Trinidad.....

Good morning from Trinidad, mon !!  As most of you know, when this Blog is quite, I'm up to something !!  Summertime in Grenada is when major boat projects get accomplished on Persephone.  This year has been no exception.   I have been occupied installing a central air conditioning system.   I can hear the groans out there....whatcha doing ??  You are supposed to be a cruiser ??  Air Con...how decedent !  When are you going to use it ?

Well,  I thought of all the cons, listened to the na-sayers, and went ahead with the project anyway. The installation took a bit over two weeks to complete.   When it was completed, I flipped the switch and instant cold air.   Cold air in the tropics !!  What a concept !! Persephone has an onboard generator, so the AC can be used just about anywhere... whether anchored out, or in a marina.  I will be posting pictures of the installation adventure in the near future.

Well now that Persephone has a brand new AC system, the question is when and where  to use it.  I know, I know !!  Let's to head south to Trinidad.  Trinidad is a large, metropolitan country (main city has a population of 1.3 million) located at the very bottom of the eastern Caribbean. Trini is located only a dozen miles or so from Venezuela, South America; or six hundred miles from the equator.  So, it is HOT even by tropical standards.  

Trini is THE place for boat projects. Pieces and parts are easily available, and the labor force is experienced and reasonably (read: cheap).  The two projects on tap are to have the boat compounded and waxed while out of the water.  Although regularly waxed, a complete waxing, with an electric buffer, hasn't been done since Connecticut, three + years ago.  So, it's time....  Secondly, the Micon 66 bottom paint failed for the second time.  Micro 66 was used in January, 2011 and it was effective for only a couple of months.  I complained to the manufacture, and they replaced the paint free of charge.  I recoated the bottom in March of this year, and again it failed within 5 months.  This paint is $330.00 US per gallon, it should work !!!  I could have used Benny Moore house paint with the same result !!  Thank God, I didn't pay for the second four gallons of paint.  Anyway, I have done my research, and will be switching brands.  Persephone will be hauled next week to be 'handsomed up'.  Afterwards, the remainder of the hurricane season will be spent exploring Trinidad before returning to Grenada in mid-October.

Meanwhile, Persephone is sitting in Coral Cove Marina in the mid 90 degree jungle heat, plugged in with the new AC purring....  Think I have to adjust the thermostat...getting a bit chilly in here !!   

Mini-Hash......

 

L to R:  Ken, Lynn ('Silver Heels III') Kathy and John ('Oceania')

Nice ass, Lynn !!

A Hash is an agressive walk // run through the woods, rain forest, up and down 'hills' and through streams with lots of mud. Yesterday, a group of 'hashing cruisers' turned out for a charity event to support a local school. The trail followed along the beach, through a farm, and then up, up and up through the woods. The Hash started at the Cabier Lodge which has a petting zoo. Here is Lynn ('Silver Heels 3) scratching her ....

Lynn with 2 of the students.....

Water break....

Money raised, hard work out, cold beer....doesn't get better !! 

Scuba Diving

Diver Dave at 60 feet

Yesterday, Lynn ('Silverheels III'), Barbara, Charles ('Tusen Takk II') and I went scuba diving.  Most of my diving is boat bottom cleaning, maintaining the mooring, and finding items that I have dropped overboard.  Yesterday was just for fun. I just got an underwater case for my camera...so let's check it out.

Above, my dive buddy, Lynn ('SH III') with a 'double OK'.  Lynn just got certified as a Divemaster...
Quite an achievement...Congrats !!  Below, we swim through a school of Small Mouth Grunts.

Above, an eel gets ready to go for my throat.  He (she ?) wasn't happy with the camera flash. Note the color of the coral above Ernie the Eel.... Below, a ray dozes on the bottom bored with my attempts to photograph him.....

Note the blue around the ray's edges....

Finally, here is a lobster boldly exiting his hidy-hole, all the time laughting at me.  Clearly, he knows that the lobstering season is closed in Grenada....He may be laughing now, but I was singing: "See you in September...."

Great day blowing bubbles...Thank You Scuba Tech for making it perfect,  Diver Dave

Happy July 4th.....

July 4th, Mt. Hartman Bay, Grenada, West Indies




“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty.”   JFK

Yesterday about 25 cruisers hiked over a mountain and through the rain forest to the Fountainbleu Falls located in the interior of Grenada.  The hard core hikers started at Mount E'tang and hiked for 4 hours over a mountain to the falls.  The more sensible in the group,  (read: me) did a  modified version of about an hour trek meeting the hard core at the falls.  The day was perfect, bright sun, with reasonable temperatures  (mid 80s) and moderate humidity. 

                                       Here is our destination, the Fountainbleu Falls which is 65 feet high:

Ann (left of s/v Impressionist)  cools off.  After a long, dirty hike we  were covered in sticky mud which didn't seem to want to wash off.  Finally, we needed to use 'scrubby pads' to scour the filth off....


Home....

A week ago Monday, Persephone arrived in Grenada.  Mark,  Willie (s/v 'Liahona') and I walked into the Customs and Immigration Office, when the officer looked up, smiled and said: "Hi Persephone, welcome back" !  "Hi Mr. Williams...it's good to be back", I responded.  Meanwhile, Mark is looking at his feet and muttering "how come Customs knows you, what did you do this time ?"  Relax Mon, I'm 'home'. 

 Grenada is where the major boat projects are done. But first, the "Big Top"  (i.e large awning cover) had to be repaired.  It was chaffed in a couple of spots when I took it down last November; figuring I would stitch it during the winter season....wrong.  So, out came the sewing machine.....

But, don't get me wrong...it is not all work.  On Tuesday, Lynn and Ken (s/v 'Silverheels III') organized a picnic on top of a 'hill' (read: mountain) overlooking Mt. Hartman Bay where Persephone is moored for the summer.

Ken and I were in the field above chatting when out of the corner of my eye I see something coming at us.  I turned and saw a bull briskly walking toward us, who appeared agitated and getting ready to charge !  I yelled, " look out" to Ken who turned, yelped,  and took off running toward a tree.  Before I could react, Lynn (at 6' 2" tall) jumped up, screamed, raised her arms over her head and charged the bull !!!  The bull stopped dead in its tracks....not wanting to confront this crazy cruiser charging him.  The bull quickly turned tail, and ambled off. 

 Lynn wasn't taking any of his bull sh*t !!!!  

Pig Roast Part III

The following pictures were taken by our friend, Charles Shipley of m/v Tusen Takk 2.  To see more pictures and to read about the pig roast go to www.tusentakk2.com ....

Our host, Mark (l) and Ed of s/v Skylark get ready to serve...

 Blackboy serves the roasted pig.....delicious !!

Dancing after dinner with Ellen of  s/v 'Michlo III' nodding
her appoval of my soca moves !!

Willie, our hostess (s/v 'Liahona' )  enjoys the post-pig partying !!