The motor sail of 9NMs along the coast to Rodney Bay was scenic and very pleasant. It was agreed that we should anchor off Rodney Bay beach for lunch, a long stretch of sand that is home to continuous resorts and water loving tourists. We got buzzed many times by the jet ski boys, one of whom I felt I eyeballed up on the bow as he sped within metres of Trilogy as we anchored.
Our guest cooks excelled themselves with delicious seared tuna, mango salad and mashed potato with a touch of wasabi...try it sometime! The meal over, we entered a narrow access channel to Rodney Bay marina and first stop in the lagoon was the fuel wharf. There was a bit of confusion initially because the fuel guy asked if we had checked in and insisted that we do this first! He was referring to customs clearance but we thought he meant the marina. Once the misunderstanding had been resolved we all laughed, the fuel was loaded and we happy campers. The marina communications went well, but the request for a berth on the west side of the pontoon was not understood which meant the skipper had to manoeuvre Trilogy’s bow in first, which is not so easy, especially if the wind catches the bow....and it did. However we got the bow line secured quickly and all was well.
With the remainder of the day, the decks were given a thorough wash down and the bathrooms cleaned. Being the last night for our delightful guests, Stephanie produced a bottle of champagne to celebrate and thank us for the wonderful experience. It had certainly been our pleasure.
Next day was all about cleaning thoroughly below decks and getting more spare parts from the chandlery. By early afternoon Trilogy was shiny bright from top to toe, the laundry had been done, fresh linen on the beds and the girls packed and ready to depart. We ate a delicious Japanese lunch at the marina restaurant Rituals Sushi, as our farewell to the girls.
Before long, Sue and Peter Lucey arrived by taxi from the airport and it was time for them to settle in to their Trilogy berth. It is always a great pleasure to welcome Sue and Peter and they bring so much to the journey. Before we knew it we were sipping GNTs and sharing news from home. Dinner was at BBs was delicious, the men choosing rotis while the girls chose chicken coconut curry. There was an excellent Caribbean singer/steel drum player in the back of the restaurant which set up a lively pulse.
Next day was devoted to a restock shop and the boys held a ‘business meeting’ to reprioritise the jobs list. They made contact with a desalination expert who agreed to come in the afternoon. The day slipped away but we were had achieved a lot, as the food was stowed and the water maker issues better understood. The desalination expert, Egbert, recommended removing the pre-filter (raw water filter) to below the waterline adjacent to the pump. A secondary recommendation was inserting a so called ‘lift’ pump, to pressurise the sea water input side of the desalination, which is the option the guys chose. The raw water filter was left in place and a new lift pump was installed, along with a new filter, the system bled of air and the accumulator reseated. Dinner was enjoyed at Rituals Sushi, which again served a delicious spread of sushi and sashimi on a beautiful bamboo yacht shaped platter.
After a good sleep, the day dawned and we planned to depart no later than 13:00. Alas, the boys had not found time to do the grog shop...and that definitely had to happen! While the boys worked on the water maker, the girls took another taxi ride to Rodney Bay Mall to boost the Bombay and Baileys supplies. The boys wanted Carib beer in cans but alas, only Heineken was on offer in cans, and otherwise glass bottles were all that were available. Just maybe it will be a beer-less boat for a bit! The girls escaped to Cafe Olé for a cooling drink and Wifi time while the boys continued to repair the water maker and when Egbert returned he completed the task and the water maker worked like a charm. Yet another issue could be ticked off the maintenance and repair list!
We departed Rodney Bay marina at 16:00 and with main and head sails aloft, we motor sailed the 9NMs south to Marigot Bay in an easterly 10-15 knots of breeze. Trilogy was humming and effortlessly reached 10 knots speed. Back in Marigot for the night, we were all keen to cool off with a swim before the sunset. Before we knew it, we were sipping on GNTs and tucking into spaghetti bolognaise with a side of fresh local beans and of course plenty of red, red wine!