Update from hot and sticky Trini..

An update on the boat repairs so far!
There were five things that had to be fixed, namely the GPS battery, the echo sounder, the “dirty” fuel in the tank, the engine (and start battery) and last but not least, the generator. So far, we have had three out of five done. Today, the boat is in a marina for the first time since February so that the fuel can be “cleaned”. The fuel was “polished” back in July but there is apparently an awful lot of gunk in the tank which finds its way into the engine and clogs it up so that it then stops running and leaves us up a creek etc…
The generator is still in bits in a workshop and will be the last and most awkward job to get done, the most expensive too!

From my point of view, it’s nice to be able to step onto dry land whenever I want and there are showers etc ashore as well as a couple of reasonably priced eateries nearby. We will stay here over the weekend while the work is done then fill up the water tanks and go back out onto a buoy while we wait…..and probably wait, for the dreaded generator.
It’s the time for fellow cruisers to move on westwards one or two have actually managed to leave but most are still waiting for things to be fixed. There always seems to be a hitch somehow. Sometimes it’s the weather…it absolutely buckets down many afternoons bringing all work to a halt. Mostly though, it’s the Trini problem (actually it’s the same throughout the Caribbean I think) that the workers are just “waiting” for something, anything really. They are good at that!

The constant heat and humidity makes any effort uncomfortable so people move very slowly to keep cool. It is better at night now, well it IS November after all! The decorations are up around the shops and Christmas music can be heard. I don’t feel at all Christmassy though. It’ll be my first one in a warm climate and I’m sure it won’t feel right at all. No one will get cards this year!! I haven’t seen any on sale yet and the postage will be prohibitive so it’ll have to be emails or short phone calls instead.
I think most of the yachties are planning to be somewhere special for the 25th Dec; the San Blas islands seem favourite at the moment. Let’s just hope that we can join them in time. It is a thousand miles to get there with a few short stops en route….so if the work is done within about two weeks, we will have enough time….

Now I’m off to explore ashore!!