Been A While! But Then Off Around The World...

Since I'm no longer bobbing around the Caribbean on Daisy, there seems very little for me to write about lately. So, forgive me please, I'm reaching here, but its been so long since I wrote anything, I just felt compelled to say something to stop my blog from being chewed up and spit out by the monster that is... 'the Mother of procrastination'. I really love being back on dry land, I am most sincerely a landlubber rather than a sailor, but, having said that, I really, really do miss the adventure, being onboard Daisy always inspires me to write. And my writing is always more entertaining when I'm onboard than when I'm on land… Sadly, I've discovered that it's actually pretty dull just living in a house in a neighborhood; but that's not a complaint, I'm actually quite happy because I feel safe, there are no enormous, razor toothed, slimy critters surrounding my dwelling here, (well excluding a few of the neighbors)hehehe just kidding. I'm not about to get washed off into the deep blue yonder or swallowed up by something hideous with bad breath, not to mention the benefit of not being seasick, so, other than a flash flood, I think I'm actually pretty safe here… I really love living in Atlanta, its the most amazing exciting city. The longer I'm here the more I like it. There's just so much to do, and the weather is absolutely fabulous. Life in America for me started in Tennessee, a State that I will forever love, it has the most friendly, warm, genuine people, and such breathtaking scenery, Oh the scenery, the Smokey mountains and the lakes were so beautiful, truly to die for. I have only incredibly wonderful memories of that beautiful state and its lovely people. Next came Cincinnati, Ohio, not even close to the beauty of Tennessee, Oh how I missed the Smokey mountains and the amazing scenery. Although, I have to say, even with Ohio not being anything special to write about, I met some really wonderful people, and made some very special friends. We had the nicest neighbors in Cincinnati that we've ever had anywhere, and while I don't miss the state, I really miss my wonderful friends. Columbus came next, Ohio again (yawn) I'm sorry, I just really don't know what to say about Columbus because I don't want to offend anyone, so I'll just say it was OK, and I'm so happy that I don't live there anymore. The only reason I go back is because Danni is still there, and I'm really working hard to get her to move somewhere else, anywhere else. Although, it has to be said Columbus does have quite a good university! Bob has only five days left in the States before he leaves next Monday to return to Daisy in Grenada, and get her ready for the long awaited circumnavigation, which starts on January 6th 2013. Edi (my son) will be joining him for the complete voyage, as well as Ted a family friend, and for the first six months of the trip, my brother Paul. Other people will be joining for various sections of the trip, friends and family members from around the world. It's all starting to get quite exciting. I fly out to join the boat in Panama in February, and I'm doing the Panama canal transit, and then the sail on to the Galapagos islands with the crew. Daniela will be joining us in the Galapagos for two weeks, where we have a five day cruise around the islands booked (on a luxury motor boat, yes we will be guests aboard a dreaded "Gin Palace" LOL). Then Danni and I will fly home, while the rest of the crew head on to the South Pacific islands of Tahiti, Bora Bora, Figi and so on… I sort of wish I was going, well actually I really wish I was going, but I just don't have the balls to do the sail... I'm not sure yet where and when I will next join the crew, possibly in Australia, I really would love to see the Great Barrier reef, who knows. But, I have my first book to publish, which should (if all goes to plan) hit the stores in February 2013… Then I have a second book that's almost finished, and I plan to write a third while Bob does his world rally. Who knows how much of that trip I'll actually take part in. I'm quite desperate for something to write about!

I'll keep you posted, meanwhile, back to packing :o)

All You Can Eat and More!

Everywhere I turn I see more work needing to be done, I'm starting to feel completely overwhelmed. My list of jobs seems to have become a living thing that's breeding baby jobs which are growing before my eyes into bigger and bigger adult jobs. This morning at 5:30am I tackled a new job "delivered" yesterday! While taping around the toe rail our helper Terry used duck tape as he ran out of masking tape… Word of warning here "NEVER USE DUCK TAPE IF YOU INTEND TO REMOVE IT IN YOUR LIFETIME" I'm now left with the nastiest sticky residue that all the sanding dust has glued itself too, in the most permanent "never to be removed" fashion. Desperately searching the Internet for ways to remove the said residue, also proved quite useless. I tried in vain with different solutions, I also used denatured alcohol, that's usually quite good at removing that sort of sticky mess, but that was about as easy as pulling a car up a hill backwards. It took me 20 minutes to clean just 12 inches, and I have about 80 feet to do, "not in this heat!" So, as I sit here drinking my coffee and eating toast and messing around on the computer for a few minutes I decided I would do something else today. It's only 8am and it's already swelteringly hot, there is little to no breeze, so I'm happy for my little sheltered area on the floating dock, where I'll be in residence all day sanding all the galley floor sections.

My little work shop, providing me with some welcome shade.

Happier Times, I need to remind myself of them frequently while I battle the heat and the dust and the bloody duck tape residue, ARGHHHHHHHH… OH and just in case I'm not having enough fun... A little bee decided to sting me while I'm sitting here and that hurts like the devil. The razor toothed, invisible insects are also all out in force today, with no breeze to keep them away they're all busy excitedly arranging for an all you can eat buffet on the Daisy boat, with me as the main ingredient… OH yummy I'm in for a fun day! Don't you just wish you were me?

Hard commute!

Most of us moan and bitch at times, usually all about nonsuch, nonsence, unimportant stupid stuff, I'm the worse for this, I'm always moaning or bitching about something, thinking "why me?" And occasionally something will happen to slap me back to reality with a real wake up call, then I realize things really ain't that bad! I've only been back in Grenada for five days, on Daisy working my little butt off sanding like a crazy person and getting ready to varnish. Daisy is alongside on the dock, actually on the T Dock, so we look out to the little island just off the far point of the peninsula off our part of Grenada. The distance from the mainland to the little island is probably less than a quarter of a mile (bear in mind I'm useless at guessing distance)

I believe the island is privately owned, and rumors run riot here at Le Phare Bleu as to the identity of owner of the island, is he a drug lord? or someone famous, or just a nobody with a shit load of cash, anyway he's built/building two amazing houses on the island, he has a dock and a very fancy motorboat, and he's apparently not very friendly. But then if you think about it, if you wanted to be surrounded by nosey parkers you wouldn't buy an island to isolate yourself on, would you? He obviously wants his privacy, but that doesn't stop people gossiping! Anyway, I digress, the point of this blog… The other morning, well several mornings actually, I've noticed this guy with a back pack and a long stick, walk down the VERY steep hill to the shore, climb carefully along the rocky shoreline and then proceed to make his way "on foot" across the ocean between the shore and the private island.

This photograph shows the distance he has to walk! He is sometimes up to his neck in water, but he carries a stick to locate his way, and obviously knows the path across. This journey takes him about 45 minutes. He then goes to work on the construction site, at five he makes his way back across the water to the mainland clambers along the rocky shore and walks up the very steep hill home… And I thought I had it tough, talk about a hard commute!

Drunken Dinghy Fest...

So, here I am at last back in beautiful Grenada, at the fabulous Le Phare Bleu Marina and Resort. I thought I was coming back to varnish Daisy's toe rail. It wasn't until I was on board that Bob informed that the entire boat's interior needed varnishing. And I have only two and a half weeks to do it. This is a job that could easily take a month maybe two. Fortunately, realizing it was more work than even I (the varnishing queen) could manage, Bob enlisted the help of a local to do the sanding on the toe rail.

Photo of Le Phare Bleu... I had decided to take it all the way back to the bare wood, but after an hour of serious sanding I'd only finished about five feet of rail and there's at least one hundred and thirty feet, at that rate I'd never get the rail finished in time, let alone all the woodwork throughout the boat. So, the hired help was gratefully received. We managed to finish our days work at a respectable hour (before dark). The resort was hosting a dinghy fest in the next bay. There was a floating platform with a bar, reefed to a barge, and Dieter's Swan (sail boat) was anchored and reefed alongside the barge. Along with about 50 dinghy's all filled with all the yachties that are anchored in the bay.

Crazy Dinghy Fest... It was a crazy sight, this huge conglomerate of people all gathered in the middle of the bay, singing, dancing and generally acting like idiot teenagers.

Our launch dropped us off and we grabbed a couple of beers and joined the drunken group, as with everything in our lives we were among the last to arrive. The live band were hyping up the atmosphere and everyone was dancing, waving their arms in the air and singing along. To my surprise even Bob started to dance! There was a real carnival spirit. Having only arrived in Grenada two days ago I was seriously pale, and next to all the deeply tanned sailors I looked a little out of place, not that any of the drunken sailors cared. The party continued until dusk.

Bob on anchor duty, on the Swan... Instead of taking the launch back to the marina we made the return trip on Dieter's swan. It was a quiet sail under a full moon and totally amazing, the sea was really calm, the breeze was like silk on my skin, it was wonderful,although sadly too short. But then all good things come to an end. Back at Le Phare Bleu we headed to the restaurant for Pizza night. The restaurant was filled with the noisy group from the dinghy fest. Fortunately we found a table outside by the pool where we ate really delicious pizza's under a moonlit sky next to the ocean. Days or rather nights like this don't happen often enough.

Grenada

Monday 23rd June
I woke first this morning and crept quietly out to take a swim before breakfast. I showered on the light boat, the showers here in the resort are fabulous, each shower has it's own bathroom with loo, they are all beautifully fitted out and immaculately clean. After preparing breakfast for my crew I went up to the bar and snuggled in one of their over sized squashy couches and enjoyed two cups of delicious cappuccino while I worked on my journal. Later after lunch at the bar we all drove into town to customs to clear in. Once that was done we drove out to explore some of the coastline villages. The colors on Grenada are amazing, everything from large rocks at the side of the road, and ramshackle buildings to the most elaborate mansions, are all painted in vibrant colors. Gardens overflowing with magnificent tropical flowers that seem to grow wild everywhere.
We seemed to attract quite a bit of attention from the locals as we passed through their villages, particularly one village, which due to our total lack of direction we passed through 4 times in the space of 10 minutes.
The locals stood at the side of the road waving their arms in the air with quizzed expressions on their faces "stupid tourists" I could almost hear them saying.
We headed out along the coast road for a few miles before heading inland towards the rain forest. The drive was exhilarating as we climbed higher and the road became narrower and narrower until it was Little more than a rough rock strewn path through the trees, barely wide enough for our little car. Meeting and passing the occasional vehicle coming in the opposite direction was interesting to say the least, its a miracle we didn't have a collision, even on these roads the locals drive at speed. The forest was full of color along with the scents from all the flowers, fruits and herbs its easy to see how Grenada earned its name "Spice island". We stopped to pick mango's and nutmegs which hung heavily from the branches overhanging the road, as did avocados, oranges, breadfruit, papaya and cocoa.
Grenada is the 2nd largest producer of nutmeg in the world. Its production has been the backbone of Grenada's economy and agriculture since 1843 when it was introduced from India.
We arrived back at the boat early evening, and I made a very spicy curry for dinner, unfortunately I got a little carried away with the spices and it was so hot I couldn't eat it, but the boys woofed it down along with several bottles of beer. After dinner we all crashed. Bob has to leave tomorrow morning to return to the States on business for a few weeks. Fortunately I have Edi and Justin to keep me company for a little bit longer.

Tobago Cays to Grenada

We weighed anchor at dawn for our sail down to Grenada. With 30 knot winds gusting to 50, and large swells it was not a pleasant sail, I spent the majority of the journey laying down with my eyes closed, leaving all the sailing to Bob, Edi and Justin. As we continued south the weather cleared and the wind dropped to a much better 20 - 30 knots. We enjoyed another encounter with our friends the dolphin's, they're becoming a very familiar sight. We approached the Grenada coastline around 3pm, and continued on to the southern end of the island to look for a suitable bay for the night. We finally dropped anchor in a secluded little bay at Martins Marina, and having secured Daisy we took the dinghy ashore to hire a car, and drive around the island, stopping on route to pick up some provisions. Before returning to Daisy we stopped at Martins bar for a cocktail, but didn't stay long as the mosquitoes moved in on mass at sunset. Bob decided to give me a night off from galley duty and took us all out to the local Chinese restaurant for dinner. The food was great, and we were all in good spirits, it was a fun evening.
Sunday 22nd June.
We drove around the coastline looking for a home for Daisy for the summer season, and came across Le Phare Bleu, a brand new truly beautiful little marina and resort still partially under construction. Bob met with the owner of the resort, and the contractor. Bob was interested in the hurricane plans for the marina. The bay appeared secluded and well protected, with mooring balls strategically placed in the bay for just such an occasion. While Bob talked to the contractor, Edi, Justin and I checked out the rest of the resort. The lovely pool and sun deck overlooks the bay next to the bar. At the end of the dock is a lightship, housing a residents lounge with over sized TV and selection of DVDs, books and magazine's. Shower's and rest rooms,a fabulous a'la carte restaurant, the marina offices and a lighthouse. the resort has some beautiful beach side bungalows, the owner took us to see one they are luxuriously furnished with decks overlooking the bay.
Having inspected the docks, and looked around the resort we left to continue our drive around the island and look at some other marinas. Following an afternoon of visiting one marina after another we all decided that Le Phare Bleu was absolutely the best, and were we wanted to be, so we drove back and had a late lunch at their beach restaurant, and made arrangements to bring Daisy around later that afternoon.
Once we were safely alongside Bob fired up the barbecue and grilled lamb chops for dinner and I made some of my special Passion fruit trifles. After dinner Bob had some work to do while I cleared the dishes then joined Edi and Justin at the pool bar for a couple of beers.
To learn more about this marina and resort go to: www.lepharebleu.com