“We have had an interesting time in the Leewards. You knew the starboard engine failed in Dominica, but that was ok as we were on a mooring, sorted out the fuel intake thing and we have it working.
We had a rough sail to Antigua, waves breaking over the bimini into the cockpit. But quicker than we thought, arriving in tiny crowded English Harbour around 2pm. I put out 10 metres of chain when the windlass died completely. I had just enough out to get the anchor wrapped around an old mooring line (we didn't know it at the time) so I had to take the helm and Matt struggled to pull it up by hand. My helming was all panic, which made it harder. Matt almost got it up but didn't have the brake on at it all fell back in! After another 20 minutes he got it up, and we saw the old mooring ropes tangled around the anchor. He went back to the helm and flagged down a dinghy and got them to release it and we headed out and to the next bay Falmouth, with Marinas. I wasn't going to anchor again until we had it working. Well the $100US a night for 2 nights was beyond our budget, but while on the dock we were able to ascertain it was the circuit breaker that had failed. We walked for hours to every Chandlery, hardware and electrical shop to no avail. Matt jury rigged it with the Circuit breaker for the electric winch and we went out to anchor in Falmouth.
Meanwhile, my computer was losing the date & time, so we took it to an IT shop. They said no worries, it will be the motherboard battery, come back in an hour. Well when we went back my computer no longer worked, the guy was talking Bios upgrades, and a week later he was unable to fix it and gave it back, dead. Meanwhile Matt’s computer decided to join it and kept freezing up, then gave up. So with the only one IT shop we knew about, we had no choice but to give him Matt’s and keep our fingers crossed. He reckons Vista was corrupt, and backed it up and reinstalled everything and (touch wood) it seems to be working. So we spent 2 ½ weeks waiting on computers. Matt pulled mine apart to see if he could fix it and really put the nail in the coffin, so I am waiting until St Martin to see about a replacement.
But our sagas continued! We decided to leave Falmouth for Jolly Harbour. I had almost got the anchor up when the windlass shut off again (this time because the chain was backed up in the locker and wrapped around the Gypsy). As it was only a couple of feet above the water I put the brake on to stop it falling back in, when the port motor died. The winds were gusting up to 25k, there are mega yachts anchored all around us and we only have the one engine. I tried to release the brake and drop the anchor, but the damned thing was jammed. Matt was having a hard time keeping us off other boats, so I managed to flag down John from Millennium who came on board and helped me release the tangled chain and we dropped the hook in a hurry, hoping like hell we were set.
It turned out to be the fuel intakes pipe – the same as happened on the starboard engine in Dec. On reflection we should have changed both then.
So we waited a couple of days for my nerves to calm down, then headed to Jolly harbour. Nothing broke down; the holding was good and a big supermarket like IGA in Spiceland mall.
In the meantime our friends, who had been stuck in Martinique for 6 weeks waiting on mail, started the mad dash to catch up with us, doing day trips 4 days in a row to finally join us in Jolly. We had not seen them since pre Xmas, so it was nice to catch up.
They had friends arriving on Thursday to sail with them for a few weeks, It was really windy here, but about a week later it was agreed that the 2 boats would head 3 miles around into Deep Bay, then start making our way to Barbuda together.
Well they took off ½ an hour before us and we followed. As it was only 3 miles we were prepared to motor, but they sailed and went offshore a bit more, so got more wind & waves. Just as we rounded 5 Islands they radio us and say they have lost steerage and propulsion, they are heading back and may need a tow in. What!?!?! We have never towed a boat before and there are reefs everywhere, but we slow down for them to return. Next they radio and say they have blown out there main, and they want a tow through the cut back to Jolly. They had the Genoa out and looked like they were sailing ok, but they asked us to come alongside and take their line. Of course the wind and seas picked up, and when they threw the line it hit the Genoa, so Matt had to do a quick U-turn, missing them by a foot. Second attempt I got the line and managed not to drop in and tied in onto the Port rear cleat. Steering with their boat wanting to go in other directions was difficult, and Matt & I decided to forget the cut, and go outside the rocks and back into Jolly. The noises their lines made were scary, as was trying to control our boat. I was so relieved when they finally dropped the anchor and the tow line and we were under control again! So now they are looking for a replacement transmission coupling and sail repairs, and I am trying to get up the courage to sail again.
So if you thought I was “Nervous Nelly” before, you should see “Shaking Stevens”. I am going to look for herbal valium or start drinking with breakfast!
But it wasn’t all bad. After we sorted out the windlass and were waiting on computers, we did enjoy Antigua. We spent a day exploring Nelson’s Dockyard in English harbour.
Officer’s Quarter’s
Lord Nelson as you have never seen herWe took in the history including a nice little museum, a wander up to Fort Berkley (where we watched a mega yacht struggle to pick up its anchors amid all the yachts crammed into the anchorage one of which got towed out of the way by the marina tender!) and a T Shirt shop where Karen bought 5 pairs of board shorts – yes that is five pairs.
We also enjoyed the traditional Sunday evening at Shirley Heights – steel pan band and reggae band with a great barbeque and view of English Harbour.
The Crowd at Shirley Heights was almost as big as the Island Population
English Harbour with Falmouth Harbour in the backgroundWe met up with another Aussie boat Alexes (although Dave was an impostor with an English accent) It was Dave’s birthday so the rum punches flowed freely.
Karen Jenny and Dave (Alexes)
We caught a taxi up to save the walk there and back (which is essential as rum punch makes rubber legs!).
Our Rasta taxi
Of course the neighbourhood we were staying in was none too shabby either. When we went into the marina, we were the second smallest boat there – not something I normally brag about!
Maltese Falcon – just one of many mega yachts we were hanging about
We lazed around Falmouth, enjoying lunch at the yacht club and dinner at the Mad Mongoose where the served Calamari and fat chips and EC$5 rum punches – it was not bad at all. Australia day was coming up and there was a Barbie being held on Galleon beach that we thought we might attend, but in the end we were invited by “Gone with the Wind” (Aussie) to celebrate it with some Canadians and Americans. We gathered up John and Nat from Millennium and met them all for drinks at the Mad Mongoose. As the others left for dinner down at Nelson’s we decided to enjoy the calamari and chips (with a half price bottle of Babich NZ Sauvignon Blanc) once more at the mad mongoose. I could not tear Karen away from the Calamari!
Now it wasn’t all just eating and drinking, we did venture in to St John’s – the capital and wandered the streets. We were caught by a disabled guy who was selling CDs to raise funds for his school. We decided on the reggae CD (Onyan “Baby Food”) and parted with our cash (not cheap but a good cause and local music I kept telling myself). We explored the Cruise dock terminal where Karen found the Body Shop and bought some eye gel, but best of all we found The Australian Ice Cream shop down near the dock. I am not sure what differentiates “Australian” icecream, but it was fantastic! (On our next shopping trip into St John’s we had to go back to introduce our friends to Aussie Ice cream).
You will be disappointed to hear that the CD I bought was effectively a donation, as I think we have listened to the CD the one and only time – it was not that great... I would have preferred to find a copy of “Drinkin’ Rum and Red Bull” and part with my cash for it. I am sure that with a name like that the proceeds go to a good cause!
We spent a couple of days exchanging files and movies with John and Nat and a club burgee with Antigua Yacht Club.
Elizabeth Jordan, the Commodore of the AYC swaps burgees with yours truly
Next we headed up to Jolly Harbour where we relaxed and enjoyed the excursions to Epicurean to shop while awaiting our friend’s arrival. There is a nice beach with white sands, a beach bar and thousands of tourists – we fitted right in. We noted it was perfect for Bocce, which we played later in our stay!
Jolly Harbour itself is like a canal development on the gold coast with every unit having its our dock. I was keen to check them out, ‘cause if Karen wanted to give up the sailing, it seemed like a nice place to park the boat and live out our retirement. Karen thought it was a stupid idea so she will have to keep sailing!
After about 2 weeks at Jolly we started heading north to Deep Bay, which is a nice protected harbour with a white sand beach (you may think I am going on a bit about the white sand beach thing but we haven’t seen too many in the Caribbean – maybe we Aussies are a bit spoilt), a quite resort, a wreck into the entrance of the bay and an old fort on the hill. So there was a bit to do. Fort Barrington was a bit of a rock climb, so Karen made it only half way, meaning sundowners up there were out of the question
But the view of Deep Bay was magnificent
Given we couldn’t have sundowners up at the fort and there was a nice white beach, we mixed up some rum punch (I think my recipe is getting quite good now) and headed into the beach and had a game of bocce! Nature of course had its own plans, and while I was whipping Karen’s but, the clouds built and we headed home without Karen’s inevitable defeat!
Next morning we headed out to the Andes to snorkel the wreck, but alas visibility was 0 and you could only make out the top of the mast, the bow and some of the deck structure. So back to the boat and some forward planning. It looked good for a short hop to Dickenson and then up to Barbuda over the next couple of days so we had an early night (probably watched an episode of Love My Way which Al and Boofa introduced us to last year).
Next day it was off to Dickenson, a nice white sandy beach surrounded by a couple of all inclusive beach resorts and expensive beach bars. We thought about going out for a special Valentines dinner, but in the end we decided to cook up some garlic prawns, have another bottle of Babich and enjoy a quiet romantic night on the boat. All that came off except the quiet bit! The resorts kept the music coming ‘til late at night which encouraged us to head off to Barbuda today!
AUTHOR: Janette Boluch
DATE: 3/16/2011 11:23:12 PM
Loved catching up with your blogs, which I have missed reading. Footy season is about to begin again - go bombers. The mighty Sir James Hird is now our coach and big things are about to happen!! Footy will be interesting as the Gold Coast Suns with Guy McKenna as coach enter the competition this year and North Sydney with Kevin Sheedy as Head Coach enter 2012. Gary Ablett Jnr left Geelong as did Campbell Brown Hawthorn to join Gold Coast but if you have internet you probably know all of this. Karen send me your email so I can write to you.
