Grenada

Prickly Bay Anchorage

11.59.985 N

61.45.818 W

 

Looking out of the new
Prickly Bay Marina Bar & Restaurant

2021.01.15      Dale started the day with changing the oil and impeller on the starboard side engine before we called Joel, our taxi driver, and made a trip into town to the Ace Hardware store so that he could pick up the new starter battery he needed.  They didn’t carry the AGMs that he normally prefers but both he and Gerry felt that the one he chose will work for the task assigned.  I took the opportunity to pick up some cleaning supplies and Nicky looked for some ramakins.  Unfortunately, she was only able to find some small bowls for the job. 

                        Of course, since we were out and about, a quick trip to the Container Park was in order for a tasty lunch of Thai salads. 

                        We were back and forth with Port Louis Marina again.  The 4 parts (2 surge protectors and 2 meters) are supposedly on the island but they aren’t available for pick up when they send their person over for them.  We text Aaron, the electrician, to let him know, it will be Monday but we will call to confirm when the parts are in hand.  We tentatively set a date for Tuesday or Wednesday for installation. 

 

2021.01.16      Not much happening today.  Dale was finally able to actually speak with Aaron, the electrician that Port Louis hired to install the surge protectors and gauges.  He requested photos of the electrical panel which we took and then I spent the next 3 hours trying to upload and send over a very persnickety internet.   Dale finished up his oil and impeller changes by crawling into the “hole” for the genset.  Naturally, he dropped a nut for one of the bolts in a spot that he couldn’t get his hand into.  So it was back and forth a couple of times to get the tool for that specific job before he could finish up his tasks for the day by emptying all of our jerry cans of diesel into the fuel tank.  Then he ran the fuel polisher for an hour.  The new battery seems to have made an improvement on the battery performance overall.  He says that the solar input is much more effective now and all of the batteries fill up quicker. 

 

2021.01.17      Sunday!  Brunch at The Brewery.  Our standard trip to the Brewery for brunch, had live entertainment today.  A very talented guitar player/singer was performing for tips and drinks.  A really big guy who’s drink of choice appeared to be mimosas from a very delicate glass.  We enjoyed his music and listened long after we had finished our meals.  Our conversation was mostly concerning the upcoming week as it appears that our parts will be installed mid week as hoped.  Dale is a little apprehensive after the electrician hired by Port Louis Marina wanted to know if he was going to have to fabricate something to make everything fit.  After that, conversation gravitated to when our visas expired; Gerry said that since we paid until the end of the month, he was inclined to use them up before leaving.  My drivers’ license expires next Friday, which would be our normal grocery shopping day so we kicked around whether it would be better to hire a taxi instead of renting a car for the day.  I think we settled on the idea that it would be cheaper to take a taxi.  It’s a week away; things could change. 

                        I heard from my sister in law in Oregon.  Things sound like they are going from bad to worse.  She was saying that they have been warned of impending news, phone and internet blackouts for Inauguration Day.  I think that would just make everyone staying at home watching things unfold on TV be more curious and take a drive in to see what was going on if they couldn’t watch in the comfort and security of their own homes; but that’s just me. 

 

2021.01.18      We start our day with a text to Charlotte at Port Louis Marina about where our parts are.  By noon, we’re told that the surge protectors are still on the ship and are slow to be cleared.  One of the 2 meters has arrived at Budget Marine but one is missing.  An APB is put out for its location.   We advise Aaron, the electrician that we still don’t have the parts in hand.  We order Indian take out to be delivered to the dinghy dock. 

 

2021.01.19      Happy Birthday Kyle!

                        This morning’s text flurry only confirmed that our parts are still not in hand.  The surge protectors are still on the ship and the latest information on the missing meter, is that it was sent to the wrong store; when that store didn’t recognize the invoice, they returned it to the manufacturer.  Let’s just say that Dale is beside himself and leave it at that. 

                        We make a run to the butcher’s for the beef ribs Nicky told me about, sliced ham and baguettes.  I freeze most of the ham for our trip. 

                        Our afternoon series of texts informs us that the 2 surge protectors have been released from Customs and that they and the 1 meter that Budget does have in hand will be delivered to us by evening.  A quick call to the electrician informs us that he is booked up for tomorrow but that a Thursday install is possible.  Dale ends the day by meeting the Port Louis man and finally has 3 of the 4 parts sent to Grenada in hand; don’t forget there is still 1 meter back ordered and 1 meter missing in action.  When he gets back and opens the boxes, the 2 surge protectors are about 3 times the size of the original ones.  It doesn’t matter, at this point, they are being installed. 

 

2021.01.20      Today Port Louis is trying to find out how long it would take for the remaining meter to be returned to Grenada.

                        I spent most of the day preparing and cooking tonight’s dinner of ribs for everyone (Nicky brought a banana, toffee cream pie).  The internet went down last night and still hasn’t been restored but being busy most of the day, I didn’t suffer from as much frustration as you might think; I spend most of my time just trying to stay connected in any event.  

 

2021.01.21      Dale dinghies in and picks up Aaron, the electrician, and returns for the big install.  I make myself invisible and listen from my bunk.  They mutually decide that since the back of the electrical panel needs to be partially disassembled in order to access the meters, it would be best to wait until all of the meters are in hand before tackling that job; particularly when Aaron finds wires disconnected from various places that the original electrician (Simon Clay) left for whatever reason.  That leaves the installation of the 2 surge protectors.  Truly, Aaron makes short work of replacing the 1^st surge protector but due to the new size, the 2^nd surge protector is relocated to the floor of the electrical panel and they return to the discussion of why there are a couple of dangling wires the original electrician left disconnected.  It will require the disassembly of all of the wires to track down where they come from and where they are supposed to go.  I remind them from afar that Gerry was present during the original investigation of the electrical panel and that he might recall why the wires were left dangling.  A quick call to him now has 3 gentlemen all gazing into the abyss of various colored wires.  Being as it was over 3 months previous when all of this happened, little is recalled as to why those particular wires are still without a home.  Consensus is that this too will be left until all of the meters can be installed when most of the wires will have to be moved to access the area and the loose wires can be tracked down at that time as well. 

  
                      Since it appears things are winding down, I come up into the salon a take a seat out of the way but close enough to see what they are all talking about.  Pieces and parts are being put away, the tools are being sorted as to what belongs to whom, and I can now see the placement of the 2 ginormous surge protectors.  I question whether they checked to make sure the door would close and am quickly assured that yes, of course, they checked (silly girl).  I see the back cover for the panel has indeed been brought back into the salon and let it slide but the more I look at it, the more I’m compelled to ask again if they’re absolutely sure.  Yep, not a problem.  Then they replaced the plexiglass cover and closed the door.  Let’s just say I had a smile on my face for the rest of the day when I heard Dale say “I hate it when she’s right!” 

 

2021.01.22      Friday, our last shopping day before the next big move.  We start off refueling our diesel jerry cans before going into Port Louis Marina to discuss our options as we now know that the AWOL part will not be arriving prior to the expiration of our current visas.  We agree that our best option is to have the cost of the missing parts, plus a sum for the installation of those parts, plus the agreed on sum for the A/C reimbursements, will be given to us as a credit on our credit card.  Neither of us is happy.  To date, we have constantly been disappointed in the promises of when things will happen and the actual delivery of said promises.  I understand the predicament Charlotte is in and I truly believe that she is working on the issue but from our stand point, every day we have new delays.  Today’s explanation is that she is working with underwriters out of England and the current delay is due to the time differences.  Dale just flat out tells her that we don’t trust her.  Very diplomatic!  She is hoping to have the money to us by the end of the day.  We don’t, of course, but we’ve come to expect that. 

                        We have lunch at the Container Park again before heading off to the local IGA grocery store and mall.  I really don’t have very much on our shopping list as our first hop will only take about 3.5-4 days, so if needed, we’ll stock up when we get there.    I run by the souvenir shop one last time to pick up a few more T-shirts before catching up with everyone else. 

                        Both crews of Opal and Gypsy Palace end our day with a dinghy ride into the Prickly Bay Marina restaurant and bar which is actually quite nice.  They have been working on it the entire time we’ve been here and finally opened it with a limited pizza menu.  The pizzas were a bit on the small side but the drinks were strong so (in a way) it evened out in the long run.  I really enjoyed our evening.  We ran into Chris and Helen and even saw Charlotte and her family checking out the competition.  I thought it best to keep business during business hours and didn’t bother asking what had happened to our reimbursement. 

 

2021.01.23      Another quiet day.  I make up lost time on the computer by trying to access any news I can get but then am distraught over what I do find.  Rewriting history and “deprogramming” people and their children because they disagree with you, remind me of the book 1984.  A most frightening book.  Whatever happened to live and let live?

                        Gerry and Dale empty out our forward lazarette and hoist our Code Zero back into place on the deck, check to make sure the lower level is still free of water and transfer our hooka to Gerry’s boat.  Then they review and refresh how to down load our email and weather information through the sat phone.  They discover that when we renewed our sat phone last, somehow the weather information wasn’t renewed at the same time.  Dale will call on Monday to clear things up. 

2021.01.24      Sunday!  Our last Brewery Brunch.  Gerry, Nicky, Chris, Helen, Dale and I meet for our Sunday brunch, veggie shopping and today, another live music day.  This time it was a steel band group that really had the volume cranked up.  They were quite good but I noticed that we were all leaning in to hear what the others had to say in spite of the CoVid concerns.  I’m certain that nothing was transmitted but I found it interesting that I noticed it at all. 

                        I had hoped to have one of their pulled pork sandwiches that Dale thought was so good, but they were out, so I settled for my standard breakfast sandwich.  I have decided that they have the best fries on the island.  Unfortunately, I didn’t discover them until the last couple of Sundays. 

 

2021.01.25      Today is a flurry of activity.  Dale and Gerry hail Joel and make their trek over to Port Louis to check us all out with Customs and Immigration.  A quick stop at Charlotte’s office to learn that she’s “still working” on getting us our reimbursements and another at the Container Park to pick up a couple roti’s and gyro’s to go.  We plan on ordering Indian food to be picked up at the dinghy dock and eaten on our boat for our last night together before the next big leg; I have a special dessert that I’ve been carting around since we left the States that I think will be a big hit. 

                        Dale tops off our water tanks, secures our jerry cans, runs our jacklines, takes down the shade cloths and gets ready to secure the dinghy for a long haul.  I’ll secure the galley once all of our dishes are done for the evening and all of our computers, books, etc., last thing before we hoist anchor.  Hopefully the catamaran that came in this afternoon and anchored either over or very close to our anchor doesn’t mind an early morning wake up call tomorrow.  We’ll give them a heads up tonight that we like to leave early. 

                        Once again, we’re off on an adventure.