Speedwell of Hong Kong

Musings and tales from the high seas

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Archive for the ‘Trinidad and Tobago’ Category

Living Quietly at Anchor

Saturday, November 5th, 2016

By the middle of September I had been in Trinidad for my allotted 3 months and had to decide whether it was time to leave and brave the remainder of the hurricane season in the more vulnerable islands further north or apply for an extension of my stay for a further 90 days after which it would be a safer time to leave. Ever cautious, I opted for the extension. It involved a visit to the immigration office in Port of Spain and an outlay of $TT500, four hundred of which, being the penalty for having a South African passport. One tries to get used to it.

 

Dwarfed by the Travellift

Dwarfed by the Travellift

Once my extended stay was assured, I arranged to get hauled out for a quick antifouling job and a few other routine maintenance issues. I had spent a month anchored in Carenage Bay just around the corner from the Chaguaramas anchorage. The Trinidad and Tobago Sailing Association has their clubhouse there and it was a comfortable place to be. A nice floating dinghy dock, bar, shower facilities and swimming pool. What more could one want? Unfortunately it is also wide open to the prevailing wind and swell. All the club boats are on fore and aft moorings facing into the weather. Visiting boats may anchor outside the mooring field, which is what I did. All was fine until the first time the wind picked up and then the anchorage became almost untenable. I would certainly have moved on if I hadn’t already paid to stay for a month. But I grinned and bore it and on the bad days had to just stay on board as it was too rough for me to row ashore.

 

Crusty Prop

Crusty Prop

When the time came to move to the Travellift dock to be hauled out I found that the prop had become so fouled with barnacles that we were unable to move under power. Not able to even make progress against the tide. Sailing through the mooring field against the tide was not an option. I quickly dropped the anchor again and as the club launch happened to be passing at the time, they agreed to tow me in.

Time spent on the hard is always a bit of an ordeal and this occasion was no exception. Heat, mosquitoes, dust. After two weeks I’d had enough and decided to leave all non-essential jobs for ‘later’.

It was bliss to be floating again and as soon as I’d packed away the fenders and ropes needed for the relaunch, I sailed off to Chacachacare, a small island about 6 nm from Chaguaramas. The sail looked beautiful and it was downwind all the way. It was a weekday and I was the only boat there. While having a celebratory cup of tea in the cockpit I noticed a biggish white bird perched high on the branch of a tree close to the waters edge. I had a good look through the binoculars and saw that it was a big white hawk with mottled black wings. My birdbook identified it as an immature White Hawk. What a thrill – a completely new bird to me. The water was clear and I was able to swim again – a real treat after being anchored in the filthy water surrounding Chaguaramas.

 

White Hawk (GooglePics)

White Hawk (GooglePics)

I spent a few days relaxing in the tranquil surroundings and then had to head back to town for supplies as I’d left before doing any shopping, so desperate was I to escape the turmoil. It was just a short stop and soon I was off again to another quiet spot on Monos Island where my friends on Saoirse Mor and Voyage were hanging out. A wonderful place to be with a small beach and lots of coconut trees. There was much foraging for limes, coconuts and grapefruit. Too early for the soursops and guavas. There must have once been a small farm on the island. Now there are just a scattering of upmarket holiday places and a few more simple dwellings with permanent inhabitants. There is an influx of people at the weekends but nothing like the chaos of Scotland Bay.

 

Monos Island Coconut Beach

Monos Island Coconut Beach

I plan to base myself here until I’m ready to leave. Now and then a quick visit for the day to go shopping in town and then back to this lovely spot. The others have left now, heading up to Grenada for Halloween so I’m pretty much alone.

 

Small house on Monos

Small house on Monos

After experiencing how quickly the prop became covered with tenacious barnacles I resolved to find a better way of protecting it. Up to now I have always used the same antifouling paint that I used on the hull, but with the spinning of the prop it doesn’t last very long. No problem in water that’s clean enough to swim in as it’s easy to reach and I can get in and clean it off when necessary. But when the water looks too toxic this is not something that I enjoy doing. Before relaunching I sprayed the prop with an epoxy based zinc spray made by Petitte. It’s probably too soon to tell if it’s really as effective as I’ve been told it should be, but so far, after a month, it seems to be working. Just to be safe, as I plan to spend a few weeks at a time here in Monos, I have also tied a black plastic bag around the blades of the prop. I have been told that this should totally prevent anything from growing there. It will be interesting to see how it works. I’m not so sure about getting into the water in Chaguaramas to tie a bag on the prop, so anchoring there will have to be restricted to just one or two days at a time. Well, it’s a good idea to keep the boat moving anyway.

Posted in Birds, Cruising, Trinidad and Tobago | 1 Comment »

Surviving Chaguaramas

Sunday, August 21st, 2016

It’s about 60nm from Store Bay at the Southern end of Tobago to Boca de Monos where one approaches the sheltered waters of Trinidad’s Chaguaramas Bay. The moon was full and I started out at sunset, expecting to have to motor most of the way as there was very little wind. The first hour or two were rolly and uncomfortable, as a strong current runs through the channel, then the wind picked up, the sea calmed down and for the rest of the night I enjoyed a beautiful moonlight sail arriving at the Boca just after sunrise. With the wind in my favour I hoped to be able to sail all the way to Chaguaramas. But it was spring tide and it was running against us. It took the engine plus the sails to make headway against the raging current rushing out through the Boca. The wind was blowing against the tide causing high standing waves. We struggled through the narrow, rocky channel doing about half a knot and eventually made it into calmer water. Soon I had the sail down and was motoring through the anchored boats looking for a safe place to drop the anchor. Due to the strong currents that swirl around the bay, a lot of swinging room is needed. I found a spot at last, a bit further from the shore than I had hoped for, but not impossible. There were quite a few familiar boats, some recently arrived, others still there from when I left three years ago.  I had a short nap, a strong cup of coffee and smartened myself up to report to customs and immigration.

 

A big ship squeezes in past the boats

A big ship squeezes in past the boats

I spent the next two weeks getting essential things done. A part for the engine had to be ordered from the UK, a mailing address had to be arranged and some basic provisioning taken care of. The rum and beer stocks had been getting seriously low. No more avocados and mangos lying about waiting to be picked up next to the road. Here they have to be expensively purchased. I did the rounds of the boatyards to see what it would cost to haul out and decided to postpone the exercise till later in the season and do as much work as possible while in the water.

 

One Unlucky Fish

One Unlucky Fish

One morning I groggily made my way to the galley to fix my first cup of coffee for the day and to my amazement noticed a beautiful yellow tailed fish lying inside on the cabin sole. It must have leapt clean through one of the portholes in a desperate bid to escape a predator. Poor fish. I cleaned him up and had a delicious breakfast.

 

A better place to anchor

A better place to anchor

Working on the boat while anchored in Chaguaramas is not easy, as the constant fast boat traffic is very disturbing. Big ships are constantly being shepherded in by tugs to tie up to the dock. The deep channel passes very close to the yacht moorings. The massive wake of the pilot boats passing close by at hull speed knocks over anything that isn’t tied down. The only option was to find a calmer place to anchor, so as soon as possible I moved around to Scotland Bay, a beautifully protected place about 5 miles away. It held sad memories for me as this is where I lost my dear cat, Sinbad, almost exactly 3 years ago.

 

A path through the jungle

A path through the jungle

It is a wonderful place, surrounded by tropical rain forest. Green turtles cruise gently around and occasionally there is a flurry of silvery fish breaking the surface of the water as they attempt to avoid becoming the dinner for something bigger. Well, that’s what it’s like during the week.

At weekends it becomes a favourite destination for big double-decker party boats which arrive laden with literally hundreds of revellers and state-of-the-art sound equipment with gigantic loudspeakers blasting non-stop, deafening, soul-destroying soca ‘music’. It’s jump-up time and the natural wildlife cowers. Other weekenders roar up on jet skis or fast power boats towing water skiers, or just showing off their matched triple array of 300HP outboard engines. Blissfully, most go home when it gets dark. Some boats deliver parties of campers who set up tents ashore. They soon have generators going to power their bright lights and essential music so that they can spend the night communing with nature.

 

My breezy new spray dodger

My breezy new spray dodger

But when Monday comes around it’s quiet again. Often I’m the only boat there. I watch the parrots bossily squawking to each other as they fly overhead in pairs on their daily commute. A resident king fisher sits watchfully on a low branch overhanging the water. Three yellow-headed caracaras forage about to see what the picnickers have left. My favourite little turtle pops his head out for a breath of air and a look around. The mangrove swallows swoop and twitter, sometimes settling on the bow pulpit. In the early mornings I like to paddle my kayak around the bay just to see what I might see. One morning a troop of howler monkeys were swinging about in the mangroves just a few feet away. I watched transfixed. They are not very big but make the most blood-curdling noise imaginable when they start to ‘howl’. They do this two or 3 times a day and the sound reverberates awesomely around the bay.

 

Sewing the dodger

Sewing the dodger

One of the jobs that I’m happy to have managed to do while anchored here is sewing a new spray-dodger. The old one had become very scruffy and a few years ago I had replaced the window with new clear plastic, but had been too lazy to put zips in, so it wasn’t possible to open it and let the breeze through to the cockpit, an unimportant detail in cold places, but a bit of a problem in the tropics where that cooling breeze makes a big difference. It was quite a challenge to cope with the cutting-out and sewing in the confined space available on Speedwell. Constant tropical downpours (it is the rainy season after all) made it impractical to work outside. My little sewing machine performed like a champion and I’m quite pleased with the results.

 

A handy pocket for cans

A handy pocket for cans

 

 

 

Posted in Cruising, Trinidad and Tobago | No Comments »

Tobago Days

Saturday, July 23rd, 2016

Looking down on Pirates Bay

Looking down on Pirates Bay

Yesterday I reluctantly sailed away from Charlotteville, heading for Trinidad and the boatyards of Chaguaramas. The time had come to get started on the myriad of small, and some not so small, jobs that needed to be done to keep Speedwell seaworthy. I had spent more than a month in the beautiful setting of Pirates Bay.

 

Hauling in the nets

Hauling in the nets

Walking along the main beach in front of the village, I would often stop to watch the fishermen hauling in their nets. These were mainly filled with small fish which they then kept in floating pens and used as bait for their main catch. Each haul of small fish attracted hundreds of birds, eager for the pickings.

 

Hungry Birds

Hungry Birds

Pelicans, frigate birds, terns and laughing gulls. Village children would also scurry about collecting bags of the tiny fish that fell out of the nets. Free food for the taking.

 

Fruit, flowers and free range chickens along the road

Fruit, flowers and free range chickens along the road

The abundance of fruit along the paths and tracks that I walked was quite amazing. Everywhere I looked there was something lusciously edible waiting to be picked. Breadfruit, mangoes, avocadoes, star fruit, papayas, coconuts, cashews and bananas. Many mangoes fell to the ground and I was always able to collect a few that hadn’t yet been pecked by the birds or free ranging chickens, and were still in perfect condition. How could you go hungry in a place like this?

 

In the rain forest

In the rain forest

One of my more memorable walks took me along the road to Hermitage, a tiny settlement perched on a steep slope on the opposite side of the bay.

 

Oropendula nests

Oropendula nests

Near the start of the walk I picked up a full bag of avocados which were lying next to the road. A few heavily laden branches of an avocado tree had been chopped down and just piled up as refuse. The bag was rather too heavy to carry on the long walk, so I left them in a secluded spot a bit further along. They were still there for me when I returned about 6 hours later.

There were wonderful views across the bay and down to a small jewel of a beach tucked away and only accessible by boat.

 

A secret beach

A secret beach

The narrow road winds along the coast, climbing steeply most of the way. It passes through wonderful tropical rainforest and the birdlife is magnificent. The road is paved so I could gaze about me without having to watch where I was putting my feet all the time. I spotted motmots, jacomars, cocricos, oropendulas and hummingbirds. I am very happy with my newish 10×42 binoculars which make it possible to get a really good look at the birds.  Unfortunately my camera isn’t able to capture decent pictures of these frustratingly elusive subjects.

 

Hermitage main street

Hermitage main street

It’s a long and thirsty walk and my water bottle was soon empty. To my delight I came upon a beautifully contrived water spout running along a bamboo gutter. I took a well-earned break in the leafy glade and refilled my bottle with the cool clear water.

 

Jungle water fountain

Jungle water fountain

I had hoped to be able to buy a cold beer when I reached the tiny village, but the best they had to offer was a brightly orange-coloured, artificial pineapple drink. At least it was cold and I could sit at a small roadside table with the stall-keeper and his dog.

 

Traditional log sawing demonstration

Traditional log sawing demonstration

On Monday the village celebrated a Heritage Festival, demonstrating traditional recipes and music. I don´t really enjoy crowds and didn´t stay for long, but enjoyed watching two men use a long vertical saw to slice a big log into even planks.

 

Hungry remoras

Hungry remoras

A family of Remoras had adopted Speedwell and were always there waiting for any edible scraps that I threw overboard. I had never encountered these fish before and was fascinated by them. They have a big flat patch on top of their head that acts as a suction cup allowing them to attach themselves to bigger fish and take advantage of any food nearby while enjoying protection from their host. My group ranged in size from about 20cm long to more than a meter, big enough to make me a little anxious about swimming amongst them in case one might decide to become attached to me. I like my daily swims around the boat, so had to pluck up the courage to get in there with them. They seemed mildly curious but never bothered me. I usually swam with a mask and snorkel so that I could keep an eye on them. Most days there would be other brightly coloured fish visiting. Now that I’m anchored at Store Bay 20nm further on at the southern tip of Tobago, three of the remoras are still with us. I’m not sure if they are new attachees or remnants of the Charlotteville group. It will be interesting to see if they stay with us all the way to Chaguaramas.

 

Butterflies everywhere

Butterflies everywhere

Posted in Birds, Cruising, Trinidad and Tobago | 1 Comment »

Pirates Bay, Tobago

Tuesday, June 28th, 2016

I set off hopefully one morning heading for Tobago about 90 miles away to windward. I had tried to time my start to coincide with a favourable direction of the current that runs through the channel between Carriacou and Grenada. It didn’t work quite as expected: sometimes it performed as I’d hoped and we ran merrily along at a thrilling 6 knots, then it would decide to work against us for a while and a few hours would be spent barely making 2 knots and unable to lay the course for any point along the coast of Tobago. At last, in the evening, it changed miraculously and sent us easily on our way, with Charlotteville now a distinct possibility. Next morning we started falling off again and for the last couple of hours I motor-sailed to avoid a full day of tacking back and forth.

 

The beach at Pirates Bay

The beach at Pirates Bay

We arrived in the lovely bay at Charlotteville at noon, 29 hours after leaving Tyrell Bay. I was happy enough as I had originally thought we would have to make landfall at Store Bay on the southern tip of the island and then work our way back along the coast.

 

A view of the anchorage

A view of the anchorage

There is a lovely anchorage at Pirates Bay and 5 or 6 boats were there, fairly close to the shore. I moved a little way off and dropped the anchor in 15m. The bottom falls off steeply. Oh well, my anchor windlass is pretty efficient and I have plenty of chain. I let out 50m and felt safe enough. The water is crystal clear and I could see the chain descending steeply to a blue infinity.

 

The concrete jetty and main beach

The concrete jetty and main beach

It is extremely important to arrive in Trinidadian waters during weekday working hours (8-4) as overtime rates apply at all other times. These times apply to the actual boat arrival time as well as the time that you clear in at the customs office. Woe betide those who dare to heave-to a few miles offshore and wait for the dawn. A massive fine could be imposed if you are spotted. All part of the anti-drug war, but a bit inconvenient for sailors on small junk rigged boats that don´t move accurately to time constraints. Fortunately, I was seen to arrive at noon and although I only managed to get to the customs and immigration people the next morning, I was not charged the overtime rate of US$40 to clear in, but the normal (more like abnormal) rate of US$10.

 

Steps going down the slope

Steps going down the slope

Once the official stuff was done, I took the dinghy across to the beautiful little beach at Pirates Bay and spent some time paddling along the shore before climbing the steep slope through the woods and on to a track that leads to the village. There are concrete steps all the way up the steep slope which make it relatively easy, and a few benches strategically placed half way and at the top. While I was taking a breather at the half-way mark I spotted an exquisite long-tailed bird with a turquoise crown on a high branch of a mango tree. From my description, a local bird man identified it for me as a blue-crowned motmot. I was thrilled and now peer hopefully around for more whenever I go for a walk.

 

Giant caterpiller

Giant caterpiller

Walking along the track I had a magnificent view of the bay. I also concentrated on collecting some mangos which are normally just left to lie on the track until they rot or get eaten by the wild creatures or ants. It was lucky that I had been looking at the ground for pickings, as I managed to avoid tramping on a brilliantly coloured caterpillar at least 6 inches long. He posed for a close-up. I would love to see the butterfly or moth that eventually emerges. Goats were grazing on the steep slope and breadfruit trees were heavily laden with almost ripe fruit.

 

Breadfruit tree near the village

Breadfruit tree near the village

I wandered on along the main beach that runs in front of the village. There is a long concrete jetty for the fishing boats and visiting dinghies. When school is over for the day, the kids have a great time jumping off the dock and swimming near the shore.

 

Laughing gulls waiting for scraps

Laughing gulls waiting for scraps

Hoards of laughing gulls wait patiently on the beach for scraps of fish from where the fishermen are cleaning their catch. They are very bold and just shuffle a little out of the way to let me pass.

Posted in Cruising, Trinidad and Tobago | 4 Comments »

Chaguaramus

Sunday, November 17th, 2013

 

Tuesday, 29 October 2013

Crowded Chaguaramus anchorage on a fine day

Speedwell was lifted out of the water again towards the end of September. An extended period of southerly winds had made the Chaguaramus anchorage even more uncomfortable than usual and I still had a lot of maintenance jobs on my to-do list. So back to Coral Cove and my home on the hard.

The first day or two were spent making the boat habitable in the hot and humid conditions. I rigged up a shady awning which would also keep the deck dry in the regular downpours and borrowed a big cooling fan to keep the air moving down below.

Big ships anchored out in the bay

The next few weeks were just a mindless, sweaty blur of treating the filthy rusty cast iron floors in the bilge. Performing yoga-like contortions to reach the worst areas underneath and behind the engine. Wearing contact lenses as the sweat pouring down my face made glasses unusable. At last after repeated acid treatments and a few coats of epoxy and expensive polyurethane paint they looked respectable again.

It was time to tackle repainting the deck and coach roof. This had to be done in sections but compared to the unspeakably awful bilge work, was easy enough. I treated myself to new foam bunk mattresses and got the old sewing machine out to make new covers. Blissfully comfy nights now. The companionway sliding hatch cover had to be removed and refurbished, a broken stanchion repaired, lifelines replaced, cockpit repainted and then I started with the varnishing. Speedwell is looking quite good but the potential for work is endless and it´s easy to see how some people get stuck in work mode and just never actually get back in the water.

Roadside bar

It´s not all work of course. A bus ride into town is an endless source of wonder for me. Three main modes of transport exist. The maxi-taxis are probably the most popular. They will stop anywhere along the road to pick you up. They follow set routes and depending on whether you are heading to Port of Spain or Diego Martin, the direction you point a finger indicates your intention to the driver and he will stop if that´s the way he´s heading and there are still seats available. It´s a quick,, reliable, convenient and cheap form of transport.

Another alternative is the municipal bus. A lot cheaper  than the maxis, but the tickets have to be bought in advance and there is only one per hour. They only stop at designated bus stops and the timetable is a bit hazy. So you may sometimes wait an awfully long time. If it all comes together you get a comfortable, often air-conditioned ride seated up high with big windows to admire the view and lots of legroom for shopping bags. The clientele is subtly different to the maxi-crowd,. Regulars greet each other as they get on. Dress seems more restrained. The oldies predominate. At the end of the line in Port of Spain, the run terminates at a magnificent old bus station near the dock area. This is the place to start a bus trip to practically any destination on the island.

Then there are the shared car taxis. No special identifying features other than an inquiring toot-toot as they slow down on the approach to see if you want a ride. Prices vary a bit depending on the driver but are usually about the same as the maxis.

All this makes Trinidad one of the easiest places to use public transport.

One of the cheap big busses

Sit back an enjoy the ride. Leaving Chaguaramus the narrow road hugs the coastline twisting round tight bends. Lush tropical growth right down to the edge of the road. The sea is usually quite calm and many big ships and fishing boats are anchored out. Some rafted up in twos and threes. Closer in there will be people cooling off in the water. Mostly just sitting with the water up to their necks. Sometimes all afternoon might be spent  socializing semi-submerged. Not a bad way to keep cool. Further on, small shops and bars crowd the edges of the road, Many roti shops that also advertise doubles, buss up, cow heel soup , goat stew. Beer of course or maybe maubi, sea-moss or sorrel to drink.

The impressive old bus terminal

The variety of skin colours, body shapes, hairstyles and clothing is dazzling. Everyone talking above the music in their lilting Trini version of English. The bus passes Carenage, Pt Cumana, Glencoe and then the more built up areas with big malls and blocks of flats as we approach the city of Port of Spain. Slow moving traffic. And at last my favourite bus terminus.

Posted in Cruising, Trinidad and Tobago | 1 Comment »

Back in the water

Friday, March 15th, 2013

Chaguaramas
Sunday, 10 March 2013

The boat is floating again and rocks me gently to sleep at night. A blissful feeling. After relaunching I immediately motored round to the anchorage at Scotland Bay to detox for a few days and finish off some more jobs that could easily be done on the water.

Sinbad not entirely happy

Sinbad was less enthusiastic about leaving the boatyard and his nightly prowls with the local cats but handled it bravely, well aware of where the next bowl of tuna was coming from.

I sat back and relaxed for a bit surrounded by the forest greenery and clear water. A pair of turtles swam around near the boat chasing small silvery fish.  A kingfisher watched the water closely from a vantage point on a mangrove root. Frigate birds circled and made mad fluttering swoops down to the surface of the water while big black corbeaux hopped and scuttled around on the small beach clearing up after the weekend picknickers. At night the water sparkled with phosphorescence and stars shone brilliantly – a beautiful contrast to the security fences and floodlighting of the boatyard.

I sat in the cockpit hand-stitching a new window in my spray dodger. The old one had become cloudy and brittle with cracks. Impossible to see through. I also neatened  off the new rigging after checking that I hadn’t forgotten anything.

Thursday, 14 March 2013

On Monday I sailed back to Chaguaramas and found a good spot to anchor in the bay. It was a gentle downwind sail and a chance to see that all my bits of string were as they should be. I couldn’t see any problems although it would have been nice if I had been able to afford to replace all the blocks. The old ones don’t seem to run all that freely anymore and in light air I have to push the boom out by hand.

Apart from a final appointment with the dentist my main reason for returning to town was to look for a new sewing machine, something which I consider to be an essential piece of equipment on my boat. Apart from using it for sewing and repairing sails, awnings, dodgers, lee cloths, flags, cushion covers, shopping bags, etc, I also use it to make most of my clothes. The old one had finally tested my patience to breaking point. It had never been intended for the sort of abuse I had inflicted on it. The last straw came when a fine spring flew out of the tension wheel while I was taking it apart in a vain attempt to correct the wildly looping stitches that were being produced, and as these things normally happen, disappeared through a crack in the floorboards and into the bilge – never to be seen again.

Fabric shop in Port of Spain

The search for a new machine was on. A good strong vintage hand-operated machine was my ideal and trawling through Trinidad’s yellow pages produced a couple of addresses in San Juan, a short distance from Port of Spain. I set off on my quest, starting from St James after that last bit of dentistry. The informal public transport system is wonderfully convenient and cheap. I shared a ‘taxi’ with 4 others and the helpful driver dropped me off at the bottom of Charlotte St where I was able to slip straight into the back seat of the next taxi with 4 other women heading out to San Juan. They knew where the sewing machine shops were and told the driver where to let me off. Unfortunately, the sad collection of second-hand machines were rusted up and missing essential bits. The only heavy-duty machines were of the seriously industrial sort with price tags well in excess of US$1000. Oh well, it was worth a try. Back in Henry St I found a brand new lightweight machine in my price range. No fancy stitches – just straight and zigzag. It runs nicely off my inverter and I’m sure I’ll be able to attach a flywheel and handle if the inverter dies one day.

Freshly painted and ready to launch

If the weather behaves as predicted, I’ll be off to Grenada before the end of the week, very happy with all that I’ve been able to get done here in Trinidad: Rudder fixed, mast repainted, battens repaired, new rigging, new antifouling, topsides painted, anti-siphon arrangement for the engine, dinghy refurbished, new spray dodger window. As usual the interior was a bit neglected so my plans for complete rewiring and new upholstery will have to wait for next time.

Tags: sewing machines
Posted in Cruising, Trinidad and Tobago | 1 Comment »

Hauled out in Chaguaramas

Saturday, January 26th, 2013

Saturday, 26 January 2013

I passed a tall ship in a floating dry dock as I entered Chaguaramas

After getting a good night’s sleep in Scotland Bay I motored round to Chaguaramas and picked up one of the convenient TTYA moorings, then a quick row to the Crewsinn dinghy dock to clear in and pick up supplies. There was more protective razor wire in evidence than I remembered from 2004 but otherwise nothing much had changed. I took a walk over to Budget Marine and feasted my eyes on all the expensive yottie gear. My galley hand pump for drinking water had been leaking badly despite umpteen attempts to repair it so I decided to treat myself to a new footpump. 10% off for cash and a great wad of notes changed hands. Soon it was installed along with a filter and I am delighted to have easily accessible water again without flooding the galley each time I fill the kettle.

Hauled out and getting cleaned up

Next, I strolled down the road checking prices at the various boatyards.  I had thought of trying to do all the work that could be done while still afloat at peaceful (except for the weekends) Scotland Bay but realized that it would be a major disadvantage not being able to use power tools, vacuum cleaner, etc. So I’ll just have to bite the bullet and get things done as quickly as possible in an expensive boatyard.

I spent a day shopping around for the best deal but there was not much difference between the various yards. I decided on Coral Cove as it was slightly cheaper than the rest and fairly quiet but still convenient to the shops. No problems getting lifted out and now it’s just a case of getting stuck in to the awful reality of hand sanding the bottom to remove some of the thick build-up of antifouling paint. It’s a bit slow but using wet sandpaper with the water hose running to wash away the residue seems more pleasant to me than using an electric sander which would entail goggles, breathing mask and full protective gear. Very sweaty.

Thursday, 14 February 2013

Sinbad takes it easy

Life in the boatyard labours on. Speedwell is looking bright and shiny again with a new coat of paint both top and bottom. I took the rudder off (with a little help from my friends) and had new Delrin bushes and washers made to take up the slack between gudgeons and pintles. I feel more confident with a rudder that doesn’t wobble.

Some help was also needed to lower the mast in its tabernacle but there were no mishaps once I’d figured out how to rig up the two control lines back to the cockpit winches, one to coax it into starting to move and the other to prevent it from crashing down once it started leaning over. There was quite a lot of chafe at the corners where the parrels strain against the mast but none had penetrated the fiberglass cladding so no real problems. Being able to lower the mast this way makes it really easy to do proper maintenance and I am eternally grateful to Pete Hill for doing such a wonderful job of constructing it for me.

Saturday, 16 February 2013

Fresh coat of paint, mast down, battens waiting

My battens had been looking a bit scruffy for a long time and now seemed a good opportunity to tidy them up. They are made of 38 x 1.5 mm aluminium tubing with a few wraps of unidirectional carbon fibre. At one time I had cut them and experimented with jointed battens but this was not successful and I had subsequently made them whole again with generously wrapped carbon ‘bandages’. The repaired joints were probably the strongest parts of the battens and over the years saw me safely through many bad weather experiences. But now I noticed that a few of the battens showed signs of corrosion which was forcing the carbon away from the aluminium tubing. It didn’t look too good. I was tempted to buy some new tubing and replace the lot but a closer look convinced me that they were worth saving. I removed the carbon cladding at the corroded sites and brushed away all the white powdery stuff before treating the damaged tubing with phosphoric acid. Then I coated it with an epoxy filling mixture to take up all the irregularities. A layer of 6oz glass cloth to provide a good base for a fresh layer of carbon fibre. The carbon went on today and is looking good despite a nasty little
rainshower just as I was finishing off.
I’m still hoping to be back in the water by the end of the month.

Tags: Battens, Mast tabernacle
Posted in Cruising, Junk Rig, Trinidad and Tobago | No Comments »

Night Run to Trinidad

Friday, January 25th, 2013

Saturday,  12 January 2013

I sailed away from Man of War Bay early in the morning with a twinge of regret to be leaving such a beautiful place. After a wobbly start with the wind swinging about from all directions down the steep hillsides of the bay, it was fast and exhilarating sailing along the north coast of the island. A strong current helping to speed things up. At one point I was surrounded by big playful dolphins, silvery flights of flying fish and a swirling and swooping group of hungry frigate birds. The sun was shining. It was a beautiful day. Not much of a test for the windward ability of my recently modified sail as the wind was behind me all the way. Everything was working as it should.

Store Bay waterfront

I stopped for the night at Store Bay to do a bit of socializing and shopping and set off on the 60nm crossing to Trinidad at 5pm planning to arrive at about 8 the next morning. There must have been some stormy weather further offshore as the sea was uncomfortably rough and lumpy without much wind. Just the merest sliver of a moon meant that most pf the night was blackly dark. A starry sky and brilliant phosphorescence in the water made it quite spectacular. Only one minor mishap when a big, irregular swell caused an unplanned gybe in the light wind and the sheet twisted and tangled around every possible obstruction. One of the sheetlets managed to get hooked up on a lazy jack cleat creating a very odd-shaped sail. I was forced to lower the sail and heave-to to sort out the shambles. Junk rig does have the occasional disadvantages.  Still, nothing was broken and we were soon on our way again.

Fast inter-island ferry crosses my path in the early morning

There was quite a lot of big ship traffic and two fast ferries on the crossing between Port of Spain and Scarborough.  Absolutely no chance of grabbing even 10 minutes of sleep. When the sun came up at about 6 I was struggling to stay awake. But soon enough we were at the narrow opening between craggy cliffs called Boca de Monos, one of the Dragons’ Mouths that has to be negotiated to reach Chaguaramas.

Approaching Boca de Monos

As luck would have it the tide was against us and any inclination to doze off disappeared as I was forced to fire up the engine to help us get through the rough water. We crept along at 1 knot with waves crashing against the cliffs on either side. The water is deep here – mostly over 40m – so it was just a case of staying in the middle and patiently plugging away. At last things calmed down a bit as we reached more open water and soon the entrance to Scotland Bay opened up to port. By now it was 10am and I decided to stop here for a while to get some sleep before facing the challenge of finding a place to anchor in Chaguaramas and reporting to the officials.

Peaceful Scotland Bay

I was last in Scotland Bay in 2004. Only 3 other boats were anchored there and it was even more beautiful than I remembered. I cracked a celebratory Carib and turned in to catch up on the sleep deficit.

Posted in Cruising, Junk Rig, Trinidad and Tobago | 2 Comments »

Man of War Bay, Tobago

Saturday, January 5th, 2013

Thursday, 27 December 2012 For the first couple of days a big rolling swell made getting ashore a bit risky for me in my light little dinghy but Angus and Ruth on ‘Do It’ were anchored nearby and very helpfully gave me a ride in their powerful inflatable so that I was able to clear with Customs and Immigration. I had spent some time in Tobago in 2003 and not much seemed to have changed.

Ruth, Beryl and Angus of the yacht 'Do It'

Christmas day saw virtually all the cruisers getting together ashore for a tasty buffet in a waterfront restaurant. It was a good chance to meet the yotties and the food was excellent, the beer flowed, an ice-bucket was rustled up for my bottle of champers and the meal was rounded off with some delicious ‘black cake’ and a rousing cheer for the chef. Yesterday I met up with David and Chrissie from ‘Shady Lady’ who I had last seen in Jacaré.  They took me to visit friends of theirs who have a house up the hill. They were busy fencing a chicken coop so that they could collect a few of the wild chickens that roam all over the village. I don’t think the birds were too happy about having their wings clipped and suddenly finding themselves in captivity. Later in the afternoon we were taken higher up the hill to have a look at a very grand but unfinished house perched high over the bay with magnificent views. A lemon tree clings precariously to the steeply sloping back garden and we were generously showered with a gift of lemons. Then coconuts had to be cut down from way up in the trees and cracked on a rock so that the delicious juice could be slurped.  Bunches of fragrant bay leaves added to the haul. Then back down to the shore for some liming on the dock before I was able to tactfully extricate myself and get back to the boat. It was an interesting introduction to the friendly locals.

Step class at Pirate Cove

Tuesday, 1 January 2013 After the lazy time I spent in Guyana I have resolved to be a bit more active and do some walking. I couldn’t be in a better place for it – not too hot, plenty of quiet tracks with spectacular views and birds, no venomous snakes. No excuses. Pirate’s beach is close to the anchorage and can be reached by dinghy but there is also an interesting walk that winds along the cliffs past the village and then descends steeply via concrete steps to the exquisite small beach. The steps are perfect for my fitness regime and the plan is to do them until I can make it to the top without having to make use of any of the thoughtfully placed benches for a breather. Saturday, 5 Jan 2013

Fruit Stall at Scarborough

I took the bus to Scarborough yesterday. It follows a spectacular, steep and hairpinned route through the hills and then follows the windward coast close to the sea. A few hours spent in town doing some desultory sightseeing and treating myself to a luxury icecream (red forest berries on hazlenut cream), I quickly stocked up with a few essentials at Penny Savers and headed back to the bus station in a little bit of a rush worried that I might miss the 12:30 bus and have to wait 2 hours for the next one. But, no panic, my bus only set off at 13:25 after some confusion about a missing driver. Tuesday, 8 January 2013

A cozy nook for Bokkom

The dinghy dock can get quite crowded and there is usually a bit of a swell running which moves the flock about, shoving some under the dock where they can get trapped when the tide rises. I prefer to haul Bokkom out of the water and have found a safe spot to stow her.

From the top of Flagstaff Hill

Today I walked to the top of Flagstaff Hill. A good alternative to the steps at Pirate Cove for my fitness campaign. The road climbs and twists steeply up above the village and then runs along at an easier gradient along the top of a ridge. All the way a dense profusion of trees – mango, breadfruit, banana and many others unknown to me. Most of the big trees support massive epiphytes some of which display spectacular pink and blue flowers.

A magnificent Traveller's Tree

Birdsong all around. Occasionally I was able to spot some shy Chacalacas flying from tree to tree. Once a flock of bright green parrots flew across the road a short way ahead of me and settled in a mango tree. Probably planning to feast on the mangos which were hanging heavily too high for me to reach. Noisy black Ani’s voiced their displeasure at being disturbed. The view from the top of the hill was spectacular. 20 knots of wind today was kicking up white horses out there. I’ll wait a few days before heading on to Trinidad.

Posted in Cruising, Trinidad and Tobago | 1 Comment »

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