Ste. Anne, Martinique...yup, still here!

Again, we’ve been told:  “Time for an update!”

Tarentela heads to LeMarin and is boarded by 4 couples who just want a lift in to spare getting salty!  The drive back to the anchorage in our own dinghies is dry because it's with the wind!  Thanks for the lift Al and Michele!

We are STILL in Ste. Anne, Martinique.  This is approaching the longest we’ve ever been in one place, and with a big wind coming tomorrow, we’re going for a record.  To be fair, it depends on how you look at it.  Check this out:

On the 5^th of January, not long after our last update, we were awakened by a weak voice on the VHF asking for assistance with a medical emergency.  Barbara on s/v My Island Girl (MIG – we’ll say), was calling saying her husband Winston woke up with an eye problem that he guessed correctly was a detached retina.  Within seconds, Brian had responded and dropped his dinghy, and he met Fred of s/v Dakota Dream (more about Fred later) with his dinghy at the back of the pack where MIG was anchored.  Barbara started to organize the abandoning of the boat while options were discussed and calls made.  Minutes later, Winston and Barbara were at the Fort de France hospital.  Finding their special equipment for these issues in disrepair, the couple caught an evening flight to Miami where professionals awaited. 

The rest of our little community organized with Barbara by email the handling of s/v MIG, emptying the larder and organizing the moving of the boat back to Rodney Bay, its normal off-season storage location.  That trip was done on Monday, the 15^th, with Brian of s/v Peace and Plenty and Steve of s/v Tanglewood crewing her.  MIG is a Bayfield 44; a long, low, stylish monohull with an overhanging stern and bow, and a long bowsprit.  With a short waterline and a very full keel, she sails reasonably, tracks well, but manoeuvres with difficulty in confined spaces (I am told).  Cat Tales, with Laurie, Dawn, and Lorna went along as Plan A for bringing the crew back to Ste. Anne and their boats on the same day.

The sail was lovely, and Cat Tales enjoyed moving again.  Ashore for Customs and lunch, we met such a crowd of other sailors that it was a loud party in the little restaurant along the marina boardwalk.  We actually organized Plan B of the return, with Brian and Steve hopping aboard s/v Stoppknot, and assisting to get John Fallon and his boat over to Ste. Anne.  As we left Rodney Bay rather late (Stopp Knot needed fuel and water), we had the tedious and stressful job of coming the last 5 miles into the anchorage slowly and with flashlights to watch for fishpots.  Still, Cat Tales, with Brian aboard at the end, all of us overtired, ate our still-warm chicken roties purchased in St. Lucia and drank our stress away before retiring.

Brian and Steve preparing My Island Girl for the trip back to St. Lucia while Winston and Barbara deal with Winston's detached retina

John aboard his boat Stoppknot re-anchoring after arriving in St. Anne (with Brian and Mike aboard to help)

By the way, John is happy with his change of scenery.  We have given him the lay of the land, touring both Ste. Anne and Marin, and any chandleries he may have missed in the past.  He took in a beach barbecue yesterday, and is enjoying time with Mike of s/v Jackfish, anchored nearby.  A water barge provided him with service this morning.

We met Fred of Dakota Dream, a 37-38’ high-sided catamaran just out of charter, on the way into Bequia earlier in the season.  He was trying to keep up with Peace and Plenty, and was complimenting them on their speed.  Brian confessed he was also using his iron jib, but a contact was made.  Days later, when Lorna called for help as an Island Packet monohull (IP) was dragging down on Peace and Plenty, Fred was the first one there, beating me to the rescue.  Fred, Brian, a gentleman on another IP, and I all wrestled with the two boats, and pretty much used our dinghies as fenders as the unoccupied dragging boat slid by.  Brian re-anchored P&P up where the IP originated, while the rest of us figured out how to put out more chain and lay out an emergency second anchor on the IP.

Weeks later, we hear Fred came to the rescue again (via John of Stoppknot on the SSB) , when some children stole the dinghy off the back of s/v Jackfish (of Vancouver) while the captain, Mike, was napping in the afternoon.  Fred assisted Mike, and they found the boat, with the engine removed and broken, up a little creek in the village of Gros Islet.  At any rate, Fred has picked up a reputation for boundless energy, volunteerism, and “First Responder”.  He has been joined by his wife Sandy while here in Martinique, and is part of our larger group of cruisers.

Besides that, we have not much to report.  We have carried on with lunch engagements ashore (and weekly Ladies’ Luncheons), walks, hikes, toasts to sunsets, and even a dinghy drift; as people arrive and depart around us.  Dawn, with a chronic FOMO problem (fear of missing out), tends to accept most invitations and even create some events. 

The hikes have been amazing events, now that some of the rain has subsided.  We have had numbers as high as 23, as we have made our way along various hikes on the east coast and up the largest local peak (Creve Coeur – or Broken Heart).  I do worry that the walking and climbing has resulted in me wearing a knee brace – something I have not had to do for many years – suggesting I am wearing out.  Check out the pictures of the groups and views.

A group of us doing a steep mountain hiking trail

A larger group doing a flatter but much longer hike along the coast!  How's 5 hours???!

Lorna and Dawn hiking with a cutie patootie doing a photo bomb in the background!  Thanks Steve!!

We also rented a van for 8 of us, and went to tour a local historic distillery and museum.  That may be enough distillery tours, as they are all beginning to look the same:  glorious old boilers and steam engines, with more modern equipment and evaporation towers next door, and typically a spirit house filled with aging rum in wooden kegs, giving off good smelling spirits (often smells like rum cake, Hugh!).  The grounds of the distillery (Clement Rum) also included the beautiful original plantation estate house, lovely gardens, intriguing exterior artworks and interior art.  We also toured a fantastic ruin of a hotel on a hill, and the largest mall on the island for provisioning.  The road trip took us into very hilly country, with a side road that went along a ridge with the opportunity to free-fall the van down either side.  Between that and me having a terrible time getting use to the touchy brakes and clutch, the van-full were a little stressed.  I likely stalled the vehicle over a dozen times; starting with twice just trying to get over a speed bump 30 feet away from the rental place.

We are really thinking it is time to move on; and when the wind dies next week, we will surely go around the corner to an uncrowded, quiet place for snorkeling and boat bottom-cleaning.

Brian standing in front of the derelict plantation we found while renting a van

Got rum???  Let's not forget, this is French rum, not to be confused with the English rum we all love!

Princess Lorna being delivered to her boat in style!

TECHNICAL

After the replacement of the starboard alternator with the little 35 ampere spare, that alarm stopped.  However, a low pressure alarm started to chirp, blink, and buzz at low RPM.  As I had replaced the sender (no guage, just a sender) two years earlier, and the new oil and filter had not even seen 20 hours, I really assumed it must be the pump or an oil leak.  However, I tried another pressure sender, and the noise and light stopped.  Bad luck or poor quality control for the manufacturer, Sierra Industries.

Otherwise, we are caught up with our repairs and chores but for day-to-day items.  I cannot remember this happening before.  Luckily, l have some delaminating flip flops and loose temple on a pair of sunglasses to deal with today.  I could do some sewing and greasing...  (The superstitious among you may suggest I am tempting fate)  Laundry is scheduled this afternoon at the local Laundromat with Lorna and Brian!

Happy New Year from Martinique

Happy New Year 2018-01-03

The computer tells us it is the 3^rd of January, and the internet tells us that we are in for even more rain, today and tomorrow, here in Ste Anne, Martinique.  The rainy season has been particularly rainy this season.  It is not so bad, as it rains in 20 minute squalls, then provides us with hot, humid sunshine for an hour or two.  Certainly we should not complain, as Hugh and others from Atlantic Canada explain that they are under threat of a winter hurricane up there tomorrow.  Likely, people will die!

News from home includes the trial of a neighbour of ours who attacked another neighbour.  We should not comment, but when the victim is still under medical care months later, and the aggressor is a head taller with a reputation for violence and insists he was not the aggressor, one must roll their eyes.

We arrived in Ste. Anne on December 7^th, after a lovely 3 hour passage from Rodney Bay, but found the anchorage so crowded that we anchored about a kilometre from the main dock.  Good news is that there is a reasonable little dock just 3 minutes away that allows a sweet walk into town, a nice hike to a beach, and a Laundromat steps away.  The large mangrove estuary in which the Marin boat haven is situated is just another kilometre further, however, and the water is often a bit murky, especially on the falling tide.  Our chain looks like a long fuzzy, plush toy, with all the growth on it.  I (Laurie) get in to cool off and to bathe most days.

It is a massive anchorage that spreads a mile or more out along a relatively sheltered coast.  The holding is good in our area, and even with some blistering winds lately, no other boats have slid into or by us.  A 40 knot gust in a squall caught s/v Aspen and laid her over at 40 degrees while it readjusted her at anchor.  It was impressive.  No boats dragged near us, nor were there cries for help.

The temperature here is hot, not cold; but quite manageable in the harbour.  We sweat if we exert any effort onboard with chores, or when we go ashore for walks or shopping, but we are becoming used to it.   We read a lot, and I try to fix one thing per day on the boat, or carry out one maintenance item per day - which leaves me sweaty enough to need to get into the water.  Dawn is similarly busy with domestic chores.  Otherwise it is a lazy time.  We get together with our friends, but still watch our sunsets alone on our boats often enough.  

We have made 5 trips into the larger town of Marin, with its marinas and chandleries - two trips by water – with our dinghies being hauled in behind s/v Tarentela, and three by local bus - to arrange internet services, pick up the consumable boat and engine products, to get big grocery store things, and to increase the variety of our lunches ashore.  Always a crowd, and always fun but for the stress of buying internet data plans from phone companies in foreign tongues, which is apparently a very iterative process. We now seem to have 2 plans finally working from Digicel and from Orange - why and how is too complicated to answer.

We have made our favourite hike to a large beach on the south coast; favoured because after an hour or so, we have a fantastic little meal with cold beer before walking back, and because it is really a large mobile chat session with friends through picturesque shore-side forest.  There is a nice paved walking route through town that we frequent, but other hikes are not being done because of the wetness of the trails.

On board, I got another article completed and sent to the Caribbean Compass; this one on our now-retired meteorologist, Denis (and Arleen), who provided our weather for 12 or so years, but just sold his boat and returned to Canada.  It will be published in the February issue.  John of s/v Stoppknot has started up a net at Denis’ former time and frequency, and we are having fun on it; keeping in touch with the friends we met through Denis’ efforts.

The biggest thing about this period has been our lunches and get-togethers.  We had a giant buffet with 9 other couples on Xmas day at a restaurant called Touloulous, which included all you care to drink and eat; followed by a float in the ocean in front of the restaurant.

Bobbing in the water after Christmas dinner at Touloulous!

Al and Michele in the foreground - frolicking!

Touloulous restaurant Table #1 for 10!

Touloulous Table #2; 10 more of us!

There is also a place called Boubou’s, where Philippe serves bokit  - a sandwich in a bread pocket.  Our favourite is named after the restaurant and includes hamburger, fried egg, bacon, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrot slivers, (all known as les crudités) cheeses, and some very tasty condiments.

In the boatyard is a restaurant called Le Sextant, which has very French cuisine at low prices.  The plat du jour always is accompanied by 250 ml of chilled wine.   We have had crevettes and a chicken dish, always with healthy and tasty sides we do not see on other islands.

I will leave two or three other places out of this, but you get the idea.

I should also add that we had an outrageous cockpit party on New Year’s Eve on Cat Tales, with twelve in attendance.  Initially, one would expect that would be too crowded, but before midnight, there was even considerable dancing.  Check out the pictures.  ...and yes, we made it to midnight and beyond!

New Year's Eve aboard Cat Tales

Turn it up!!

The foolishness continues into 2018!!

Steve and Maria making the long trek over to our boat.  All gussied up for New Year's Eve!

Lorna and Brian are anchored behind us, with Aspen beside us, and Tarentela was just another boat away, until they headed north yesterday.  L&B has just returned to their boat with some people Kristen met at the laundromat last week who are looking for a boat. (L&B want to sell).  S/V Baidarka with Joanna and Bill, S/V Tanglewood with Jenny and Steve, and three other new friends are also all close by; with more heading our way daily from Rodney Bay.  We may soon have to leave just to survive.

TECHNICAL

After 4 trips up the mast with numerous fittings, I have concluded that the jib furler will have to fend for itself; indeed I do not think the deterioration is continuing.

Laurie working up the mast on a relatively calm afternoon in Saint Anne, Martinique (photo compliments of Aspen, anchored beside us.

The alternator alarm that I was troubleshooting – not just this year but last, was eliminated by changing out the alternator for a spare – suggesting strongly that the problem is some kind of short among the windings or the internal diodes.  So I now have an alternator to be investigated in Grenada.  With a boat with two alternators and two starters, we send something to Al Bernadine of Goyave for repairs most years.

When Cat Tales came home to Canada in 2002, the engine control handles crumbled in our hands and I reconstructed them out of putty, epoxy, polyester, and a few other products; as I could not source replacements.  Well, portions of the work again started to show trouble, primarily as the aluminum core of the original handles was growing as it oxidized.  I have reconstructed them again, and epoxy-coated them.

Laurie working on the repair of the handles for the engine control.  Many steps to finish this job!

With that, we just have small chores to keep us barely involved until the next thing breaks.  No worries - it is a boat; something will give way. We all have a saying: “If it ain’t broke, don’t use it!”