Cut And Run
03 November 2019 | Grenada, W.I.
Wednesday 30 October 2019
No space at this billet for tonight, so it's off to Days Inn near MIA. Pickup tomorrow at 0850 should get us to airport in plenty of time for 1124 flight. Sorry not able to revisit the area as we brought our Hylas to the Miami Sailboat Show immediately after purchase in 2013 to spend a stupendous amount of money fitting her out and later, after a few weeks in the Bahamas, at Dinner Key to install new equipment on new boat and receive shipment of old stuff from old boat, which had been sold in Brisbane. Coconut Grove, near marina, was a gluttonous downfall as it took literally years to shed the excess kilos acquired at its restaurants and bars. One pays for too much fun.
Notwithstanding that Miami is predominantly Cuban/Hispanic, it's very American. Culture shock after limited exposure last ten years. Anything you want, anytime, close by or available online, inexpensive with free, fast shipping. Breakfast served everywhere and over easy eggs actually cooked, you know, over easy. Bacon (referred to as streaky bacon elsewhere, seldom found and then limp) wonderfully crisp. Bottomless cups of coffee (means you can drink the stuff until you vibrate and it squirts out your ears) with meal. Similar to Jan and her organizing (a skill that escapes me), I have a fetish for breakie, a great meal.
Irish pub nearby, so tonight's plans are set. Early go tomorrow, home afternoon, boat in good shape, Grenada weather a bit cooler and drier, life is perfect.. well, except for the broken hip thing, but one should ignore trifles.
Friday
Door to door service yesterday went like clockwork. Thanks again DAN. Arrived back at boat 1530, had wee lie down, then dinner at marina restaurant. Always good to be back home in one's own crib. Slept in this morning.
Of course, expecting everything to continue working is crazy thinking. Propane not getting to stove for morning tea. Solenoid not switching so it's either bad (new in S. Africa) or not getting electricity (suspect that). Also have bimini brace to reinstall so no rest for the wicked or the weary or the wounded.. whatever. Boats are notoriously bad at encouraging slackers.
Good news. Package mailed from Florida 9 September has arrived at the St. George's post office in a mere seven weeks. Hope floats for another piece of mail sent out three weeks ago. So, he queried, should we wish that hip heals quickly so we can leave soon or more slowly allowing receipt of new debit card to replace current one splitting in half? Think we'll go with that first thing and live entirely off Jan if super glue or duct tape can't keep tattered card together.
Except for installing bimini frame, a lazy day, but tomorrow we hit the ground running.. or limping.. maybe. Used butane camper stove for morning tea, which is fine, but propane bottles were installed for a reason, gimballed stove is too expensive to ditch and extra storage is not that critical so looks like the cripple will have to get to work.
Saturday
Jan took shopping bus to market in beautiful downtown St. George's this morning leaving physically challenged crew home alone figuring incapacity would keep him out of trouble. Ha, ha, I laugh at her naiveté. Regrettably she was correct.
Sunday
Tropical Atlantic has again mellowed making Eastern Caribbean a safe playground so cruisers are exiting Grenada like bats from a cave at twilight. If in stock, we'll buy new propane solenoid (several month old one already rusted, inop) at chandlery tomorrow, which will provide final fix to get Anthem ready to join. Malingerer had better be ready for us to hit the misty trail by end of month or he may be lashed to front of mast like Bill Murray in "What About Bob?" to press on anyway. Although deep ache has migrated to entire leg and continues unabated, lame crew otherwise improves by the hour. Have gotten past Walter Brennan imitation from "The Real McCoys", but not by much. Expect to call local bone doc tomorrow for follow-up appointment and possibly additional drugs as ibuprofen and paracetamol don't quite hack the program.
Jack & Jan