Hedonism

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Ryan's Family Visit and more

28 March 2015 | 18 04.103'N:63 05.464'W, Barbuda
Bob
N18.04.103; W 63.05.464 Saturday March 28, 2015 In St. Martin after Ryan�'s family visit We are currently in St. Martin to provision, buy a new (lighter) dinghy, get the main sail track replaced with the newer style so it doesn�'t fray the sail luff and look around some more. We have been busy since our last post! Ryan, Crystal, Sheldon, Payton and Atari on arrived on WestJet on Sunday the 8th. We set sail Monday morning for Barbuda. It was a bit of a rolly ride (we only saw one other boat) and some of our guest felt a bit ill on the way. We arrived at Spanish Point on the South East corner and soon everyone was feeling fine. The kids could not wait to go snorkeling so that is about the first thing we did. Both Sheldon and Payton did extremely well and you could see their swimming ability improve not just by the day but almost by the hour! Both Payton and Sheldon started to collect conch shells. It wasn�'t too difficult for them to gather a bunch but they were only allowed to bring one each back home with them. Trying to decide which one to take is a difficult task as they all look so great. After a few days we headed around to Low Bay and anchored off of our friend�'s Jala Gore�'s Barbuda Outback. Laurie and I met Jala on New Year �'s Day and have been talking with him often ever since. Sheldon celebrated his 8th birthday at Low Bay, Barbuda. Cake was missing but Laurie had stashed away a piece of Key Lime pie that that the boys shared. We used Low Bay as a starting point to beach comb and to take the water taxi into Codrington where we hired a taxi and guide to take us to the Sinkhole. The next day we headed into town again where the kids got to try their first coconut. Unfortunately, it was Payton�'s big wish to have coconut milk but he ended up a bit disappointed that it �"didn�'t taste like milk�". They had fun in town regardless and played with some kids near the dock. It was then on to the Frigate Bird Sanctuary where Clifford (water taxi driver) explained the Frigate Birds to them including how they live (40 + years), they sometime fly for up to 30 days non-stop and one really interesting thing; in the old days before radio and satellite weather they used the birds to tell if a Hurricane was coming in. Apparently ALL of the birds leave the Sanctuary (there are THOUSANDS) and would circle over the island. The Barbudian�'s would see this and when the birds starting going so high that they could not see them any longer, they knew the Hurricane was about to hit. After the Hurricane passed the birds would circle down and return. They actually flew ABOVE the Hurricane! BTW: the Frigate has the largest wing span to body weight of any bird. Clifford also showed everyone the Jelly Fish in the Lagoon. Both Sheldon and Payton got to �"touch their belly�". Once back at Jala�'s he put together lobster lunch (see photos in the album) for everyone. It was great and everyone was stuffed. The next morning a north swell started up (which happens; storms off the east coast of the US and even Canada generate these swells all the way down here) so it was too dangerous to beach the dinghy where we were so we raised anchor and moved up to be in a more protected area behind the reef. It was then off to the beach for playing in the surf (it was still there but much lower that further south down the beach) Ryan taught Sheldon and Payton to body surf and even Atari tried it for a bit. I dug a hole in the sand and sat Atari in it but she was not impressed�.... Payton and Sheldon soon were digging their own holes as well! Before we know it, it was time to leave. We left Barbuda on the Monday and sailed to Deep Bay north of Jolly Harbour as the wind forecast for Tuesday was very light but still with a sea running. Everyone was fine on the trip back with no one feeling ill at all. As soon as we arrived Ryan took the dingy to the beach and everyone enjoyed the afternoon there. Tuesday morning we motored to Jolly Harbour (no wind to speak of, the weatherman was right) but it was only a couple of miles. Ryan and Crystal took the kids to the pool while Laurie and I cleaned up a few things including removing the shower drain pump which decided to quit on us. I got in running the next day. We went up to the pool where we ate supper. The next morning everyone packed up and headed back to the not-so-frozen north. It was above freezing in Thunder Bay! All got home safe and sound. Laurie and I spent a couple of days on the dock doing chores, laundry, getting propane tanks filled and the usual stuff. I went up the mast for a regular inspection and lubed the luff track on the way back down. On Friday the 20th we headed back to Barbuda, this time into Gravenor Bay beside Spanish Point. There was a heavy north swell running so there were a few boats in that had moved around from Low Bay. While there I decided to do my hike of almost the entire east coast of the island. I started at Spanish Point and hiked the approximately 8 miles to Two Foot Bay. I had hiked up to Castle Hill twice before but this would be about three time the distance. Once I got a couple of miles past Castle Hill the beach changed to rock outcropping and got quite difficult. And it as hot! It took 3 large bottles of water with me and frankly, I should have taken 4. Once I got along the highlands I could not walk the �"beach�" but had to move slightly inland amongst the foliage which includes cactus�.... Did you know that cactus will pierce through leather shoes? I do now! Non-the-less it was a great hike. There a numerous caves in the highlands along the shore and the crashing waves on shore echo off the cliffs and caves. I could see numerous stalagmites and stalactites in the cave entrances and one cave you could even see light coming through from a cave in at the top of the hill. This whole area is not frequented by anyone that I could see. The only trails are Donkey trails. Not a human footprint anywhere. By the time I was approaching Two Foot Bay my water supply was getting low, about a 1/3rd of a bottle and I was rationing. The road from Codrington ends at Two Foot Bay and I knew that Barbudian�'s would go camping here and it was Sunday. As luck would have it there was a group there with their kids and cooking on an open fire. They stared at me as I walked up. �"Where did you come from�" I was asked almost right away. I told them Spanish Point but I was asked again, �"no I mean how did you get here?�" I told them that I had walked the length of the coast from Spanish Point. They were quite surprised and immediately invited me into their camp and offered me a beer. I accepted. We chatted for about 30 minutes, I was offered another beer (I accepted again), Vodka and wine (I declined) and to fill my water bottle. (I accepted) I then headed out for the roughly 3 mile walk to where my cell phone would work to call the taxi that I had arranged for the trip back. After about a mile a truck happened by and offered me a ride into town. On the way in I called the taxi and he met me at Maddison Square in Codrington. I went to bed early that night and slept well! The next day I noticed a local fisher heading out in the morning but by a different route. Later in the afternoon I saw him coming back and took the dinghy ever to see if I could buy some fish. He had only gone out fishing to feed his family rather that for sale but he was more than happy to sell me a nice one (I do not know what it was but looked like a large snapper but grey) as well as 4 conch. He had a boat load of conch�.... I asked him how do I clean conch and he showed me. So I took 4 conch back to the boat to clean them on the transom. Before I started I took a quick look on the internet to see how to clean them (second opinion??) and the while the website gave vague directions it basically said to have the fisher do it for you. Well, I can tell you it is quite easy actually. And the conch don�'t stab your fingers like the Lobster do around here. I guess if you can clean Moose, Deer and whatever else it is pretty simple. Conch are pretty ugly before you clean them though. No wonder they hide in that shell! I didn�'t take a �"before�" photo but I will next time! We ended up freezing them until we got the correct spices to have �"conch fritters�". We picked them up yesterday in St. Martin but I am going to try to find a meat tenderizer mallet today; you need to pound them pretty good apparently. After we left Gravenor Bay we sailed around to the northwest corner of the island to Cedar Tree Point again which is close to the Lagoon entrance. On the way in we were joined by three Dolphins. Mom and I assume "Dad" as well as a baby. It was the baby riding our bow wave while Mom swam beside and Dad stood a bit further off. We took the dinghy into Codrington to clear out of Barbuda and set sail for St. Martin on Thursday 26th arriving in Marigot Bay in about 12 hours. Once I got here I received and email from Christine that my cousin Jack passed away the day before. Jack had been fighting a similar cancer to mine for some time now. I am sad. RIP Jack. I hope to update the album when we go into town later today or tomorrow so we can get free WiFi. Other cruisers say that MacDonald�'s has the fastest connection here. Go figure�....
Comments
Vessel Name: Hedonism
Vessel Make/Model: Outbound '46
Hailing Port: Thunder Bay, Ontario
Crew: Bob and Laurie Mackie
About: Retired
Extra:
He-don-ism (hí:d'nįzəm) n. the doctrine that pleasure is the highest good and that moral duty is fulfilled through the pursuit of pleasure. After sailing Superior and Northern Lake Huron for the past 9 years, it's time to cut the ties and explore further. We left Barkers Island Marina on [...]
Home Page: http://hedonism1.ca/
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