The cap'n and first mate returned to Trinidad on Nov. 2 and started work on Lover Of The Light. The interior of the boat was in great condition, we highly recommend using an AC unit during the Trinidad summer months. A local Trinidadian watched the boat for us in our absence and kept the exterior clean. We seem to have avoided infestation of insects and other things, with the exception of an active baseball sized bee's nest that was somehow hanging off the very end of the mast. This was duly dispatched in short order.

It rains a lot in Trinidad! No surprise but it makes for non-ideal working conditions.

Click on Gallery and "Week 1" to see Pictures

Here is what we have got done in Week 1:

1) The cabinway hatch cover is replaced (see pic).
2) The standing rigging is being replaced. (see pic) The lower shrouds and checkstays are now holding the rig in place with halyards fore and aft. The new aft stays, head stays, and capstan wires are cut and we are waiting for new turnbuckles to arrive.
3) The temporary wiring installed by the cap'n to the Tri-color Masthead light on the day of departure of the Caribbean 1500 has been removed along with the light for inspection and will be permanently re-wired and installed.
4) We removed the Muir windlass, and are plugging and refinishing the deckboards on the bowsprit in preparation to install the new Lofrans Falkon windlass. (see pics)
5) The Raymarine cockpit speaker was rebuilt by soldering a new speaker into the unit (it works now :)
6) Maintenance and polishing was started on the deck stainless steel
7) Lastly, we did a major unpack of the boat and the gear/spares we brought and are continuing to now update our inventory logs as we repack the boat.