11/06/2009, TTSA, Trinidad
It is no secret- we like Trinidad. We have been back for a month and in the water for three weeks. I have been restocking food and boat supplies, writing articles, sewing and teaching yoga. Hunter has been doing boat chores and we have both been teaching swimming and biking up big hills. The ride up the radar station is 5 miles with a 1,600 (6%) foot gain in altitude. His knee is dong well.
We really enjoy being at anchor at TTSA and mingling with the international crowd of cruisers. Hurricane season is just about over and cruisers have begun to migrate north and west. Today dear friends, Johness, Thomas, Dominique and Alex (sailboats Springtime and Sparrow) from South Africa will be leaving and yesterday Judy and Lindsay on Anastasia left for St. Thomas. The little bird on my laundry basket will be leaving today with his South African family. I will miss the sweet voices and freindship of Candace and Charmaine at the Cajobe Cafe. Okay, boo hoo, bye bye...
We are waiting for a favorable wind to sail to Tobago.
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11/02/2009, TTSA, Trinidad
I remember in Alaska Halloween costumes were designed around snow suits and trick or treaters arrived on snow machines. Here in the Caribbean the costumes are designed around swim suits and the trick or treaters arrive in dingys.
Today the kids carved a watermelon because the pumpkins you find in the market here are eating pumpkins with thin skins and think meat- the reverse of a carving pumpkin
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10/17/2009, Felicity, Trinidad
Divali is a Hindu festival that symbolizes the lifting of spiritual darkness and spiritual and social renewal. The actual date varies from year to year, and is keyed to the day of the new moon day in October. The word Divali means an array of lamps (deep: lamp; vali: array) and is celebrated by Hindus around the world with the lighting of the small clay pots that contain oil and a cotton wick that is lit. Although Divali is a Hindu festival, in the Trinidad's multicultural and multi-religious society, it is a national holiday observed by people of all denominations. East Indians represent 44% of the total population of Trinidad and of that group 24% are Hindus, but everyone gets a day off work and many people dress in traditional Indian garb and light diyas at work or around their table.
For several years we have heard rave reviews of the visit to an East Indian village during the Divali festival. This year we were in Trinidad at the right time so we joined a group of cruisers on a trip organized by Jesse James. We were welcomed to the Hindu temple by a priest in a long robe. We removed our shoes before entering the temple and inside we were free to look at the alter and take photos. At first I was a bit uncomfortable taking photos inside a temple, but we were encouraged to use our cameras. The alter was ringed by statues called murti, or sacred images of deities that provide a point of devotional and meditational focus. The priest welcomed us and told us about the murti and some of the traditions associated with Divali. We were spellbound by the graceful young woman in traditional garb who danced to Indian music. I am sure some eyes were glued to her bare muscular midriff, but clearly her hands and body told a story. A small but energetic band of Tassa drummers played for us. These traditional Indo-Caribbean drums are hung around the neck. We were told that the two drummers a one cymbal player were a much abbreviated version of their band.
We reclaimed our shoes (I did have thoughts of upgrading my footwear) and were ushered into a small dining hall. There was a large piece of palm leaf at each place. The soharie leaf was not a placemat, it would be our plate. We loaded up our leaves with traditional Indian foods- pumpkin, channa (curried chick peas) mango, curried chatiagne, kuchila and roti skin. The roti was used to pinch up the other food on the plate. It was delicious and we were not allowed to leave until we were showing signs of being really well fed.
Well fortified, we walked around town as the sun went down. Women in colorful saris and men in robes, as well as western clothing lit the diyas around their houses. Cruisers were not the only visitors wandering around the town of Felicity. The streets were busy and the locals were friendly offering us little bags of "sweets", traditional Indian deserts.
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10/16/2009, Trinidad
After four great weeks of shore leave in the states we had an uneventful trip back to Trinidad. Our boat was in excellent condition, thanks to friends who kept an eye on her and hosed off the big chucks and fine dust before we came back. We hit the deck running (so to speak) and completed the preparation for painting the bottom and got three coats of paint on in just a few days. Hunter also installed a new depth sounder (now a spare) and a knot wheel which indicates our speed through the water. I waxed the hull using the time honored "wax on - wax off" technique made popular by the Karate Kid. My arms had gotten a bit puny not having to pump a toilet and hoist a dingy, so the labor of applying and buffing two coats of wax was welcome. Our reentry to the water was uneventful and we are back anchored at TTSA.
I realize that this is the forth time I have entered a blog about putting the boat back into the water. We are much wiser about the boat and the haul out process, but it is a relief each and everytime get back into the water. There is always a tense moment when you check for leaks and problems.
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You guys are looking great and I know you are having the time of your life. Where to next?
10/08/2009, Trinidad
This has been a wonderful trip back to the Mother Land. We have been using Brooke and Woody's house in North Carolina as our base and that worked out well for us. Yes, we blessed family with visitors for a month. After the road trip with our stuff we moved into a storage unit in NC. I spent five days helping facilitate my parents' seasonal migration from Massachusetts to Florida. They so enjoy the summers in the Berkshire Mountains, and I cannot fault them for returning- it is a special place.
On the way back to North Carolina I detoured to visit a friend in New York. Julie and I have known each other since...Well, we cannot remember. We were good friends though elementary, middle and high school. In 5th grade we both started to play the French Horn. At he end of the year Julie had completed the beginning book and was half way through the intermediate book. I was on page 3 of the beginner's book. Lacking musical talent, I quit. Twenty five years ago Julie took the prestigious position of the First French Horn for the New York Metropolitan Opera. One of the evenings that I was visiting with Julie she was playing Figaro and she got me a ticket (in the 3rd row!) and I went to the opera. It was a blast. I studied the story and opted for the translation monitor in the seatback in front of me. I could keep up with the words of the singers. I did not have time to explore around NY, a city that I know very well.
Meantime, back in North Carolina, Hunter was having arthroscopic knee surgery. Hunter had almost constant pain in his knee when he walked and gave up running a while ago, so he explored the idea of surgery. He recovered well and about 12 days after surgery we took a trip with Brooke and Woody to the mountains of Virginia and biked on an old railroad grade. We biked 34 miles on Saturday and I biked 24 on Sunday and Hunter covered another 34 miles. The knee seems to be working well and the doctor did recommend biking, so we cannot complain.
We are back in Trinidad getting ready to paint the bottom. This will be our forth time at this task and it is no mystery, just a lot of work. We look forward to getting back in the water.
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We decided it is time to move our possessions from Sarasota, Florida to Raleigh, NC. In 2005 in preparation for retirement and life on a boat we got rid of most the stuff we had accumulated in our lives and 22 years of marriage. We shipped the rest to Sarasota, FL where Devi's parents and sister lived. We whittled the stuff down to fit into a 10'x10' storage locker. Since Devi's folks moved from Sarasota and sister visits are made elsewhere it seemed logical to move the stuff to Raleigh where Brooke lives. Brooke is allows us to use her house as our home base in the States. We took a two day road trip with this truck.
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Michael
09/05/2009, Peake Yacht Services, Chagauramas, Trinidad
It is that time again. Time to haul our boat out of the water and do the annual maintenance. This means living in a hot and dusty boat yard with out refrigeration and boat toilet. Fortunately there is a place that rents air conditioners that fit into the top hatch of the boat and can be plugged into the yard power. We have had four days without rain and it has been hot, about 92°. We are well situated in the boat yard. Our internet connection is not great, but we are really close to the chandlery and that is handy for buying supplies and cooling off. The chandlery is very well air conditioned and I have been known to take a few minute break to cool down and browse in the shop- do you think they have that figured out yet?
This is our forth haul out and I do not feel like a novice at this. I have been preparing the bottom for paint and Hunter has been doing other jobs. I will keep you posted on our progress.
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08/30/2009, Chaguarmas, Trinidad
We have had a busy day. We skipped our morning bike ride and used the calm morning air to take down our sails in preparation for hauling the boat out of the water next week. We will take the sails to a sail loft and have a look at them for chafe and wear. The sails are relatively new, but they do get chaffed when used so it is best to have a look before a small frayed area becomes a large tear. Now our main salon is filled with two large bundles of sail.
We are anchored in a bay called Hart's cut and we share the anchorage with the Coast Guard, a few fisherman and the dragon boats. Dragon boats are 41 feet in length, and have ornately carved and painted dragon heads and tails. Each carries a helmsman, a drummer whose beat provides the rhythm and a crew of 20 paddlers. The races take place on flat water, usually over a distance of 500 metres, at a sprint. The sport of dragon boat racing originated in China over 2000 years ago. Dragon Boat Racing was introduced to T&T in 2006 as part of the 200 years celebration of Chinese Arrival to T&T. I was surprised to learn that Dragon boat racing is an internationally recognized sport with participants in the Far East, Australia, Europe and North America.
Today there was a dragon boat race a few hundred feet from us so we hopped into our dingy and watched. There was music and celebrating on shore. Trinis don't need much of an excuse to party. Tomorrow is Trinidad
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BC is a Black-headed parrot and his owners needed someone to parrot-sit for a few hours, so of course I volunteered. Hunter set up a system of ropes that were anchored to handholds from the ceiling and it did not take BC long to work his way across the "tightrope" for treat. He really likes apple and would run across the tightrope when one of us munched apple at the other end. He a great fun and mostly well mannered, but a very messy eater and is not yet paper trained.
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XXXOOO
We get out early almost every morning to ride bikes and get some exercise and this morning along one of our routes we came upon a mountain bike race. The race course is about three miles and the race is supposed to last eight hours. Bikers can bike the race as a relay, alternating riders, or just ride around the course for eight hours. The course takes the riders through a bamboo grove, a mango grove and soggy wetland and a bit of pavement. It has been rainy, very rainy for the last few days and after the first lap the course was already soupy. We were happy to watch for a few minutes and wish the bikers a good day
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08/18/2009, International Pavilion
He wanted to call home but the skype headset would not fit.
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08/16/2009, Trinidad
One of the joys of being anchored at the Trinidad and Tobago Sailing Association is sitting in the "International Pavilion", checking email and meeting cruisers from around the world. On Saturday Hunter, Steve (Receta) and Chuck (Tusen Takk 2) went to a cricket match in downtown Port of Spain. I was checking email in the International Pavilion and a South African friend inquired about Hunter. I told her that Hunter and friends had gone to a cricket match and she stated that she was under the impression that North Americans thought that cricket was an insect. The guys had a good time and I enjoyed a quiet night at home.
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08/08/2009
We are back in Trinidad for the remainder of the hurricane season. It was hard to leave Grenada. We really like living at anchor in Grenada. We enjoyed the laid back but full schedule that we developed in the 3 months we were there. We took long (1 ½ - 2 hour) walks almost everyday and participated in the Hashes every other Saturday. We chatted with famers along our routes and watched the corn grow from day to day. We also had an unlimited supply of free mangos. I fear that will have to buy mangos in Trinidad. Hunter was teaching swimming and I took watercolor painting lesson. Several friends will remain in Grenada for the remainder of the season and others are not far behind.
We had a nice passage. We left at midnight and arrived in Trinidad at 1 pm the next day. There was a near full moon and moderately clears skies- can't complain. Steve, on the boat Receta made the passage at the same time as we did with some friends from Canada.
Yes, we hated to leave Grenada but we are happy to be back in Trinidad. We have so many friends here and know how to get stuff done. We have rented bikes and will do bike rides in the early morning. Steve has been showing his friends some of his favorite places and we have joined in on a few trips. Last night we went to the "Trinidad All Stars" pan yard. We listened to them practice a piece then break into groups that consisted of senior players mentoring new members. Steve had asked the manager if they would play a few old favorite pieces for us and play they did. It was an honor to have our own short concert so close and personal. The pan players enjoyed playing for us and we were delighted to hear and watch them.
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08/02/2009, Grenada
I spent yesterday morning in a watercolor painting class. Terry from Sea Otter is a patient teacher and talked us through a variety of techniques to paint the sun set at Medregal Village.
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08/01/2009, Grenada
While I am painting Hunter is bowling with a Wii.
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07/30/2009, Grenada
It is rainy season and the height of flowering for flamboyant trees. The bright red flowers of the flamboyant or flame tree can be seen from across the valley. This native of Madagascar has an umbrella shaped crown and is often planted near houses. The flowering begins a few weeks in advance of the rainy season. Its claim to fame in the dry season is the long pods that can be used as a rattle or a "shack shack". During the dry season the tree looses its leaves to conserve moisture.
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07/28/2009, Grenada
Do I need to say anything more?
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07/26/2009, Grenada
We have been taking long (1-2 hour) walks almost every morning. Our walks have taken us on explorations of the small dirt roads and local trails in the area. One of our routes takes us past a golf course. It is a nine hole course that is used in both directions to make 18 holes. In the early mornings the grounds crew is deployed to mow the greens. The grounds crew is a small flock of sheep and a man with a few dogs.
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07/11/2009, Hog Island, Grenada
Mangos and ripe and plentiful. We have been walking every morning and every few days I find a mango tree and haul back a bag of mangos. You can use peaches instead of mangos.
Mango Salsa
2 ripe mangos cut into small pieces
½ cup thinly sliced green onion
1/8-1/4 cup cilantro or shadon benne
¼ cup finely chopped red or green peppers
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2Tblsp white vinegar
2Tblsp red wine vinegar
hot pepper- diced jalepeno or other pepper- go light and don't kill the flavor of the mango
Salt and pepper to taste
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07/06/2009, Grenada
We went to a hash on Saturday in the east side of Grenada. See below for a brief description of a hash. We started the run/walk on the beach and worked our way into the woods up and down hills, through fields and groves. At one point I counted the number of fruits that I saw that you could pick off the tree and eat and came up with 12 different fruits. Here is my list: mango, papaya, wax apple, French cashew (not a cashew at all), cashew (the meat around the fruit is edible when ripe), oranges, limes, guava, bananas, coconut, sweet plums (not the plums we know in the north) and cocoa (you can eat the sweet slimy stuff around the cocoa seeds). We ran through fields with cucumber, tomato, pepper, taro and dasheen. We ran beneath breadfruit and mango trees heavy with fruit. In places you could smell fermented mangos. It has been raining so in places the trail was a bit muddy. The route took us past two waterfalls, but most of us were focused on getting back and did not take a dip beneath the falls. The route was 7 miles, which is a bit long for the walkers because they came in as it was getting dark, but even that was a treat as the nearly full moon rose over the ocean.
Hashing is an organized run or walk. Hashing began in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1938, when a casual group of British colonial officials and expatriates, would meet after work on Monday evenings to run, following a paper trail, through the environs of Kuala Lumpur to get rid of the excesses of the previous weekend.
The template for a hash run is loosely based on hare hunting. One or more hashers (the "hares") lays out a running trail, that the rest of the group follows. The trail may include false trails, short cuts and trail breaks. These features are designed to keep the pack together regardless of fitness levels or running speed. The pack or 'hounds' follow the trail from check to check, searching the surrounding terrain to attempt to find the continuation of the trail. A well-laid check will have the effect of allowing slower runners to catch up and rejoin the main pack, while the faster runners try to find the trail again.
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