Thursday, June 1, 2017

1st June post 2017

Hi everyone,
First post for June with a couple of pics, since Antigua I went to Nevis and met up with Mark of Double Deuce fame (a beach bar) got invited too his annual staff party at his house 1000ft up the side of the mountain spectacular.
I then went to St Maarten were I have been since. I started the passport renewal here. So while that is ongoing I started the new installation of the electric windlass, I suppose its been on my distant future wish list since I bought the boat, where I have anchored and which anchor I used has always been influenced and coloured on whether I could lift the thing up again, this especially since the original windlass was smashed on the reef in 2011. But over the last 2 years I have gradually been collecting all the bits required to do the job, including the windlass itself here in March this year. So a couple of pics of that as well, I can report it took me 8 days to complete, I tested it of course on the mooring, and practised a routine for deployment when needed, and now I can not wait to anchor willy nilly anywhere I like !!!!! I have now a leaky toilet to fix, and install a new regulator for the wind generator, I blew up the last one in a very strong wind in Nevis, blew it to bits. There is also three deck leaks now really annoying me, this after it rained here 2 days ago for approx 6 hours! a torrential tropical downpour. Then I need to put a bit of Gas into my fridge.
OK pics next

We did have a good time

I only spoil the picture

unusually Nevis without the cloud on top


Took me ages to get the courage to drill the holes in the deck

Fitting the Gearbox 1
you can see how awkward it was with so many beams in the way

After the rain and no leaks inside! job done

Have met quite a few cruising friends who have arrived, some already left for the south, Hurricane season has its official start today. The anchorage here is nearly empty as everyone goes south.
Have also had a visit from friends from my seagoing days, Dave Ward and Rachael, they came out on holiday to see me here. Last time they did that was at St Lucia, when they got there I had already left 2 weeks earlier! so we missed. We have taken quite a few days catching up on where and what we have been doing! A few beers have been disposed of as well!
Roy