Yacht Larus

A slow circumnavigation

Vessel Name: Larus
Vessel Make/Model: Slipper 42
Hailing Port: Southampton
Crew: Tim Chapman and Nancy Martiniuk
About: Sailing together since 1988
Home Page: Http://www.sailblogs.com/member/yachtlarus
18 June 2016
03 December 2015 | Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI
03 June 2015 | Antigua
19 October 2014 | Trinidad
04 July 2014 | Bequia
02 March 2014 | Chaguaramas, Trinidad
25 February 2014
24 January 2014 | Bequia
18 December 2013
09 December 2013
23 October 2013 | Port de Plaisance, St Martin
05 September 2013
11 June 2013
11 June 2013
Recent Blog Posts
18 June 2016

Blog is moving

There is no perfect blog site for those of us who have almost permanent internet challenges, however we're moving from Sailblogs now to a new blog site. The posts here will remain but all future posts will be at;

21 February 2016

Every cloud has a silver lining

It came to light during the Boat show that the boat's insurers were insisting that the delivery skipper had an Ocean endorsement on their Yachtmaster ticket. Tim doesn't have this. He's had his Yachtmaster for over 20 years and in those days Yachtmaster Offshore was the highest level of certification. [...]

04 February 2016

Best laid plans and all that.

Belated Happy New Year to all.

03 December 2015 | Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI

Blog 78 - Cruising once again

Having just reread our last blog, I'm pleasantly surprised to find that it was pretty much spot on.

03 June 2015 | Antigua

Work, Work and more work.

It is an awfully long time since our last blog and we really haven't been doing much other than working.

27 October 2014

On the hard Chaguaramas and crusing in Tobago

Spring this year, April to July, found us working pretty hard. Summer found us spending our hard earned gains treating Larus and ourselves to some TLC. While Tim and I visited friends and family in Canada and the UK, we left Larus on the hard in Coral Cove Marina, Chaguaramas, Trinidad in the care [...]

19 October 2014 | Trinidad

New paint job

Couldn't resist painting the boat at Trinidad prices. Looking gorgeous in a slightly warmer shade of white. Also rolled on 4 more coats of Coppercoat for good measure.

04 July 2014 | Bequia

We’re still here!

And by ‘here’ I mean, Guadeloupe, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Marten and the British Virgin Islands. We have been working quite a lot over the last few months, and are currently in the Grenadines doing nothing but looking after Larus and pleasing ourselves.

02 March 2014 | Chaguaramas, Trinidad

The Run Up to Carnival

Trinidad is obsessed with Carnival. I've read that between Carnivals, the Trini's are either reminiscing about the previous Carnival or planning for the next.

25 February 2014

Trinidad

With our week long charter in the BVI completed we headed back to Bequia. Again, we had a great time and many laughs with our guests on 'Faith.' We also celebrated our Captain's birthday with cake, candles and, most importantly, ice cream.

24 January 2014 | Bequia

Charters and Bequia

Both Tim and I have been out on charter. I worked for two weeks in Guadeloupe on a 70' Flagship catamaran while Tim got called out to a short notice charter in the BVI.

On the hard Chaguaramas and crusing in Tobago

27 October 2014
Spring this year, April to July, found us working pretty hard. Summer found us spending our hard earned gains treating Larus and ourselves to some TLC. While Tim and I visited friends and family in Canada and the UK, we left Larus on the hard in Coral Cove Marina, Chaguaramas, Trinidad in the care of Nigel who was re-'Awl Gripping' our topsides and preparing the hull for more layers of our CopperCoat anti-foul.

 photo m_004LarusshoredupCoralCoveMarina_zps42c258cd.jpg

Going elsewhere while your boat is out of the water is quite a good idea. Not only do you track dirt on-board every time you climb the ladder to your boat, but ants can climb too and birds are much more likely to hang out in your rigging and poop on your deck. It's hotter than on the water as well, and there are many more mosquitos to guard against.

The summer is also the wet season and which traps you on-board a in hot closed up boat and doesn't let you get on with work outside. All in all, it's best to be somewhere else.

Once we returned at the beginning of October, we found a very shiny hull in a lovely off white colour called Oyster. We then started finishing up all the bits and pieces that needed doing before she went back in the water.

 photo m_003LarusSouthampton_zps573e49dc.jpg

Like our new lettering on the stern.

 photo m_001DeckVents_zps4ea6dc5d.jpg

Tim also replaced all our deck vents. The old ones just didn't keep the salt water out when the sailing was a bit lively and we're very hopeful that these will do a better job.

Slowly but surely we're washing down the interior of the boat. A little bit of salt water goes a long way, and any salt left on the surfaces, curtains and upholstery with absorb moisture from the air. Salt is also very hard on varnish and fabrics.

 photo m_000LarusCoralCoveMarina_zps05871bd4.jpg

You wouldn't think it would occur to ants to climb all the way up there, but we found them climbing the ladder on the first day. We think we're free of them now but are keeping vigilant.

 photo m_003LarusBackintothewater_zps8249bbf2.jpg

We were very pleased when she was finally lowered back into the water.

 photo m_002CoralCoveKittiesCovetCoconutCurry_zps7c9ce16d.jpg

While we were out of the water, I tried to keep cooking to a minimum because it was so hot. So it was particularly irritating, to go to the trouble of cooking 3 days worth of Coconut chicken curry with peas, put it outside to cool and forget about it till early the next morning. After much anguish, we decided that it was no longer fit for human consumption. It was however fit for the Coral Cove Kitties. Particularly after I whizzed it to puree and there were no peas for them to eat around.

We didn't stay long in Chaguaramas once back in the water and after a couple of days we headed to Tobago. Tobago is a little tricky to sail to; you generally have wind and current against you. We followed the recommended tactic of hugging the coast of Trinidad to keep out of the worst of the current till the north east of the island before for heading north to Tobago.

 photo m_002DolphinsChaguaramastoStoreBay_zps0282121c.jpg

The area around Tobago is teeming with fish and we weren't surprised to have dolphins come to visit.

 photo m_001DolphinChaguaramastoStoreBay_zps56187b96.jpg

We often see them throughout the Caribbean, but we never get tired of seeing them.

 photo m_001ShinyHullStoreBayTobago_zpsf561ed5e.jpg

We anchored in Store Bay, on the West coast of Tobago. Unlike Chaguaramas, the water is clean and fresh, and we were once again struck by just how shiny Larus now is. :D This is neither the first nor last time we will marvel over how darn good she looks with her new coat.

 photo m_007Stillcantquitebelieveit_zpse52efcbd.jpg

We also saw something quite unexpected.

 photo m_006UnexpectedsightStoreBayTobago_zps9d3a54ce.jpg

Really, it was straight out of James Bond and we're still not completely sure how it worked but it was very impressive to see.

We haven't seen a lot of Tobago except Store Bay and Pidgeon Point on the West Coast of the island and decided to work our way up the north coast to Charlotteville on the most north easterly point.

 photo m_m_003CastaraBayReflection_zps3c3cd312.jpg

Castara Bay was our first stop.

 photo m_m_002CastaraBayBeach_zpsd1a49832.jpg

It had pretty cottages and hotels and a really wonderful beach.

Next we moved on to Englishman's Bay. This was a beautiful beach as well, but all the beaches on the north coast were hard to access because of the swell which made great crashing waves on the beach.

 photo m_002BeachRestaurantEnglishmansBay_zps5f84f88e.jpg

We did brave the swelling to visit this beach restaurant for lunch. It was Diwali and the sarongs for sale on the beach, reminded me very much of the bamboo poles and coloured flags, part of Hindu worship, that we saw all around Trinidad.

 photo m_001CowsonthebeachEnglishmansBay_zps7d04c8a4.jpg

We don't often see cows coming down to the water to dabble their hooves in the sea.

We are now anchored off Charlotteville.

 photo m_000Charlotteville_zpsf6f7196b.jpg

The North East of the Tobago has a very different feel to the South West. The South West is quite flat and built up compared to the mountainous jungle landscape of Charlotteville.

We have only had one day here, but there are a number of things that describe this part of Tobago to me.

The chickens you see everywhere.

 photo m_001CommonFowl_zps0077834e.jpg

We haven't seen it but, we have been told that you can find 'Common Fowl' on the menu.

The very unique signage.

 photo m_002NoTeethering_zps8b6414ff.jpg

A notice at the edge of the local sports field.

 photo m_003aSayNotoDrugs_zps5f8b4e8f.jpg

A notice IN the edge of the local sports field.

 photo m_004FishingBoatsontheBeach_zps7d66516c.jpg

And the fishing boats, with their wonderful names and the decoration.

 photo m_009Pumkin_zps2349c28c.jpg

Pumkin

 photo m_006UnchainSpirit_zpsb65efe78.jpg

Unchain Spirit

 photo m_008HappyBoy_zps5ba79858.jpg

Happy Boy

 photo m_005BeenieBoy_zps14a83cc4.jpg

Beenie Boy

 photo m_010Simeon_zpse72dc676.jpg

Simeon

 photo m_007AlwaysPositive_zps4f7af3e6.jpg

Always Positive.

Fishing is a big part of this town's economy. When the days catch was brought in and ready to be sold, a conch shell was blown to alert the buyers.

It's a wonderful town and we will be sure to come back and spend more time. We'd stay longer now but need to be up in Guadeloupe for the 1st of November. From this corner of Tobago, we have a really good angle for sailing a north westerly course to Guadeloupe. We're aiming to do it in one hit, over 3 days and two nights. It should be a nice sail with light winds from the South East.

We have one confirmed charter in Guadeloupe, and a few others in the offing and expect to be there for a while.





Comments

About & Links

Favorites