I wasn't really planning on one of these posts this year, but a comment by Jonathon on a post the other day got me to thinking (thanks Jonathon!). He commented that we seem to have acclimatised pretty well, and what could we say about that? Yes, I paraphrased a bit there. I'm going to take the acclimatisation beyond temperature, and include a little cultural adjustment, too. If anyone reading this is coming south, it might help, or not.
Temperature-wise, the tropics are pretty consistent between about 28C and 32C for daytime highs. Nights might get as low as 25C in the "winter", and if you go up into the mountains, it can get surprisingly cool, from a tropical point of view. We deal with the hottest weather by having 10 Caframo fans on the boat, all strategically placed to hit us where we need it: the saloon area, the galley and the bunks. The hottest time here also coincides with the rainiest time, so one is not able to rely on opening the hatches for cooling. There are some designs for windscoops that don't let water in, and some of them are quite nicely thought out. I believe "Sailrite" has a pattern available. Some cruisers head to the docks and crank up the air conditioning through the hottest part of the year. We prefer letting ourselves get used to the heat, and we drink a lot of water. Through the hottest part of the day we try to stay out of the sun and under the fans. Work is not done. Over time, we have become more tropical in our temperature tolerances and practices. We have noticed, and adopted, the locals' habit of hanging out in the shade. Cotton just seems to absorb sweat and doesn't feel cooler, so most of the shirts are of the sport tech materials now.
The transition from dirt dweller or dock dweller to cruiser is a change in attitudes. Everyone has heard of the expression "Island Time", and it is truly a different rhythm. Things are not always done in a hurry, but when it is hot out, why should anyone work themselves into a lather to get something done in 5 minutes when you can get it done in 10 minutes without killing yourself? And shop opening times are not always what one would expect. While we were in Mayreau, the lone bakery does not have bread in the afternoon. It is ready after 6:00 pm, and what is left is sold the next morning. I was unlucky enough to show up the morning she had sold out the night before. The large supermarket is open from 8-12, then again from 4-8. The French islands also have that quirky habit of closing for lunch...for two hours or so. All we can do is go with the flow, go for a walk, and come back. And of course, the closing times seem to be staggered amongst the stores. But since we really don't have a timetable, there is no point in getting bent out of shape. Yes, it can be extremely frustrating when you want to clear out of Customs and the computer doesn't work, or the office is closed, but what are you going to do? I recommend get a locally made ice cream and "lime" in the shade. What's the worst thing that happens, really? You miss that weather opportunity and have to wait another week? Like it really matters?
That is one of the keys to cruiser happiness, in my opinion: don't work to any timetable but your own. It may sound rather hedonistic, but we don't make plans to anyone else's schedule. Oh, you want to be at St.XXX in two weeks? That's nice, maybe we will see you up island. Or, you are going to XYZ tomorrow? Cool idea, we think we may follow you up. The only thing on the calendar that we pay attention to is hurricane season, but even then, we are not as absolutely set on being in Grenada from June 1 to October 31 as we initially were when we arrived in the Eastern Caribbean. We feel comfortable enough with the weather forecasting and the patterns now to let ourselves wander off a little more. The Grenadines are delightful this time of year.
One of the things that has worked well for us is having a loose association of friends. We don't buddy boat anymore, but we may wander in the same direction as someone else for a bit. We have found that by not travelling in a pack we have met more people than when travelling in company. It is easier to make a decision for ourselves than factoring other opinions at the same time. It has also made us more open to experiencing where we are when we are more approachable as a couple than as a pack. We have had some great conversations with people while enjoying an ice cream, or a cold beverage, in the shade.
"Good morning" and other greetings are an expectation. Walking into a business, or Customs and Immigration, and just demanding what you want, rather than starting off with a simple greeting and some pleasantries, is very poor manners in the Caribbean. This isn't Starbucks during the morning rush where everyone is in a hurry to serve and be served. I can promise you that by starting your exchange with "Good day, how are you?" and some small talk will get you much, much farther. Granted, I am recognizable at 6'2", and everyone sees me running, but I had one gentleman point out that he appreciates that I greet everyone, and that if anything were to happen to me, they would have my back because of my politeness and pleasantness. Even if you don't want a taxi or a tour, being polite when declining isn't a bad thing, and can go surprisingly far.
Speaking of shopping, once you get to the Lesser Antilles, shopping is generally easy. There is usually some kind of supermarket available, and you can always find what you need, if not what you want. If you are a milk drinker, you might not be as happy, as the most common milk is UHT, which most North Americans think tastes funny. If you spend enough time down here, you start to know where to get the "best".... Deals, selections, whatever. The French have great canned meats, drink concentrates and excellent vanilla, plus I love their paper towels and toilet paper. Dominica and Grenada are the chocolate lovers stocking places. St. Martin is duty free... Guadeloupe has the biggest Industrial Zone in France (if you can't find it there, it isn't available, or they don't understand your French). You don't necessarily have to drown your waterline while island hopping.
So, be polite, chill and go with the flow. It is pretty simple after that. And carry bug repellant.