January 2016

2016 January.

Mid- January and at long last I wish my avid readers a Happy New Year again (in case you didn't read the Christmas issue)

Our first Christmas in the UK since we began Bluewater Cruising!

 All the rush and tumble of Xmas shopping, coupled with trips to the local GP and ordering presents for 'Piano'.

Fortunately we managed to secure a BBQ from Lakeland which packed easily into hold baggage. This will ensure that our visitors can enjoy a BBQ either aboard or on a beach of their choice. Just the charcoal/briquettes/cobbles and fire lighters for use as fuel to procure locally.

We arrived back on the 8^th (me with a head cold beginning) Brigid welcomed us with a delicious salad so no shopping nor cooking necessary just to unpack. Then 'Piano' began telling us that she had missed us! The generator which had worked perfectly while we had been in the UK stopped and the engine followed suit,(we found this to be due to glutinous fuel, so the filters had to be changed). Luckily Derek had shore power to use in the interim (Thanks Derek!) Then the selector switch was found to have burnt out, it needs renewing but finding another without the model number will be stressful in the UK next summer. Until then hard-wiring will be the norm.

Both Malcolm's and my Birthdays were celebrated in St Lucia. The oven has had too long sitting idle and took 2 ½ hours to bake Malcolms' birthday cake. Yes it was scrumptious in the end. We drank Champagne and toasted the happy man with Peter and Nikki from S/Y 'Chanto' (Bowman 48) They had sailed across with the ARC this year and noticed 'Piano' on Derek’s jetty so were invited to join us for the evening. 

A Full Moon for my Birthday

 Their daughter is a GP at our local practice in Penryn!!! what a small world!

Other friend who are here while the ARC finishes are Devon and Liz on S/Y "Moosetracks", and Franz and Elke on Yan Plezier.('Pianos' sister a 45). Moosetracks were waiting the arrival of S/Y "Emily Morgan" yet another Bowman! It must be a record having all these Bowmans in Rodney bay at the same time? Franz & Elke are sailing back to Europe this season to end their sailing exploits we will miss them dearly. This is a snap of Yan Plezier in the cockpit 

And here is the better half of the couple we have come to love.

And finally one of the yacht!

Anyway after our lunch in Marigot (before Xmas)we suggested a trip to Martinique with Derek, Brigid and their nephew Stephen the following weekend.

St Annes for Coffee and Croissants

This too was most enjoyable, Brigid was a star managing very well with all the convenient hand-holds below, she hardly needed her walking stick! (She did draw the line at getting into the tender twice in one day) Stephen made a notable 7 knot average on the sail back which was only marred by the inordinate length of time needed to check back in.

We finally made it to a local Indian restaurant in the Marina for Malcolms Birthday celebration.

My Birthday arrived in no time (eek)I baked a chocolate cake in Brigids' oven and filled it with whipped cream flavoured with Baileys. 

Candles and Flags c/o Esther last year in Curaçao (Thanks Esther).  This accompanied with another bottle of Pop, and followed by a meal in Jacques by the waterfront. (Note to self add them to Trip Advisor). Many Facebook friends sent well wishes while we were celebrating.

The next job was the oven, so we called Prudent and took it to pieces. I then spent the rest of the day cleaning all the various parts. The main find was a rust hole in the burner which had certainly been the cause of the problems. Malcolm then repaired it and we then rebuilt the oven. It now works perfectly again and I was able to bake a birthday cake for Dereks' 85^th !

We thanked our fantastic hosts for looking after us so well and took them out for a meal.

Nikki and Peter S/Y “Chanto”are back from the UK so we asked them over for sun-downers and hey yet more pop to celebrate Nikkis' birthday!

We will spend a day in the anchorage to clean the hull and then hop across to Martinique to fill the cellar with wine, maybe drop by Dominica for customer appreciation week before heading for St Martin.

The weather has been seasonable, light showers of warm rain to fill the tanks,(and wash the salty decks), a pleasant 27C with a gentle breeze for comfort. What more could be asked for?