Friday, September 30, 2011

Grenada Prickly Bay

It looks like this time for sure.  Preparing to move from the mooring and head to Scotland bay where we will anchor.  We are planning to leave, along with Spectre (Gary and Smitty), at five in the morning to Grenada.  It should be approximately a 12 to 14 hour sail.  Everyone is looking forward to it.  Jerome, Terence and I checked the charts and the weather this morning.  Leaving right now to get some more drinking water and stuff, see you all later!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

El Mar y Pablo Neruda/The Sea and Pablo Neruda

 The Old Women of the Ocean


To the solemn sea the old women come
With their shawls knotted around their necks
With their fragile feet cracking.

They sit down alone on the shore
Without moving their eyes or their hands
Without changing the clouds or the silence.

The obscene sea breaks and claws
Rushes downhill trumpeting
Shakes its bull's beard.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Sailing and Grocery Stores

Pancakes and Guava Syrup
I don't remember where it was that I read about this, somebody talking about how they considered grocery stores a tourist attraction or something like that.  Up until then I thought I was the only one who really enjoyed spending time exploring grocery stores wherever I went.  In particular,  I enjoy the spices section, and being in Trinidad, West Indies, I have a blast; here I usually buy lots of condiments and spices for my indian dishes as well as west indian dishes which I have learned to cook from the years we have visited these destinations and from our multicultural friends and family members.  My husband and I share an internal joke where we say the price of rotisserie chicken is an indicator of the economy of the place where we are at.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Mooring

 Mooring at  http://www.ttsailing.org/  On our way here we practiced motoring techniques; figure eight, reversing, 360; Terence became familiar with the helm and how the boat operates and I became re- acquainted with these matters after two years.  This little bay is very cute.  

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Laid Back Chillin

As promised more pictures.  Ladies and gents I've been so laid back today, completely chillin' and reading this book that is such pleasant literature, Germinal.  The guys went to have a haircut.   Bellow are pictures of this place just in front of our boat; it is a very small marina named Tropical Marina.  They have BBQ every day with vegetables, amazing beans and rice and pasta; friendly atmosphere and nice music.  There are two pool tables and a nice bar, everything very affordable and good.  Yesterday we stopped by and had some swordfish but the other day we had ribs and shrimp.  It's all good.  Thanks to Terence for bringing this nice camera and taking these nice photos!

"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." William A. Ward












Preparing and Repairing

Yesterday we planned to move to a mooring but we had to change our plans still performing some repairs.  As usual, enjoying ourselves.  I'm almost finishing my book: Germinal, by Emile Zola.  Will be posting more photos probably this evening.  Peace and Love!


“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”  -Mark Twain


"I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it - but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor."
- Oliver Wendel Holmes

Monday, September 19, 2011

The Story of the Launching of the Boat

Now take a look at my face and Smitty’s face in these photos. On September 13th, we finally launched Apuej Bien to the water and successfully docked at Crews Inn Marina. Needless to say we were anxious to place the boat in the water, we were scheduled to do it at 1600 but the yard guys showed up around 45 minutes later, literally showed up just like that with that huge crane and someone shouted: REEEAAAADY!

These guys are so skilled, they parked the crane with the vessel in the middle and carefully removed the boat stands as they placed the big belts that hold the vessel. I think they took like a couple of minutes to do this.

Jerome, Smitty, Terence and I followed the big crane in the truck.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Cruise Inn Marina Chaguaramas

Life is good in the marina. We have been enjoying ourselves at the Marina in Chaguaramas Trinidad.

The Captain has been working very hard fixing stuff with the engine and a leak that apparently is coming from one of the hoses. We always make sure to make up for the hard work at The Barracuda bar, a new bar in the marina that conveniently sits right in front of our boat.

Today though we chilled out in the boat and I cooked a nice meal. Couscous pour le vegetables et chana. Which is couscous with roasted green peppers, lime juice, fresh tomatoes and curried chickpeas with chicken with mushrooms and pumpkin.


our new habitat

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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Away from the Hard

Today is the day, we are saying good bye to the hard, yes very good news.  The hard is the boat yard; an industrial place full of yachts, cranes and hazardous substances.  This is where boats get their maintenance done and where women should never go.  Ha, ha... It's not nice, the bathroom is not nice, it is very hot, anyway, we are done with this stage of the operation.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Welcome Terrence A. Harris!  Yesterday we were glad to receive our new crew member.  Terrence brought the starting switch, which had gone bad; the funnel, the crackers, among other things.  Intensive inspections and searches by Homeland Security.  We went to the yard and put up the sails.  After picking up Terrence we had expected to do any work at the yard, but we ended up putting the sails and the starting switch so we are ahead. So we decided to treat ourselves last night and  went to Sails Restaurant  and ate some hamburgers, I had flying fish sandwich.  It looks like we finally will be in the marina by Tuesday.  It is raining this morning with a little thunder, which is good for cuddling up in bed.  Had a great sleep last night after a rough night Saturday.  Peace and Love!


Friday, September 9, 2011

Nothing more to say, the best Roti ever,  at Dons.  Did some laundry yesterday.  Finished my book "A Natural History of Love" by Diane Ackerman.  One of my  favorite quotations from that book: "The heart is a living museum. In each of its galleries, no matter how narrow or dimly lit, preserved forever like wondrous diatoms, are our moments of loving and being loved".

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Did I say traffic is crazy? Maybe I haven’t mentioned that here in Trinidad we drive on the left, the default speed is high speed, speeding, which Jerome has adopted with great skill.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Good morning everyone. Had a very productive day yesterday, Jerome is still working with the batteries and I shined some metals. Tony cleaned and polished the boat outside, it is shining now. Captain Smitty is in town and ready to sail. I need to include some important piece of information about our boat's name, the letters were designed by my wonderful son Rafael, he designed it using the AutoCat program. Rafa I miss you but soon you will be able to join us in the boat. Looking forward to Terence arrival on Saturday. Terence is our incredible grand son and is interested in acquiring sailing skills and exploring his adventure side. Life is good in Trinidad, the temperature is African hot, hot so I'm cleaning my pores. The curfew was extended to eleven o'clock.



Sunday, September 4, 2011

Had a good rest yesterday. Actually we went to the boatyard, I got rid of some stuff there; Jerome picked up the paint, bought some materials. We had lunch at this incredible place called Zanzibar. I had a veggie burger made out of tomatoes and beans!!! it was so good. Should have taken a picture of that one. Jerome had a chicken sandwich that looked good too, yuca frita, and salad. So far, I have been doing good with my vegan diet. We went to the grocery store and bought some vegetables since we can cook in the house, found almond milk. Today will do some work in the morning and play golf in the afternoon. It is very very hot here in Trinidad. Welcome to the new members and stay in touch!

Friday, September 2, 2011

batteries

The house we are staying at and our rented truck
Went outside the house and found  a connection.  We are doing ok, today I got my golf clubs which did not show yesterday.  Went to the boat at the boatyard and it is really nice inside no mold or anything just a lot of cleaning.  Tomorrow will start painting the bottom. They have a curfew here in Trinidad and you need to me home by nine o clock.  Thanks Oma and Steve again, the house is very nice.