We're safely back in Grenada after our Venezuelan odyssey.
We finally left Margarita on Wednesday 8th February after nearly a week in Pampatar. Mike and Audrey had to fly back because the time was running out for when they had to get to Miami; none of us had any idea we'd be away so long. They managed to get the only two seats available for the rest of the month, no idea what would have happened if they hadn't managed it.
Our first leg was to Los Testigos where we were hoping to get some fuel as we were running low. We left just before dark and the tow lasted 14 hours through the night, we were averaging 3.5 knts as we didn't want to get in before daylight. We let go of the freighter and we both anchored in our usual bay. Even before the anchor was down we had one of the locals that Mike met last time he was there alongside giving us live lobsters.

By the end of the day we had amassed another three lobsters and quite a few fish and filled up the fishermen's water barrels for them. We ate well that night ... well those of us who liked lobster anyway. And came away with two more lobsters and even more fish.

Unfortunately there was no fuel around so first light the next morning we went alongside the freighter and took enough from them to see us back, on the basis that it would take anything up to 36 hours. We also replenished the freighter crew with water and what provisions we could spare (the seven guys on board had had a hard time and were not the happiest bunch in the world, then again, neither were we at this point).

By mid-day we were heading out on the final leg of the journey. Six hours out and we ran out of water ourselves. Eight hours out and we realised something wasn't quite working right. Mike knew from past experience that the first stretch would be slow going due to the 2.5 knt current, 3 m incoming swell, 25 knt winds, and the way the sea shelves up around Los Testigos. However, no matter what adjustments he made to pitch and RPMs we were still struggling to get over 2 knts.

The pattern kept up all that night and the next day. By this point we'd been travelling 40 hours, were being pushed west and were still 58 miles from Grenada. Oh, and the fuel was getting low again and we'd had to start re-cycling our filters and what fuel we had left sloshed in the bottom. At this point Mike made the executive decision to try and get help and called our friend in Carriacou that runs tugs. Luckily, oh so luckily, Troll was in Carriacou and able to come out. Within an hour they had let go of the barge they were towing and set off to our predicted co-ordinates.

Eight hours later, just after mid-night Saturday, they arrived. It took an hour or so of bobbing about and manoeuvering to swap bridles between us and them, for the freighter to let go of our rope and for us to pull all 200m back on board.

Finally we were out on our own and doing a respectable 6.5 knts back to Grenada. I did the watch, hand steering 'cos the auto-pilot was playing up, from 2.30 am to 6.30 am so that Mike and the boys could get some sleep and by 10.30 we were anchored in St. George's. We put the dinghy in so that we could run Devon and Phil into shore and guess what? We had a bloody great floating rope/fishing net spreading out around the prop ... which sort of explained why we weren't doing so well on the tow.

Mike went into check in with immigration and then we went to meet up with Mike and Audrey for a few well earned beers at Port Louis.

The next day was customs and then making sure that Totong was actually on his flight. We'd had a call on the sat. phone on the Saturday from Twent and Julie saying they were in Jakarta and Totong had missed his flight! Julie, bless her, managed to get him on another one that would connect him to the one from London to Grenada but we didn't have confirmation he'd actually made it. In the end it turned out he did and we picked him at the airport at 4pm Monday.

He was pleased to be back but was sick all the following day. Guess it was jet-lag plus ... I'm not sure what. Anyway, he seems ok now thankfully.

Tuesday (Valentine's Day) we went in to St. George's to organise water and get provisions. Then I had to go to the dentist and Mike went to meet the pilot and go to the dock. He organised to get two lots of water, one to take out to the freighter and one for us. Only, as usual, everything took so much longer than anticipated and he only managed one pick up that day. I finally met back up with him at 8.30 pm that night at Port Louis. We did manage a nice meal together but both of us were so tired.

Yesterday the pilot was back out at 7.45 am to take us back to the dock for more water. And I took advantage of the yacht club laundry to get three weeks worth of washing done. I sure know how to have fun !!!!

In between all this, ever since we arrived back in Grenada, we've (well Mike) has been trying to organise to go fetch another freighter that's broken down and is also in Margarita. It's looking increasingly like we can't do it as the Venezuelan paperwork expands, it's almost the weekend already and it's Carnival in Venezuela starting next Monday.

Oh, and just for something different, a local Carriacou sloop T-boned us while we were at anchor at 11.45 pm last night. They managed to bend in the gunwhale on the port side mid-ships and crack the gunwhale cap. Mike and the rest of the crew we're up straight away but I didn't even feel the impact I was so fast asleep, I just heard all the shouting afterwards, as did Toby.

Love to all ....