Good Morning to you all.
I can't believe that this is the first blog of the year, so much has happened and changed.
We began by tearing ourselves away from the outstanding diving in Bonaire. Our three months were up and reluctantly we left the anchorage and sailed for St Martin. With hindsight we should have stayed put! In Marigot we had batteries on order and yippee they had arrived! with all that followed batteries were a big priority!. They were fitted and we had time for fun, food and croissants and wine as usual. We even made it to Grand Case for the Tuesday street events and stopped for a delicious meal. a bottle of Voss designer water was 6 Euros luckily I was allowed to recycle the bottle!
Next onto St Barths where our American friends made their usual holiday. even then there was only a glimmer of what was to follow. so normal was life.
After beaches ( My e reader got swamped by a rogue wave and died completely! woe is me...)
and restaurants and many grills on their deck we said 'Bon Voyage' to them and sailed to Dominica for a final chill before our guests arrived in St Lucia.......
Well the world went into free fall soon after that. We were left reeling with each piece of news. The sudden closing of borders, the high death tolls, shortages of all items in the shops the list was endless.
Our friends from Folkestone had pondered coming to visit for years. They had finally decided yes and booked their flight we had a deadline in St Lucia to meet them. Of course they held out til flights were cancelled but obviously never made it. Luckily we were in the safest place Prince Ruperts' Bay Dominica while the news hit.
Malcolm always checks the anchor after laying it. In Prince Ruperts' Bay there are many mooring balls but plenty of space to anchor. so imagine his surprise to find that the chain had wrapped itself around the only piece of wreckage for miles around... Luckily we had sufficient air in the dive tanks to allow him to go down detach the anchor unravel the chain from under the wreckage and re attach the anchor. we next moved 50 metres or so away from said wreckage. and rechecked . It's amazing that our chain is sufficiently long enough to bring us within half a metre of a disused mooring ball. We moved again to prevent getting the rudder entangled!
So back to life aboard 'Piano' luckily we were well stocked with everything as we usually are when coming from a French Island. so I won't bore you with the lists. The 'Boat boys' (as we call them). organised shopping when we needed it and 'Bonito' even brought his wife to help when I asked for baking ingredients which were the first items to run out. She knew what I was talking about with raisins and cherries! I suspect flour and the like are shipped in bulk and repacked here as it all comes in 1 pound bags, bigger if you want them, so bread was not a problem either.
The morning vegetable market was the next to suffer closure, but that was sorted by the PAYS guys who organised a farmer to bring his produce straight to the PAYS building. Apart from the necessary salad stuff I was also able to procure fresh bay leaves but out here they come in other flavours namely cinnamon and lemon are just a few. Also coffee beans, parsley, ginger, you name it I dried, grated it and packed it ready for use. There are no limes on the island (Instead substitute passion-fruit juice)
and no vanilla! whole fresh chicken is scarce, and beef is non existent so too milk and cream.
This and baking all takes up a morning each week, then there are the usual checks to be made on systems not being used and subsequent cleaning of each as it is dismantled and checked then put back together.
One of the first casualties was the outboard engine, it would start perfectly but not continue to run. We put out for help wanted on the morning net and S/Y 'Selene' came to our rescue. Martin and Claudia are German and came across the Atlantic earlier this year. They decided to see the world before they settled down to work. They soon realised it would take much longer. A great plan unless the world goes pear shaped , anyway Martin is a whizz with engines and electronics and had great fun with Malcolm trying to sort the Yamaha out. When it eventually started and continued to run we thought they were finished. A day later they were at it again and luckily we had a spare fuel filter which was fitted and seems to have been the problem. Martin also managed to get my e reader turned on but that seems to be the end as it won't do anything else- not even turn off!
I managed to get another reader from one of their friends and in this age of technology I've downloaded the manual and drivers to allow me to load books onto it.
Once a week or more often if we need it someone passes with fish for sale - to which we usually say yes please. free bananas came round the other day , the mango season started on the 1st of June and peaks in July. Mango Smoothies are de rigeur.
The washing machine has been playing up and can't really be looked at while floating at anchor so we send ours ashore to Elvises' mother to do. It comes back the next day washed and folded ready to pack away again.
We have snorkelled many times and in many parts of this bay and the next. Amongst the big stuff a huge Southern Ray
right by the shore just sitting there basking. Sooo many little black and orange crabs having a public meeting. (Behind the Urchin)
Also quite a bit of soft coral even after the last hurricane which almost devastated the island.
This brings us onto what are we going to do?????
The best scenario is to go to Trinidad when they open their border, but if the time runs out before that happens we may move to St Lucia which is only a day or so away.
Here is a Facebook posting which sums it up:-
“Since those of us who sheltered here for the Pandemic started another (private) group for our time here, we’ve been pretty quiet on this group. Denise needed to publicly share how wonderful and welcoming Dominica has been to cruisers during this crazy pandemic. There was some confusion as the lock down began, but the Dominicans have been wonderful hosts. Whether it was Titus making sure we had our needed supplies, Bongo setting up a vegetable market just for cruisers and giving us an amazing island tour, Kenneth befriending us from the beginning and also giving a great tour, Jeff from the PAYs office keeping us informed and allows us to use the pavilion for the market and for cruisers to meet, Spech and Jerome come by with fresh fish, Albert taking people fishing when allowed, Bonto supplying boats with food. It has been an amazing stay and we are grateful for this safe harbour. While the story of the French boat interacting with the Coast Guard continues to be shared, every single interaction we listened to was polite and respectful, though the boats were told you can’t stop here. Thank you Dominica for your beautiful island and welcoming people. We look forward to returning”
My apologies for the dreadful snaps, snorkeling brings up more sand with waves around than diving but I am learning every day to add aid memoirs for use at a later date.
Meanwhile Malcolm is on the computer asking various places their entry requirements and is sent the paperwork for Bonaire and St Lucia. He then spent a week or so trying to answer questions which would satisfy the forms. Long story short we were given a date and began to prepare for a sail.
We calculated 3 days to sailing would put us in Bonaire for our due to arrive date. After making farewells we left in a strong breeze but once out of the island shadow it dropped and we needed to motor! A couple of hours later the ocean breeze kicked in and we continued gently gybing downwind.
Coffee time with some Piano music on the speakers and what arrive but a pod of Dolphins to cheer us on cavorting under the bow and racing around us in circles. A day later and we find a favourable current which gives us 7 knots to Bonaire. I'd just finished my watch and heard cursing from on deck- the boom brake rope had failed and needed replacing (it had been doing alot of work!!)
We arrived on the final run in along the coast of our favourite dive sites , this brought us to our destination- the marina where we tied up against the wall for late sundowners very happy bunnies.
Fast forward now to July. We have only one more week of quarantine yipeee The only people we have talked to are the dockmaster and Barbara (our personal shopper) With what little US dollars we had on board we were able to put milk cream and steak on the list (YES). Conversing with everyone else has been by chatting on messenger or WhatsApp or email.
Yesterday the first flights arrived from Curacao while I was scrubbing the underside of the tender it could be finished by the time we need transport......
I can't believe that this is the first blog of the year, so much has happened and changed.
We began by tearing ourselves away from the outstanding diving in Bonaire. Our three months were up and reluctantly we left the anchorage and sailed for St Martin. With hindsight we should have stayed put! In Marigot we had batteries on order and yippee they had arrived! with all that followed batteries were a big priority!. They were fitted and we had time for fun, food and croissants and wine as usual. We even made it to Grand Case for the Tuesday street events and stopped for a delicious meal. a bottle of Voss designer water was 6 Euros luckily I was allowed to recycle the bottle!
Next onto St Barths where our American friends made their usual holiday. even then there was only a glimmer of what was to follow. so normal was life.
After beaches ( My e reader got swamped by a rogue wave and died completely! woe is me...)
and restaurants and many grills on their deck we said 'Bon Voyage' to them and sailed to Dominica for a final chill before our guests arrived in St Lucia.......
Well the world went into free fall soon after that. We were left reeling with each piece of news. The sudden closing of borders, the high death tolls, shortages of all items in the shops the list was endless.
Our friends from Folkestone had pondered coming to visit for years. They had finally decided yes and booked their flight we had a deadline in St Lucia to meet them. Of course they held out til flights were cancelled but obviously never made it. Luckily we were in the safest place Prince Ruperts' Bay Dominica while the news hit.
Malcolm always checks the anchor after laying it. In Prince Ruperts' Bay there are many mooring balls but plenty of space to anchor. so imagine his surprise to find that the chain had wrapped itself around the only piece of wreckage for miles around... Luckily we had sufficient air in the dive tanks to allow him to go down detach the anchor unravel the chain from under the wreckage and re attach the anchor. we next moved 50 metres or so away from said wreckage. and rechecked . It's amazing that our chain is sufficiently long enough to bring us within half a metre of a disused mooring ball. We moved again to prevent getting the rudder entangled!
So back to life aboard 'Piano' luckily we were well stocked with everything as we usually are when coming from a French Island. so I won't bore you with the lists. The 'Boat boys' (as we call them). organised shopping when we needed it and 'Bonito' even brought his wife to help when I asked for baking ingredients which were the first items to run out. She knew what I was talking about with raisins and cherries! I suspect flour and the like are shipped in bulk and repacked here as it all comes in 1 pound bags, bigger if you want them, so bread was not a problem either.
The morning vegetable market was the next to suffer closure, but that was sorted by the PAYS guys who organised a farmer to bring his produce straight to the PAYS building. Apart from the necessary salad stuff I was also able to procure fresh bay leaves but out here they come in other flavours namely cinnamon and lemon are just a few. Also coffee beans, parsley, ginger, you name it I dried, grated it and packed it ready for use. There are no limes on the island (Instead substitute passion-fruit juice)
and no vanilla! whole fresh chicken is scarce, and beef is non existent so too milk and cream.
This and baking all takes up a morning each week, then there are the usual checks to be made on systems not being used and subsequent cleaning of each as it is dismantled and checked then put back together.
One of the first casualties was the outboard engine, it would start perfectly but not continue to run. We put out for help wanted on the morning net and S/Y 'Selene' came to our rescue. Martin and Claudia are German and came across the Atlantic earlier this year. They decided to see the world before they settled down to work. They soon realised it would take much longer. A great plan unless the world goes pear shaped , anyway Martin is a whizz with engines and electronics and had great fun with Malcolm trying to sort the Yamaha out. When it eventually started and continued to run we thought they were finished. A day later they were at it again and luckily we had a spare fuel filter which was fitted and seems to have been the problem. Martin also managed to get my e reader turned on but that seems to be the end as it won't do anything else- not even turn off!
I managed to get another reader from one of their friends and in this age of technology I've downloaded the manual and drivers to allow me to load books onto it.
Once a week or more often if we need it someone passes with fish for sale - to which we usually say yes please. free bananas came round the other day , the mango season started on the 1st of June and peaks in July. Mango Smoothies are de rigeur.
The washing machine has been playing up and can't really be looked at while floating at anchor so we send ours ashore to Elvises' mother to do. It comes back the next day washed and folded ready to pack away again.
We have snorkelled many times and in many parts of this bay and the next. Amongst the big stuff a huge Southern Ray
right by the shore just sitting there basking. Sooo many little black and orange crabs having a public meeting. (Behind the Urchin)
Also quite a bit of soft coral even after the last hurricane which almost devastated the island.
This brings us onto what are we going to do?????
The best scenario is to go to Trinidad when they open their border, but if the time runs out before that happens we may move to St Lucia which is only a day or so away.
Here is a Facebook posting which sums it up:-
“Since those of us who sheltered here for the Pandemic started another (private) group for our time here, we’ve been pretty quiet on this group. Denise needed to publicly share how wonderful and welcoming Dominica has been to cruisers during this crazy pandemic. There was some confusion as the lock down began, but the Dominicans have been wonderful hosts. Whether it was Titus making sure we had our needed supplies, Bongo setting up a vegetable market just for cruisers and giving us an amazing island tour, Kenneth befriending us from the beginning and also giving a great tour, Jeff from the PAYs office keeping us informed and allows us to use the pavilion for the market and for cruisers to meet, Spech and Jerome come by with fresh fish, Albert taking people fishing when allowed, Bonto supplying boats with food. It has been an amazing stay and we are grateful for this safe harbour. While the story of the French boat interacting with the Coast Guard continues to be shared, every single interaction we listened to was polite and respectful, though the boats were told you can’t stop here. Thank you Dominica for your beautiful island and welcoming people. We look forward to returning”
My apologies for the dreadful snaps, snorkeling brings up more sand with waves around than diving but I am learning every day to add aid memoirs for use at a later date.
Meanwhile Malcolm is on the computer asking various places their entry requirements and is sent the paperwork for Bonaire and St Lucia. He then spent a week or so trying to answer questions which would satisfy the forms. Long story short we were given a date and began to prepare for a sail.
We calculated 3 days to sailing would put us in Bonaire for our due to arrive date. After making farewells we left in a strong breeze but once out of the island shadow it dropped and we needed to motor! A couple of hours later the ocean breeze kicked in and we continued gently gybing downwind.
Coffee time with some Piano music on the speakers and what arrive but a pod of Dolphins to cheer us on cavorting under the bow and racing around us in circles. A day later and we find a favourable current which gives us 7 knots to Bonaire. I'd just finished my watch and heard cursing from on deck- the boom brake rope had failed and needed replacing (it had been doing alot of work!!)
We arrived on the final run in along the coast of our favourite dive sites , this brought us to our destination- the marina where we tied up against the wall for late sundowners very happy bunnies.
Fast forward now to July. We have only one more week of quarantine yipeee The only people we have talked to are the dockmaster and Barbara (our personal shopper) With what little US dollars we had on board we were able to put milk cream and steak on the list (YES). Conversing with everyone else has been by chatting on messenger or WhatsApp or email.
Yesterday the first flights arrived from Curacao while I was scrubbing the underside of the tender it could be finished by the time we need transport......
