Sailing Gromit

26 March 2016
26 March 2016
26 March 2016
26 March 2016
26 March 2016
26 March 2016
26 March 2016
26 March 2016
26 March 2016
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Winter Wonderland in Canada

26 March 2016
Yes, it's winter in Canada and we are in the thick of it.

There has been a hint of spring, but mother nature can be fickle at this time of year. Two weeks ago we had temperatures in the mid teens (mid 70s for you Fahrenheit folks), then a huge snow storm that gave the kids two days off of school and now heavy freezing rain that coated everything to the point of tree branches bending to the ground and snapping like toothpicks.

Where are the palm trees and beaches?

This is the house we are currently living in. We'll be here until our house is rebuilt....we don't know when. We'd hoped to start rebuilding in spring....which is now....but progress is slow, because the process is slow.
We can't complain because this house is spacious and comfortable, though quite dark. We've talked about lightening it up with some brighter paint. Just haven't gotten there yet. Still too much to do regarding the fire.

Winter in Canada

26 March 2016
Maia, Liam, Zoe, Jaya

Loving the snow.
Building snow buddies.
Make snow angels.

But.....also looking forward to spring!!!

Snow Buddies

26 March 2016
.

Winter Wonderland

26 March 2016
Patterns in nature.

Winter Wonderland

26 March 2016
Freezing rain.

Winter Wonderland

26 March 2016
Geometry
Vessel Name: Gromit
Vessel Make/Model: Olympic Adventure
Hailing Port: Toronto
Crew: Michael, Cornelia, Zoe, Maia, Liam. Photo: At Tilloo Bank, Elbow Cay, Bahamas (photo by Frank Taylor)
About: Michael: The technical/mechanical/all about the boat and systems guy. Cornelia: The lists/house and land details gal. Zoe, Maia and Liam: Gromit's Skippers in Training!
Extra: Departure date: Summer 2008 email us at: sailinggromit@gmail.com
Gromit's Photos - Chagos, Indian Ocean
Photos 1 to 63 of 63 | Main
1
Maia on the spreaders looking out for
Heading for the medium blue water in front of the pass between Takamaka and Fouquet Islands on the east side of the atoll.
The medium blue water is ideal for anchoring at 20-30 feet deep, sandy bottom.
Coconut palms are thick and lush all over the islands.
School time.
Ben, Moses (s/v Smoke) and Liam, collecting green coconuts for drinking.
Mr. Shark, one of many, circling Gromit.
Sooty Terns hanging out on Gromit
Squid
Liam, our squid jigger, caught 18 in one day.
He used a fishing pole with two tri-hooks about 10 inches apart. When a squid came close he pulled up and snagged it. Sometimes, he was able to snag two on the same hook.
Squid have a nasty habit of spraying ink when they are not happy. Liam, in the dinghy behind Gromit would snag a squid and Dennis would remove it from the hook.
Boddam Island at the south-west end of the atoll.
There used to be a coconut plantations in Chagos that were worked by slaves from Madagascar and Mozambique. The main settlement was here.
It was apparently quite a thriving place with around 400 people on the surrounding islands. On Boddam, there was and a jetty, shops, offices, a school, a church and a villa where the plantation manager lived. In 1973, they were forcefully evicted by the British and resettled in Mauritius. There are a few very interesting internet sites worth checking our regarding the plight of the Chagosians.
Maia with Didi (s/v Smoke).
Boddam is about 3.5 kms from where we were anchored. We did a couple of day trips there in our dinghy. On our way, we caught of grouper, which Michael is preparing for grilling.
Yikes, watch out for those teeth!
While Liam and friends were starting the fire, Michael and I began preparing coconuts.
Once the coconuts were husked, Maia broke them in half and caught the coconut water, which we happily drank.
Then came the labour intensive work; shredding the coconut meat.
Rose and Ben (s/v Smoke).
We pressed the shredded coconut through a piece of cloth, which gave us delicious coconut milk.
Fish grilling......
Fish eaten.........
We dipped the fish into the coconut milk and sprinkled shredded coconut on it, too. 
Liam and Tim (s/v Kittiwake)
Such clear water.
Coconut
What is Chagos?
Coconuts and fish.
BIOT
British Indian Ocean Territory
This is motor vessel
The day BIOT arrived, we cruisers who
Captain Steve, drinking a green coconut prepared for him by Liam.
There it is, 3 gallons of chocolate ice cream!
Happy?
Captain Steve, coming aboard Gromit for a cup of Haputale tea and brownies drizzled with cream - made by Maia. So good!
Hermit crabs are everywhere.
As I got close to take these photos, the crabs started moving along the branch.....
.....they pushed and pushed.......
........right off the end!
Red-footed Booby
Young Red-footed Booby
 
1

Sailinggromit

Who: Michael, Cornelia, Zoe, Maia, Liam. Photo: At Tilloo Bank, Elbow Cay, Bahamas (photo by Frank Taylor)
Port: Toronto