Friday 15 June 2012

Antigua -Late May-Early June.


  Tuesday 29 th May we motored round to English Harbour and anchored right next to ‘Flawless ’D’ so went straight over to ask Kat & Jim over for sundowners.  They are without their auto pilot and will have to hand steer until it is fixed.  They have no Aries wind vane ! Poor things! Still they seem happy enough and we told them that Vincent in St Lucia is good at fixing electrical stuff.
Wednesday we started off at 07.30 am en passage for St Lucia.  No more buoys for ‘Piano’ but a mixture of dead calm and 35 knots of wind meant that we didn’t arrive in Rodney Bay until 23.30! on Thursday evening.  Needless to say we had a lie in on Friday then moved into the Marina where Marie (Mia Tia) came to welcome us back. Malcolm checked us in and was then greeted by Vincent and various others who remembered ‘Piano’.  I did 3 loads of washing and general tidying up after the voyage then lunch and off to the pool.  While I was absent Malcolm has decided that the Navigation computer has a serious problem and of course no back up since his computer is also dead ooops looks like some old fashioned Navigation is called for on the rest of the trip to Trinidad .

Saturday 2nd June Just the usual shopping to restock supplies, bliss in a proper supermarket!
Sunday day 3rd June Visited Aisey & Bridget but quite unexpectedly were welcomed by Deirdre! Who was over visiting.  Plenty of news to swap since they were not here when we passed through at the start of  the season.
Monday 4th June paid the Marina and checked out to anchor, then left Rodney Bay 11.00 p.m. after a couple of hours sleep for a night sail to Bequia.
Tuesday 5th June Arrived Bequia 12.55, lunch ashore but no choice since there had been an all night party and they were short of food.  Still it was filling and tasty so no complaints.
Wednesday 6th June
  Bequia too windy to dive  so I made a cake from a packet !!!! It turned out well—into more of a gateaux! Yummy!
Thursday 7th June.
After a run ashore to get butter and chocolate we stopped for coffee and decided to ask at Dive Bequia about Malcolm's’ BCD, so back aboard to dig it and the empty tank out and then back ashore where Cathy and her husband managed to sort the leaky fill valve out and fill the tank.   All this bt 13.30 so we prepared to sail from Bequia to Mayreaux. 25 miles we were cutting it fine as we wanted to arrive during daylight.  The wind was with us and we flew along at 7 knots anchoring in daylight and in time for sundowners but we decided on tea for a change!

Friday 8th June.
Went ashore on Mayreaux climbed the hill to see the views wonderful! Had a lime drink for the downhill walk back to the shore where we had a welcome swim.

 Back aboard we had lunch and siesta, then Malcolm went snorkeling.  Late afternoon ’Rocking Horse’ with Martin & Marylin came to anchor near by.   Later we went to them for sundowners and a general catch –up on their exploits.  They told us of ’Folly’s troubles with the coastguard off Cuba which sounded worse than ours with the buoys!
Saturday 9th June.
Departed Mayreaux for Union Island just a short sail, checked out for tomorrows sail to Trinidad, bought a few salad items at the colourful market and had a Rum & Raisin ice cream. Later we decided to go ashore for a BBQ with a family of British charterers.
Sunday 10th set sail for Trinidad and had pleasant winds for most of the time.  Short showers kept us cool and began the cleaning process of all the salt engrained in the topsides.  Arrived Trinidad in time for coffee.