Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Saturday nights dinner was a treat…the food terrific, the venue lovely and the company, just great. We had dinner on picnic tables on the beach while we watched the sun set, and had a great time visiting. We took the ferry over, then walked up and over the hill to the beach. On the way back, Carrie & Carl caught a ride in a friends golf cart, while Jim and I hopped into the back of a strangers pickup truck for the trip.

Sunday, we were up and out…with a sad Goodbye to friends we know we won’t see for quite a while. We had a predictably bumpy ride east to Sopers Hole, West End, where we picked up a can out of the several open. A little weird how quiet it is now here…after the hustle and bustle of the last three months. Clearly the season here runs from Christmas to Easter…then ppfft….most everyone is gone! However, not everyone…and as we finish tying up to the mooring, Jim says…’those people are waving at us’….so I turn around to find Hans and Emmy….our lovely Dutch friends who we met in Grenada last year. This is the way of cruising, here I am a little blue after having to say goodbye this morning….and we get to say hello a few hours later.

After clearing customs, we stop over and have a nice visit with them and catch up, only to have to say good bye again, as we are leaving early in the morning for haul out, and they leave in the next few days for the USVI’s and then put the boat on Dockwise and ship her home. They had planned to sail back to Holland in May, however, while in St. Martin, they discovered some issues with their rigging, that make a 3000 mile open ocean crossing a bad idea. Another fact of cruising is … Flexibilty is the key!. You must be ready for anything, as weather, equipment, and other issues might require a last minute change of plans. This we know well!

We took care of more chores this afternoon and got the Jib dropped and stowed, and the jib messenger line run. Then we enjoyed one last night of a beautiful Caribbean sunset and night sky.

Monday…and were up and out of Soper’s at 7:30 for the 5 mile run to Nanny Cay. Our haul out is booked for 8:30, and by 8:15 we are approaching the entry to Nanny Cay, and listening to several boats calling in to the marina, with no response. So we try, also with no luck, and then get thru on on the phone, where we are told, ‘…you have an appointment for haulout, well, just go right to the well’ OH…so that’s how they do it here… Meanwhile, there are boats coming in and out, and moving around inside the marina, which is packed and close anyway. We passed within 8 feet of at least three different boats while navigating toward the well. Thank Goodness, Jim is so GREAT at the helm! Finally, he brings us thru the gauntlet to the haulout well, which we now have to back into. He spins the boat and in short order eases us back into the center of the well, no bumps no bruises…we didn’t even need the fenders…Perfect! WE DID IT.

So, now the fun really begins… The yard guys move Regenero into the slings and haul her out, pressure wash and scrape the bottom, which is VERY clean thanks to the bottom job I gave her in October. We are off to find the mechanic, and the guy to replace the seal on our escape hatch. Good news…the mechanic can stop by later today to get the sail drives looked at…Bad news…the escape hatches we have are difficult to repair, so we are looking at sourcing a replacement…however, looks like Eric from E & S Marine is the guy for the job, so he will be getting this taken care of for us. By 10am, Regenero is put in her temporary position and we begin;
Strip and bag all the final laundry
Rinse the salt off the boat
Offload the luggage
Flush the engines with Fresh water
Drop the dingy
Flush the outboard engine
Put the engine back in the dingy
Wash it all and hoist it back up
Rinse all the lines and fenders
Drop the anchor and chain
Rinse it, dry it and haul it back up
Offload all unnecessary stuff
Top off the fuel
Run the fuel out of the generator
Dispose of our extra gas
Rinse, dry, strip and stow the Bimini & Dodger
Finalize the messenger lines….
Huw, the mechanic gets the oil changed and we happily discover the seals are good for the sail drives, however we plan to get the zincs changed out, and he’ll do that tomorrow.

By 3pm we are done…and I mean DONE! and just barely manage to drag ourselves over to the hotel to check in and shower. A hot sandwich and air conditioning revive us…but only somewhat and later after a stroll around the grounds we are claimed by the blessed oblivion of sleep!

Today, we wake…refreshed, and head back to the boat for today’s chores, however they are somewhat less demanding. Windows foiled, thru hull recaulked, most of the cleaning done and all the lines dried and stowed. Huw came back and made short work of changing the zinc’s and then we call it a day just after 12noon.

This afternoon we actually enjoy the pool, and watching the boats outside the channel. Then I took a nap by the pool…yeah…literally. Jim left me sleeping, then when I woke, we walked over to the ice cream parlor to enjoy a sweet treat. One more day of work…and we are one our way home.