Persephone...

Dave Goes Down with Mike......

2012-02-08T13:48:00.001-05:00

The lobster in this story is the one
on top weighing 3 lbs 12 oz

So, there I am, Diver Dave, cruising along at 60 feet below the surface with my dive buddy, Mike. (Mike is a guest aboard s/v ‘Chimayo’). The lobster hunt wasn’t going very well on this dive….not a crustation was spotted (pun intended). We were both getting low on air, and our bottom time was limited. I was slightly ahead and below Mike when he poked me with his snare. I whirled around knowing that he must have seen something. Yup, it was a nice spiny lobster hanging out in his hidy-hole…unfortunately for him, he forgot to tuck in his antenna. Mike tried to get his snare into the hole and around the lobster’s tail. No luck, the hole was just too small and the lobster was firmly wedged in. So, in a macho move Mike grabbed the lobster’s antenna next to its head. The lobster went nuts !! A steel cage death match ensued ….mano-a-mano….it’s tail flapping wildly (the lobster’s that is), sharp spines slashing at exposed flesh, face to face, NO, eyeball to eyeball the brawl continued. Neither man nor beast blinked….then again, lobsters can’t blink… (just go with it, I’m on a roll here)… The lobster wriggled as far back into its hole as it could with Mike still holding it’s antenna. Mike was literally up to his shoulder in the hole. I was slightly above Mike and blinded by the bubbles from Mike’s SCUBA gear as the death match continued. Which one was going to emerge from the hole victorious ? At this moment it was dead even; or perhaps the lobster was slightly ahead on points. Finally, Mike is able to drag the agitated animal far enough from it’s hole for me grab it from behind. In the open, the lobster had more room to flail its tail in a last ditch effort to escape; Mike holding dinner from the front and me from behind. The lobster’s spines penetrated my gloves as the lobster drew first blood. Although it was two against one, the lobster was beginning to wiggle free. Instantly, Mike jumped him and wrapped himself in the fetal position around the pissed lobster. Picture a football player falling on the ball after a fumble in a protective curl…that was Mike. Immediately, I opened the catch bag and we stuffed the still battling bug inside. DONE !!

With the few hundred pounds of air in our tanks, the three of us slowly made our way to the surface. Thankfully, the dinghy was only a few hundred feet away. Later, back on ‘Chimayo’, beer and bugs were served for dinner with friends. What could be better?!…

“Excuse me, could you pass the drawn butter”….”another coldie, Dave” ? You bet !

NOTE:

((Geoff on "Beach House" asked if SCUBA gear is legal for catching lobsters in the USVI. The answer is yes, as long as you are using snares and not spears. Lobsters are plentiful here, so the restrictions are limited, even in the National Park. Mike is in the US Coast Guard and was assigned to the station in St. Thomas; so we were careful to comply with all regulations. So com' on up to America's paradise and snare yourself dinner !! Geoff, we'll even let Canadians in !!))

Living off the sea......

2012-01-31T09:48:00.000-05:00

During the past week, "Persephone" has teamed up with the crew of "Chimayo" for an all out lobster safari. In the USVIs you are permitted to use SCUBA gear and snares to capture the spiny critters. Since last Tuesday, we have been averaging at least one dive per day, and on several days we have done double dives. We have been diving so much, we had to get a special package rate for 25 tank refills at the local dive shop (final cost was $5/refill). As of yesterday, the count was 13 lobsters captured; the largest was snared by Mike (sv 'Chimayo') weighing 7 1/2 pounds ! Mike literally had to wrestle the beast into the catch bag. (None of us had a pot large enough to steam him !!) Most of the tasty crustasions have been in the 3-4 pound range...not the small 2 pounders seen down island. For the past week, the menu has been 'lobster anything lobster everything'....lobster dips, lobster plain, lobster mac and cheese, and lobster hors d'oeuvres. Sunday is 'pasta night' aboard 'Persephone', so Debbie made up homemade lobster ravioli for Sunday dinner. Mike and Crystal of 'Dancing Dolphin' are living and working on St. John to replentish their cruising kitty and joined us for dinner. Each of the boats brought a dish to share. There was so much food, we were all stuffed as much as the ravioli !! Thanks, Debbie !! (It was a bit confusing as 'Chimayo's' guests are also conincidently named Mike and Crystal !!)

It hasn't been all hunting...last nite, we managed to enjoy a few sundowners on the beach at Francis Bay, St. John, USVI----->

From L to R: Mike, Crystal, Bob, and Debbie of s/v 'Chimayo; Janice
and Steve of s/v 'Sailacious' and of course 'Diver Dave'

Unfortunately, Trudie is absent from the picture, as she has returned to Connecticut. Her daughter, Kyona, is ill, and must have surgery. T has gone to be with her daughter during this trying time....we all wish Kyona well and a speedy recovery.

THE CRUZATEERS

St Thomas, USVI

2012-01-22T17:05:00.000-05:00

CA Harbor

On Thursday, Persephone motored (there was no wind for sailing) the 10 miles from St. John to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. CA is the capital of the US Virgins, and the #1 cruise ship destination in the Caribbean. Enough said ??

So, why is Persephone in a tourist trap? One reason...the shopping. NO, not beads and bobbles; but supermarkets, Home Depot, and K-Mart. It was time for a major reprovisioning. We haven't had access to "American Stores" since leaving Puerto Rico two years ago. (literally !) You know that the credit card is in trouble when you can see the bottom of the freezer, or when you start to weep when you enter Home Depot ! It has been three days of solid shopping, and shopping some more....

But, before you start feeling bad, there has been lots of partying also. We met up with friends on "Foggy Mountain, who have been here for about a week. "Chamayo" arrived Friday morning and on Friday afternoon, the radio crackled announcing the arrival of "Sailacious". Plans were immediately made for burgers ashore. The eight of us had a blast at a local waterhole.

Last night, the party was aboard 'Persephone. The "Cruizateers" (named coined by Janice of 'Sailacious') were back together. Mohitoes were the specialty drink of the night served aboard....an entire liter of rum was gone by the third round ! The "Cruizateers" were the "Hangoverteers" this morning !!

The sun sets on Charlotte Amalie

The shopping is done, so it is time to leave CA. Tomorrow morning 'Persephone' will leave St. Thomas and return to the serenity and sanity of St. John...not for the benefit of THE CREW, but for my Credit Card !!!

Not to

Paradise Found....

2012-01-16T07:47:00.000-05:00

For those of you freezing your butts off up north, here is a Post Card for you from Francis Bay, St. John in the US Virgin Islands....

And for those you who are still working....please keep it up ! I received my first Social Security check last week, and I need you to keep paying your taxes to help support this lifestyle !! (And a special 'thanks' to D. Grover) Off to pick up dive tanks this morning....gotta run.

Diver Dave

Paradise Lost......

2012-01-10T09:03:00.000-05:00

Twenty years ago, friends and I rented a charter boat for a 10 day sail around the British Virgin Islands. Again, ten years ago, I was crew aboard s/v 'Pride' for another visit to the BVIs. On both visits, the BVIs were relatively uncrowded, natural, and beautiful. I have always joked that Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, BVI is the magnificent beach where God goes for a 3 day get a-way !

Last week, 'Persephone' returned to the BVIs. What a disappointment ! The place is over-run with tourists and worse...hundreds of charter boats. Cane Garden Bay is (was ?) a large, white sandy, crescent shaped beach which Jimmy Buffett beautifully describes in song. The Bay is now jambed with twenty-two (yes 22!!) beach bars//tee shirt-junk shops built right on the sand at the waters edge. In front of each junk shop are white plastic beach chairs three and four rows deep; which rent for $5 USD per day. There are literally HUNDREDS of these chairs littering the beach. Think of the seating at an outdoor cathedral for hundreds of pasty white sun worshippers. (You can actually hear them sizzling in the tropical sun as they try and get a deep tan in a couple of hours.....I want the a Solarcane distributorship for CGB alone...I could get rich, quick !!) "Where do all these people come from" I asked ? I learned that passengers of huge cruise ships are bussed from Road Town across the island to CGB for day trips. The place is just over-run with the 'condo-commando' types serenaded by a cacophony of different, loud music from each of the 22 junk shops. Just a nightmare !!

So, we put CGB astern vowing never to return and circumnavigated Tortola clockwise to find less crowded harbors and good snorkeling areas. Each and every harbor is now wall to wall mooring balls...set up primarily for the charter boat industry; which rent out between $25 and $30 US per night !! What a rip-off !! Simply there is no room to anchor as the prime anchorages are a carpet of moorings at outrageous prices. The place is so crowded, you can't get away from the crowds even while snorkeling....

"Hey, Harold !!...I don't see no fish here"!! "You dragged me here to see d' fishes" !! 'I told you that we should have gone to Miami" !!   Even the fish are disgusted and have left the crowds !!

So, we decided to move on to Norman Island in the southwest corner of the island chain; hoping to lose the crowds...wrong ! "The Bight" at Norman is a deep, V-shaped anchorage with a great beach. When we arrived, again we found the entire anchorage carpeted with mooring balls....well over 100 ! Once we hooked up, I started counting charter boats from companies such as Moorings, Sunsail, and Horizons. I conservatively counted 81 chartered boats in this ONE anchorage...all willing to pay big bucks for moorings and beers ashore. (With 81 charterers boats in one anchorage in one night....how many hundreds of charter boats are plying the BVIs ?) The charter business is a HUGE industry in the BVIs which has swallowed the natural beauty and laid back nature of the island. What is left is a floating trailer park with a Disney atmosphere. We couldn't wait to GET OUT...or should I say escape !! We will never return to the BVIs; there is NOTHING there for cruisers.

On Sunday, Persephone fled back to the sanity of St. John. What a relief to be free of the maddening crowds of charterers. Two-thirds of St. John is a US National Park.  Although there are mooring balls in most of the bays, they are very limited in number, and affordable ($7.50 per night). As St. John is US, the hordes of charters in the BVIs must clear US Customs to enter St. John and then re-clear back into the BVIs. Most charters are unwilling to clear in and out of customs, so St. John remains relatively free of the hordes of charterers.  There is such a stark contrast between St. John and the BVIs....one is a shining example of resource management through the US Parks system versus the unregulated commercialization of an entire island nation by the charter industry.

For once, the US really got it right by preserving our chunk of paradise in the Caribbean !!

Christmas Raft Up.....

2012-01-01T15:29:00.000-05:00

Join our Christmas dinghy raft-up on St. John, USVI by clicking on the following link:

http://youtu.be/LzjEQNvMYhs

Cruising friends, taken on Christmas Eve at the Mayo Bay Lodge, Maho Bay, St. John, USVI....

L to R Rear: Eric and Jackie "Compass Rose"; David "Persephone:
Eric "Sailacious; Bob "Chimayo"
L to R Front: Trudie "Persephone"; Janice "Sailacious" and
Debbie "Chimayo"

Christmas Morning....

2011-12-25T09:02:00.000-05:00

The Yule Log burns aboard 'Persephone' on Christmas morning (complete with fire crackling sounds !!).....

you just can't make this stuff up !!

Christmas Eve....

2011-12-24T07:43:00.000-05:00

After 20 months out of the country, Christmas Eve finds 'Persephone' moored in the USA. Since Nov 1st, we have been steadily sailing north the 425 miles from Grenada to the US Virgin Islands. After a rather difficult sail from St. Maarten, we arrived in Cruz Bay, Saint John, USVI on Monday. After clearing customs and immigration, we moved 'Persephone' to Francis Bay....

'Persephone' is the 4th boat right to left

We are moored with many of our friends for the holidays. Tonight, we will be having Christmas Eve dinner at the Maho Bay Lodge with all the fixings....turkey, stuffing, side dishes and of course pies for desert; overlooking Maho-Francis Bay. Christmas morning there will be a brunch for 8 at "Party Central" ie. 'Persephone'. ('Persephone has hosted sundowners the past two nights as different boats arrive). Then, on Christmas afternoon, there is a GIANT dinghy raftup planned; when 20+ dinghies will tie together for holiday cheer and snacks to share....

THE CREW hopes that your holiday plans are as full as ours...We send you our wishes for a very merry Christmas from the Caribbean; where our only worries are whether the tide will reach our beach chairs !

Merry Christmas

2011-12-22T21:52:00.000-05:00

Eleven Mile Beach, Barbuda taken March, 2011

d' Plane, d' Plane.....

2011-12-20T08:37:00.000-05:00

After several small (and annoying) boat projects at St. Marin, the 'Persephoneies" were hanging out at Barnacles; the local cruisers bar for happy hour. Our friends, Bob and Debbie (S/V "Chimayo") suggested, "tomorrow afternoon, let's go to the Sunset Beach Bar at the end of the airport !" Now, Bob and Debbie are both retired air traffic controllers so I figure that they are just missing being near airports.... "Why do we need to go there....we can drink pretty cheaply right here..." I questioned. (Presidente Beer were only $1.
25) "No, we HAVE to go and watch the planes land and take off !!" Ok, I relented.....thinking they were both jonesing for an airport fix and we would be the enablers.

The next afternoon, off we went to the Sunset Bar....little did we know that the bar was nearly ON the runway !!

The beach is right at the end of the runway...The planes are literally landing 50 yards away. The bar has a chalkboard posting the schedule of the landings and takeoffs. In the late afternoon, the jumbo jets start arriving from Europe. I it amazing watching these monsters landing only yards away ! Then, there are the takeoffs....! The planes sit at the end of the runway reving up their engines. The jet blast is so strong that traffic stops (see car above) and people on the beach run up and hang on to the fence so they don't get blown into the water....REALLY! It's NUTS !! The yellow umbrella in the photo above is about to go airborne into the water....

This is the jet blast......

You can see the blowing sand, and the people hanging onto the fence getting sandblasted as the planes spool up their engines. In fact, I think some of the pilots put on a show by increasing and decreasing the RPMs several times before takeoff just to please the crowd.

The bar had speakers strategically spaced tuned to the tower frequency so that we could hear the air traffic controllers....Bob and Debbie were in their glory ! We had a great afternoon; and I actually thought about hanging on the fence during a takeoff of a jumbo jet...but, nawh...didn't want to get sand in my beer !!

Brings a whole new meaning to the term True Grit !

The Persephoneies

Persephone versus the Volcano....

2011-12-19T07:41:00.000-05:00

A week ago, at sunrise, 'Persephone' and 'Sailacious' motored out of Les Saintes and traveled the 55 miles to the volcanic island of Montserrat. During the past decade, Montserrat's volcano has had three major eruptions with several lesser "events"; the last one being in 2008. The most major of the eruptions left the capital city of Plymouth covered in a couple of feet (yes, FEET) of ash. The city had to be abandoned, and two thirds of the population left Montserrat. The entire south side of island is still an "Exclusionary Zone" where travel is prohibited.

Montserrat's Volcano

In addition to the feet of ash covering Plymouth, the lava flow surrounded the city. The lava flow is still clearly seen as you approach from seaward....

'Persephone' and 'Sailacious' sailed into Montserrat's remaining harbor; which is tiny, and very commercial. The harbor is just a small "cut out" behind a small mountain. The local fishing fleet (small open boats) were moored throughout the harbor further decreasing the room. As a result, the remaining portion of the anchorage is exposed to the swells of the Caribbean Sea. A north swell was running into the harbor, and the boats were rising and falling five feet, making it very uncomfortable. But, we were there, wanted to tour the volcano, and made the decision to stay.

Janice and Steve ('Sailacious') picked us up in their dinghy for the short trip ashore.   We were greeted by a customs official who announced that we were anchored in channel and had to move the boats. We tried to explain that the anchors were in the channel, but the boats themselves were well outside according to our GPS.   He again demanded we move...but where ? He "suggested" that move further outside of the anchorage into still deeper water.  We were already anchored in water 36 feet deep...much deeper would become "questionable" in the swells.  Smiling, (smurking ?) the official said we should clear customs first (ie. pay the fees and get our money) and then move the boats. We all looked at each other, exchanged glances and headed for the dinghy.  We all agreed that the place just "didn't have a good feel". An unattractive harbor, unprotected from the swells, very deep, crowded with fishing boats and an unfriendly official added up to one conclusion....GET OUT. So, we hauled anchor (it was 3pm) and moved the boats....out of the country !! We set a course for Nevis, 35 miles away. In the end, the volcano won and chased 'Persephone' from it's island. As we left, Jimmy Buffett was on the stereo singing..."where do you go when the volcano blows"? Anywhere but Montserrat !!

THE CREW

St Marin

2011-12-16T07:21:00.001-05:00

Good morning from St. Martin!! Persephone has been here at anchor for the past couple of days. As typical in the French islands, (Persephone is anchored on the French side of the island, where there are no fees) there is no wifi internet service in the anchorage. We are relegated to using hotspots at bars to download email. Bars aren't very conducive to writing coherent blogs !

Persephone will be at here for another day or two, awaiting a weather window to move west to the BVIs (British Virgin Islands) and then onto St. John, USVI for the holidays. This is nearly a one hundred mile jump which requires a departure in the wee hours of the morning (3 am) so that our arrival is during daylight hours. So, optimum weather conditions are a must.

St. Martin has been terrific for shopping....something the southern Caribbean is lacking. The budget was wounded at the Mega Ace hardware store (more XMAS lites, 18v battery for the drill, Tupperware etc); Budget Marine (new gas grill, spare filters and assorted pieces and parts)and the Grand Marche...a super-super market to restock the panty before heading to the expensive VIs.

Will keep you all updated and post pictures when we have internet...

RAIN Continues.....

2011-12-10T08:25:00.000-05:00

Does anyone remember the movie "Caddy Shack" ? Specifically, the scene where the Bishop is playing the best round of golf of his life, and won't quit due to the rain. All I can think of is Bill Murray's comment "when is the hard stuff gonna start falling"?All the while it is pouring a monsoon with driving winds.... That scene could have been reshot in the northern Caribbean over the last two+ weeks....

This is the approach to Les Saintes (an island group just south of Guadeloupe....(The color has not been altered or 'photoshopped'.....

Isle des Saintes, Guadeloupe

The Saintes are a rural-resort area for the French; both from the islands, and Europe. It reminds me of the main street on Block Island, with "cute" (read: expensive) shops, restaurants, great ice cream and the world's best patisseries for baguettes and of course pan au chocolat...my mouth is watering as I am typing this.

After spending the day at Les Saintes, we were treated to a wonderful sunset...

The sailors' adage held true for the next day's passage to Montserrat....Persephone left the Saintes before dawn and was treated to a beautiful sunrise at sea with no rain, but unfortunately, there was no wind either. So, it was a 10 hour motor....yuck !

Stay tuned for the next posting...."Persephone versus the Volcano" !!

PS... caught a NICE tuna between Les Saintes and Montserrat....10+ pounds...enough for 4 meals. Gotta save money anyway I can until my Social Security starts in 29 days !!

Membership in the Country Club continues....

2011-12-06T19:24:00.000-05:00

Persephone continues to change countries as fast as a sailor changes brands of rum....

We are now in day 15 (yes, FIFTEEN !!) of rain with NO wind. No, Mike, you were not the Jonah bringing us this lousy weather.... the rain has continued for nearly a week since you left the Caribbean. Even the locals are shaking their heads; muttering something about climate change...this is supposed to be "d' dry season, ya know, Mon".

Yesterday, we were sailed (actually we motored as there was zero wind most of the day) into "Dismal Dominica"...just in time for the rain to begin in earnest. It continued to rain all night and sporadically throughout today. The boat is wet, dinghy rides are wet, our foul weather gear is wet, the groceries and beer are wet ! The only things we have managed to keep dry are our passports and boat documents. No one we talk to has ever seen this type of weather in December.... !!

The highlight of our day was finding a brand new IGA food store in Dominica; only a 5 minute walk from customs. We restocked up on basics, and Carib beer. (Cruisers FYI: Carib was $61 EC per case plus VAT..so it is the same price as Grenada).

We left Dominica this morning (in showers) and motored to Iles des Saintes, Guadeloupe. We again cleared in and out of customs, grabbed a couple of baguettes, and had a sorbet in the village....this place is SO French. We plan on leaving first thing in the morning for Pigeon Island, Guadeloupe for another 'one nite stand'; before pushing on to Montserrat.

I don't tan very well, but I have lost what I had. I look like I own a submarine instead of a sailboat ! This is getting reminiscent of New England; without the cold.

Doing the wind dance in "paradise"... !!!

THE CREW

The "Country" Club...

2011-12-04T15:02:00.000-05:00

Persephone has joined the 'Country' Club...a different day, a different country ! A couple of days ago we were in St. Lucia, and then moved north to St. Anne, Martinique. Today, we sailed from St. Anne's to St. Pierre, Martinique; about 35+ miles. (Doesn't sound like much, but remember, Persephone averages only 6 miles an hour !!) We will spend the night here, and then leave at first light for Portsmouth, Dominica (50+ miles north). Again, our plan is to spend the night in Dominica, and again jump north to Guadeloupe; followed by Montserrat the next day. (Persephone has not been to Montserrat...looking forward to hanging out with an active volcano.) The rain continues (now a solid two weeks of rain !!) but the winds have been moderate, and favorable; so we want to take advantage and get as far north as quickly as possible with the favorable conditions...despite the rain. (We are absolutely soggy !!) Will update you all when we get an internet connection !

THE CREW

Rainy Vacation....

2011-11-30T09:15:00.000-05:00

Mike arrived for a weeks vacation last Tuesday...it has now rained 5 out of the last 7 days. Not the usual tropical showers...but day long monsoon rains dumping 3 to 5 inches of rain per day. We are saturated.

So on Monday, we decided to sail south to show Michael St. Lucia's impressive Piton Mountains. All of the moorings were reserved (new thing) except for one in the southern corner of the bay directly under the larger of the two Pitons. The location was dramatic as we were under the mountain; only 100 feet from the rocky base. We were enjoying watching a video when the wind shifted to the Southwest and the ocean swell shifted from the west simultaneously. An ocean surge started pounding into the bay....the sea floor raises from several thousand feet to only 50 feet in a mere 100 yards. The result was a dangerous surf re-bounding off the side of the Piton wildly rocking Persephone from side to side. Suddenly, our situation became perilous !!

Rainy approach to the Pitons......

Despite being 11 pm and driving rain, there was only one seaman like decision to be made....immediately escape the 'deathtrap' to the safety of the sea. Quickly we bailed out the flooded dinghy (full of rain water, as it was pouring that hard...being in the dinghy was like riding a bucking bronco; without the clowns to get you out !), readied the boat, reviewed our escape plans to safety and quickly dropped the mooring lines. There could be zero error...as we were only 100 feet from the pounding surf against the base of the mountain. THE PLAN was executed perfectly and Persephone motored away from danger. It is counter intuitive to drop a mooring line and motor out to sea, in the black of night, with driving rain studded with cracks of lightning. But boats like water... not rocks. Persephone was MUCH safer at sea than trapped against a lee shore.

We motored back to Marigot Bay and arrived just before 2 AM where we picked up a mooring, had a beer and had a comfortable, safe nights sleep.

Lesson Learned: Last summer there was a debate among serveral sailing friends about whether radar was a worthwile expense in the Caribbean. Many 'seasoned' sailors said I was foolish to spend the money replacing our radar as it was an unnecessary, needless expense which used to much power. Despite their 'sage advise', I bit the bullet and installed a new digital radar system when upgrading the navigational equipment. Was this the right decision !! Without radar, our escape from Monday's deathtrap would have been much more difficult, and entering narrow Marigot Bay in the black of night would have been as dangerous as staying on the Piton mooring. (The light on the outter marker at Marigot had nearly failed; blinking only sporatically). Simply, radar saved our butt, making a very difficult situation managable by increasing our situational awareness. Thank God I listened to my gut and kept radar as an essential part of our navigational instruments.

RADAR ROCKS (and keeps you off them too) !!

THE CREW

Third Tropical Thanksgiving...

2011-11-26T07:44:00.000-05:00

'Persephone' celebrated a wonderful, traditional Thanksgiving Day in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia....

L to R: Ann 'Impressionist', Janice 'Sailacious' and Trudie

Trudie prepared a fresh turkey, cranberry sauce, and two pumpkin pies. Ann and Janice prepared all the 'side fixings'. Mike (who is aboard until Wednesday) and I went to a beach bar while Trudie was slaving in the galley ! We ate and ate and ate some more. It was a terrific turkey day among friends.

Yesterday, I went to the dentist in Castries while Trudie and Mike hung out on Persephone cleaning up after the feast. We all spent the afternoon lounging on the beach and just relaxing. The beer supply is running short ! THE CREW

Quick Update....

2011-11-22T07:59:00.000-05:00

Good morning from Persephone....

Marigot Bay...'Persephone' is in the center of the anchorage.

This is just a quick update on what's going on here.  Persephone spent 3 nights in Marigot Bay, St. Lucia; one of our favorite anchorages. When we arrived, several of the 'boat boys' welcomed us back to the Bay...guess we have become 'regulars'.
On Sunday, we moved up to Rodney Bay; only eight miles from Marigot. We dragged a fishing line with only a single hit, but the fish was not hooked....hate it when that happens !

Persephone, for the first time in 6 months, went into a marina. This is a rare occurrence due to the cost, noise and lack of privacy. But, the batteries on Persephone needed to be equalized; which can only be done efficiently with shore power. The other treat of being in a marina is being able to take a LONG shower ashore with limitless water.  Thinking back,   I haven't taken a shower ashore since being in New England a year ago !!    It was luxurious !!

Our friend Mike arrives today from the States. We are picking him up at the airport (1 1/2 hours away) in the early afternoon.  The taxi fare is approximately $100.00 US one way !! NO WAY ! So, we are going to take a bus from here to Castries (St. Lucia's capital) at a cost of $3.50 EC ($1.30 US) and then transfer to Vieux Fort which is located at the opposite end of the island from Rodney Bay. (Cost: appx $7.00 EC or $2.60 US) Less than $4 US sounds a lot better than $100....we will let you know how we make out.....

Busing our way across St. Lucia.... THE CREW

Time for Pictures.....

2011-11-09T19:34:00.000-05:00

After days without internet, I managed to find an internet connection (weak) tonite in Saline Bay, Mayreau. (A small island part to the Grenedines island chain, owned by the country of St. Vincent.... So, it is time to post some pictures of the adventure:

Sandy Island, Carriacou. The mountains of Union Island in the background.
"Sailacious" and "Persephone" anchored here for the night.

Saltwhistle Bay, Mayreau....'Persephone' is anchored in
middle of the bay...beautiful !!

Mayreau Island looking out over the Tobago Keys where 'Persephone' anchored last night.

A rum shop in Mayreau..."Love Happens"

"Pink Lady" anchored in Saltwhistle Bay. You may remember "Pink Lady" from the April Blog from the
Classic Yacht Regatta in Antigua. This is the boat with the all woman crew deck out in pink bikinis
floppy white hats, and occasional T-shirts saying "Girls for Sail" !!

FLYPAPER......

2011-11-08T15:35:00.000-05:00

"PERSEPHONE !! PERSEPHONE !! DAVID, GET ON DECK QUICK !!!!! YOU HAVE A KITE WRAPPED AROUND YOUR MAST !!!"; the radio blared. It was Janice on 'Sailacious' shouting into the mike….
I bounded through the companionway expecting to see a kid's kite caught in the rigging. WRONG !! It was a HUGE kite-wing from a kite boarder. He was trying "sail" through the fleet of anchored boats in the Tobago Keys. He lost control and flew his kite directly into Persephone; wrapping the rigging of the kite wing (including the harness) around the upper two-thirds of Persephone's mast !! The rigging lines of the wing (sort of looks like a parachute) was wrapped around the second spreader, and the rest of the lines were wrapped around the masthead. The wing was blowing in the wind about 40 feet behind Persephone and about 50 feet off the water.

WTF !!! I examined the situation and realized that something had to be done; and fast. The immediate issue was preventing damage to the instruments at the top of the mast. Steve and Janice (sv Sailacious) arrived by dinghy with their mouths literally wide open in amazement. We discussed THE PLAN… Now, you all know how I feel about heights….I would rather have a quadruple root canal without Novocain than go up the mast. Simply, I don't do heights, nada, never, no way…but the wing had to be cut down; and soon.

So, with mucho bravado I rigged the bosom chair for the assent up the mast. I rigged the chair, attached a safety line, swallowed heavily, and Steve winched me up the mast to about 30 feet. Did I mention the wind and the approaching squall ? The wind was blowing 20+ knots and the boat was rolling side to side in the swells. My legs were tightly wrapped around the mast to prevent me from becoming a human pendulum as the boat rocked side to side in the waves. I brought a boat hook with me and was able to hook the rigging of the kite-wing and pull it from the spreader end. The pole jammed and started to bend due to the pressure of the wind on the flogging wing…."Look out below", I yelled as I released the pole. The pole sprung free, and was propelled 50 feet into the air and nearly 100 feet behind Persephone where it landed in the water (at least this time I had bought a floating pole…recall the anchoring dilemma in St. Lucia last year ? ). The wing was partially freed; but continued to stream straight back as it was still wrapped around the very top of the mast., I just didn't have the testicular fortitude to go to the top of the mast in the wind and waves. (I don't leave the deck in the BEST of conditions….what the hell was I doing dangling between the first and second spreader 30 + feet in the air ? )

As I was hanging around (literally), a crew of charter boaters who we had met in Saltwhistle Bay arrived by dinghy and offered to help. One of the crew was a mountain climber and offered to go aloft. "NO problem" …I gasped in relief. "Steve, get me down "!
As Steve lowered me to the deck the wind increased as the squall approached….it just wasn't safe for anyone to be up the mast with the boat rolling in the wind generated waves. As we were re-working THE PLAN, POP !! the rigging line on the wing broke and the whole rig streamed free of Persephone . Free at last, free at last !! The last I saw was the wing flying toward Union Island….I never looked back.

Being a bit shaken from my aerial acrobatics, I darted below and reappeared with shot glasses, a nice bottle of rum, and beers for all. We (all 6 of us) retired to the cockpit to toast the squall (and for me to settle my frayed nerves). This is the first time I know of that a sailor toasted a squall !

About a year ago, Lynn and Ken on 'Silver Heels III' changed 'Persephone's name to "Flypaper". The change of name was due to the uncanny number of boats that anchor way to close to ' Persephone'. 'Persephone' could be the only boat in a wide open anchorage and the only other boat (usually French flagged) will drop it's anchor 15 feet away. When asked to anchor further away, the offending boat usually puts out fenders, and gives me the finger….thus, the moniker "Flypaper".

The name "Flypaper" now has a whole new literal meaning…. it gets things with wings stuck in the rigging….could the name be any more perfect ?

Capt. Dave

Ham Fist Mechanic !!!!

2011-11-04T09:29:00.000-04:00

So, there I am motor-sailing from Grenada to Carricou on Sunday watching the engine temp gauge teetering on the edge of over-heating. When I got to Carriacou, I tore much of the cooling system apart looking for the problem. The final part of reassembly was putting a 2 1/2" cap on the end of the heat exchanger. As I am tightening, I am saying to myself..."not to tight...not to tight...that's it...NAW, one more 1/8 of a turn will do it". SNAP !!!!!! Yep, that did it !!! I cracked the damn thing. Of course it leaked like a sieve....I knew it !! Well, not to be deterred by a gushing leak, out came the Gorilla Tape and Crazy Glue and I was able to stem the deluge to a moderate drip.

THE TEST came on Tuesday when 'Persephone' motored the 3 miles from Tyrell Bay to Sandy Island. Sandy Island is an idyllic, tropical mini-island; perfect for beaching and snorkeling. (This posting is being sent via ham radio, so I can't send pictures). My best description is the small island where CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow was left by Capt Barbosa in the first Pirates of the Caribbean. The kind of island with white sands, and a handful of picturesque palm trees. On yeah, back to THE TEST...(I get distracted so easily these days...) Other than the drip, the temp was pretty good...just a bit elevated, but acceptable for now. I will deal with it when I arrive in a more civilized spot ie. St. Lucia.

Yesterday was a perfect sailing day, so 'Persephone' flew up to Clifton, Union Island (part of the country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines...SVG for short). Customs and Immigration were cleared with the usual hassles and Clifton was left astern as quickly as possible. (Clifton has a lot of pastel, tropical colored paint but that is about it...) 'Persephone' took advantage of the favorable winds and made the short hop over to Chatham Bay. Chatham is on the FAVORITES list...A long curving bay of white sand, dotted with a couple of rustic beach bars...the way the Caribbean was 20 years ago. There is only a very rough road to Chatham, so it is insulated from the tourist, and left in its natural state. I will post pictures when I have internet....it is truly beautiful. As I type this, the sky is bright blue, a couple of puffy white clouds, and just a zephyr of a breeze. Just the kind of day which makes one glad that they are a ham fisted mechanic breaking things in paradise...
Capt Dave

On the Road Again.....

2011-11-01T08:57:00.000-04:00

As our Texan friend Miss Kitty (sv 'Falcon') says: "This cruising life is just a series of 'howdies and 'so longs'"…. She is so right. After five months, it is time for 'Persephone' to say 'so long' to Grenada. This year's departure is even harder than last year's due to the additional friendships we made this summer. Saying 'so long' to 'Silver Heels III' was especially "tuff"…last winter we buddy-boated for nearly 6 months from Grenada to Antigua and back. This year, the Heels are spending the Christmas season in Toronto so they won't get underway from Grenada until late January. They will be missed…..hope to see you up island later in the season.
'Persephone' left Grenada on Sunday, and sailed the 38 miles north to the island of Carriacou (one of the 3 islands which make up the country of Grenada). This was a "shake down" cruise to get the kinks out after sitting in the harbor for five months. The Gremlins were obviously at play while 'Persephone' sat in Mt. Hartman Bay (rhyme intentional) …The most serious issue was overheating of the main engine. Although it didn't reach the critical stage, the engine was running about 20 degrees hotter than normal. (all the time the engine was running, the over-heat alarm was sounding…enough to drive you nuts ! Thank Neptune that it was good sailing and the engine was only needed for about 45 minutes to enter the harbor). Yesterday, I spent the entire day trying to find the problem; replaced the thermostat, checked the sea water intake, and cleaned the heat exchanger. I have not been able to determine if my labors solved the problem as I found (or I over tightened it during re-install) an end cap on the heat exchanger cracked which is now leaking salt water all over the transmission. This is a $2.00 proprietary part which must be ordered from the states. Carriacou is a very small, rural, quintessential Carib island and has no marine parts or services… heck, the internet hasn't worked since I arrived…and I want boat parts…good luck !! So, I am going to have to use my best Rube Goldberg skills and jury-rig something so I can use the engine to leave. Now, I'm trying not to over-heat !!

(I still don't have internet so I am posting this via amateur (ham) radio)

Past Week in Pictures.....

2011-10-25T09:10:00.000-04:00

Today is Thanksgiving Day in Grenada which celebrates the US led interdiction to rescue the island from Russian // Cuban occupation. HAPPY THANKSGIVING, GRENADA !!

The action is brisk as Lynn (Silver Heels III) reels in a barracuda under the
watchful eye of Ronnie (sv Campechano) and hubby Ken (seated)

Gotta love pink shorts !!

Our friends Mark and Willie on 's/v Liahona' arrived in Grenada after spending the summer in Trinidad. Saturday was Willie's birthday so Capt Dave put on his Sunday best for the occasion !

Willie prepares to blow out the candles on her birthday cake....

5th Dinghy Concert

2011-10-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

Late on Monday afternoon the rain let up and off we all went to the 5th Dinghy Concert in Clark's Court Bay (a five minute dinghy ride through the reefs to the adjacent bay)...

Dinghys arrive at 1700 hrs for the concert

Hors d'oeuvre get passed from dinghy to dinghy...

Enjoying the concert.......

One of the performers from Switzerland wrote a song called "Flying to Grenada". To join the concert, just click on the following link.... http://youtu.be/2ZPhUq2RsUo ENJOY !!!

Alarm System....

2011-10-17T19:03:00.000-04:00

A bit off topic.....

I have received several emails, and a couple of comments to the Blog (see prior Blog under comments) concerning the alarm diagram, our security system and plan. Just a couple of comments:

George...the switches are momentary 'horn' type switches. The first relay (relay to the far left) is a 'locking' or latching relay circuit. Once the horn button is pushed, the circuit is activated and the bells etc continue whether the switch is being pushed or not. The only way to shut it off is to shut off the power at the circuit breaker.

Mike picked up a similar issue...ie. there is no 'reset' in the diagram. This is correct. I wanted the alarm to be 'difficult' to deactivate. So, as mentioned above the only way to shut it off is to cut the power. That is the primary reason why I used a 'horn' type switch, and not a regular on//off toggle switch.

Geoff... The sleeping area on Persephone is the V-birth; so an open hatch over the V-birth is necessary for ventilation. The hatch is nearly 22 inches square, big enough for a perp to jump through. When speaking with Kate and Allen, their attackers entered their boat through the V-birth hatch. So, I put 1" stainless steel tubes across the opening to prevent this from happening. The tubes are attractive, and don't interfere with airflow, the screen or operation of the hatch. The main midships hatch is closed and locked at night. We have screens in solid frames for the companionway entrance and the slider is locked with a barrel bolt so that it can be securely locked from inside (and unreachable from the cockpit). If Persephone were in an area that was very insecure (St. Vincent for example), I can substitute the screens for the solid 3/4 teak hatch boards.

Bottom line, the cabin can secured, with lots of outside noise and light... Hopefully, it will never be needed !This is a picture of the the hatch security system.....

1" stainless tubing, Taco brand standard end caps, and bimini attachment
hardware tapped into the aluminum frame of the hatch. The
result is incredibly strong and unobtrusive.

Goeff on "Beach House" sent a comment quoting Dylan: "The times they are a changing". This Blog used to be dedicated to beaches, bars, and beers.....promise to get back there soon...

Capt Dave

Pirates of the Caribbean.....

2011-10-12T10:40:00.000-04:00

Kate and Allen anchored next to
'Persephone' in Grenada

I am not talking about the Disney, romanticized Pirates of the Carib, I am talking about the dirtbags that prey on cruisers. This summer, our friends Kate and Allen on 'Mendosino Queen' were viciously attacked in the Tobaggo Keys. The Keys are a National Park and turtle sancuary located just north of Grenada in the Grenedines. This is a prestine reef system, frequented by cruisers for snorkelling, diving and turtle watching. While anchored there, Kate and Allen were the victims of an armed robbery. The full details are available on the following link: http://www.noonsite.com/Members/sue/R2011-07-12-2

As a result (and as part of our systems upgrade), we have installed a panic alarm system as suggested by Kate and Allen. Panic buttons are located in the V birth, and in the nav station. A push of the button activates two LARGE bells, turns on the deck lights, and turns on a bright cockpit light. One bell is located in the cabin, to disorient and the intruder, and to prevent any intruder from hearing what is happening outside; the other bell is located in the cockpit to alert other cruisers. We have also installed a remote radio microphone in the sleeping quarters; along with stainless steel bars over the hatch above the V birth. I am sharing my design of the Panic Button Alarm System with fellow cruisers....hopefully none of us will ever need it....

Happy Thanksgiving....

2011-10-10T11:21:00.000-04:00

Persephone flys a Canadain flag in celebration !!

Today is Canadian Thanksgiving....so a hearty HAPPY THANKSGIVING to our friends from the north.... !! A full turkey dinner is planned at a local marina.

Our Canadian friends Lynn and Ken (Silver Heels III) just completed hoisting a giant flag to honor the day ! In addition to the national celebration, it just happens to be Lynn's Birthday....So, its a double celebration on Silver Heels III. Special "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" wishes to a great friend, Lynn. Have a great day !!

Let's go SCUBA diving.....

2011-10-07T11:51:00.000-04:00

From the last posting, I don't want you to think that it has been all work and no play ! During the month of September, Trudie took SCUBA diving lessons at ScubaTech; a local Grenadian dive shop. She completed her classroom lessons, pool sessions, and open water dives in flying colors ! Trudie is now a fully certified open water SCUBA diver ! Come along for her water entry at Moliniere Point Underwater Statue Park, in Grenada....

The BLOG is BACK !!

2011-10-04T14:50:00.000-04:00

First, I want to thank all of you in the Blogisphere who have written me to make sure all was OK. The simple answer is all is fine. So, how come there hasn't been a Blog in over a month ? I got carried away with a major boat project.
The navigation equipment on Persephone was over 12 years old, and nearing the end of its useful life. Raymarine had a great rebate offer, so the decision was made to completely upgrade the entire chartplotter, radar, GPS, AIS, DSC, and MARPA systems on Persephone (don't you just love all the initials !). It took over a month to remove (and sell) the 'old' nav equipment, install the new system, and completely intergrate it. During that month, the entire boat was pulled apart for wire runs, especially the nav station. So, here is the result of all the hard (and sweaty) work......

The new chartplotter/GPS is the large screen in the left of the picture. The grey box below is the AIS (anti- collision device). Above the chartplotter is the WIFI router and Pactor (radio modem). In the center are 3 radios; SSB (long distance shortwave), a VHF (short range marine comm), and ordinary stereo with Sirius Sat capability.

An idential chartplotter was installed at the helm. This is networked with the plotter at the nav station. Below the plotter is the auto-pilot control, a data repeater (depth and speed) and controls for the anchor windless (so the anchor can be controlled from the helm).

This is the 'back' of the helm from the cockpit. All of the wires from the nav system were run down the stainless tubing (which I had custom made here in Grenada). The blue "square" is a sunbrella cover over the teak cockpit table. The table was designed to swing down against the pedistal (and covered) when not is use. Before, the table was stored down below when not in use and had to be carried out to the cocpit for each use. I am now busy with the sewing machine finishing the covers for the new instruments.

The project is essential complete, everything works and all the instruments are 'talking' to each other. It is a great system which should make navigation easier, safer and increase our situational awareness. It was a big project and now that it is done, I promise to update you on all of the fun things that happened over the past month. Stay tuned.....Capt Dave

Roger's Barefoot Beach Bar

2011-08-27T11:38:00.000-04:00

Roger's Barefoot Beach Bar

So, we're hanging out at Roger's having a coldie and listening to the band. As I approach the bar, I hear a local fellow asking Roger if he knows the crews of 'Persephone' or 'Silverheels III'. "Hi, I'm from Persephone", I announce. "Hi, I'm Franklin, and I have been following your blog for months now...it's really great to meet you", he says. Mon, you need to get a life !", I retort. Undaunted, Franklin continues..."I'm Grenadian, but working in Brooklyn...I've got 14 years left before I can retire, I can hardly wait to do what you are doing", he lamented"...

Parking Lot at Roger's

Handshakes all around, clinking of Carib bottles, and tales of adventure followed. As we talked we were entertained by a live local band (with their portable generator whining in the near background). The waterlogged, blown-out, and muffled speakers added to the ambiance. What they lacked in equipment, they made up in enthusiasm !!

The bandstand is below the high water mark, note
the seaweed under the stage....

Franklin, this Blog is dedicated to you, mon. Twelve years ago, my dream was kept alive by the voyages of Bob and Lori on 'Pride'. I hope that the travels of 'Persephone' help keep your dream alive, and you are able to sail in our wake as we did in Pride's....

Should have kept practicing law !!

2011-08-21T11:10:00.000-04:00

Genset being installed winter of 2008

Ever have one of those projects where everything you touch goes wrong ? Well that is what happened while working on the genset (generator for making electricity when solar is unavailable). The genset just ticked over 1000 hours so it was time for some major maintenance. I haven't ever changed the impeller (rubber vane device that pumps in sea water for cooling) so it was about time. The pump assembly was nearly against the starter motor, so it had to be totally removed. It was mounted with a combination of metric and US bolts so it became an hour long guessing game to determine proper sizes. The cover was attached with Allen bolts...I couldn't find the correct size and had to borrow one from friends on 'Joanna'. (another 1/2 hour). Of course the impeller was seized in the housing and had to be manhandled to get it out....(add another 3/4 hour which included finding the bandaids). I dropped a part (half the size of a dime) which keeps the impeller from free-spinning into the bowels of the engine...add another 20 minutes to find it...and another bandaid. Reassembly was uneventful, but took nearly an hour. OK, time to see if it works....I pushed the start switch and nothing but the sounds of silence !! WTF !!! I pushed it again....NOTHING !! I pulled out a small mirror on long handle to take a look around the starter circuit. Yup, a wire was hanging with a plug on the end...but where did it belong ?? Add another 30 minutes of searching for a lonely male spade connector. Finally, I found it on the rear of the starter circuit. Add another 20 minutes of turning into a contortionist it get it back in place. I hit the switch and the genset leaped to life....YIKES....I'm soaked....a hose had been loosened by accident, and it was spraying gallons of seawater all over me, and the genset. But worse, the deluge was aimed squarely at the back of the electronic panel for the solar panel charge controller....As I watched, I could see the circuit board frying and the LED lights going off one by one.... &^$+@# !! Cleaning up the saltwater took another hour. The next day you have to add another 3 hours for a trip to Budget Marine for a new controller for $350.00 US and the installation. What should have been a 15 minute project took nearly 10 hours and hundreds of dollars !!.... Some days it just doesn't pay to play mechanic....law was more fun, and cheaper !!

Lead us into Temptation....

2011-08-10T08:40:00.000-04:00

"Lead us into Temptation" is one of the themes of this year's Carnival... Join the cruisers of Grenada at this bacchanalian event --->

Susie of "Spirited Lady" always seems to be in the middle
of any spirited activity. Here she is playing carnival with
one of the local groups !! Cruisers are invited to participate;
you just have to purchase the costume.

Our friend Steve who works for Secret Harbor Marina here in Mt. Hartman Bay enjoys himself with
a rum in one hand at a young lady in the other !!
Enjoy Steve !!

Future Queen of Carnival

This custom stretches across the entire street !!

The Peacock !!

After a raucous afternoon at Carnival , on the bus ride home we had a tire blow out. The jack was too large to fit under the bus, so we had to "lift" it up to get the jack under the frame. It took about about 20 minutes to get the tire changed (remember, we are on 'island time'). Yup, flat tires happen even in paradise....

So, What's Up ??

2011-08-08T15:25:00.000-04:00

Summer flowers of Grenada

So about now, you may be asking: "what's happened to the regular Blogs from Persephone" ? Sharks ? Pirates ? Rum ? No, nothing that dramatic !!

A friend, Captain Morgan of "Winergie" bought a new boat (a 64 foot catamaran named "Nirvana") which was located in St. Maarten. He needed help delivering the boat to Grenada and offered to fly me to St. Maartin to assist in the delivery. I said " sounds like fun, let's go !" So, a week ago Monday, we flew up to the SXM to pick up the new boat. "Persephone" was left by herself on her mooring in Grenada; under the watchful eyes of Lynn and Ken of "Silverheels III".   For security reasons, I told very few people that I had left Grenada and "Persephone" was unattended and certainly didn't want to post that information on a public Blog.
Due to red tape, the potential formation of the tropical event 'Emily' and minor repairs needed to "Nirvana" we didn't set sail from St. Maarten until noon on Friday. "Nirvana" is a BIG, nimble and FAST cat !! In a moderate breeze she lopped along at 15 knots (or twice the speed of "Persephone" !!   She is so fast, I think seatbelts would be a good idea !! We did the 370 mile trip in approximately 40 hours, averaging over 9 knots....that's flying !! We arrived back in Grenada yesterday afternoon to the oohs and ahhs of fellow cruisers.
Now that I am back, the Blog will again be updated regularly....Next event here is Carnival which started yesterday. Another event not to be missed .....   Capt Dave

Gone Green....

2011-07-30T08:26:00.000-04:00

Everyone knows that my 'carbon footprint' is about the same shoe size as the Jolly Green Giant's ! But, not any more !! The third (and final) solar panel has been installed and is fully operational. 'Persephone' is now totally green; meaning, we do not have to rely on the genset for making power. Simply, 'Persephone' is 100% percent solar powered for all of our energy needs; including the largest power consumers... refrig-freezer and the computers.

For the technically minded, the panels total 455 watts and produce approximately 30 amps (per hour) of electricity between 10 am and 3 pm. This is more than sufficient to keep the batteries at full charge while meeting all of the onboard power needs. The genset consumes 3/4 gallon of diesel fuel per hour, and was previously run for 2 hours per day. At $5.50 US per gallon, we are saving $8.25 US per day or $3,000.00 PER YEAR (120 cases of beer) !!

Well, enough with the numbers (I get a bit confused) anyway....just remember 4 out of 3 yachties really like solar !

Lazy, Hazy Days....

2011-07-26T09:11:00.000-04:00

So, here we are in tropics during the summer season. Yes, it's HOT (but not nearly as hot as New York and the rest of the states this past week). So, what's there to do to beat the heat ? Go tubing down a river....

Getting ready to go tubing....

Staying cool on a hot day....

Mike (left) of "Zero to Cruising" and Lynn of "SH III"

Shooting the rapids (John, "Celtic Dream" left)

Our guide steers us through the rocks....

Dawnelle's ("Celtic Dream") smile says it all !!

"MANGO MADNESS".....

2011-07-16T15:39:00.000-04:00

On Friday, Grenada celebrated MANGO FESTIVAL 2011. This is an annual event dedicated to THE mango. Yup, you've got it... Grenada opened it's National Stadium to a bunch of fruits !!

A mango is a mango, right ? WRONG ! ! I was overwhelmed by the number of varieties of mango. On the table pictured at the left, there were approximately 20 varieties displayed. Our local friend Keith (who keeps Persephone supplied with all kinds of fruits from his yard) explained that there are nearly a hundred different varieties grown on the island. ("Excuse me, are mangoes and pineapples related " ? "No, mon, 'des pineapples are d'air for decorations." She then muttered something in creole under her breath....probably "'have a nice day"...

The day was dedicated to all of the things you can do with a mango....juice, wine, plain sauce, hot sauce, cake, truffles, pie, ice cream (VERY GOOD) candies, soap, lotions, tarts, cookies, dried, just to name a very few. The table at the right was one of several displaying the different mango products.

The best thing to do with a mango ----just eat it as is...DELICIOUS !!!

Off to the Pan Yard.....

2011-07-11T09:06:00.000-04:00

As Carnival season approaches, the local pan (steel drum) bands are practicing for the annual island wide competition know as "Panorama". Last year 28 bands joined the competition at the National Stadium; most bands having over a hundred players. Shade Mon (our taxi driver) arranged for a group of cruisers to attend a practice session of the "LIME Comancheros"; the reigning National Youth Division Champions.

On the left, are some of the newer members of the band. The pans which are made in Trinidad cost approximately $500.00 US each.

The pans need to be tuned at least annually with a hammer and a blow torch by a tuner who travels from Trinidad !! The notes on the pans are all identically placed with the whole notes on the right side, and the sharps and flats on the left.

Sadly, the young lady below was not getting it done last night. Playing the pans is not just hitting the right notes, it is all a matter of rhythm....Last night, it just wasn't working out.....

Note the player on the right side of the photo....He is giving the nod to the 'Pan Man' to take over her position:

+
+
+
+
+

"Dave the Pan Man" steps up to save the evening.....!!!

There is only one way to describe the whole evening....PANTASTIC !!!

Island Time.....

2011-07-08T16:43:00.000-04:00

While trying to reason with hurricane season, projects get started on boats in the Caribbean and ‘Persephone’ is no exception. ‘Persephone’ has three projects underway:

1) I ordered an additional solar panel, the associated wiring and controller. The dealer shipped the panel by truck and the wires/controller via Fed Ex. The panel arrived at the port first (go figure) and the wires a week later. As a result, the panel and wires were loaded on two separate ships a week apart doubling the time and cost of shipment. The panel arrived first, and was installed while Persephone was at the dock. The panel wound up stewing in it’s own juice (pun intended) awaiting the wires/controller. The wires arrived last Thursday, but of course there was a local holiday last week (No, not July 4th...this is Grenada remember) and the container wasn’t stripped for an additional four days….there was nothing I could do, so, I decided to move on to another project.

2) The Sirius satellite radio antenna needed to be replaced, so a new one was ordered and shipped via Fed Ex. It arrived in 3 days which I thought was great timing. I immediately started the installation and discovered half way through that a special plug was not included in the box. A more careful reading of the box indicated that the plug was “available” not “included”…BIG difference. So, the adapter had to ordered from the states. It was shipped via UPS and when the package arrived at their hub in Antigua the union went on strike. The package sat in Antigua for 10 days while the labor dispute was resolved. (I called UPS to check on the status and was told: “No worries mon, strikes don’t last too long in the islands, relax, mon….” Yeah, right, easy for you to say !!) No problem, I will start project #3.

3) I wanted to install a loud hailer (sort of a loud speaker to yell at boats that anchor to close, usually French). The hailer had been ordered previously. I cut a length of stainless tubing for the mount, ran the wires through the bowels of the boat (a truly awful job), and installed the hailer; a two day project. (It was a masterpiece !!) I confidently picked up the mike and called “test one, two, test !!” All I could hear was static and garbled speech out of the speaker. DAMN !! I spent the next day checking all the connections….perfect. So, I borrowed a hailer from John on ‘Celtic Dream’ and it worked perfectly….my hailer was DEFECTIVE right out of the box !! The wires were run inside the tubing, so it took a half a day to dismount the defective hailer. It now has to be sent back and another one ordered…. You can’t make this stuff up !!

Strike Three !! I give up !! Wait !! I know what I can get accomplished….opening a couple of cold beers. It is the perfect solution....they couldn't get lost in shipment, as they were already in the refrig, a stike couldn't delay the opening as Persephone's crew is non-union; and finally, the first sip proved they were far from defective. (although it did take several gulps to make sure...) Yup, gotta love living in the islands ....ya, mon !!

Fourth of July

2011-07-04T08:52:00.002-04:00

US Ensign on "Persephone", Mt. Hartman Bay,
Grenada, West Indies

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY !

"Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”

Ben Franklin

"Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose,
Nothing don't mean nothing honey if it aint free." Janis Joplin

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Ben Franklin

Dinghy Concert Revisited....

2011-06-29T09:12:00.000-04:00

Ken and Lynn of "Silver Heels III" at the dingy concert.
Lynn is mixing up a rum and coke !

In January, t/t Persephone attended the first ever "dinghy concert" at Clark's
Court Bay. The concert was held on the tug boat
Calico which was anchored in the middle of the bay.

To watch "Grenada Farewell" performed by Madison Violet click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS0Fm4AJHxU

Solar update....

2011-06-29T08:48:00.000-04:00

Installing mounting hardware...note everything
is wet from the constant showers.

YES !!! The solar panel FINALLY arrived on island, and I was able to pick it up on Monday. The clearance procedure of Tropical Shipping has completely changed and is now a nightmare. Previously, it took about 45 minutes to clear boat parts in through customs. With the "new" procedure it only took FOUR HOURS. And to add further insult, Tropical shipped only the panel. The box with the wires got seperated and is on the ship which arrives tomorrow. So, I get to go through it all over again. Think I will bring a flask this time !!

Cruiser BBQ.....

2011-06-27T07:42:00.000-04:00

Cindy of 'Josey Bird' working the grill

So much running around has occurred since the last posting... The week was filled with running back and forth into St. Georges'. The complication has been getting the new solar panel, controller and a Sirius Sat Radio antenna shipped in and and through customs. The paper work was ready on Wednesday....so off to town I went. Oh, forgot to mention that the rainy season has started. The local term is 'spaghetti rain'...The paperwork was finished (but soggy) and the panel arrived via ship on Thursday. On Friday, another trip into town only to learn that the ship wouldn't be off-loaded until Monday (today). But, I picked up the Sirius antenna at Fed Ex while in town. Got it back to 'Persephone' and of course a necessary adapter wasn't included....back to the internet for another order (and a couple more trips to town) !!

So, on Saturday, I attended the Second Annual Cruisers BBQ at Garfield's Beach Bar to settle my frayed nerves. Cindy and Steve of 'Josey Bird' did the catering for the 'all you can eat' bash.

Garfield's Beach Bar

Cindy is from St. Lucia and did a great job preparing a wide varity of local dishes; fried plantains is one of my favorites !! Yummm!

Garfield's provided the perfect venue. It is located on Grand Anse beach, Grenada's most beautiful beach which streaches for more than two miles. The weather cooperated and it was a great time catching up with new and old friends.

Cross your fingers about retrieving the solar panel today ! Will let you know...... Capt Dave

Island Tour....

2011-06-19T13:44:00.000-04:00

On Thursday, 'Silver Heels III', 'Liahona', 'Arita' and 'Persephone' decided to take the FULL island tour....We had a great time, but were exhausted after the 9 hour tour of the island.....

This is Patrick (call sign: "Shade Mon" ) our tour guide. We met Patrick last year and helped him get started by giving him a used radio and antenna system.

Port Louis Marina, St. George, Grenada

The Carinage (harbor area) St. George, Grenada

Concord Falls is pictured on the left. It is one of the many waterfalls in Grenada. Several of our tour group decided to cool off in the falls.

Below are thousands of nutmeg on drying racks at the Nutmeg Cooperative. Grenada is one of the world's largest producers of nutmeg. Many of the nutmeg trees were destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. It is only now that the trees are beginning to produce.

No island tour would be complete without the tour of a rum factory; (and of course a couple of samples) this tour was no exception ! We went to Three Rivers Rum Distillary....all they blend is over-proof white rum which in not aged for a second. Read: otta 'd still and inta 'd bottle, mon. The rum was horrible !! The ONLY t'ing charming about Rivers was the door on the right !!

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished.....

2011-06-15T16:21:00.000-04:00

So, there I am just out of the bunk (still in my boxers...TMI ? ) when Lynn calls on the radio to say 'good morning'. She mentions that today is the day she and Ken are picking up their 'new to them' dinghy and outboard engine. They have hired a small truck to pick up the dinghy in St. George. "I'm not doing anything, do you need some help" ? I offered. "Sure, come along....." "OK, sounds like fun...." (little did I know !)

After a short ride we arrive at the dock where the dinghy was stored in the water probably forever. There is an inch of growth consisting of barnacles, crabs, shrimp, muscles, weed, slime and quivering yuck covering the entire bottom of the dinghy. Simply, the dinghy has become it's own living, self-supporting ecosystem !! (I'm staring at the 'Origins of Species' on planet Earth ...Darwin would have orgasmed !! I nearly wretched !! ) I'm figuring that Lynn and Ken are going to need a jack hammer to evict the inhabitants. Gingerly, we carry the dinghy and load it into the back of the truck....Now, this is a pretty small vehicle, with only two seats, yet, there are four people !! So, I get volunteered to sit in the back UNDER the dinghy !

Lynn of SH 3 in the dinghy with me under it.
Ken sits comfortably in the front seat !

The "science project" is not happy about being yanked from of the water, so the critters start 'abandoing ship'; landing on me.

We don't drive more that 100 yards and it starts to rain; well not really rain, think tropical down pour....can this morning get any worse ?? Oh, yeah...the back of the truck starts filling with rain water creating a living soup mix, with me sitting in the middle !! Did I mention the smell ?? It smelled like a portable, perpetual low tide....

So, to get to the marina we have to climb a VERY steep, long hill. Allen, our driver shifts into low gear, revs up the engine and up we go. Little do I know that I am sitting directly over the muffler. The strain of the hill heats up the muffler. All of a sudden my butt feels warm...then hot....then too hot to sit !! I raise my butt so as not to get burned and hit my head on the dinghy....a couple more angry creatures fall off and stare at me. Now the water in the bed of the truck is heating up creating a primordial soup with me looking like a giant dumpling !! The seafood broth is sloshing around the bed of the truck, semi sauteed, as we pull into the marina. Get me otta here !! Lynn has to pull me out from under dinghy....Next time I want bouillabaisse, think I will just sail up to Martinique !! Bon Appetite,,,NOT !! Capt Dave

Fashion Statement......

2011-06-12T13:01:00.000-04:00

This morning was the final scuba dive to "beef up" 'Persephone's' mooring. I added some very heavy chain at the bottom, and used some thimbles on the rode to prevent chafe. As my tank was nearly empty, Mark on 'Liahona' loaned me a "special" tank....it was HOT PINK !! So, to be stylish, I put on my lime green shirt and instantly became the 'preppy diver'.....

The Preppy Diver is always willing to go down !!

In the Groove....

2011-06-11T14:04:00.000-04:00

Persephone and her crew (me) have settled into Grenada....and we are back in the groove of daily life. This year I have rented a mooring for the season instead of anchoring as I did last summer. The mooring is inexpensive by US standards ($60 US per MONTH) and saves wear and tear on my anchor and chain. Dennis (a Grenadian who does boat work in the Bay) installed 2 moorings, one for 'Silver Heels III' and one for 'Persephone'. We flipped a coin to determine which mooring which boat would take. I am very pleased with the location of my mooring, and I am seriously considering buying it from Dennis for future seasons. With that in mind, I have bought heavier chain to 'beef up' the mooring to withstand heavier winds and swells. Installing the heavier chain and thimbles on the mooring rode is tomorrow's scuba diving project. Mark from 'Liahona' (who arrived here yesterday) has agreed to help. Lately it seems all my scuba diving is 'work' dives and not dives for pleasure // sightseeing i.e. cleaning the bottom, replacing zincs on the prop shaft, covering the prop with a plastic bag to prevent sea growth etc....and helping out SH 3 by doing the same.

But don't think it has been all work......

Dinghies arrive for another 'on the water' dinghy concert....

A group from Switzerland performs as the sun sets...Icy beers are extracted
from coolers and apps passed from dinghy to dinghy... this was all
on the day Persephone arrived !! Made for a long one !!

On Wednesday nights it's 'Hamburger Night" at Clarks Court Bay Marina....ground zero of where cruisers meet and socialize. There is a new band this season featuring a mix of island, raggae and socca music. Terrific !!

This is Cheryl of 'Just Imagine...' dancing with the band

Home in Hartman......

2011-06-05T08:51:00.000-04:00

'Persephone' has returned "home" to Hartman Bay, Grenada, West Indies, after cruising the Eastern Caribbean for the past four and a half months. During that time, 'Persephone' logged a just over 700 miles, visited seven island countries, and ventured as far north as Antigua/Barbuda. ('North' ?? Barbuda is still south of Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands !!)  The high points of the winter travels were the beaches of Barbuda and the Classic Yacht Race on Antigua. The low points were the equipment failure which caused the loss of the primary anchor (which was eventually recovered after four days of scuba diving) and the rude attitude of some French sailors who repeatedly anchored too close for safety; yet refused to move all the while using vulgarity to justify their position. The best part of the winter, by far, was buddy boating with friends on 'Silver Heels III', 'Absaroque', 'Impressionist', and 'Liahona'; to name only a few.

Persephone had just cleared the harbor when the radio started crackling with "hellos" and "welcome backs". For the past several days taxi/bus drivers, store clerks, restaurant owners/staff, and local friends have all greeted 'Persephone's return with warm smiles and gushing "glad to see you home"......Every one of them is  right, Persephone has arrived  "home" !!

Capt Dave

Snorkeling on Canouan

2011-05-28T12:31:00.000-04:00

Capt Dave

Yesterday, 'Persephone, 'Silver Heels III', and 'Liahona' spent the afternoon snorkeling the reefs of Canouan. Willie of 'Liahona' was the photographer.....

Sea fans in foreground. Sgt Major swims by in the background

Underwater seascape......

Lynn (right) of SH 3 enjoys snorkeling along the surface, while husband

Ken (below) bobs to the surface; looking very natty with his baseball

hat turned around for sun protection....

Ole Dave checks a 'hidy-hole' for lobsters to keep in practice.
If lobsters were in season, I would have my spear ready !!

Ole Dave points out some sea critters to the group snorkeling above
(The critter was a spotted sea snake)

Parking Lot....Canouan style

The BLUE form !!

2011-05-27T10:40:00.000-04:00

Tuesday night:
Mon, it’s been a long day….time for bed !! These shorts are really getting funky....time for the laundry. Let’s see if there is anything in the pockets. Yup, some old, folded up blue hunk of paper….must be a store receipt. Better tear it up…and into the wastebasket it goes. “Now I lay me down to sleep”…..snore…ZZZZZZZZZZz

Wednesday morning:

Good morning world, and good morning Bequia. ‘Persephone’ is anchored in Bequia, flying a yellow Q flag, after sailing down from St. Lucia yesterday. We have not yet cleared into the country. So, what’s on the agenda today ?? ‘Liahona’ and ‘Persephone’ decided to make the16 mile hop down to the island of Canouan. (“can-ou-wan” a small island located in the country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines…or simply SVG). 'Persephone' decided we would save time and clear customs and immigration in Canouan. We had a fast, super sail from Bequia to Canouan, arriving just before noon.

Wednesday afternoon:

“Well, be better get legal in SVGl”, I said. It’s time to clear into the country with Customs and Immigration. Persephone has never been to Canouan before, so we pulled out the guidebook to find where C and I were located….easy, at the airport. But, where’s the airport? And how do we get there ?? After looking at our navigation charts, we were able to find the airport, and determined that it was too far to walk, especially in the heat. So, why not take the dinghy. OK, let’s go !! We dinghyed about 2 1/2+ miles around the south side of the island, and pulled the dinghy up on the beach near the airport; just as a rain squall arrived. It was a short, easy walk to the airport in the rain. We found Customs and Immigration, and started filling out the forms; as we were still dripping from the rain (essentially looking like a drowned rat). The customs agent asked for our clearance form issued when checking out of St. Lucia. He looked straight at me and said, you know mon, the BLUE departure form ?? “You, do have it, don’t you” ??!! Oh, my God !! NOT THE BLUE PAPER THAT WAS IN MY SHORTS, I thought !! Terrified, I said: “Sorry, sir, but I can’t find the BLUE form”. (I couldn’t tell him I threw it away !! Now I thinking 3rd world jail !! ) “Mon, we going to hold onto your passports”,,,better go back to to da boat and find da form, mon”..... “Yes, Sir”, I said sheepishly…..and off I went to the beach and the dinghy. (Just maybe I was wrong, and the BLUE form was somewhere in the desk at the nav station and NOT in the trash). So, I dutifully made the 5 mile round trip back to ‘Persephone’ in the dinghy just in case. As I dinghyed around the island all I could think was: “Are they going to throw ‘Persephone’ out of the country” ? “Fine us” ?? “Impound the boat” ?? “Or, just throw us in jail” ?? This is NOT good !! I never been thrown out of a country before !! When I returned to Customs, the official had checked the passports and saw the proper stamps from St. Lucia which showed we were legitimately in St. L, and had our passports properly stamped. He decided reluctantly that ‘Persephone’ could stay…..but not after a stern lecture about being responsible, keeping government paperwork safe, and not ever showing up in SVG again without the proper paperwork. Yes, Sir, yes, sir, no problem….Thank you, thank you, for not throwing us out of the country !! We got back to Persephone just shortly before sunset. The end of the day was perfect !! Friends, a cold rum punch, a green flash and Persephone could remain in the SVGs !!

Pigeon Island.....

2011-05-22T12:38:00.000-04:00

Pigeon Island is located on the north rim of Rodney Bay. On the left (western) hill of Pigeon, the English built a fort so that they could keep a close eye on the main French naval base at Martinique, just 25 north. Just getting the stone blocks up the hill, not to mention the cannons, had to be a monumental engineering feat. The right (eastern) part of the island is called 'Signal Hill'. The US Navy set up a radio installation here during WW II.

Pigeon Island, Rodney Bay

Anne on 'Impressionist' suggested (in her delightful English accent) that we (we: the crews of 4 cruising boats) climb up to the fort ! "Climb" and "UP" are the the operative words......As it turns out, we actually climbed BOTH hills. We first climbed to the fort and then crossed over to Signal Hill...

Looking UP at the fort

Anne chose the perfect day for the accent....Friday was hazy with a nice breeze; perfect for the climb. It was well worth the effort....sweating out all of those evil spirts left over from the tour of the rum distillary two posts ago.....This is looking down on the Fort from Signal Hill....

This is looking south along the St. Lucian coast. The Pitons are faintly
seen in the background 20 miles away

And, this is Rodney Bay.....Persephone is anchored among the fleet :

Rodney Bay, St. Lucia

2011-05-21T09:36:00.001-04:00

Altenator is the white device on the
right side of the engine. Harness is
on the floor.

During the past couple of trips, the electrical charging system on the main engine has been fluky; sometimes charging, and sometimes not. I was not particularly worried as Persephone has a back-up generator and the solar panels. Finally, while motoring earlier this week up to Rodney Bay, the charging system failed entirely.  Guess I have to do something about it, I thought.

After an hour of diagnostics, it was determined that the regulator and not the alternator had failed. No problem.....as SUPER CAPTAIN has a spare regulator on board. I adjusted my super hero cape and pulled out the spare, still in the factory sealed box. I opened the box, (even) read the instructions and was about to install the regulator. BUT !!! A second look showed that the regulator was a 24 volt unit, NOT the needed 12 volt.....I spun around so fast trying to find the packing box, I damn near tripped over my cape !!  I rechecked the box....it was correctly labeled, but contained the wrong regulator.... The factory put the wrong regulator in the box !! Well, at least it wasn't SUPER CAPTAIN'S fault......

I removed the old wires, and installed the new wiring harness. Now, I am just waiting for the new regulator to arrive from the states.... Well waiting, perhaps I will do some 'mountaineering' .....but you will have to wait for that adventure until the next blog....

Capt. Dave

Rhythm of Rum....

2011-05-13T18:09:00.000-04:00

Well, here we ('Liahona' and 'Persephone') are still at Marigot Bay, St. Lucia.... Another squall front is approaching with rain, high winds, overcast, and it's Friday the Thirteenth. No sane sailor would EVER set sail on a Friday never mind Friday the 13th. It's just plain SUICIDE!!

Sometime in the 19th century, the Royal Navy attempted to finally dispel the old superstition among sailors that beginning a voyage on a Friday was certain to bring bad luck. To demonstrate the falseness of this belief, they decided to commission a ship named HMS Friday. Her keel was laid on a Friday, she was launched on a Friday, and she set sail on her maiden voyage on a Friday. She was never seen or heard from again !!

Now, you can understand my reluctance to leave Marigot Bay today. So, what's a safety minded sailor to do ?? There is ONLY one answer..... go to a rum distillery and watch how rum is made..... let's go !!

The basics for making rum are straight forward. Blend sugar (from sugar cane or molasses), water and yeast. Let is sit for 24 hours, distill it, let it age for a while, bottle and drink.

Above left is a small copper Pot Still. Below is a larger copper Pot Still. The larger still is used for distilling St. Lucia's premier rum....Admiral Rodney which is aged in oak barrels bought used from the Jack Daniel's distillery in the states for minimum of eight years before it is ready to bottle.

After a strenuous tour of St. Lucia's only rum distillary, there is only one thing left to do...sample the product !! Here I was worrying about the weather, and Friday the 13th. Now I have to worry about a Rum Squall !!! Think I will have another taste of the coconut creme, no maybe the Director's Spiced, no the Admiral Rodney, no...on the other hand..... ???

Just Liming........

2011-05-12T08:03:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Persephone motored the 6+ miles from Rodney Bay, St. Lucia to Marigot Bay. It was such a short hop, I was just too lazy to put up the sails. I dragged a fishing line with a brand new lure all the way hoping for a nice tuna dinner...unfortunately, no luck.

'Liahona' and 'Persephone' will spend a couple of days enjoying Marigot. Yesterday, we went to one of the local "watering holes" for lunch. Little did we know that they had a drink special...buy one get one free. Made for a long afternoon.... :)

After lunch, we took the dinghys around the corner to a deserted, black sand beach were we cooled off.
We have no scheduled projects so the plan is just to lime for the next couple of days. Future plans call for installation of another solar panel, and perhaps a washing machine....meanwhile I am going to enjoy the down time !!

St. Lucia.....

2011-05-10T09:28:00.000-04:00

"Liahona" sails south to St. Lucia

After being in Martinique for a bit over a week, it was time to move south to St. Lucia...back to a place where I can actually speak the language !! The distance between Martinique and St. L is only 25 miles, a mere 'hop' after the lengthy sails of late. The sail itself was spectacular !! The winds and seas were perfect and allowed Persephone to 'stretch her legs' and show her speed. Persephone arrived in Rodney Bay an hour + ahead of SH3 and Liahona.

We plan on being in Rodney only a day or two, as there is not much happening here. The bay is beach-lined with resort hotels, including Sandels. So, after some reprovisioning, we will be heading south probably to Marigot Bay and then on to the Pitons. Will keep you up to date.....

Capt Dave

Saturday Night....

2011-05-07T18:42:00.001-04:00

This is just a quick update from the Bay of Cyclones, LeMarin, Martinique. Persephone has been here for the past week. Bay of Cyclones is a great place to get work done on the boat as it is a nearly completely enclosed mangrove 'swamp". The winds are dissipated by the surrounding hills, and all seas are abated by the shore lined mangroves. So without wind and seas, I have been able to get Persephone completely washed and waxed. She is looking really good...to make her look great I need my electric buffer which I left in Connecticut. But, she passes the fifty foot test !

But, it hasn't been all work and no play. We celebrated Cinco de Mayo, took a bus trip to the capital Fort de France, and checked out a local boat show; not to mention shopping in the French super markets. As I have said before, the French sure know their food....I am on the baguette a day program !!

The most significant feature of the week has been the rain. It has rained and rained and then rained some more. And, this is NOT the wet season !! It has rained so much that I have not had to use the watermaker, as fresh water is being collected off the decks. Actually, it has been raining for nearly two weeks, and the updated forecast features MORE rain for at least the next week !! A freak front is stalled over the central eastern Caribbean. There is even talk about this front forming the first tropical low of the season...no thanks !!

Persephone is loosely buddy-boating with Silver Heels III and Liahona. We have decided to leave Martinique in the morning for St. Lucia. This is an easy twenty-five mile hop which we will do in the morning.

Hopefully, we will have regular internet in St. Lucia and I can get back to regular postings of both text and pictures....

Happy Mothers' Day as it applies....

Capt Dave

Weather Hostage.....

2011-04-29T13:40:00.000-04:00

Atlantic side of Dominica

"Liahona" and "Persephone" arrived in Dominica FIVE days ago. We had planned on leaving the next morning for Martinique. However, our plans were foiled by a front which stalled over the area. All week, there have been squalls with high winds (22-25 gusting to 30 +) and torrential downpours. And to make matters even more interesting (pun intended) the seas swells are over ten feet !! So, we have been held hostage here by the weather.

On Tuesday night I got so excited watching an old episode of "Star Trek" I pulled my back out. I crawled off the couch to get to the V-birth. Wednesday was a wasted day; I could do absolutely nothing but lay flat, take anti-inflammatory drugs, and apply ice to my low back. Not a fun day.

On Thursday, I was getting cabin fever, when I got a radio call from 'Liahona' suggesting we take a tour of Dominica. I agreed and off we went on a 6 hour tour of the island, in the wind and driving rain of course.....

Evening Squalls over Dominica

Dominica is an incredibly lush island which receives over 350 inches of rain per year. (I didn't expect that all that rain would fall in one week, however !!) The island has over 350 rivers and several waterfalls. Here I am at the Emerald Pools beneath one of Dominica's many waterfalls....

Because of the rain, and fertile volcanic soils, nearly every fruit, vegetable, spice and nut grows in Dominica...we found pineapples, mangoes, passion fruit, coca beans, bay leaves, cashew nuts, pumpkin, star fruit, lemon grass, coffee beans just to name few. But the most we saw was banana plantations everywhere ! Each bunch of bananas is wrapped in a blue plastic bag to protect the fruit from bugs, rodents and bruising:

Despite the rain and wind, we had an enjoyable tour of Dominica. This is the second poorest island in the Caribbean, second only to Haiti. But, the Dominicans are trying to improve their infrastructure by enticing hotel construction and tourism to the island. But, this may be a two edge sword. It is said that Dominica is the only island in the Caribbean that Columbus would recognize today; due to the retention of it's unspoiled, natural state.

Gonna try and move south tomorrow...Martinique here we come.... !!

Capt Dave

Another Day, Another Country....

2011-04-26T13:16:00.000-04:00

The racing and parties are over and it was time to leave Antigua. So in three days, Persephone has sailed from Antigua to Guadeloupe on to Dominica… Yup, three days, three countries. My plan was to continue south to Martinique today, but a front arrived last night and spoiled my plans. When I awoke this morning the winds were howling, so, I thought it best to stay put in Portsmouth Harbor, Dominica for a day or two, until they subside. There are always boat projects to do while waiting.

Until today, the sailing has been terrific; with perfect winds, blowing in the right direction for top boat speed, and comfortably low seas. It just couldn’t get any better. On Easter Sunday, with the boat basically sailing herself; my mind began to wonder….” (never a good thing) This was the type of sailing you wish could last forever…”forever”….hmmmmm. Interesting concept….

Apparently, nothing lasts “forever”, and being Easter and all, I started to think about the end of ALL days i.e. The Rapture. But, when will the end of the world occur?? God knows, Mary would want her only son (I am talking about my sainted mother, Mary) ready for THE END. What would happen if he was low on rum, or cold beer. My sainted mother would be outraged, embarrassed and ultimately disgusted. (Remember running out of beer at Farmer’s Cay last year ??) Not being properly prepared for the end of the world would be completely unacceptable. So, what should a good son do ??

The answer is obvious…go to the website: www.raptureready.com and check out the “Rapture Index”. This is a matrix of 45 factors used to determine how close we are to the end of the world. It bills itself as a “speedometer for the end of time”. (You just can’t make this stuff up !!) Now, all you have to do is get up in the morning, check the Rapture Index, and you are good to go. But, not so fast !! Last week, the Rapture Index hit a record all time high of 184; so THE END could be getting very near, and coming quickly.

After checking out the Rapture Index, I decided I better get prepared; and fast. So, I loaded up Persephone with several bottles of Antigua’s English Harbor aged rum, and a couple of cases of Carib beer. So, now I am ready…bring it on !! With this much beer and rum onboard, hell, I may even see the Easter Bunny !!

Sailing as if the world will end tomorrow, Happy Easter !!

Capt Dave

Off to the Races Part Two....

2011-04-18T12:01:00.000-04:00

Which way do you go ???

Off to the Races.....

2011-04-18T11:48:00.000-04:00

Calling for room at the mark !!

Close action at the first mark among the "J-Boats"

"Valshetta"(right) tacking to starboard as she rounds the mark
first and gets the right of way over "Ranger" (center) who
is on a port tack and has no rights and no where to go !!

Antigua Classic Yacht Week

2011-04-14T13:57:00.000-04:00

Willie of 'Liahona' at the helm of 'Coral'
with two of the crew

The festivities for Classic Week started on Tuesday evening. The crew of 'Liahona', 'Silver Heels III' and 'Persephone' were invited aboard the classic yacht 'Coral' for a dinner with the crew. "Coral" is a beautiful, all wooden 100+ foot schooner built in 1902. Her homeport is South Africa and she transversed the Atlantic to participate in Race Week. We had originally discussed with the captain racing aboard her during a cocktail party onboard 'Liahona'. We were all set to go. BUT !! Coral is for sale, and at the last minute, the owner and broker wouldn't allow her to be raced for fear of damaging her. I think the crew was more disappointed than we were. .

Last night there was a meet and greet at the Antigua Yacht Club.
They really went all out....free Mt. Gay rum, a BBQ and excellent sushi. We all completely enjoyed the evening, catching up with old friends and meeting cruisers we have only heard on the radio. They were still going strong when we left at 11:30 !!

This morning there was the "Concours d'Elegance" at the docks. This is a beauty contest for the yachts. The crews have been working for days (weeks ?) touching up varnish and spit polishing the bronze. There was so much varnish and polished metals, you had to wear shades....

The racing starts tomorrow. We have rented a QUAD (4 wheel drive off-road vehicle) to carry us, and the coolers (yes, plural) up Pigeon Hill so we can observe the races. This vantage point should provide a spectacular view of the race course.

What did I do with my new red Mt. Gay cap ??

Capt. Dave

Sunday Morning.....

2011-04-10T14:14:00.001-04:00

So, there I was liming in the cockpit enjoying a book and a coldie when Devi of 'Artic Tern' dinghyed over and said: "I am arranging a walk early tomorrow (Sunday) morning up and over Pigeon Hill to English Harbor. Wanna come" ? I looked over at Pigeon Hill and said "how bad can it be...sure, what time" ? "Eight AM" was the reply. Is the sun even up at that time on a Sunday morning, I thought.... The crews of 6 boats assembled at the dock at 8 AM. The sky was azure blue with white puffy clouds, bright sun, already 80 degrees but there was a light cooling breeze. The "walk" was moderately difficult the mile up Pigeon Hill, but the views were sensational...Enjoy:

This is the entrance to Falmouth Harbor

This is Falmouth Harbor. Persephone is nearly center in the picture

Antigua between Falmouth and English Harbors

The entrance to English Harbor

Following the walk, we assembled at the Seabreeze Cafe for "smoothies" et als. Mark of 'Liahona' had the best idea of the morning. He ordered a BIG hunk of NY cheesecake to pass around. Gotta love it....a hard workout followed by cheesecake !! Viva the cruising life !!

Capt Dave.....

Old Home Week...(Month ??)

2011-04-08T15:25:00.001-04:00

One month ago, 'Persephone' and 'Silver Heels III' sailed to Antigua. Nearly everyday since arriving, friends have sailed into Falmouth Harbor from all points of the Caribbean.  The new arrivals have included cruiser friends  from the Bahamas ('Liahona'), friends from Puerto Rico ('Just Imagine...'), and yachties from Grenada ('Here Today', 'Beach House', 'Sailacious', 'Mini B', 'Josie Bird', 'Receta', and 'Impessionist'); to name only a few. Many of the crews I have not seen since leaving Grenada over three months ago. It has been great getting reacquainted with sundowners!!

The reason for the reunion is the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta being held from April 14th-19th. The Antigua Yacht Club hosts this event (which is in it's 70th year) as part of the "the preeminent international classic yachts racing circuit, attracting some of the finest yachts from all corners of the world..." And from what I have seen so far, this is an understatement !! Yachts include the gleeming 'Rebecca' at 139 ft long; needing a racing crew of 25+; the 114 ft schooner 'Marie Pierre'; the dueling queens of the race course... 136 ft J Class Sloops 'Velesheda' and 'Ranger'.  The teak on 'Velesheda' is varnished to perfection, the gloss so deep and shiny that you can't look at her cabin top in the sunshine without sunglasses....I could easily shave in the reflection....Perfection !! As I was chatting with the crew (hoping for an invitation to race on board), I had to be careful not to drool all over the deck. Then there is 'Pink Lady"....a/k/a "Pretty in Pink"...a 37 ft classic Carriacou sloop, painted pink and white, with a bikini clad all female crew. (The crew includes such names as Scary Mary, Tipsy Gypsy, Psycho Betty, Killer B and Thirsty Kirsty....)

If you wish to follow the fun check out http://www.antiguaclassics.com/   It is worth just seeing the slide show of the classic yachts racing....
Enjoy !!

2011-04-02T11:52:00.000-04:00

Upper left: dinner on "Liahona"; Upper right: Sunset at Jolly Harbor
Lower Left: Barbuda beach; Lower right: Ingela and Matts of Swedish vessel "Elin Alida"
flanking Ken and Lynn of "Silver Heels III"

BACK FROM BARBUDA.....

2011-03-31T09:34:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, Persephone "turned the corner". You may recall many posts ago that I vowed not to sail one inch further north than Barbuda. (Barbuda is on the same latitude as St. Croix, USVI) So, for the first time in nearly three months Persephone was on a port tack (wind coming over the left side of the boat) heading south. We will continue south for the next several months returning to Grenada for the hurricane season.

Again, the sail was terrific. Constant winds of 14 knots, just south of east, and moderate seas. Persephone literally flew the 25 miles from Barbuda to Jolly Harbor, Antigua. The plan is to remain in Anitgua for the "Classic Yacht Race" which is held in mid-April. This is one of the world's premier yacht races; attracting vintage wooden yachts from all over the world. I may even try to get a crewing position on one of them !! And now, a couple of pictures from Barbuda :

Pink Beach

This is the anchorage at Pink Beach

Notice that the sand really is pink !!

Sunday, Sunday......

2011-03-27T18:32:00.001-04:00

Today is day 10 anchored off Pink Beach, Coco Point, Barbuda. Perhaps a poet or philosopher could describe the natural beauty of this anchorage, but a sun drenched and rum soaked sailor could never find the right adjectives..although a gerund may work well in this case: "f-ing beautiful" !!
This is the beach where Princess Di took her sons William and Harry. I wonder if the Prince and Kate Middleton will be honeymooning here ??
This is the beach where you lose your shoes. After being anchored off Pink Beach for a week, the crews of 'Silver Heels III', 'Elin Alida' (our Swedish friends) and 'Persephone' decided to take a cab to the "Big City", Codrington. (3 or 4 streets, and a couple of stores) We dinghyed ashore to meet the cab, and hauled the dinghy up on the beach where I suddenly realized that I forgot my Tevas. We relaunched the dinghy and motored back out to 'Persephone' where I had to search the boat to find my Tevas. I realized that after a week of not wearing any shoes (actually there are no 'shoes' on Persephone, only Teva sandals); I had no idea where I had left them. Finally, after a search of several minutes, I found them buried in a seat locker. Man was never meant to wear shoes; so when you misplace them for a week, you know you really have become a beach bum.
This is the beach where you gaze up at the night sky and see is a gazillion stars. There are very few lights on Barbuda (the population is only 1,500) so there is no "light pollution"; and the sky is crystal clear without any man made contaminants. You are so overwhelmed by the number of stars that the easily recognizable constellations get lost in the multitude. When astronomers say that there are more stars in the heavens than grains of sand on a beach; they couldn't possibly be referring to this beach; otherwise, the stars would be pink.
Capt. Dave

Liming in Barbuda.....

2011-03-23T07:37:00.000-04:00

Yup, we ('Persephone' and 'Silver Heels III') haven't moved an inch; still firmly anchored off Coco Point, Barbuda. We are about to rename this place "Velcro Harbor"...once you hook up, you can't peel away. In fact, there is really no reason to leave; as it is nearly perfect.

One day melts into the next...mornings are still filled with minor boat projects. Yesterday, I started disassembling and cleaning the six winches aboard (actually, I only got one done; more today). Afternoons, there is the obligatory long walk on the beach to keep the knees in shape; followed by sundowners on one of the boats. So far, we have seen two green flashes at sunset.

Other than sand, sea and sky, there is not much happening here. On average, there are about 8-12 boats which anchor here each night (mostly charters);staying only a night or two before moving on. Our major source of entertainment is watching the charters trying to get their anchors to hold. One poor charterer attempted to anchor at least five times and I am not sure he has got it yet. The bottom is plain sand, so if you can't hook up here, you should just give up !!

By standing on the cabin top, with my hand held over my head I am able to get one bar on my cell phone for texting. We have no internet whatsoever. We have heard that one of the resorts on Eleven Mile Beach has an open wifi system. Depending on the sea swell, we may move up to Eleven Mile Beach tomorrow to see if we can avail ourselves of their wifi.

Plan on staying in Barbuda through the weekend, at least. Loving the freezer and watermaker; well worth the cost and effort of installation !!

Capt Dave

Beautiful Barbuda

2011-03-19T06:47:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we ('Persephone', 'Silver Heels III' and Josie Bird'), sailed the 25 miles from Antigua to the island of Barbuda (Antigua and Barbuda comprise on country). At first blush, it appears that a chunk of the Bahamas drifted into the Caribbean. Unlike the other Carib islands, Barbuda is pancake flat...essentially a giant sand bar. This is not to say Barbuda is small, it's not at 12 miles long by 8 miles wide; at the longest and widest parts. The island is rustic and beautiful.

There is no real harbor...you just pull up to a crescent shaped beach and drop the anchor ! And let me describe THE BEACH...it is the most beautiful, perfect beach I have ever seen. I know I have Blogged about how great the beaches are at Conception Island, Bahamas; Chatham Bay, Union Island; Paradise Beach, Carriacou; Grand Anse, Grenada.... forget it !! Cocoa Point, Barbuda is where God himself goes to the beach...(In fact, after a couple of rum drinks, I think I saw Him on the beach last night...anyway....)

Did I say the beach is perfect ? Picture a crescent shaped beach of pale pink sand that goes forever in either direction. The sand is awesome, the consistency of granulated sugar. There are no rocks, seaweed, trash, tourists; nothing to detract from the beauty of Cocoa Point. The water is crystal clear, (you can clearly see the anchor and chain on the bottom at 18 feet) turquoise green and just laps the beach with 6 inch waves; so landing the dinghy is effortless.

We plan on staying here for several days, and then may move around the corner to Eleven Mile Beach....I can hardly wait to see to see it. We are limited only by the amount of food aboard. There is no place to reprovision at Cocoa Point; or comm facilities (no internet, wifi, or cell service....although my cell occasionally beeps indicating I am getting one bar of service for a few seconds and then nothing). I fired up the watermaker yesterday, and have offered to share some water with SH3; so no one is in any rush to move.

Will post pictures when I get internet, but for now, ham radio is the only option for all onboard communication; including this posting.

THE BEACH is calling....gotta go !

Ole Dave

Beaches.......

2011-03-16T18:03:00.000-04:00

As I look out from the cockpit of Persephone at Jolly Harbor, I am surrounded by beaches of every description.....there are at least 10 within a short dinghy ride:

The green water reminds me of the Bahamas.......

Photos from Falmouth

2011-03-13T10:00:00.000-04:00

I will again let the pictures tell the story.....These are photos of Nelson's Dock Yard National Park at the north end of English Harbor, Antigua. In 1723, the Brits recognized that English and Falmouth Harbors were easily defensible, had quick access to the trade winds, yet shelterd enough to withstand a hurricane. By 1784, English/Falmouth Harbors were Britain's main naval station in the Caribbean. England's national naval hero, Admiral Nelson was assigned here in 1784; and, thus, the restored dock yard now shares his name.

The main street in Nelson's Dock Yard

The pillars that supported the sail loft in the harbor.

Waterfront offices, and stores builing

Not a bad neighborhood for "Persephone".......The anchorage is adjacent to the Dock Yard.

Thought of the day: Some people put boats in little bottles; I like to put little bottles in my boat !!

Liming in Antigua.....

2011-03-11T07:12:00.000-05:00

After our sprint north, the crews of 'Liahona', 'SH 3' and 'Persephone' have spent this week just "liming" (hanging out, relaxing). On Tuesday, we all spent the day cleaning up the boats after the passage, and doing some basic shopping. Tuesday evening, I hosted a "dinner party" for 5 aboard 'Persephone'; featuring chicken, a side of spaghetti and home (boat ??) baked brownies. No one got sick, so I guess it came out alright....during dinner we decided to take the bus into THE CITY (St. John) on Wednesday morning.....

While walking down the street, a local lady convinced Mark that he just had to have his hair braided....

Several colorful beads, and pieces of aluminum foil were added to the ends of Mark's braids. Ken took one look and said: "you look like a giant fishing lure....all we have to do is drag you behind the boat and we would catch a huge wahoo...!!" We all howled !!

We were hungry, so we asked a cabby where to get some lunch...he started suggesting the local pizza joint, and high price eateries along the boardwalk in front of the cruise ships....(all filled with pink skinned, obese, American tourists, in their resort ware) No thanks, "we want to know where you would eat", Lynn asked. Oh....!! He made a suggestion, but while walking there we found just what we wanted "Daddy's Boy" !!

Upon entering down a long hallway, the smell of delicious local cooking made our mouths water. The food was a fusion of West Indian, Trinidadian, and Guyanaina (much of it I didn't recognize or could pronounce). So, we each ordered (I just pointed) a separate dish to share. We ate 'family style' each trying the others culinary delight....chic peas in a spicy sauce, liver in a different sauce and a stewed chicken dish over rice, dried fish.... With beers the price came to $16 EC per person or $6 US. We were stuffed !! I can't wait to go back again !! You just gotta eat where the locals eat........(In historic Nelson's Boat Yard, a touristy pub had a signboard in front offering rotis for $14 US....the local snackette down the street had the same for $14 EC or $5 US)

It was time to return to Falmouth Harbor, but we had to do our obligatory fruit and vegetable shopping at the local farmers' market....Here Lynn is buying a fruit called "stinky toes". It looks exactly like a large, brown toe and smells like dead socks....it is supposed to be good and sweet inside the shell.....I took a pass on the "stinky toes"....maybe next time.....

Arrived Antigua.....

2011-03-07T07:22:00.015-05:00

Silver Heels III and Persephone sailing to Antigua

Early Saturday morning 'Silver Heels III' and 'Persephone' sailed the final 40 miles from Guadeloupe to Antigua. The passage was one of those sails written about in the sailing magazines with perfect winds, perfect direction and perfect seas; a sailors' dream.

Our original destination was English Harbor, but as I approached, I could see a forest of aluminum masts. So, I radioed SH3 and suggested we divert to Falmouth Harbor, next door, which was much less crowded.

Upon entering the harbor, a sailor is struck by the mega-yachts in the harbor; including the 'Maltese Falcon' which is a super high tech sailing vessel over 289 feet long. Maltese Falcon is one of the largest privately owned sailing yachts in the world with a value of only $150,000,000.00 (yes, 150 MILLION !!)...not too bad a neighborhood for 'Persephone' !!

Antigua is terrific....it is a delightful mixture of best of the best...the upscale charm of St. John, the commerce of St. Thomas, the 'yachtiness' of the British Virgins, the topography of St. Lucia, and the Caribbean roots of Grenada. And, there are 365 beaches; one for every day of the year.

This is English and Falmouth Harbor at dusk taken from Shirley Heights:

English Harbor is in the foreground, Falmouth Harbor in the background

After clearing customs, SH3 and I needed a burger and brew, so we stopped into an eatery near the marinas. As we were there, in walked old friends from 'Liahona' We first met Willie and Mark nearly a year ago at Rum Cay, Bahamas. We loosely buddy boated with them to Luperon, DR and met up again in Puerto Rico where they spent the summer. (Willie has family in PR and Mark had boat projects).

On Sundays, there is a large party atop Shirley Heights to toast the sunset, featuring two band; one a pan bands the other traditional rock and roll....both groups were excellent. Here are the crews of 'SH3', 'Liohona' and 'Persephone' enjoying the evening at "The Heights".....

L to R: Ken and Lynn (SH 3), Mark and Willie (Liahona) and Ole Dave

Sprint North.....

2011-03-04T16:12:00.001-05:00

Let's see....what day is it ?? Oh yeah, it's Friday, isn't it ?? Yah, right !

Why the confusion ? (Other than my normal state), it has been a mad dash north over the past three days. On Wednesday morning the Rocna anchor was hauled, and this time it actually made it aboard and stayed there !! Persephone motored down Cul de Sac du Marin into the bay and immediately I hoisted the sails. The winds and seas were perfect for going north to St. Pierre; the original capitol of Martinique. (Until the nearby volcano, Mt Pele, blew up and killed everyone in the town except a lucky soul that was in jail...the thick walls protected him from the hot gases and ash.) The sail was "door to door"...at $5.00 + dollars a gallon for diesel fuel, its a good thing !! The town is cute, but the anchorage is very tight. Lynn and Ken from Silver Heels III were already in St. Pierre and greeted me with a loud whistle when I arrived. Lynn was good enough to give me a dinghy ride to town to check out of the country with customs/immigration.

Next morning, we were up at 5:30 and departed the anchorage bound for Portsmith, Dominica; fifty mile to the north. Again, we had a great sail nearly all of the way. The last hour of the trip the winds got squally as we motored into port....

Notice the second rainbow in the right third of the picture

Dominica is known as the 'Country of Rainbows'....here is a rainbow leading a squall across the harbor as 'Persephone' entered. SH3 and Persephone "yellow flagged it" in Dominica. (i.e. flew our yellow Quarantine or "Q" flag indicating that the yacht had not cleared customs or immigration...perfectly legal as long as you don't go ashore).

We were all up again this morning a bit after 5am for another early start. Our destination was again nearly 50 miles north; to the town of Deshaies (pronounced Day-ay) Guadeloupe. The wind gods again cooperated and we had a delightful sail from Portsmouth (in the north part of Dominica) across the Dominica Channel ; past Isle des Saintes, and up the entire west coast of Guadeloupe to the town of Deshaies. We got here around 3 pm, cleaned up the boats, and went for a well deserved swim. Again, we will be "Q flagging" it in Dehais tonight. (I will paddle the dinghy over to SH3 for sundowners, and Lynn is baking a fresh loaf of her famous cinnamon bread). Paddling the dinghy as I am too tired/lazy to put the motor on the dinghy....

We will again get an early start in the morning for Antigua; only 40 miles north !! Antigua is our ultimate northerly destination. Antigua was east of our track coming down, and this will be our first opportunity to check out the island. We are looking forward to spending some time in Antigua and will keep you all up to date on our exploring....Next posting will be from Antigua !! Beat....going to bed early tonite !!

Capt Dave

Forensics.....

2011-02-28T10:10:00.000-05:00

The swivel pin that broke at the treads......

This swivel is less than 3 years old !! It was purchased in the Spring of 2008. So, yachties, you may wish to check your anchor tackle...... Hearing a giant splash as you are raising the anchor is NO fun !! It is great to have the Rocna back aboard. Today is shackle shopping day, so we can get the Rocna back where it belongs....in the water holding Persephone tightly to the bottom.

MISSION 11-01: "Charlie Mike"....

2011-02-27T15:53:00.000-05:00

MISSION 11-01

MISSION NAME: "RUN-AWAY ROCNA"

MISSION OBJECTIVE: FIND AND RECOVER ANCHOR

Col. Bob (ret.) of 'Tranquila' and Capt. Dave have been working Mission 11-01 since last Wednesday; involving 4 scuba dives. Bob, who is a retired officer from the US Army infantry, felt that the only way to assure recovery of the anchor was to use the precision tactics of a military exercise.

Logistically, the actual course of 'Persephone' had been saved by the onboard computer system. The estimated position of the lost anchor was plotted on a grid which was narrowed to 120 feet (3 boat lengths). Marker buoys were deployed at 40 foot intervals along the estimated course. The buoys were set by using a hand held GPS after transferring the coordinates from the main onboard system. Comm was set up on VHF channel 77 between the dive dinghy and 'Tranquila' for tactical support. Bob ran the dinghy while I did the diving...

MISSION 11-01 A FRAGOP (fragmented operation of original mission)

On Sunday morning, 27 Feb at 08:30 hours, day 4 of diving operation commenced. Three floats were deployed a bit south of the earlier dive operations. The water was 21 feet deep, and the bottom was covered with approximately 12-18 inches of very soft mud and silt. A cloud of silt and mud swirled above the bottom by 3 feet.so there was NO, absolutely NO visibility at the bottom. (I found the bottom by descending through the cloud and doing a face plant into the ooozz...literally !!) At each float, we would drop a heavy weight, to which had attached a 40 length of light rope with knots in it every three feet. I swam around the weight in a circle while holding the rope. At the end of each revolution, (as determined by a compass which I had to hold 6 inches from my face), I would increase my distance from the weight by one knot (3 feet) and make another revolution; feeling the bottom with gloved hands. I was completely blinded by the mud and silt...thank God I am not claustrophobic !! Fourteen revolutions, each of increasing distance from the weight...No joy...

At 09:30 hours, we moved to the second marker. Again the weight was moved and the circling commenced. In my first revolution, three feet from the weight, my flashlight hit the top of the anchor !! I started screaming with excitement.do you have any idea how difficult it is to scream while trying to keep a dive regulator in your mouth ?? The anchor was buried with only about 2 inches of the roll bar protruded above the bottom layer of mud. While completely blind, I tied my line to the anchor about a dozen times by feel!! I surfaced, but Bob already knew I had found the anchor, as I had stopped my rotation and was staying in one spot. Bob radioed 'Tranquila' and Laurie got us a heavy duty lifting line. I re-dove on the anchor and tied the lifting line to it. Bob hauled the anchor to the dinghy and transported it to 'Persephone'.

MISSION STATUS: "CHARLIE MIKE" (completed mission !!)

FORENSICS: The 7/16" (about as round as a pencil) pin attaching the swivel to the anchor chain broke at the threads. The metal literally snapped...there was no sign of rust, corrosion, or wear; it simply failed. I keep shaking my head...how did this happen, and how do you prevent it ??

MISSION 11-01 B: Coldies aboard 'Tranaquila' at 1800 hours to celebrate our success !! Looking forward to a "Charlie Mike" on this mission too !!

Ole Dave

Still in Marin, Martinique...

2011-02-26T07:57:00.000-05:00

Hi All....

This is just another quick update from Martinique; Still little/no email access. So, still using Amateur Radio for all electronic communication.

We ('Absaroque' and 'Impressionist') started to leave Le Marin on Wednesday, but just as the anchor on 'Persephone' was loading onto the bow roller the shackle holding the anchor to the chain broke, and the anchor went overboard. I have NO idea why the shackle broke...it did not unscrew but literally 'shattered'...the shackle wasn't one of the "cheapo" China ones...but, a quality shackle forged in the USA....well, at least I thought it was a quality one !!) Thank God it didn't let go in a squall while on the bottom !!

I have two spare anchors aboard, and quickly hooked one up and re-anchored. BUT, it was an $880.00 USD Rocna anchor that went to the bottom !! This anchor is made in New Zealand and is terrific. We have never dragged with this anchor and have (had ?) complete confidence in it. Our secondary anchor is a 45 pound Delta which is not nearly as reliable. Persephone is currently using our 37 pound Fortress as it was most accessible on Wednesday (the Delta is buried in the bottom of a locker), and holds well in mud bottoms.

I have been scuba diving for the past two days trying to find the anchor. Bob from 'Tranquila' has been helping each day. ('Tranquila' is crewed by Bob and Laurie; not to be confused with Bob and Lori on 'Pride' !) Earlier in the week Laurie had come over to introduce herself, as we are the only two U.S. flagged vessels in the area. But I digress...

The bottom is VERY muddy, and you can't see a thing...literally 1 foot max of viability at 20 feet down....so, I have been going along the bottom feeling for the anchor...a useless exercise. The bottom is so muddy, it may have just "swallowed" the anchor.

So, the diving will continue later today. We will keep you updated on our success.... If we are unsuccessful, the journey north will be diverted to St. Martin where the is a dealer which stocks the Rochna. The anchor is that good; don't want to be without it.

Keep your fingers crossed !!

Martinique

2011-02-19T17:18:00.001-05:00

Persephone sailed into Martinique on Wednesday after, again, enjoying a beautiful 20 nm sail from St. Lucia. The wind speed and direction was perfect for the sail, but the sea swells were still large at 8-10 feet...the seas prevented me from doing any fishing :(

When you are in Martinique, you are literally in France. Martinique is a Department of France (think of a State in US)where everything is as it would be in France, governmental offices use the same forms as Paris (try and fill out Customs/Immigration forms in French on a computer with a French keyboard....yes, the keyboards are different), the locals vote in French elections, and a phone call to continental France is a local phone call (but all phone numbers are 10 digits). The language is exclusively French, and 99 percent of products in the 'supermarche' are imported from France...I hope 'thon' is tuna !!?? I wish I applied myself a little harder in high school French classes....

The only issue is communication...the phones from the English islands (Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Antigua etc.) do not work in the French islands...so there is no cell phone service aboard. In addition, internet is scarce at best. Harbor coverage wifi in not available in Martinique....so, it is back to internet cafes or restaurants/bars which have complementary wifi service. It is like being plunged back into the dark ages !! This blog will have to be sent out by amateur (ham) radio from Persephone....back to 1930s technology !!

Just wanted to give you all a quick update...more when communication is better...

Marigot Bay...

2011-02-11T10:27:00.000-05:00

A couple of days ago, Persephone motored north from the Pitons to Marigot Bay, Saint Lucia. We hugged the coast as the "Christmas Winds" (winter trade winds) continue to howl near gale force, which create enormous seas (10 foot plus). The key is to sail along the leeward side of the island close to the shore so the seas don't have a change to build. Cruisers up and down the island chain are holed up waiting for a weather window (i.e. winds and seas to subside) before moving. 'Persephone, Silverheels III, and Absaroque are holed up in Marigot Bay, pictured above. The Bay is beautiful, cozy, well protected, and is the site of an upscale marina/resort complex featuring every amenity...most of which us cruisers can't afford....But it doesn't hurt to window shop.

Looking at the long range weather forecasts, it appears that the next window may be Tues/Wednesday of next week. We would like to use the next window to sail to Martinique. Depending on the length of the window, we will move north as quickly as possible. As for now, we will stay in Marigot watching the rich and famous....

Upon arrival at Marigot, my rear molar began to throb....I am trying to determine the association between the two...may be pompous, rich, vacationers give me a tooth ache !! So, it was off to the dentist yesterday. (Always an adventure in a third world country.....leaches anyone....how about a good bleeding ??) Anyway, a root canal may be in the offing, but, for now, I am taking heavy duty antibiotics and adopting a wait and see approach. The next appointment is Tuesday morning. We shall see........

So, toothaches, and Christmas Winds keep us firmly Velcro-ed to St. Lucia.

Banana Ketchup

2011-02-05T12:30:00.000-05:00

As mentioned in the previous blog, ‘Persephone’ and ‘Absaroque’ sailed together from SVG to St. Lucia last Saturday. ‘Silverheels III” joined us the following day. On Sunday, ‘Absaroque’ sailed approximately 12 miles north to the town of Castries, SL to meet relatives which were aboard a cruise ship.

So, all week ‘Persephone’ and ‘Silverheels III’ have been on moorings immediately under and between St. Lucia’s famous Piton mountains. (For our sailing friends, the mooring costs $30 US per week…not the $60 + US per day in Newport/Martha’s Vineyard.) The Pitons rise vertically nearly 3000 feet from the ocean to the base of the clouds….a very impressive sight. Petit Piton is directly in front of us, and Gros Piton is right behind us. Here is Persephone under Petit Piton….

On the south side of Gros Piton (about 3 miles from the anchorage) we discovered a remote, black sand beach…exactly what you would expect on a tropical isle. We have spent several lazy afternoons on this beach chatting with the local fishermen, swimming and enjoying a coldie….I even managed to clean the bottom of the dinghy !! The town of Soufriere is about 3 miles north of the anchorage, so we are able to get supplies easily by dinghy. You could live here indefinitely….. especially with the new water maker. Now that the rainy season has ended, the water maker has been worth it’s weight in gold….gotta love those cool, fresh water showers after a tough day at the beach !!

Tomorrow (Sunday) we may be moving a bit north to Marigot Bay (6 ish miles) for a day or two; and will rejoin ‘Absaroque’ which has sailed south from Castries. We got an email from them this morning saying they were having problems with their wind generator which is mounted high on their mast. They need a couple of guys to help them get it down. So, Ken (SH III) and I have offered to help out, so we will move up to Marigot tomorrow. After Marigot we will sail to Castries and then on to Rodney Bay in the north part of SL. We plan on being in SL for another couple of weeks before moving north to the French Islands, and finally to Antigua. But first, we are all really enjoying SL, and savoring every moment.

Speaking of savoring things…..when you are living on an island which grows few tomatoes, and lots of bananas…there is only one thing to do…make Banana Ketchup !! You just can’t make this stuff up….”Banana Ketchup” ??!! Tried it, love it !! Wonder if my hot dogs have finished cooking yet ? Hey, where’s the ketchup ?

Port Royal...... ARRRRGGG!!!!

2011-02-04T12:46:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday, the US flaged sloop "Persephone" stealthly sailed into 'Port Royal' searching for da 'Black Pearl' and the "Pirates of the Caribbean"......

A natural arch guards the enterance.....with a sign which reads "Pirates Beware" !!!

Here is the arch as it appeared when CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow sailed into "Port Royal".....and the arch as it appears now.....

Port Royal has hardly changed since the "Black Pearl" entered the harbor.....

Since there were no pirate ships in Port Royal, (only boat boys selling trinkets at pirate prices) we did the same as Captain Barbosa.... turned our rudder to Port Royal, ne'r to return.

P.S. Port Royal is actually Wallilabou Harbor, St. Vincent where "Pirates of the Caribbean" was filmed in 2003. Much of the sets have been preserved, and the dock is still in place, but in disrepair. As we were heading for St. Lucia, with 35 miles to go, we didn't stop. We may stop here next summer on the southbound trip.

Quick Update....

2011-01-31T07:31:00.000-05:00

Persephone is currently moored under the Twin Pitons of St. Lucia. The sail from SVG to St. Lucia was aggressive with winds averaging 25-28 knots with gusts to 32 knts (Read: very windy). Waves were between 6 and 10 feet, which frequently broke over the boat. One particularly large wave submerged the boat and my mouth flopped open as I watched green water wash down the companionway stairs flooding the galley. (I should have known better to keep the hatch boards in.....dumb !!) But during the fury, I was able to pull in a nice 12 + pound yellow fin tuna. Sushi anyone ??

Next blog....how Persephone sailed into Port Royal Sound in search of the "Pirates of the Caribbean"...but you will have to wait !

Back in Bequia.....

2011-01-25T15:53:00.000-05:00

For the past month the cruisers have been calling Grenada "Hotel California"....as Don Henley sings...'you can check out, but you can never leave'. Well, we finally broke out and are on the way north for the winter. (North for the winter....sounds strange !!)

On Sunday, Persephone had one of the best sails in a long time; voyaging from Chatham Bay, Union Island to the island Bequia in the country of SVG. Arriving in Bequia was like coming home after spending nearly a month here in July. It is nice to know where all of the services are located upon arrival. This is Admiralty Bay where Persephone is anchored....

Boats sailing in and out of Admiralty Harbor

The inner harbor, unfortunately it was misting when we were overlooking the harbor.
Persephone is just off camera to the right.

Turtles are everywhere in Admiralty Bay. It seems every time you look out from the boat, you see a turtle bobbing to the surface for air looking back......

The turtles come in all sizes...from the size of a baseball, to nearly TWO feet across. The turtle pictured above is about a foot long.

The colorful roofs of the home which ring Friendship Bay, Bequia with their boats anchored in front.

Union Island....

2011-01-22T08:07:00.001-05:00

We left Carriacou yesterday morning and had a delightful sail up to Union Island. (Union Is is in the country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines i.e. "SVG" ) We are in Chatham Bay on the west side of the island. What a great, quiet place with a terrific beach (tog with several beach bars). We planned on stopping here only overnight, but enjoyed it so much, we decided to stay another day (today, Saturday). The water is the clearest since the Bahamas...we can see the bottom clearly at 18-20 feet.
As soon as we anchored, some local boat boys came by with fresh King fish and lobsters. "A pound of King fish, and two 2 lb lobsters, please". "Yeah, mon...no problem"..... Had a fresh lobster dinner on the grill last nite and saved the fish for tonight. This place is incredibly quiet...no phone service, no internet....no nothing....just a million stars. Interestingly, we are on ONLY US flagged boat here. (there are about 15-20 boats here...several of which we know). Similarly, I saw only one other US flagged boat at Tyrrel Bay of about 50+ boats.....where are all the US cruisers ??
Plan on beaching, and snorkeling today and will move up to Bequia tomorrow am. Will keep you updated on our voyage. THE CREW
P.S. We are back to using amateur radio (HAM) as our only mode to communication. Kind of a culture shock after being in Grenada with semi-reliable internet, and phone service....But, I am sure we will survive !! LOL.

Enjoy Some Pictures of Carriacou Island, Grenada

2011-01-20T15:24:00.000-05:00

Sunset at Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou Island, Grenada

Dock in the Town of Windward, Carriacou. Petit Martinique is in the background.

In Carriacou, they build their workboats in the traditional way....by eye. There are no plans, it just has to look right. Here is a boat whose wooden ribs were recently layed. The boats are built of wood all grown on the island. It is due to be launched in about 6 months.

Overlooking a meadow on Carriacou's north coast. Union Island, of the country of

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is in the background.

Carriacou......

2011-01-19T11:21:00.000-05:00

Our guide book describes Carriacou as an island "with over a hundred rum shops, and only one gasoline station ". Sounds like they have their priorities straight; if you ask me. On a short walk to the beach, here are a couple of signs of note....

What are 'spiritious' liquors ?? To bad the rum shop was closed, I would have asked....>>>>>>>>

Uncle Tom's must be a religious retreat...featuring 'spiritiual' liquor...alter wine perhaps ?

This is the sign at the entrance to a beach bar. How subtle is the graphic ?? HARD wood ??? Yikes !!

Here is Paradise Beach, which is right in front of the Hard Wood Bar.....

This beach is so pretty, maybe the bar's name is appropriate...

Drums in the Night....

2011-01-18T11:23:00.000-05:00

Just before leaving Grenada, it was announced on the morning radio net that there would be a drum concert at Grenada's National Museum. A drum concert ?? What's that all about?? Well, we had to check it out....especially since it was free !!

What a fantastic evening !! Highly decorated drums with the performers in African/Carib costumes (with faces painted in Grenada's national colors of red, yellow and green) performing traditional drum music.

The drum on the left is over 5 feet tall !!

Phil Collins would be amazed !!

Join us at the concert:

On the Move.....

2011-01-17T20:24:00.000-05:00

Persephone arrived in Carriacou (an island in the country of Grenada) after a "spirited" sail. (Read: 22+/- knots, gusting 28 with 8-10 foot seas !! on a close reach). Perhaps 'spirited' should be changed to 'wet and wild'. But, we got here without incident, and most importantly didn't break anything.

Will be in Carriacou for at least a couple of days. Internet is intermittent at best. We will try and keep you updated with what's happening as conditions with the net permit.

THE CREW

Back in the game.....

2011-01-15T15:22:00.000-05:00

Persephone is back in the water at Mt. Hartman bay, completely repaired.....but I am getting ahead of myself.....

We were hauled from the water early last Friday morning (Jan 7th). The work immediately began. The challenge was to remove the propeller shaft from the transmission, and then removal of the flange (a metal piece that permits the round shaft to be bolted to the transmission). The shaft flange and the transmission flange separated in about 10 minutes. BUT, and this is a HUGE BUT....there was NO room for me to put a wheel puller in the space behind the transmission....so removal of the flange from the prop shaft was a monumental problem. I read books, and got advice on line....after 12 hours of backbreaking labor (literally) I was able to free the shaft from the flange. Suffice it to say, this was THE most difficult project I have ever attempted on Persephone. Brutal ! My hands are still healing from the cuts and bruises......Re-assembly with the new shaft seal was a breeze. So the problem that caused us to be hauled out was finally resolved.

While 'on the hard ' the decision was made to redo the antifouling paint on the bottom. The entire bottom of the boat had to be sanded smooth before applying the paint (which cost $329.00 per gallon times 3 gallons !!!) A coldie at the end of a hard day of sanding:

On Thursday afternoon Persephone got her feet wet:

Persephone being lowered into the water.....

Spice Island Marine was terrific and reasonably priced. The weather was awful, with rain everyday. The yard was a mud bog, so everytime we went up and down the ladder, we tracked gobs of mud aboard. It took us two days to clean the mud off the the decks. (In fact, the travel lift got stuck in the mud while moving the boat immediately prior to our launch. I was holding my breath that we would not be delayed due to a mud-stuck travel lift....But, we launched right on schedule and motored around to Mt. Hartman.

We are ready to go !! All we need is a weather window to give us moderate trade winds to move north to Carriacou. That window may be as soon as tomorrow.....six month ago today, Persephone sailed into Grenada...it's time to boogie !!

THE CREW

Still floating.....

2011-01-07T05:57:00.000-05:00

This is just a quick update on Persephone's situation.

On Monday, the parts were ordered from the manufacturer in Seattle, Washington via Fed Ex. Unbelievably, the parts arrived in Grenada on Tuesday afternoon and were cleared by customs first thing on Wednesday. (guess it is not so 'third world' here !!) Persephone is due to be hauled out this morning at 8:30 am at Spice Island Marine which is situated in Prickley Bay. Prickley is the bay next to Mt. Hartman Bay where we have spent the last six months.

The shaft seal is being held together only by a couple of pieces of tape. The concern is that the tape will fail while we motor the couple of miles over to Prickley. Eric of 'Compass Rose' is going to accompany us for the trip so we have an extra pair of hands in case the situation worsens. Spice Island Marine will be ready with the travel lift (4-wheeled craine type device for lifting boats from the water) to immediately haul Persephone if the tape fails. We just have to get her there.

Keeping our fingers crossed and the bilge pumps ready !!

THE CREW

Madison Violet....

2011-01-04T11:33:00.000-05:00

When only a couple pieces of tape are preventing your boat from sinking while waiting for parts, there is only one thing you can do to relieve the stress... go PARTY!! But first, kudos to Glen at Sabre Corp (the builder of Persephone) who was able to quickly identify the exact part number of the shaft seal used, and to Fred at PSS Shaft Seal for Fed Exing the part to us in Grenada. The package is on its way Priority Fed Ex and should arrive in a couple of days. Thanks guys...great job !!

Yesterday was the first "dinghy concert" at Clark's Court Bay. The band Madison Violet set up on a tug boat which was anchored in the middle of the bay. At 4 pm, dinghies rafted together behind the tug to enjoy the music, munchies, and of course a couple of coldies....

Here are the dinghies arriving at the tug and rafting up just prior to the start of the concert....

Madison Violet entertains the crowd....

Dinghies everywhere.....

That Sinking Feeling....

2011-01-03T08:44:00.061-05:00

     The holidays are over and Persephone was being prepared to leave Grenada. The weather guru advised that there is a weather window for Tuesday-Wednesday this week for heading up island. In preparation, I was scuba diving to clean the prop. I tried to turn the prop shaft, but it seemed stiff. I attributed the stiffness to barnacle/bio-growth on the shaft. So, I applied a little more pressure to shaft. Finally, it turned....but not freely. I continued to clean the prop and bottom of the boat.

BEEP>>>BEEP>>>BEEP>>>     Even underwater, I could hear the bilge pump alarm activate. This alarm only sounds if the bilge pump (capable of pumping 50 gallons per minute !!!) is having difficulty keeping up with the inflow of water. HOLY S**T !! Its got to be an error. As I surfaced, I could see the bilge pump tube sticking out of the stern, and water was gushing out of it. No error....Persephone was taking on LOTS of water. She was sinking !!!!

I ripped off my dive tank and threw it into the dinghy, and literally ran up the boarding ladder. I pulled up the floor boards and immediately saw that water filled the bilge and was just below the floor boards. The bilge pump was barely keeping up with the inflow. "Gotta find the leak, and FAST !! I immediately started to close every seacock (shut off valves that are fitted where each hose enters the boat). There are nine seacocks on Persephone, and as I closed each one the water flow continued unabated. Closing all of the seacocks made no difference !! Where can the water flow be coming from....there are only two other options...the prop shaft or the rudder shaft. I grabbed a screw driver and opened the access hatch to the prop shaft. Water came shooting out of the access hatch....the rubber bellows surrounding the drive shaft had separated from the boat and had torn; leaving a TWO INCH hole open to the ocean !! This is serious....REAL SERIOUS !!

    I rushed to the radio and called Eric on 'Compass Rose' who is anchored about 150 yards from Persephone. "Eric....gotta a major leak, get over here fast !!" I shouted into the mike. Back to the leak....how to stop it...or at least slow it down? Eric must have flown threw the water because he was aboard in seconds. Together we were able to pull the bellows over the shaft log (hole where drive shaft exits the boat) which slowed the leak. But, there were still several splits in the bellows letting in a significant amount of water. Eric suggested we try "Rescue Tape". I had never heard of the stuff, but why not....   Eric went to Compass Rose and promptly returned with the Rescue Tape. This a a tape that only sticks to itself....it worked like a champ. We wrapped it around the bellow and the leak immediately stopped. VICTORY !! Emergency over !!

"Hey Eric...need a cold one?"...."you bet" !! Two coldies were immediately downed to settle our frayed nerves !!  ......

POST SCRIPT: Persephone is fitted with a PSS Dripless Shaft Seal. The leading edge rides on a stainless steel donut which surrounds the prop shaft. The bellows has a graphite seal that rides on the donut. Apparently, the graphite seal froze to the stainless steel donut. So, when I turned the shaft, I rotated the bellows, and pulled it off the shaft log, and tore it. (This should have never happened....I had motored the boat with no problems only 2 1/2 weeks ago) The Shaft Seal needs to be completely replaced. This requires the boat to be hauled from the water, and the entire prop shaft removed. Read: Major Job. So, today, I will be contacting Sabre Yachts to find the proper size of the Shaft Seal, and see if one is available on the island. In addition, reservations will have to be made at Spice Island Marine to have the boat hauled. This could take weeks to repair, depending on availability of parts, and the ease of removing the shaft.

Thank God, I added the bilge pump alarm just before we left Connecticut !! (Boaters: Install a LOUD bilge alarm as a winter project...it saved Persephone) Otherwise I would be swimming home.....

Wish us luck !!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T18:25:00.000-05:00

This is the cockpit of Persephone on Christmas Eve.....

Lynn and Ken of "Silverheels III" in their Christmas finest entering Clark's Court Bay Marina for Christmas dinner....

Ken actually has a tie aboard...and a Christmas one no less, featuring the Twelve Days of Christmas !!

Christmas dinner at Clark's Court Bay Marina.....

Cheryl (red crown) of "Just Imagine" and her guest Caroll (yellow crown) are in the foreground.

XMAS......

2010-12-24T07:49:00.000-05:00

Persephone and her crew would like to wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

"Christmas in the Caribbean, we've got everything but snow !"

"Getting to Look a Lot Like Christmas....."

2010-12-21T08:22:00.000-05:00

The holidays are a perfect excuse for a cocktail party on Persephone:

From L to R: Anne ('Impressionist'), Lynn & Ken ('Silverheels III'), Jim ('Impressionist')
and Eric and Jackie ('Compass Rose')

The lawn of a local insurance company

A tin soldier stands guard over a hillside of lights.....

Colage of lights.........

"Deck the Halls"....but in this case its Deck the Mall !!

Trip to New England in Pictures

2010-12-20T08:50:00.000-05:00

This is Wentworth by the Sea in New Hampshire where THE FAMILY gathered for our annual Pre-Christmas party. My 86 year old father has hosted this annual event for more than twenty years. Despite the "grey" described in my previous post, it was a great time....just needed a bit more WARM ! Seeing family and friends made the trip well worth it, but it IS good to be back "home".

Stately "Nubble Light" stands watch over a cold, rugged Maine Coast in stark contrast to the cobalt waters of the Caribbean:



Christmas tree Maine style.....lobster traps and red buoys. Gotta love the lobster on top instead of a star !! Only in New England !

                Wentworth by the Sea at night decorated for the holidays.

Gray vs. Grey

2010-12-13T16:00:00.000-05:00

I am sitting in the airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico contemplating the difference between ‘gray’ and ‘grey’. The first question that may pop into your head is: “why are you in Puerto Rico” ? Followed by the question, “have you had a few too many rum drinks??….gray vs. grey….what the heck (%#*& ?) Who cares !!!

Well, I care. I am returning from several days back in Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine. (I didn't announce on the blog that I had left Persephone in Grenada for security reasons.) It was great to spend time in the states catching up with friends and colleagues. On Saturday night my 86+ year old dad hosted his annual Christmas dinner for the ‘sibs”. Dad was great; as was the time with my crazy, totally bazaar, and completely dysfunctional family….God love ‘em’; I wouldn’t want them any other way….well, maybe just a little…… !!

Rum tot in Gray

But, what struck me most about New England was the GRAY…..the sky was gray, the Maine water was gray, the hills were gray, the trees, streets, buildings….EVERYTHING was gray….but most of all, the mood was gray. Heck, this blog is even gray for God's sake !! It appears that the economy, unemployment and the general state of the US of A has sucked all of the color out of New England. Colleague after colleague told me that business was awful and we got out and went cruising in a nick of time……I stated to feel bad for blithering about the cruising life style.

I could feel the ‘gray’ lift as soon as the plane touched down in Puerto Rico. Christmas carols in Spanish with a Latin beat…..the color is back !! I have returned HOME to the Caribbean…..

After deep contemplation, the only difference I can ascertain is ‘gray’ is a color; whereas ‘grey’ is a “colour”…….Wow.....after all that, I DO need to find a watering hole at SJU !!

Another Saturday Night.....

2010-11-28T12:41:00.000-05:00

Hello from soggy Grenada (and I thought the rainy season was supposed to end by mid-November...WRONG !!). It has been raining off and on...mostly on.... since Thrusday. Friday was a complete washout; I never left the boat. We got over 3 1/2 inches of rain on Friday alone, and the rain continues. So, to ward off cabin fever, there is only one thing to do....ROAD TRIP !!

The rain continues...and so does the street fair

Being the last Saturday of the month, the little town of Victoria, located in the northwest tip of Grenada hosts a street food fair. This was started a couple of months ago, and it is strictly a "locals" event...i.e. no tourists. So, a bus trip was organized to make the trip to Victoria....The street was blocked off and tents were set up featuring local food, local rums, and of course beer to wash it all down....

The food was very 'local'....'lambi water' (a conch stew...very good !), 'manny water' (floating goat testicles....an all time favorite, I'm sure), small fish still whole which are eaten like an apple, curried mutton (delicious), and ox tail stew... "Excuse me....does the ox tail have bones" ?? I asked. O' course it does, mon....how da ya thig it moves it's tail !!" " Right...got it"....I muttered as I sidled away.... Seriously, all the food was delicious, fresh and different.

How many hands are holding the bottle ?

Eric ('Compass Rose') and I enjoying a coldie and sampling some of the local "Clarks' Court Bay Rum". A special thanks to Matts on 'Elin Alida' my neighboring yacht from Sweden who supplied the pictures. SKOL, Matts !!

An Ex-Pat Thanksgiving !!

2010-11-26T10:01:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, I was on the bus for the semi-weekly shopping trip to the grocery store. I was sitting next to Rachel from 'Orchard'; homeport Brisbane, Australia. The general conversation among the American cruisers was Thanksgiving plans. Rachel turned and asked, "Embarrassingly, I don't know what Thanksgiving is all about....would you explain it to me "? I immediately launched into a diatribe about John Smith and Pocahontas. Others joined in with less relevant details about Pilgrims, help from the Indians, and a big dinner to celebrate the harvest....(I didn't have the heart to mention how the Pilgrams' communal, socialistic farming methods in the first two years at The Rock almost caused them all to starve to death...Glenn Beck would have been proud....but I kept my mouth shut). What I did realize by listening to the other cruisers from all over the world, is that Thanksgiving is a wonderful, unique, American tradition.

This is the scene looking out on Clarks Court Bay from the CCB Marina. Over fifty cruisers were here to celebrate "American Thanksgiving". CCBM provided the turkeys, and the cruisers provided all the side dishes. Persephone's contribution was cranberry sauce made from scratch (except for growing the berrys...)

Waiting for dinner......

Passports were checked at the door. Non-Americans were segregated to a table at the rear. L to R: Ken and Lynn of 'Silverheels III', Toronto, Canada, and Jim and Anne of 'Impressionist', Portsmouth, England.

Following dinner the Patriots vs. Detroit football game was on the big screen TV. No sleet, snow or freezing rain, but a tropical downpour just as we were about to leave on a 15 minute dinghy ride back "home"...It was a wonderful time, just what Thanksgiving is all about.

2010-11-22T10:08:00.000-05:00

Galley on 'Persephone'

Well, the galley on Persephone was really humming yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. Eric and Jackie of 'Compass Rose' were invited for dinner so it was time to dust off my culinary expertise (yeah, right !!). A Rainbow Runner was purchased at the fish market last week and quickly frozen aboard. All fish is sold only at the government sponsored fish market. The concrete block building is right on the water where the fishermen pull up and off load their catch. All fish is sold whole ('on the hoof') at $7.50 EC ($2.75 US) per pound, no matter the type of fish. Fishermen hanging out at the market will clean the fish for a couple of EC (75 cents US). Rainbow Runners are a long, slender, brightly colored beautiful fish with blue and yellow full length stripes. More importantly, it has an off-white, flaky, and mild meat which is delicious.

But I digress, the fish was sprinkeled with St. John's Grill Spice (a Persephone favorite) grilled and accompanied with cold, cracked lobster and fresh taboule with lots of tomatoes. (Tomatoes don't grow well here due to soil conditions and, thus, a rarety). Dinner turned out great, and was gobbled down with complements to Chef "Emril" Dave.

Dinner was followed by a spirited game of Mexican Train (a domino game played throughout the islands). I was winning until the the next to last game when I got stuck with the 'double blank' tile worth 50 points....Jackie pulled ahead for the win.

Gotta go study my Fanny......Fanny Farmer that is !!

GRENADA MUSINGS.....

2010-11-20T16:08:00.000-05:00

Colors of Grenada

As suggested in earlier blogs, life is very easy and predictable here in Grenada… Tuesday, lunch at Nimrod’s Rum Shoppe; Wednesday, burger night at Clark’s Court Bay Marina; Friday, BBQ at Secret Harbor Marina or pizza at Prickley Bay; and Sunday afternoons at Roger’s Barefoot Beach Bar. The pattern then repeats itself. In spite of the socializing, a ton of work got done on Persephone this summer; including completion of the awning, installation of a watermaker, the addition of solar panels, a new battery charger and inverter. Maintenance has been completed on all of the major onboard systems; and everything is restored to tip-top shape after the trek from New England. Persephone even got ‘handsomed up’ with a complete wash, wax and a refinishing of all the exterior teak….she looks great !!

Grenada is the cross-roads of the southern Caribbean. As a result, cruisers from all over the world pass through here….many completing transatlantic crossings, some going south to Trinidad/Tobago, others continuing west to Venezuela/Columbia/Panama and THE canal, there is a group heading north ‘up island’… to the Leewards, Virgins/Puerto Rico; and finally there are some who are returning to the states ending their cruise. We have met a ton of cruisers here and have made many, many friends. But as hurricane season winds down, one by one friends are leaving Grenada (‘’Passport”, “Sailatious”, “Dancing Dolphin” “Campachano” “Daniell Storey” and “Sanctuary” to name only a few) , to carry on with their dreams; which makes for daily, bitter-sweet departures.

As for Persephone, she is getting ‘itchy feet’ (really bad analogy !!) and it is nearing that time for us to move on also. But our departure will have to wait for a couple of weeks as I will be traveling to Connecticut for a brief visit in December. Upon my return, Persephone will be re-joining the group of cruisers heading north for the winter season. Several of us are talking of meeting up in Bequia for Christmas. Although plans are up in the air, I know that Persephone we will NOT be cruising one inch north of Antigua…ok maybe to Barbuda for the beaches (central Leeward Islands) as I want to stay in the little latitudes with warm weather and warm waters….with the slightest chill, I will immediately head this boat south !! I have a very simple test, if the butter doesn’t melt when left out, I am too far north !

Gotta run (literally) !! I am doing my first “HASH” tonite. A hash is a 5-10 K cross-country run/ jog/walk through hill and dale. It has rained most of the day here, so I have been told to plan on getting filthy with mud. Most hashes are held in the late afternoon in different, scenic, location all over the country. As there is a full moon tonite, this is a night time event being held in the Prickley Bay area (the adjacent bay). Following the hash, there is a BBQ with sufficient libations to rehydrate the participants. What have I gotten myself into this time ??!!

Capt. Dave

Day for a Duck.....

2010-09-09T11:37:00.000-04:00

What a 24 hours weather-wise....rain, Rain and more RAIN !! (See, it is not always sunny in the tropics !) Yesterday it rained longer and harder than I have ever seen it rain since cruising. It even beat the rain during the remnants of the tropical storm that rolled over us while docked at Charleston last fall.

So why so much rain, you ask ?? The Ntl Hurricane Svc would say that it is the result of a tropical wave that is anchored over the windward islands which may develop into the next tropical Low. But, no, I don't think that is the real answer....I think it it the Greek goddess Iris (and her sisters) busting my chops....

Iris is the Greek goddess of rain. She is also a close friend and confidant of Demeter, Persephone's mother. Until this week, Persephone has relied on Iris to provide rain to fill her onboard water tanks. Now that I have installed a watermaker, Iris is miffed, feeling slighted, and unnecessary. (Most goddesses-ancient or otherwise- don't liked being miffed or left feeling unwanted....).

Although Iris is very beautiful, her sisters, the "Harpies", are really nasty. The Harpies have women's faces but the bodies of vultures with wings, claws and strong beaks that can "break stones"; if you catch my drift. The Harpies are the representation of storm clouds, squalls and evil winds. Their sole purpose is to torment men when asked by a goddess. I am sure that they would be more than willing to help out their sister, Iris and torment me....nice family I crossed by buying a watermaker. So, in true ancient Greek fashion, Iris, aided by her sisters, are deluging Grenada with rain rendering my new, expensive, watermaker superfluous and unnecessary. Go figure...... The water tanks are overflowing, and I have only turned on the watermaker to test it !

Here are some pictures of the offending device:

This is the high pressure reverse osmosis unit

These are the waterpumps and filtration system

Sorry Iris....and will you ask your sisters to 'back off'....Thanks !

Tormented in Paradise.....Capt Dave