I'm sitting in the foyer of Cruise Inn Marina and Hotel writing this,there is a wedding about to take place and the guests are arriving with presents. Those already checked in are sitting waiting in the cool and the photographer has just arrived to see the location.
We arrived back on the 3rd of November, as usual the heat felt getting off the plane was warm and comforting. Our driver was there ready to take us to Customs in Chaguaramas for a quick stop then on to Power Boats and a bed for the night.
Next day up early and find a ladder to board the old lady, hoist our hold baggage aboard and get unpacked.
First job was to reset the air con, which had been running at 18C to a civilised 25C, then to renew the insulation on the fridge which has been thoroughly dried out by the dry air. That done we realise that it it not freezing so set about finding a repair man. Our regular guy Junior isn't working on Yachts any more so we see a new guy called Keet who is very professional and has a sniffer . He decides that there must be a minute leak which he will check out next year. He assures us that we now have sufficient gas in the system to last us this season. Now I just need a shopping trip to restock.
Malcolm has an awful cough caught from the passenger next to him on the plane (not me!)
Next are the batteries which have been charging with the Mastervolt charger and that doesn't seem to have been well treated by a power surge, consequently the engine batteries are dead and need to be replaced. Another new face is John who has taken over Dockyard Electrics business and he comes straight round and sorts out all the problems. He takes said charger to be checked and later tells us it needs new circuit boards. It should be back later this week.
We are due to relaunch on the 15th and are ready so book the slot. Not a happy day as our time to be lifted up to have the underside of the keel anti-fouled passes by without anything happening. Just like last year we are boxed in so tightly that the travel lift cannot extracate us from the other boats around us .
Eventually a smaller boat trolley comes along but needs help from a JCB to give it enough power to pull us out. A quick coat of anti fouling and then to the water to be launched.
Malcolm checks for leaks and that the engine works, then we call ahead to Crews Inn to say sorry we are so late but we are on our way.
The dock crew are on the jetty to catch our lines while I manage to hook the ropes around the mooring piles at the front to hold us central in the birth. Finally sundowners in the cockpit with the water lapping around us we are happy bunnies.
While Malcolm cooks dinner I nip round to check us in and get wifi codes etc Meleen is over the moon to see me 'home' again.
Today we have moved the bicycles to the rack ashore and made a start fitting the mainsail back on hopefully if the wind is from the right direction it will be finished by tomorrow ( fingers crossed)
Maybe I'll add some snaps next time....now to the pool....
We arrived back on the 3rd of November, as usual the heat felt getting off the plane was warm and comforting. Our driver was there ready to take us to Customs in Chaguaramas for a quick stop then on to Power Boats and a bed for the night.
Next day up early and find a ladder to board the old lady, hoist our hold baggage aboard and get unpacked.
First job was to reset the air con, which had been running at 18C to a civilised 25C, then to renew the insulation on the fridge which has been thoroughly dried out by the dry air. That done we realise that it it not freezing so set about finding a repair man. Our regular guy Junior isn't working on Yachts any more so we see a new guy called Keet who is very professional and has a sniffer . He decides that there must be a minute leak which he will check out next year. He assures us that we now have sufficient gas in the system to last us this season. Now I just need a shopping trip to restock.
Malcolm has an awful cough caught from the passenger next to him on the plane (not me!)
Next are the batteries which have been charging with the Mastervolt charger and that doesn't seem to have been well treated by a power surge, consequently the engine batteries are dead and need to be replaced. Another new face is John who has taken over Dockyard Electrics business and he comes straight round and sorts out all the problems. He takes said charger to be checked and later tells us it needs new circuit boards. It should be back later this week.
We are due to relaunch on the 15th and are ready so book the slot. Not a happy day as our time to be lifted up to have the underside of the keel anti-fouled passes by without anything happening. Just like last year we are boxed in so tightly that the travel lift cannot extracate us from the other boats around us .
Eventually a smaller boat trolley comes along but needs help from a JCB to give it enough power to pull us out. A quick coat of anti fouling and then to the water to be launched.
Malcolm checks for leaks and that the engine works, then we call ahead to Crews Inn to say sorry we are so late but we are on our way.
The dock crew are on the jetty to catch our lines while I manage to hook the ropes around the mooring piles at the front to hold us central in the birth. Finally sundowners in the cockpit with the water lapping around us we are happy bunnies.
While Malcolm cooks dinner I nip round to check us in and get wifi codes etc Meleen is over the moon to see me 'home' again.
Today we have moved the bicycles to the rack ashore and made a start fitting the mainsail back on hopefully if the wind is from the right direction it will be finished by tomorrow ( fingers crossed)
Maybe I'll add some snaps next time....now to the pool....
