First order of the day, change belts, check fluids, etc. Topped oil on both engines, and on to the Belts.

So I tried something, used some good ole fashioned bailing wire to tie some emory cloth (sandpaper) to the worn alternator belt and start the engine, and let it sand off the rust spots since the belt was worn anyway.

Start up the engine, Nope. No juice, Jump to house batteries still not enough juice, clean connection on starter, still not doing the trick. Hmmmm. Fire up other engine to make more electricity, still no dice. Contemplate, re-switch the start battery off then on, and then jump to house batteries, and we got things to start. When that alternator belt gets loose it doesn’t charge the starting battery for squat. Any way it ran, till the emory cloth few off, the pulleys were a bit sanded down, we will see if lasts.

While in the port room, commissioned up the water maker, had previously replaced the filters in preparations, so it was to be an easy task. Had checked the power and valves were in the correct possitions, and fired it up. It didn’t want to start, the pumps wouldn’t kick on? Hmm, duh for some reason the main switch wasn’t on, I could have sworn I turned it on before climbing down into the engine room. another 10 mins wonder how senile I’ve become.

All systems running, time for breakfast. Shut down the starboard engine, and made a pretty damn good omelette, ham and cheese this morning.

The call was to go somewhere with internet, we didn’t want to go back to Clifton, too busy. The keys didn’t have good internet, we thought about going to Canouan, but its too early to go north. So a motor to make water and electricity over to PSV, Petite St Vincent, and see if the private resort island had wifi. Seem to remember picking it up once there.

Left the peaceful setting of Chatham Bay and round the corner through the reefs to the island. I got my gps way points confused and started heading on our last trip which was down the east side of Carriacou to Grenada, no worries, it too was a way through the reefs to get to PSV.

Made a pizza upon arrival, couple of cold beverages, then about to head out in the dingy for snorkel on the surrounding atlantic reef, when a Dream Yacht Charter monohull comes in and precedes to anchor, or attempts to anchor right in front of us. 6 times they don’t get the hook to set, seems the only thing they know about scope is for mouthwash. They finally get some bite, and the wind had shifted enough that they would come down on someone else, if it broke free. So we went off to snorkel.

Zigged and Zagged through the skinny water in the dingy till we found a primo spot. Not sure what that is, just a place to try and see some creatures. Tossed the dingy anchor over and we jumped overboard, in the rolling sea, the reef was not terribly alive, there were some fish, we saw box faced puffers, lots of tangs, even a string ray was out cruising the grounds, we made one loop of a big shallow patch and decided it was enough of a fight against surf and back to the boat for a rinse and shirt to have a drink and the fancy bar and maybe get a wifi code for stronger wifi.

Ashore, we had a drink, asked about wifi, and they have NONE, a fancy high-end boutique joint like that without wifi, how can they justify their prices without basic unalienable rights like WiFi. Had our drink, watched the Dream Yacht Charter move yet again and another charter boat come in behind them. Good, a buffer.

Chicken and pasta and Christine made a great salad, course a rum and diet to cap off a great day.

Out there is the Atlantic Ocean.

Dive on in. Water is nice.

The day after xmas, I’m not exactly sure what boxing day is. They day you box up all your toys, or box up your Christmas decoration or supposed to spend watching Mike Tyson for hours on end? What ever it is we were slow to get moving, that Christmas Rum Punch packed a wallup. We made the best of it.

The day was spent cleaning, and on little boat projects and lounging in the tranquility of random wind gusts from various angles in the lovely Chatham bay. I cleaned the port bilges, seems these bilge things are magnets for what ever ends up on the floor, lots of little things flakey things and random screws. Its also where the bilge pumps are to pump out water incase it somehow comes aboard, so having clean bilges lessens the chance that a little piece of debris clogs up the filters, plus I really like ours to be dry bilges. So we know immediately if / when there is a leak in there.

Christine tackled the Starboard side, we have lots of ‘necessary items’ stored in the bilge, not sure how ‘necessary’ they are but every now and again its good to have random bits to fix/rig things. Since I had messed with that paddle wheel there was a cup of water on the starboard side, so that had to be sucked up with a sponge, a few time as there is one long tube thats next to impossible to dry.

Chatham bay, normally has internet, but the Aqua Bar and Grill just wasn’t doing the trick, so no calls skype, no text to family were made. 🙁

Cleaned the port engine room a little bit, found my belts worn and needing a tightening/replacement. Course I brought some for the small alternator as we keep chewing threw them, as the pulleys get rusty when just sitting around. So I tried something, used some good ole fashioned bailing wire to tie some emory cloth (sandpaper) to the worn alternator belt and start the engine, and let it sand off the rust spots since the belt was worn anyway.

Start up the engine, Nope. No juice, Jump to house batteries still not enough juice, clean connection on starter, still not doing the trick. Hmmmm. Fire up other engine to make more electricity, still no dice. Contemplate, re-switch the start battery off then on, and then jump to house batteries, and we got things to start. When that alternator belt gets loose it doesn’t charge the starting battery for squat. Any way it ran, till the emory cloth few off, the pulleys were a bit sanded down, we will see if lasts.

While in the port room, commissioned up the water maker, had previously replaced the filters in preparations, so it was to be an easy task. Had checked the power and valves were in the correct possitions, and fired it up. It didn’t want to start, the pumps wouldn’t kick on? Hmm, duh for some reason the main switch wasn’t on, I could have sworn I turned it on before climbing down into the engine room. another 10 mins wonder how senile I’ve become.

All systems running, time for breakfast. Shut down the starboard engine, and made a pretty damn good omelette, ham and cheese this morning.

The call was to go somewhere with internet, we didn’t want to go back to Clifton, too busy. The keys didn’t have good internet, we thought about going to Canouan, but its too early to go north. So a motor to make water and electricity over to PSV, Petite St Vincent, and see if the private resort island had wifi. Seem to remember picking it up once there.

Left the peaceful setting of Chatham Bay and round the corner through the reefs to the island. I got my gps way points confused and started heading on our last trip which was down the east side of Carriacou to Grenada, no worries, it too was a way through the reefs to get to PSV.

Made a pizza upon arrival, couple of cold beverages, then about to head out in the dingy for snorkel on the surrounding atlantic reef, when a Dream Yacht Charter monohull comes in and precedes to anchor, or attempts to anchor right in front of us. 6 times they don’t get the hook to set, seems the only thing they know about scope is for mouthwash. They finally get some bite, and the wind had shifted enough that they would come down on someone else, if it broke free. So we went off to snorkel.

Zigged and Zagged through the skinny water in the dingy till we found a primo spot. Not sure what that is, just a place to try and see some creatures. Tossed the dingy anchor over and we jumped overboard, in the rolling sea, the reef was not terribly alive, there were some fish, we saw box faced puffers, lots of tangs, even a string ray was out cruising the grounds, we made one loop of a big shallow patch and decided it was enough of a fight against surf and back to the boat for a rinse and shirt to have a drink and the fancy bar and maybe get a wifi code for stronger wifi.

Ashore, we had a drink, asked about wifi, and they have NONE, a fancy high-end boutique joint like that without wifi, how can they justify their prices without basic unalienable rights like WiFi. Had our drink, watched the Dream Yacht Charter move yet again and another charter boat come in behind them. Good, a buffer.

Chicken and pasta and Christine made a great salad, course a rum and diet to cap off a great day.

Matt has been so good and diligent about blogging that I didn’t feel compelled to interject and ruin his flow. It has been a very restful trip, great weather, little rain, no squalls, visits to our favorite bays with some of our favorite locals, and of course good food! The trip started off fabulous as I was able to procure an entire case and a half of Shandy! For those of you who know me, you might think I am a bit of a picky drinker (some might even know my drink order by heart :). I do have several bottles of vodka on board, but mixers are hard to come by and a girl cannot drink vodka all day. Shandy is a pseudo beer made by Carib that has all of 1.2% alcohol and lots of fun flavors. In addition, the local IGA in Grenada (it’s like a real U.S. supermarket) had diet ginger-ale and diet sprite–SCORE! Not only can I have a cool refresher with Matt, I have mixers for my vodka. I think this was the first trip that we bought more liquid for me than for the boys.

Without our dear friend Wayne, I have had the opportunity (or duty) to help on deck a lot more. So far, not so bad (with the exception of putting on the main sail – that sort of sucked at 600lbs). Well, cleaning the bilges weren’t much fun either. Matt and I have found a comfortable pattern for setting/dousing sails, anchoring, and sailing. To be honest, the boat is so awesome it is not hard to handle with 2 people, just easier when you have a bartender and an extra set of muscles.

I know its a boat (Break Out Another Thousand or Bend Over Another Time), but this trip seems to be challenging all of Matt’s Tool Time Tim skills. So far he has already fixed or “jimmied” the port light switch, the gas stove burner, grill stand, auto pilot, kitchen faucet, latch on the starboard engine hatch, port side battery (had to buy a new one in Grenada as our trusty one from St. Lucia decided it did not want to play anymore), and two of my bikini tops!

Of course there are always boat projects on the pending list…install rear speakers, install latches on bow compartments, clean out engine rooms, fix interior ceiling, re-teak all the exterior wood, stain interior wood, and replace belts on port engine–these are just top of mind. Of course this is in between sailing, reading, chilaxing, going ashore, and enjoying the Caribbean sun. We will most likely have St. Lucia rebuild our windlass (poor thing just isn’t right), rebuild our port large wench, replace our large zincs, rebuild the outboard motor and look at our port sail drive seal.

The only truly frustrating aspect has been the lack of internet and inability to communicate with my family. But they are in good hands and I trust in God to protect them while I am away. So, for this first week, I’ve learned a lot, got a little suntan, read some good books, learned that I cannot limbo as far as I used to, but I can hold my breath long enough to retrieve some sea treasures, and met many new friends! Great way to end the year!

In the islands you but sugar, flour, etc… In baggies