him off at a restaurant so he could get breakfast. It sounded like an exciting game to watch but I just would not have been able to stick out. Besides, while watching the game I was distracted by watching CNN on another TV. It’s been a while since I’ve seen TV in English and of a subject that I actually am interested in.
The cool thing about traveling west and now being within 4 hours of California is that by the time I make it to the Internet café around 9-10am Tina sometimes is checking her e-mail. We have been online several times at the same time and able to exchange real-time e-mails. But, a freak thing happened to us yesterday morning. We were trading e-m and the guy down from me needed to plug in his laptop and unplugged the computer I was on! Instant end to a session. John and Nancy were there to pick up the rental car, yes the car rental and Internet are in the same space, and I figured oh well I’d get going.
I had a belly full of Oscar Mayer bacon and pancakes and made my way to the Internet café to send off the latest before we departed this morning. Unfortunately, a lot of other marina people were there and I had to wait. Oh, I had some time on my hands so I went below to the trinket shop to get a consumable. OK, OK already! I bought some Bounty Rhum. Yes, I have gone over to the dark side and now am interested in what the natives concoct out of sugar cane. Mmmmmmm, good. Tastes like chicken. Not really. But, a splash in a cup of ice, yes we have an icemaker!!! is just too cool.
It’s late morning now and I’m feeling pretty good. Got my stuff out of the way and ready to do what I need to in order for the boat to be on its way. I got back to the boat and walked down below and ran into Alan and asked if John returned the car. He said in his casual startled way that yes they were doing that among other things. Then, here’s the rub, he asked why the portholes and hatches in the library were closed last night. I admit I was slightly startled and then took it in stride because it was Alan. I said they were closed last night to keep the rain out. He said that it did not rain last night. I said, you’re right but it is standard op to close everything at night to keep the rain out if it rains. And for the record, it has pretty much rained everyday since midway through the Atlantic and often in the other places we’ve been. We’ve closed the windows and hatches and portholes every time we leave the boat unattended and almost every night. I said the other night Nancy and I met amidships closing hatches and portholes because it rained. He looked startled and I said we couldn’t predict when it is going to rain while we are asleep and it is too risky with the laptop sitting there, etc. He shrugged a little bit and agreed somewhat and that was it.
Every boat that I have been on that has been underway in saltwater always had an issue with portholes and hatches. It is common knowledge onboard to close them if there is spray from the bow, spray from breaking waves, waves breaking on the bow and rain. This boat is no different. We had been plagued with leaky openings the entire trip through the Mediterranean from spray, breaking waves and rain. The standard operating procedure for whoever was on watch was to close up the boat including the companionway if needed to prevent water getting inside. Since leaving The Canaries and getting to warmer climates we have had several waves break and come through portholes and hatches because we got lazy and left them open to get fresh air.
I stand by my opinion that he does not belong here. He is so clueless to ask why we would close up at night in the tropics when it rains irregularly. In fact, he has never jumped out of bed and made the rounds of closing up in a squall. I was taken aback by this conversation. I am truly living my own Survivor. This has been an interesting social experiment that I knew was in the making when I decided to get on a floating piece of plastic with strangers and go across the oceans. But, overall the good experiences have been remarkable.
I wanted to get a shower before we left since, yes it had been a couple days… After the shower I did a small load of laundry in the galley sink. When it was done it actually smelled clean. Then I hung it outside to dry. John was around and waiting for the marina to read the power and water meter so we could get out of here but they are just so laid back and slow.
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| Rodney Bay |
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| Rodney Bay |
We motored the 39-mile run to the next anchorage because the wind wasn’t blowing strong enough for us to sail. I sat in the time-out chair and read for a while, put out the fishing line, took pictures. We planned to anchor below 2 large prominent points of land called Petit Peton and Gros Peton. They are in the mid 2,500 foot range and spectacular. The preferred anchorage was full and we took the next one in line. The ambitious locals come out in boats to greet and offer to help make fast to the mooring ball for a charge. They were very helpful and made it easy for us. We were connected around 2 and asked as to the restaurant on the beach. They said it was very good so we asked them to pick us up at 530 and take us the 500’ to the place. We didn’t want to lower the dinghy because we were going to make an inter-island passage tomorrow and did not want it hanging off the back. |
| Martinique in the distance. |
Anse Miton, St. Lucia, West Indies
(between Soufriere Bay and Petit Piton Point at anchor)
13° 50.589 N 61° 03.794 W
We were able to see Martinique and St. Vincent at the same time while offshore today. After mooring the king of the beach swam over to us and offered to sell coconut and grapefruit. We had a load of food and didn’t want anymore. Then, kids in a small wooden boat begged for biscuits, another few boats trying to sell their goods, etc…
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| St. Lucia The little green symbol is the boat location. |
John, Nancy and I went to dinner at the single little beach restaurant. The atmosphere was great because we were on the beach with warm weather. The amazing thing about this dinner is that it was fantastic! I have a new respect for spicy jerk chicken. We all commented, including to the chef, how good the food was and who would’ve figured this place in the middle of nowhere where only boaters can easily get to would be so good. This was by far the best meal that I have had since arriving in the Caribbean and since… This will be hard to beat.
The conversation over a bottle of wine was great and it migrated to what has been bugging the 3 of us and it is Alan. We cleared the air on many levels. He did not join us at dinner onshore for several reasons and here’s one. When we moored today he made a point of going below to work on wiring. Wiring that apparently he undid in the middle of the Atlantic. The first engine-overheating problem that we had back in the Med was due to an electrical anomaly that connects the cockpit pedestal to the lower helm. The quickest way to deal with it was to cut the wires to the pedestal for the rpm, engine temp and oil gauges and alarm. Somewhere mid-Atlantic Alan managed to start a project that was entirely impossible to finish. It was so incredibly obvious I don’t know why it was even started. He proceeded to remove the instrument panel with the intent of re-engineering the mount and the wiring harness. He then wanted to flush mount the panel from the inside but he needed to saw and drill fiberglass and wood to make it fit. This is the day that John and I both wore ear buds and earplugs. This is the night I stepped barefoot into a dark cockpit into shavings and debris on the floor. Alan shrugged it off and said it was too dark to clean and John cleaned while I held a flashlight. Ok, so now there is this project going on and the panel is flush mounted but now there is no way to keep the water out. The original panel had a cover. Alan gets this idea to call Danielle the day before she departs Carmel to go to Tap plastics, electrical outlets for 12-pin connectors, etc. Needless to say she showed up empty handed because she did not have time.
There is a hole in the pedestal where the instruments should be. John has made mention several times to Alan about the hole. Alan then tries to martyr himself by skipping the dinner experience to ‘fix’ the boat implying that he is doing John a favor! At dinner they agreed to let it go and get it fixed when the boat reaches a boatyard where all the other work will get done. Alan has been getting the feeling that John and Nancy are not too happy with the boat having been taken apart with absolutely no way to put it back together. John has been trying to tell Alan not to do things because parts and pieces and materials are not available where we are going. Then, Alan works on something and spends his time ashore going to hardware and electrical and marine stores looking for parts. Not finding what he needs the projects remain unfinished. We agreed that repairs should be made on an as needed basis and not start stuff that should be done in a yard.
John asked me if Alan has been in the water on this trip and I said not that I know of. When we moored the first thing John did was swim. We all have tried to encourage Alan to experience more and work less but he backs himself into his own corners. I am here as crew and that, among enjoying the trip, is all that is expected.
I was told at dinner that many of the ‘discussions’ between John and Alan on the crossing were of his intent to buy a sailboat as soon as possible and go sailing. It is well known that Danielle wants nothing much to do with sailing and cruising. He wrote her a letter over a period of several days, several peaceful days for John and I, and John calls it the manifesto. I told them that he and I had it out and I said that he is incompetent and doesn’t belong here. And, they agreed! It has been bugging them, too. I said that I was taking a back seat and expecting John to step up as the leader and take charge. They both said John will go with the volunteer and Alan always does and he should not. They want me to step up and do as much boat handling as I can and want. They are fed up with Alan having to learn every day the thing he did the day before. It is so frustrating that he doesn’t retain much. Clearing the air has made it so much better for me. They told me they thought he was not going to get on the boat in Italy. They’ve been expecting him to jump ship the whole trip. Now they say that he is giving mixed messages about taking the boat north from Panama. The boat plans to park in Costa Rica for a month so John and Alan can go home. Then go back and finish the trip north. Alan is saying that he wants to go to Germany in the spring and buy a boat and go sailing. They are now looking for crew to do that leg. He made some comment that he will have some work to do like buying dishes and stuff to get ready for cruising. He is so clueless. We know that it takes a tremendous amount of preparation to go offshore not only boat pieces and parts but education, too. One of his faults is that he cannot shoot from the hip and make a snap decision but feels inclined to consult manuals first. I said in my opinion that he is not qualified and needs much more experience and they agreed with me. I said that I was prepared for these passages and this kind of work and it obviously shows and that is a great feeling. In this environment I feel that it is not what you think you know but what your peers acknowledge what you know. I feel most confident that I fit in.
My feet are a bit tired and used up about now. Back in the Med I had lots of bites on my feet and hands. Outside Gibraltar and all through the Atlantic I had no problems. Then after I get to Martinique I get chewed up. On top of that the new slippa’s that I am wearing need to be broken in and I have lots of blisters on my feet. So, ya jump out of a water taxi into the surf and get sand in your shoes and then you try to rinse it but you just can’t get all the sand out and then you walk and grind sand into your cuts and well, ah hell who’s complaining?
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