To put it simply, we do every day tasks and chores that take all day. Part is exploring, part is accomplishing, and part is failure.
Between he sunsets we forage
Exploring, that fine art of looking to see what resources are where and when they are available, it involves wandering around or taking busses, or taxi or renting a car if necessary. We will wander through every grocery store or convenience store we see and walk the isles looking for the “unobtanium“. The hard part becomes remembering what you saw and WHERE you saw it, when it becomes and item on the list, grocery or boat task. Also talking to other cruisers on the shopping bus and the perpetual happy hour to share what has been learned in the short amount of time we have amassed on the island.
Accomplishing, the fine art of knocking something off “the list” The list always grows and order of precedence changes daily based on availability and level of need. Grocery runs become easier the longer you stay in the same spot as you know what you will find, assuming you can remember where you exploration took you.
Failure, when seemingly easy tasks don’t get completed during the desired period of time. Today for example, we had done the exploration and talked to lots of folks who seemed to know what they were talking about. Our thought for today’s mission was to fill up a propane tank that had recently run out, a couple days ago. Not to worry we have a backup 20 pounder and lots of 5 and 7 pounders as backups.
Exploration was on the internet and noon site – where it says to contact Propane Paul and he will get it done for you, even delivers to your boat. Contact info had a phone number – Great call that…Oops, out of minutes on the Digicel voice – okay no issues, a top up is in order. Can do that online, but our data plan was fubar – luckily we have a backup to that when on the boat and used the Sugar Shack WiFi which ain’t too bad, 5Gb up and down in the middle of the night, not so great during the day tho. We managed to get a top up of minutes and make the call. “Cellular customer you are trying to reach is out of the area or has phone turned off” – Great an hour plus spent trying to figure out the TopUp procedure for not, failure. Contact option #2, Paul is on a boat in the bay and picks up at the local sailing center. Dinghy ride it is. Dinghy on over, start asking questions, get directed to his house, spot his boat on the way – no one home. Talk the neighbor on the dock and learn that Paul is out delivering a boat to Europe and won’t be back for a while, and not sure if he is doing the propane thing any more. Failure again. Over the course of several shopping buses we chatted with other cruisers who were looking for LPG but wanted it filled in their European bottles. And they had said the gas station on the bus route will fill them for them if they had the correct fitting. So on our walk about on the Apple Mission, we stopped in a Kooyman – local HomeDepot but clean and shinny with great customer service. Low and behold they sold american style propane tanks to go with the bbqs, so we asked 2 different folks if we needed an adapter for our american 20lb tanks. Of course we got a different answer than I had just got when asking a guy on the street who was selling food out of food truck with propane, he said we needed an adapter Kooyman said no – just go to the gas station. Filled with doubt and full of hope, we tasked Saturday with filling the Propane because what else do we have to do this morning.
Jumped on the shopping bus, asked Angelo to stop early at the gas station so we wouldn’t have to carry the empty bottle that far. Perfect, we roll up the ladies in the cage, we ask about propane, I show her the bottle. And then it starts…the shaking of the head. Uh-Oh – not a good sign. She says we need to go to the place next to the KFC in Santa Rosa, uh? How do we get there, she says hold on, closes the small window and eventually says it’s 2 bus rides to get there. Hmm.. Decision time, we can walk back and catch the shopping bus back to the boat, or continue on this quest. Continue gets the nod, out comes Maps.Me again. We search for KFC and low and behold it comes up. Only 2.3 miles away. Now walk or take the bus to downtown and then a 2nd bus to Santa Marta. Walk got the nod. Luckily its the empty tank and we’ll take the 2 buses on the way back for sure. Battery running low on iPhone we spot the KFC and shortly the CurOil where this magical propane tank is. So close to success. Spot the other locals getting tanks filled, ask what the process is, and learn you have to pay first. I again show the lady behind the window the tank and the american valve, and almost immediately she starts to shake her head. What I just carried this tank over 2 miles and there is an issue? Another attendant came over and explained the machine for our valve is not working, and mentioned that the one that is working is on the other side of town, another 2 bus rides away. Ugh, so I ask when will their machine will be fixed, and he levels with me and said its been broken for over a year.
At least its a light propane tank to lug around for miles
Well then, beat hot and tired of all this walking and exploring the past week, we catch a mini bus – the ones that change the prices based on the way they feel. We asked the locals on the bus what it cost, but when we went to get off and pay that amount we had to add and extra Naf each, for the same route – oh to add insult to injury we arrived at 10:02am at the main bus station and our bus left at 10 and next one at 11am. We made the most of it, went to the fresh fruit market and scored some deliciousness fresh from Venezuela for a 10Naf, or about $5 USD.
Yum fresh from Venezuela.
Back to the boat to watch the windsurfers and sailing class enjoy the gusts to 30 knots in the anchorage.
Youth sailing practice.
Windsurfers enjoying the breeze