journal

Wed Feb 25, 2009

Team Adventure planned to leave early this morning for some of the outer Cays ( with out us this time ) so we had a roaring goodbye dinner last night at Yoli's ....we hope to catch them this weekend before they all head south for the rest of the season...where did it go???

However....it poured rain all last night and all morning...no one went anywhere! That is the way this year has been, delays from either weather or boat repairs....

It did clear later in the day, and I'm assuming they all left while I was in town catching up on emails and shopping.

I have rented a bike and spend the early mornings now with Pepper. We take turns riding, and jogging to the airport and back....it feels good and we need it! Will and Jim do chores either on land or on the boat while we're gone, so it all works out.

The boat repairs are getting done one by one...the big one that is left, is to get back our fuel injectors, that are now in Belize...hopefully by next week, they'll be sent back, cleaned and repaired and then installed....then, we'll be ready to sail and head north!

Forever the optimist....

Monday Feb 23, 2009

Mon Feb 23

 

Team Adventure,  made up of My Jo, Sea Dragon, Sol Searcher and Margoline, decided to leave the anchorage yesterday, for an overnight sail to Lark Cay early yesterday morning. Three boats and twelve people, left

Placentia

Harbor

around

12:00

after fueling up and buying a few provisions.

We had a wonderful sail over to the Cay.  Jim and I were on Sea Dragon with Cathy and Rick and their guests, Jeff and Nicky.

The island is fringed with mangroves, no beach and very little holding area to anchor. We would go from sixty feet to five feet in under a minute. After a great deal of searching, and Erics underwater help,  we all finally secured our anchors. Brady, Jeff, Eric and Sophie went off fishing and returned later with lots of fish for dinner. However as our lunch was so delayed from picking our way through the reef to get to the “anchorage” and then time spent trying to anchor, our lunch wasn’t until about 3:00 p.m.  Munchies began around

6:00

and although the fish were cleaned, they never got cooked!

We awoke around

midnight

, to My Jo on the VHF announcing that the wind had changed and she was aground. Her plan was to pull up her anchor and head back to

Placentia

. We all followed suit, and sleepily, slightly wet from the rain, headed back to

Placentia

. We arrived back safely around

3:30 a.m.

and dropped anchor.

This morning, we awoke to cloudy skies and more rain. After coffee, Rick drove us back to Margoline, where we are having a slow quiet morning, after our Team Adventure mini trip. I guess that’s why we call ourselves “Team Adventure”

 

Saturday Feb 21, 2009

We arrived back at the

Placentia

anchorage late yesterday afternoon, after three wonderful days of sailing on board “Barefoot Two” with Will and Pepper.

We left early Wednesday morning and headed due east for Laughing Bird Cay, about 7 miles north/northwest of Ranguana Cay where we were with Cathy and Dave Beattie.

After a terrific sail, we picked up a mooring ball, had a delicious lunch of fish tacos and readied the dinghy for snorkeling. The small island is quite beautiful, with sand that has the consistency of flour and feels delicious between your toes. It was declared a national park in 1991 to protect it, and the surrounding reef.

We dove into the beautiful aqua blue water, and discovered fantastic coral and many species of fish. As there is no fishing here, it seems that the fish know that, and allow you to swim right up to them and take their picture.

The next day we headed north to Lagoon Cay and again had a wonderful sail. It wasn’t long before we were under water checking out that reef, which was filled with all sorts of interesting sea life. I found a wonderful conch, with a conch in it, which Will later took out for me, and cleaned. With the expert guidance of Pepper, I then turned my found Conch into Ceviche.

Later that day, Will and Pepper went out trolling in the dinghy and came back with a large mackerel. Hamburgers, that were initially planned for dinner was postponed until lunch the following day!

Friday morning we headed back towards

Placentia

. With winds from 15 to 25 knots, we were really moving. Due to the winds and rolling seas, there really was no comfortable place to stop and anchor for a BBQ lunch, so we kept sailing, and had a late lunch in the

Placentia

harbour around

2:30

. It was a perfect three days. Good company, good food, good snorkeling and really good sailing.

As frustrating as it is, to have the boat under repair, and not be able to go anywhere, we have to keep remembering how lucky we are just to be doing what we are doing. I think when we look back on our sailing days, whether we were sailing or just sitting at an anchorage, or in a marina, we will realize that it was all part of the adventure….and what an adventure it was!

 

 

Monday Feb 16, 2009

Where does the time go? When things are moving slowly, as they have been since our boat problems, it seems everything grinds to a slow pace and one day simply flows into the next....

Last Thursday we took the Hokey Pokey ( yes, that's what it's really called ) water taxi to Big Creek to renew our visitors visa, as we are only allowed 30 days at a time here. Has it really been 30 days! The taxi ride is about 15 minutes and more like taking a bus at rush hour, only over water.

The whole process took less than two hours and was quite painless.

This weekend was the annual art show along the sidewalk. The sidewalk is actually the main street here and is billed as the narrowest main street in the world. The show itself was disapointing, but I did come away with a fantastic large mahogany bowl and smaller bowl.

Today, Himey, our new mechanic who fixed the transmission, will now begin work on the main engine. He is a lovely man, and although the process with him is painfully slow, he is very good. He has a full time job during the day, and weekends he goes home to another village about an hour away. He is also a reverand, which takes up Sundays, so we get him, when ever he can squeeze us in. He knows we have had a difficult time with Margoline and are very frustrated, that is why, he believes God brought him to us.It is his job to help us. So once again, we are very lucky to have found the right person. Perhaps it is God's intervention! We often have him join us for dinner or lunch, as we will tonight,

We have also gotten to know another really nice couple from Fernie BC., Will and Pepper from "Barefoot Two" They joined us and Cathie from My Jo for dinner the other night on Margoline. They too are waiting for repairs, and Will suggested we start a support group for boaters under repair! ( he's a former phychologist...with a sense of humor )

Wed Feb 11, 2009

 Late yesterday afternoon the sun finally came out. No rain, no wind, no rolling seas. Open the hatches, pull back the bimini, and sit in the cockpit! It seems like ages since we have done any of that. And to top it off, a magnificent full moon, sparkling over the bay.

Team adventure met for dinner on Margoline. My Jo, ordered two roasted chickens with stuffing from Yoli, and brought, mashed potatoes with gravy to go with it,  Sea Dragon brought corn on the cob, which we cooked on the BBQ, Sol Searcher brought wine and I provided a chocolate cheesecake. It was like Thanksgiving all over again….delicious!

Today we have being doing boat chores and hopefully will pick up our long awaited transmission part which is due to arrive from

Belize

today.

Will and Pepper from Barefoot Two, plan to join us for drinks on Margoline later today, and compare shipping information….they need parts sent in as well!

Bob, the mechanic from Tortugal Marina, has offered to come to Placentia to help with the electrical work on our instruments, and Eric, our handy friend from Toronto, is due to arrive this weekend.

So, things are moving along…slowly, but moving, and the sun is shining and it’s once again hot….welcome to paradise.

Monday Feb 9, 2009 - Placentia

Saturday Laura left

Placentia

on the

9:00 a.m.

flight to

Belize

and then on

Toronto

. We were disappointed that she didn’t have better weather while with us, but, since she left, it has not stopped raining!

We had a great time with her, and all the gang down here loved her. She will be missed for sure! Friday night, Laura’s going away party was memorable to say the least!

The anchorage is completely full of boats right now. No one is going anywhere, so we are in good company.

Belize

is all about the cays. With no sun, the water is dark, and the cays are all about clear water and snorkeling. Squalls hit on a regular basis, rendering  going to town in the dinghy, even a challenge.

Jim decided we needed a time out, so we hopped in a taxi and stayed at the Turtle Inn for a night. So for almost two days, despite the rain, we had a civilized time of pure luxury in one of their beautiful villas overlooking the ocean. We met some wonderful people, who despite the bad weather were enjoying the Turtle Inn, ( who wouldn’t! ) and the small

village

of

Placentia

. We did feel sorry for the people who only had summer clothes with them, one lady was constantly wrapped up in towels to keep warm. The temperature here has dropped to 63 degrees…freezing for this part of the world!

We are back on the boat again, back to reality, and back to “interneting ” on

 land to catch up with the real world….it’s still pouring rain…..but it seems to be clearing…over there……

Friday Feb 6, 09

It's freezing! The last few days we have had nice mornings, then the temp drops, then rain, then huge winds...so much so, restaurants are closed and people all go back to thier boats to watch that their anchors hold. Poor Laura has had to find her beach time here and there, everyone tells us how unusual the weather is for this time of the year...so much for global warming!

Last night the Sea Dragon and My Jo gang came aboard Margoline. It was just like old times, and if it wasn't for the high winds, I'm sure the fun would have gone on much longer than it did.

Today Laura and I sat on the beach and read until the clouds came and the cool temperatures. Lunch, a pedicure and some last minute shopping, as this is Laura's last day. Jim remains on the boat with repair issues.

We'll all meet up at Yoli's bar for Laura's final night..hopefully she can catch some live music in town if it doesn't rain!

Tues Feb 3, 2009

 

The past few days have been spent mostly on shore. Although Margoline is once again filled with fresh water, the transmission is still waiting for parts, so we can’t go anywhere.

Sunday we had a long walk through town, down the sidewalk, and then on the beach, all the way to the Turtle Inn, about a two mile walk in all. We splurged in the fabulous gift store there, and then settled in at the beach bar to watch the Super Bowl. We had a fantastic time, met wonderful people and were treated like VIP’s. It was a wonderful, spontaneous day, one we’ll never forget.

Monday, the weather was hot and sunny, so we spent some time on board, and then went snorkeling off the nearby reef. Dinner in town at the Pickled Parrot, was low key, as we had partied enough the night before!

Today was spent picking up the new dinghy, more water, and boat repairs. Laura and I walked, shopped and had a lazy day by the beach, although it’s once again overcast and very windy.

Sea Dragon pulled in late last night, and is anchored just behind us. Jim and I had a quick visit with them this morning….we’re all happy to have Rick and Cathy back with us.