Time to go...but
16 February 2011 | Errol Flynn Marina, Port Antonio, Jamaica
Cloudy with heavy showers, Air Temp 86F, Water temp 79F, Wind NE@12-17
Errol Flynn Marina
Well, all the jobs are done, but we're still here. We're not sure why, just looking for an excuse to not go.
The fleet here is very multi-national. We are one of two Canadian boats. Seabird is one of three American boats, then we have Dutch, German and French boats as well and last week a Japanese catamaran.
Each day seems to be spent on a combination of boat chores shopping for groceries and just walking. And dodging the rain. Port Antonio receives over 360" of rain annually, meaning about 1" per day. And we seem to be on track. Although we have had beautiful sunny days, and most days are sunny for at least part of the day, there are lots of showers, and they can be anywhere from heavy to a deluge. No light rain here. Our second day was spent finding umbrellas, and we go nowhere without them. This part of Jamaica gets rain due to the warm moist easterly trade winds hit the mountains forcing the air up to be cooled and dropping its moisture, much like Vancouver BC. Other parts of Jamaica are quite arid, but not here.
I think I am finally through my maintenance/repair list after ten days. Projects completed include: repair the main outhaul (that blew apart just a few miles from Jamaica), fill propane tank, fill SCUBA tank (this took 5 days and cost $5), replace wiring to bow running lights, change fuel filters, check engine zincs (OK), change generator oil, replace charcoal filters (2), fix small water leak at mast partners (where the mast passes through the deck), re-set Autopilot rudder position sensor, check engine oil, and the big job, repair the watermaker(4 hours in cramped quarters and temperatures in the high 80's).
So all done now, and we will head out tomorrow, taking three short sailing days to reach the western tip of Jamaica, Montego Bay. We have contacted the Montego Bay Yacht Club whose facilities sound very pleasant. We'll stay there and do some more stocking and wait for a weather window to head for Isla Providencia, Columbia, about 350 nm S-W of Montego Bay.