Saturday, October 30, 2010

Much ado about....nothing - thank goodness. We understand now why insurers consider Trinidad a good place for Yachts during Hurricane season. Yesterday, we all listened to the warnings, prepped our boats and talked with each other about the possibilities and monitored the hurricane sites online. The City of Port of Spain was essentially shut down Yesterday after 2pm and both meetings and scheduled events were cancelled to prepare. Tomas became a tropical storm, with 40 mph winds yesterday at about 5pm...but maintained a west northwest course and as of this morning was 60 plus miles north of us, but still heading. By 2 pm He was officially a hurricane with 75+ MPH winds and at 5pm he is making landfall on St. Vincent. I can tell you, watching this on the net or TV is a lot different when you are potentially in the danger zone. As it turns out...we had a great movie nite and not a drop of rain after a short cloudburst at about 5pm...which is typical anyway.

However, that didn't stop us from worrying a little last night and between that and the garbage being collected at 4:30AM! We had a bit of a restless night's sleep. At 20 to 6 we got up and checked the weather and the radio to see if the Market shopping trip was still on, and off we went to get our fruits and veggies. This is also the fish and meat market, so the first order of business is a mad dash to the last building in the complex to get shrimp...and fresh fish...then a wander thru the rest of the booths to get spices, fresh veggies, fruit and clothing, if you are interested. After leaving we made a quick stop at the HiLo supermarket, and with a van full of 10 passengers, each person having at least three bags, and most of us more packing the van and handling the ride home was a puzzle makers dream. Jim as one of only 2 men on the bus advised the ladies that this was his first and last trip to the market. There is barely room for him in these vans to begin with, but add parcels to the load and the fit gets uncomfortably tight.

After we put most of the groceries away, we scrubbed down the trampoline bottom then Jim got started on the coach roof and deck again. I ran to put some laundry in then came back just about the time he was finished (good timing!) to apply the WoodyWax topcoat.

As we were just about finished the guys who are interested in our dingy and engine came by and so we hauled it right down to the launch ramp, hooked up the motor and off they went. Considering that we talked to them on Thursday and today is Saturday and everything is done and good to go we feel incredibly blessed how everything is falling into place.

All this, and can you believe that it is only 2pm? We have had a full day already...and it's barely past lunchtime.