I'd been hoping to post this at the weekend but as usual time ran out on me. so last week is now the week before last etc!
It’s been a funny time in Grenada but slowly everything is getting back to normal! The winds are lessening and my knee is improving so getting around is much easier.
Just as well really as we have needed to get about a bit. Over the last couple of weeks our batteries (domestic ones not the engine start battery as that is kept almost solely for that purpose!) have been running down quicker and quicker so that we ended up turning the fridge off over night when it was less necessary and running the generator for an hour or so every day but by the end of last week they hit rock bottom and we realised that the old ones were k*******d and new ones were in order!
Just as well really as we have needed to get about a bit. Over the last couple of weeks our batteries (domestic ones not the engine start battery as that is kept almost solely for that purpose!) have been running down quicker and quicker so that we ended up turning the fridge off over night when it was less necessary and running the generator for an hour or so every day but by the end of last week they hit rock bottom and we realised that the old ones were k*******d and new ones were in order!
They had lasted about 5 years and we have been told that out here batteries do run down faster than usual so in fact we had had good use of them. Luckily there is a chandlery in the other side of Prickly Bay so we went over to investigate and although there is another chaandlers in another bay we could have used to check prices, we decided to buy two new ones here. Our big problem was getting them out to the boat as they are quite heavy and we were afraid they could rip the bottom out of our dinghy!!! We spoke to one of the local taxi drivers (as they seem to know everything and everyone here!) and he said he could arrange something for us.
We went over on Monday to buy them and the chandlery said they would charge them and check them over for collection on Tuesday. On the way over the outboard had been juddering a bit and Chris was getting quite concerned as t had not been running properly for some time. As we had been discussing getting new one we felt that it was time to do so and on Tuesday bought one!! It is a great little two-stroke engine that is much lighter and very easy to start (not that I’ve tried it yet myself!).
Tuesday afternoon we met up (eventually after a number of phone calls etc and quite a bit later than expected) with “Captain Willy” who took Chris and the batteries over to Moontide, put them up on deck, climbed up and delivered the batteries safely into the cockpit. What a relief to have that bit done!! In the end, we were delighted with his service and had a couple of drinks at the bar with him and a charming couple we have met several times, Andrew & Shelley.
Tuesday afternoon we met up (eventually after a number of phone calls etc and quite a bit later than expected) with “Captain Willy” who took Chris and the batteries over to Moontide, put them up on deck, climbed up and delivered the batteries safely into the cockpit. What a relief to have that bit done!! In the end, we were delighted with his service and had a couple of drinks at the bar with him and a charming couple we have met several times, Andrew & Shelley.
We then returned to Moontide but unfortunately, as it had been quite a drawn-out process it meant we were too late to go to the music jam in Secret Harbour as I had tentatively arranged with Sarah & Nigel. Apparently, it turned out to be a very good evening and I believe that Alan & Ursula we met in Trinidad were there and are now looking at leaving so we will miss seeing them – perhaps we will elsewhere!!
Wednesday, Chris worked hard to get the new batteries in. As this involves taking our companionway steps and our engine casing out and 2 parts of the floor up it’s not a quick job! These are all designed to be removed but it’s still tricky -especially as they have to go somewhere while the work is in progress – not an easy thing in a boat of our size! Still by about 3.00pm it was all done, everything was back in place, all our batteries were fully charged, the fridge was running smoothly and the beers and wine were chilling nicely!! Ready for lovely evening sundowners in the cockpit.
Over to the marina for a (very necessary in Chris’s case!) shower, a couple of beers at the Tikki bar and something to eat in their restaurant.
Thursday morning Willy came over and took away our old batteries so we were very happy about that as disposal can always be a problem.
Over to the marina for a (very necessary in Chris’s case!) shower, a couple of beers at the Tikki bar and something to eat in their restaurant.
Thursday morning Willy came over and took away our old batteries so we were very happy about that as disposal can always be a problem.
Back now to our routine and off we went shopping on Friday morning with the new outboard running like a dream. (Fingers crossed!!) We spent a little time in the bar in the afternoon, collecting our washing and trying to use the internet but then as it was getting very noisy with a group of youngsters (non-yachties), we returned to Moontide for our sundowners.
We’re hoping to be moving on again shortly so if you don’t hear anything for a while that could be why!! At the moment, we have not decided whether to stop at the island Carriacou (about 35 miles north and part of Grenada) or go straight to Martinique, possibly in day hops (about 130 miles north). We shall see!
Just a quick aside – for any Practical Boat Owner readers out there, Andrew is Andrew Simpson, regular columnist and at one stage technical editor of PBO!! A truly lovely guy still writing but who knows what stories may end up in is columns!!