Saturday 17th. St Patrick's Day.

  Ashore quite early since we could hear the drums at 8.30!  The town was packed by 9 o’clock with visitors plus ‘sailors’ from the Cruise liner Seabourn Spirit.  Around 20 floats were displayed around the one-way system and all traffic was held up.  Plenty of noise green costumes, Heineken and frolics.  There was one pretty authentic ‘Irish’ float too.  We ate a tasty bowl of Irish Stew, for lunch, at Angry Nates, on the waterfront . Then went around Eastern end of the Island to Udall Point stopping at various viewpoints over azure blue waters.  The beaches I have to say were nothing special but the were sparsely used and most had a beach bar.
Sunday more touring, this time the Eastern end from the Salt River Ecological Park where we looked at the beach of C. Columbus second landing.  Here we met a Texan who was over to work on the closing of the oil refinery and had coffee at the Buccaneer bar in the Salt River Marina compound.  We then travelled to Cane Bay for lunch and it was here that Malcolm saw 3 squid while snorkelling, we narrowly avoided some rain.  We also watched a guy snorkelling while giving a black Labrador a piggy back.  Final destination we ended up at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge.  Here we did some more snorkelling and saw a flatfish and many other tropical fish in a new area of growing coral.
  Monday into town for shopping and petrol before we took the car back.  Stopping briefly to tell the Parks Department we intended to stay the night at Buck Island Reef. Coffee finished we motored to Buck Reef National Park and anchored.  After lunch and some adjustment in anchoring we then had the afternoon on the Underwater snorkelling trail where we saw schools of Parrot fish, a Trumpet fish and a Barracuda, eek!

San Croix March 15th ish

  Yes it was a good sail!
   We left around 4 (T time) and had Chilli for dinner a short nap for me until 10 pm when I took over the watch ‘til two in the morning.  Malcolm did his stint from 2-7.30 am then had a rest for 3 hours again.   We arrived at St Croix, Red Hook,  marina around 4 where we had a busy time coming in because it had blown up to 25 knots of wind and far too many pilot marks to drive through, Some places very shallow! Still I was cautious driving and managed to let Malcolm berth without incident.  The most expensive marina yet ! With cold showers too !  Next day a walk into town where we found out how to get an anchoring permit and dives planned.  Then we did the historic town trail.  We arrived back at the marina supermarket and paid $4 for 3 tomatoes (oh for the days when they were free at Darby Green)  Next moved ‘Piano’ out into the Gallows Harbour where it was less bumpy and cheaper.
  14th March  took a public transport bus to Freidrichstat.  Had coffee, looked around, did emails at the library while it rained, and then looked at the Museum which had exhibitions on slavery, sculpture (a local guy ‘Edney Freedom) and Island history.
Thursday we did the town trail, which began at the Old Scale House on the harbour front.  At one end of the building is the scale which was used to weigh a hogshead of sugar or Rum— the other end was the counting house  or recording room, this is now a gift shop with a very helpful salesperson who is also a local and who knows about the bus service and where to find fresh bread.  Nearby is the old Customs House which has a sweeping staircase and should house the National Park Services Office but it was being refurbished and we found the said office across the street in the onetime Danish West India & Guinea Company Warehouse.  This is where slave auctions were held up until the emancipation around 1848.  Next came the Steeple building (formerly the Lutheran Church which now holds a display of Religious documents.
  We then found the large area for Market—held on Saturdays together with the town well.  Quite nearby but the devil to pinpoint was a tiny Apothecary's shop. Just as it used to be together with a recorded history to explain its history.
  Friday we picked up a car and did the Northern half of the Island, including St Georges Botanical Gardens and village, with its fine Orchid display and various sugar mill ruins.  The scenic route around to Creque Dam and waterfall.
Enough for now tomorrow St Patricks Day !

16th March

We are fairly OK, the Fridge /freezer part has been replaced with a new system and the smaller Fridge at the back is now working again as a spare & for when we defrost the freezer. (just over £1000) St Maartin only has one place to refill gas bottles and we were fairly sure we were nearly out so went to have ours refilled only to find that their nozzle to refill European bottles at the shop has bust so more expense since we don't know if the USA (Virgin Islands) will refill it either. That's the job for today.
We had a brilliant outcome to the old outboard situation. The old Yamaha was near death and I drew the line and said to Malcolm let's get a replacement. We decided on a Tohatsu 9.8 and got it from the guy who does the sailors net here, Mike (very reputable). Well he said he would do an oil change but he is old and forgot so Malcolm took the engine out at his place to remind him when he wanted to replace the slightly worn propeller. Next thing is the replacement prop doesn't fit and doesn't look anything like the old one.... so Malcolm borrowed Mikes dinghy and takes both to Budget Marine where the sales guy finally sees the problem - we actually have an 18 H.P. With a 9.8 sticker on the back!!!!! This is great since anything over a 15 H.P. will get stolen so once again we are safe -ish.
Meanwhile we have also had time to watch the 32nd Heineken Regatta and do some of the parties afterwards with some of our friends. We get French wine here on the French side for about the same price as Ali does in France . Also fresh Baguettes and croissants too The French seem to like being part of the European community (one E =$1.32).
I have been busy making a new sun shelter for the Front end and one for over the boom, I'm using the cheap stuff I got in Morocco so don't know how long it will last. It's too windy here to try them out. I also made a wind funnel from the old canopy.
   We ended up getting a second hand American gas tank from ‘Meow’ it has been filled and given a good clean and is already in service. This week has seen the end of the stronger winds and most people are taking advantage of the great sailing conditions to head onwards.  Fair winds to Bellatrix, L’esprit de la Mer, and  Melvin who are heading for the BVI’s.  By the time you all read this we will be in San Croix (an American Island)  We are setting off tomorrow afternoon since it is a 16-24 hour sail and we want to arrive on Monday if ‘Piano’ will let us!  Fingers crossed….
 

23rd Feb St Martin

        We finally reach the Anse Marcel endpoint at last a beach for me to lie on (together with the hotel residents on beach chairs)  The water a pleasant 25C and powder gold sands.  Malcolm heads off to pick up t he car.  Next drive back to the marina and on to ‘Piano’ where after a cold ‘President’ and finally re fitting the Yankee in nil wind I cook Pork in mushroom sauce with Garlic mash and veg.
  I decide that I have had sufficient of walking so I take Malcolm right to the top of a mountain/hill where we both have a look at the view and I then continue to Grand Case to read on the beach.  A couple of hours later Malcolm finds me but in a strop… he started out well but the path soon disappeared so he had to back track and waste time looking for another.  Needless to say with no luck he ended up following the road and was not a happy bunny when he arrived.  A good job I had saved a cool beer for him !
  Final day with the car and we go into Philipsburg to get an underwater camera.  Another Pentax which will also replace the old Optio which has been superb so far but which is beginning to play up.  I also take the opportunity to do a bookswap at the Business Centre.




Sunday 19th February.
 

  We travel into Marigot to watch the Carnival!  We are told to be there by 12 noon but nothing going on, so I ask a troop of taxi drivers what time it all begins and they say not ‘til 2 or 2.30! Ok so a short walk along the board walk and then a light lunch followed by a bowl of chips to fill me up. 3.30 and still no Carnival… so we wait around until we hear some loud music… then it all begins just in time we have missed the first few trailers but the following are very good. I mean LOUD music banks of speakers banked up around the front and back of the trailers.  Each float has a number and it’s final placing number.  No order to the procession but by the time they reach us they are wilting with the heat and dancing.  The new camera has a mind of it’s own.  I let it choose it’s own features and hope for the best. (fingers crossed). 
   Monday—Malcolm needs a day shopping for a new propeller for the new outboard— hey yes—plus new anodes, of course we also need salad stuff and fresh greens too, we finish at Barnacles for happy hour and have a chat with ‘Blackthorne Lady’ and ‘Mervin’ telling them we hope to travel to Grand Case on Tuesday.
  Second day of no problems we have a fine sail around the island and finish up anchoring in Grand Case Bay—who is just leaving but ‘Anna’ aboard her catamaran together with umpteen guests.  After tea we go ashore for their Carnival,  the street party and at last a lobster dinner– yummy.
Ok back to the Lagoon, where the freezer needs another look, it is up to its' old tricks!

Sint Maartin - February

   On arrival we anchored in Marigot Bay. And enjoyed our first week  with a minor swell due to ocean waves, coupled with the occasional fast motor boat and the endless tourists having a go in speed boats or jet skis.  There is a very nice Creperie just inside the Lagoon where we anchor to do the paperwork.
  After a day we find that in the channel is a laundry called ‘Shrimpies’  where we can do wi-fi with a coffee or a beer, plus Mike knows all there is to know in the area so is the right chap to ask for advice.
  Our Dutch friends Simon & Nel arrived by plane around the 8th so we spent time with them doing lunch and generally chilling out.  We also took them and their daughter Anna out for a days sailing which everyone enjoyed immensely.  During their stay we also managed to find time to sort out the master switch for the generator/shore-power/inverter selector—for which there was no replacement at short notice, put the Yankee sail in for a new UV protector strip and sort out the rev counter on the main engine.
  Well! I've come to the conclusion that if I wipe furniture polish over EVERYTHING WOODEN once a week that keeps things ship shape. Since there is so much wood I do a little (ha) every day.  We have been at anchor for nearly two weeks now and the washing is piling up.  Now that we have fixed the machine (and improved on the design of the door-locking mechanism ) we need some fine weather to dry the stuff.  Did I tell you it rains here? At least twice some days, but it does mean we have plenty of water. 
At last the Yankee sail was dry enough to repack, & we went to the sail-makers to find that she thought the sail to old to put a new UV strip on so is now going to patch the old one .  She was amazed that the webbing re-enforcements are 8 thickness’s plus the UV and sail fabrics and her machine won't go through them !  She will do her best with repairing the old UV strip but we may have to resort to a new sail next time it goes. It may be ready tomorrow.  We also called into the Yanmar/Yamaha specialist, but he no longer does Yanmar repairs so has given us another guy to try, (Glen) while there we tried to source a bit for the outboard which Duncan had serviced while we were in Trinidad- he had forgotten to replace the bit which stops you trying to pull the start cord while the engine is in gear . This means that it is very dangerous if you happen to pull with out checking- the boat goes off at full speed and you end up in the water ! Meanwhile the three way selector switch has been removed and bypassed in the interim so that we can still use the 3 machines (Genny, inverter and shore power) but no replacement is available and after dismantling it no much chance of repairing it. Watch this space for more news...
  Now for fish & chips the captain is cooking
Another day aboard Malcolm has fixed the switch! And found a replacement for the rev counter on the engine, a brief worry that we had no 24cm ring spanner to do the job but hey at the bottom of the locker we found one. Plus the sail maker has phoned to say the sail is ready but we missed the call so more to do tomorrow.
I made shepherds pie tonight and we sat in the cockpit 26C in the pouring rain (the first shower of the day)
  As you can see life is all go while aboard 'Piano'  hopefully we will see some of the island now most jobs have been done...

  Saturday, after seeing Glen, he told us that the Yamaha  outboard is past it, he offered us a 3 month old Daihatsu 9.8 for $900 plus the old Yamaha ($400) in part exchange.  Next called round at Shrimpies and did emails and when we told him the Yamaha story he said “Why I have just the motor for you another 9.8 Daihatsu but only $800 plus the old Yamaha”, so we pick it up on Monday.
  Meanwhile Mike also fixed us up with a hire car so Saturday we set off to explore the Island.  First a short walk along the coastal path then we end up having a meal out at the far corner.  VERY TASTY !  Sunday back off to the North of the Island and another coastal walk which was ok while trotting along the shoreline but pretty hard going up the boulder strewn mountain and down again the other side

Suriname to St Lucia

I partly expected the Captain to write up the voyage back to St Lucia, sorry but you’ve got me again!  Well it was fast.  That said the Aires did all the work with the Captain taking a turn when needed.  I know that the little helming which I did was very exhilarating.  Once the sails were set for the course they didn’t need changing at all apart from the occasional tweak for maximum performance.  We had one or two squalls which required the foul weather gear to come out but otherwise good weather.  We saw very little in the way of wild-life—the ubiquitous flying fishes and a couple of small Dolphins but that’s about it.
I did the graveyard watch from nine or 10 ‘til one or two depending on how long Malcolm let me sleep for.  He rarely woke me the next morning but after Tea he usually went for a ‘lie down’  Rodney Bay was a welcome sight as we entered at half– past midnight on Sunday morning. ( 680 nautical miles in just over 3 days!)
     We both slept late and prepared for customs the next day.  After mooring in the Marina we were greeted by many people who remembered us from last year,  ‘Prudent’ came out to fix the freezer and didn’t charge us ( maybe he enough last year ?) and John & Vincent at Regis checked out the Auto-helm motor and fixed the brushes on that so that it now works again.  The marina pool was well used and I attended one of the Ladies lunches where I met many more familiar faces.  On Saturday evening we went to the Sailing club with Daphne & David and had a great time what with a BBQ and disco to dance at.  Also on Monday we ate out at ‘Buzz’ (it was my birthday treat.
  We left St Lucia on Wednesday morning and had another fast ride up here to St Maartin.  It took another three full days, however, there was far more to see in the way of Islands and not as many squalls—at least on my watch.
  I have now brought you up to date so I can upload this as soon as we get wi-fi again.  This time there are no new pictures to look at on Picasa.

Birkendal Resort Saturday 7th January 2012

Birkendahl Hertiage Village, Suriname.

      After a very late night doing emails, baking bread and preparing for today's activities we manage to sleep late.  Awakened by Esther phoning to say that she is on her way we rush to pack all we need for a days relaxation.  Maria is with us so we need two cars for the six people and all the equipment.
  We arrive close on 10 o’clock and unload hammocks, BBQ, cool boxes and so on, during coffee most decide to go ‘ziplinning’ after lunch and some canoeing or hiking after that.  Also at coffee Esther makes a short speech to give Malcolm his birthday present.  Ok it’s a day early but there are six of us so it’s a good opportunity for celebration.
  An early lunch is needed so Otto prepares the BBQ and we girls set the table, just time for a cooling swim in the river.  Wicher has marinaded a huge fish with lime ginger and other spices which is served with Pasta, rice and green salads, BBQ sauces and hot Ciabatta bread.

  The team set off for an introduction to ziplinning and then depart, photos in Picasa.  On their return we have another bite to eat and the next activity is canoeing or hiking.  Otto and I chill out and neatly avoid a downpour in which we manage to keep everything dry-ish.  Maria cuts the hike short and the canoeists return absolutely drowned! More food on the BBQ scallops, chicken, chops etc. Then we realise that the resort closes at six thirty so we make a hasty retreat avoiding what rain we can. 
  The only blip in a fantastic day is that Esther’s car decides it needs more attention. The problem oil leak causes more trouble and the day is ended by towing it home.
That aside I must say here that Suriname is making a great job of tourism, none of the tacky trash which comes with western ideas about travel, a country with pristine nature areas and plenty to offer. It rightly deserves the title ‘Jewel of the Jungle’.
    Monday, we cope  with checking out of Suriname, final shopping care of Robie & his taxi and take Esther lunch now that she is car-less.  Later we are Maria’s guests for dinner at her apartment.  More Celebrations for the birthday boy and we get back to ‘Piano’ late but happy.
  Tuesday all set and off we go.  No I don’t believe it! The auto pilot is not working and Malcolm’s Dell is really competing for first prize, a close run competition since the freezer is back to it’s old trick of only freezing half the food!
We continued on towards Paramibo and calibrate the new log on the way , then drop anchor in front of the Hotel.  After unpacking the hold and testing the electrics, Malcolm decides that the motor is caput.  We have now missed the favourable tide so chill out catching up with Fred & Marianne (Kostad) whom we last saw in Portimao.
  No need to go ashore here, we wake early on Wednesday and begin our sail to St Lucia.
I’ll leave that ‘til the next Blog.