Almost like being on the hard!

It's rigging time, so we are back on the dock at Compass Point Marina with our mast held up by 6 stays instead of 10. Good news is, it's a sheltered marina, so the winds are not likely to blow it over while we replace them a couple at a time. The best news is that I don't have to go up the mast, (Just help crank or tail for those that do) that's a riggers job. 

Skip - Rigger with a particularly difficult fitting that just defied all attempts at removal

Were also getting shiny new lifelines and putting solid ones on the back sides up to the gate area. More places to hang stuff!!!



finishing touches

working on the lifelines

Its kind of like being on the hard, chores everyday and nowhere to swim.
There is a small dockside bar and we've enjoyed a few cold ones and met some locals and liveaboards.
The lifelines look great and we also have new running and nav lights, thanks to Carlo- our electrician.


New spreader lights- Thanks Carlo

The rigging another issue, overbooked and cannot finish all he is supposed to do, the main is done but he did not touch the mizzen, which was actually in worse shape. Told us and gave us a quote as all included, then got anxious to move to the next job and just announced he was finished.  However he won't get paid any more than Gord has already given him until it is finished and it will have to be done at anchor.

Anyway,  we are out of here in the morning, off to pick up Judy in Charlotte Amailie , and find a friendly bar for superbowl. Then out to have some much earned FUNNNN

all three hard at work

What did I do, you ask?   I made new dinghy chaps in between fetching, carrying and locating the things that only I seem to know the whereabouts thereof. Maybe because no one else ever puts their stuff away, making lunch, cleaning up and tailing n cranking everytime someone needed to go up the mast.   And last but not least zipping the windows and shutting the hatches, then opening them again in about 5 mnutes on a repetitious basis; about 30 times a day as those Caribbean squalls come through like gang busters for abut 3-5 minutes, then the sun comes out again.

I just need a swim!!!!



Birthday Time

 

 

Champagne toasts

 

 Thanks to everyone that remembered my birthday and sent me happy thoughts that day.

Its always sad to be away from home on any special occasion, but good friends to share the day with are very special.

In my case that was Carl and Leslie on "Frolic", we did an awesome beach day - which incidentally is my favorite thing to do- swim.



Some people had the most awesome water toy on the front of their jet ski. I tried to convince Gord to get one for the cottage, but first he'd have to buy a jet ski.
                                                                   
 Others were just trying to keep the beach bunnies from  falling apart.
 Then we did the Caribbean shower on the back of their boat and then dinghy'd to the Oceana restaurant  overlooking Hassle Island and out over the ocean in St Thomas.

It's a spectacular old place that has been everything from a private villa to the Russian embassy, destroyed in hurricane Marilyn and rebuilt it is currently an upscale restaurant .






Carl, Sue and Leslie

Saved by a Naked Guy!

Our rescue was necessitated when on our way back across Charlotte Amalie harbour to Ocean Wings, the Dinghy engine quit.  I know, you've heard this song before, but I swear this is not going to be another of those "year of the Dinghy fiascos". In this case just a loose hose, in need of a clamp.

However, we started rowing,  when into their dinghy jumps three guys, coming to give us a tow.
Two were dressed, one was not!, he stood up and handed us a line and politely told us we should tie it on to something. Giving instruction like a seasoned sailor, while announcing to us.....I'm  naked!  Like we didn't notice.

Did I forget to mention, he was with his dad and brother and was only about 4-5 years old, curly haired, tanned from head to tow and obviously totally knew just what to do to tow another sailor in distress.   As I said, a seasoned sailor and cute as a button.

          

Captain Ron???

What a great and funny movie. If you've seen it you'll know just what I mean, when I say, our poor little, somewhat tired "Ocean Wings" is sitting here amongst the biggest, fanciest mega yachts in the Caribbean.  Here we sit, on the dock, tied up beside these 5 story, 200 ft floating palaces.

We're feeling we just must be on the movie set of Captain Ron!!!   You haven't seen it? Go watch it!

Problems, problems, so many problems

   We know we're getting older, cause the trek to the top of the ladder for the 50th time today has really ggot us pooped and then of course there's the work once you get up there.




We're replacing a leaky throughull and learned just how thick our hull is!   a full, measured 2 inches.
I think the old girl will keep us pretty safe.   


our Hull thickness

 

 

 

 .

Our forestay plate had to come off- nasty messy, job, which Gord did by climbing into the chain locker and by wearing his handy ,dandy designer work hat. Isn't he cute.





Then I got to scrape the nasty old 5200 off in anticipation of the newly welded, newly strong and ever so shiny plate that's ready to go back on.
Its an important part of the rigging as it holds the jib furler onto the bow of the boat. There be no sailin' without that shiny bit of stainless.

              

Great news is the engine started on the first crank. Bad news is the Genny didn't.

But we're ready and plopping her in the water just the same so we can head to St Thomas to get some quotes on replacing any rigging that might be at the end of its rope ( no pun intended)  its time for a new insurance survey and we want to make sure we pass and stuff like this spinnaker halyard block would terrify even the most seasoned rigger.  I have to say it definitely freaked me out last season when Gord hoisted me up the mast using that nasty bit of equipment.

Hallelujah, the genny is not broken, just a cracked, loose wire and she too fires right up.

We're ready for the water! Splash!, the fridge fires up, gives a huge belch of water out the  side of the boat and stops.  Will the problems never cease?

Its Friday, the riggers aren't expecting us till Monday and Mike, our fridge repair guy is already on high alert, so we grab bags of ice to go, a few groceries and were off to Francis Bay for the weekend.

Francis Bay is calm, sunny and quiet and wouldn't you know just as I have the end of the mooring line drop into the water, Gord hits the bow thruster......  chunk, chunk, chunk, chunk and i'm sure you can guess what gets sucked in and caught.  It was already 5pm and I figured I'd missed my swim. Nope, got to go in and retrieve the line out of the bow thruster propeller. Its just a little chewed,  I got my swim and all is AOK in paradise and we finally take a little R & R break from the work and just swim and relax.

The Boat Yard- On the Hard

Ferry ride to Virgin Gorda

I'm supposed to get them up there , How???

Now this is not the place of tropical dreams. Smelly, dusty, hard , hard work from dawn to dusk all done climbing up a 30 ft ladder.   Paradise!?!


The best part is there is no snow, ice or any minus anything temperatures.

The second best part is hooking up with friends from previous years that are all here doing the same dusty, dirty work all day that we do.

Happy hour is at 6pm outside Buck's were the company is fun and the beer is cold.

Gord, Tom, Mike & Betts at Bucks

This year Meg and Tom beat us all here only to find out that their engine had seized, so they are sitting at the dock awaiting the arrival of a new engine and making the best of it by swimming, dancing and enjoying that cold beer.  Mike and Betts are here from Vancouver and are almost ready to launch.  Carl and Leslie just finished bottom painting their catamaran and will most likely launch first. In fact, they splashed this afternoon and are on their way to North Sound.


Ocean Wings was in pretty good shape, but the strong winds that went through in November and December took out some of our messenger lines, so the challenge is now to get our halyards up and through the top of the mast so we can hoist sails. The winds also played havoc with our lazy jack lines and they chaffed through at the top. Challenge is just to figure out how they go back up.




The unveiling

More Luggage

Up the mast

Pit Stop with Mom in Florida

It was a short sweet visit this year, but we did play a little more santa.   Hit Bealls to do some shopping ( I won't apologize, I just cannot visit Florida without a trip to Bealls)  In fact I believe it's a mandatory requirement for entry into that state. Haircut, pedicure and a visit with cousins Marion and George, then off to catch a flight to the islands.   Warmth at last!!!