Jules
16/02/2012, St. George's, Grenada

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 ....

Comments [3]

Jules
05/02/2012, Pampatar, Venezuela

A very brief update from Isla Margarita.

We spent a wonderful week at the Bequia Blues with friends who took us up on their sail boat. On the way back (last Wednesday) we got a call to say a freighter had broken down between Grenada and Trinidad and could we go pick it up.

We set off 6 pm Wednesday to the given co-ordinates only it wasn't anchored, as we'd been told, but still drifting. By the time we reached it it was 10 miles off Margarita and the Venezuelan Coastguard were in attendance.

We were told we had to tow it into Pampatar so that they could check out the boat (theirs not ours). That was Thursday at 10.30 pm and now it's Sunday and we're still waiting for clearance. Hopefully we'll be leaving tomorrow at some point.

As well as James and Devon we have Mike and Audrey and Phil on board who thought they were coming for a couple of days. Luckily they're all ok with being prisoners on the Buzzard and we're managing to have some fun too.

Never thought we'd be back in Margarita but so far so good and we've managed to meet up with Charlie and even buy a case of rum and some beer, although the prices have definitely risen since the last time we were here two years ago.

Internet contact is really sporadic but I'll try to update when I can ... and fill you in on all the wonderful things that have been happening.

Love to all ...

Comments [1]

Jules
25/01/2012, Woburn, Grenada

Just a brief update as we're just so busy and about to leave the boat for a few days.

Over the last couple of weeks we've finished painting the outside from the waterline to the rub-rail, and the crane, and the wheelhouse and saloon roofs. We've had various generator and fuel pump issues, some of which are resolved and some of which aren't quite.

The weekend before last we had an emergency call from Tanya whose battery bank melted and she couldn't start her main engine. It was decided, as James is more than capable of looking after the boat, that instead of taking the Buzzard we'd go on the 8 am Sunday fast-cat ferry up to Carriacou and spend the day working for her and come back late that afternoon.

We got there fine, well except for the weather being a bit rough and the vomit comet living up to its name. Mike spent six hours re-wiring and sorting our the problem but wasn't quite finished by the time the ferry left so we stayed over with the intention of getting the 6.30 am ferry Monday. We were up and organised by 6 and just about to go to the dock when the ferry left. So ... another day working on Tanya's boat, for which she sure wasn't complaining.

We eventually got back Monday around 7 pm, tired and dragged out, definitely a busman's holiday that one.

Last weekend we spent a night at Pat's house which was really good. And Mike gave her a massage to try and alleviate some of her mobility problems which have been bugging her since she had surgery a couple of years ago. He's getting quite a reputation for his 'magic fingers'; even Jeff's been over for a session to get his back sorted out.

I've been working away on the new blog site but got a bit side-tracked when I inadvertently opened a spam email which then went through our address book and then locked us out of our hotmail account for a few days. (Many apologies for anyone reading this who got caught with that one ... the moral is NEVER, EVER click on a link, from anyone, that says 'Click here to see ...".)

We've been waiting for some fuel for the last few weeks and more than twice have been all set to leave before the plans changed, yet again. In fact we were supposed to be leaving yesterday but aren't.

Instead we've going to take our friends Mike and Audrey up on their offer of a trip up to Bequia in their 60ft sailboat to go to the Blues Festival. We're really looking forward to it, and to seeing friends we haven't seen for quite some time. It'll be strange being there without the Buzzard though ... a real mini holiday, can't wait!

Love to all ...

Comments [5]