Rodney Bay, St Lucia. Christmas Eve.

Alcedo
David Batten
Tue 24 Dec 2013 23:40
We started today with a Christmas present to the boat.  We eventually
managed to extract the winch plate from the clutches of Fedex and the local
customs. I don't know how much it cost but  it did involve the services of a
local agent and mention was made of customs overtime! But none of this
matters as we are now free to go. Thank you Martyn for that Christmas
present.
 
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Just in case anyone reading this blog thought we would be having a romantic,
moonlight evening in a lovely bay with Palm trees and soft breezes,
celebrating Christmas Eve Caribbean style, forget it.  We decided to stay in
Rodney Bay firmly attached to the land and we are so glad we did. 
 
There was a pause in the rain and we thought you might like this shot, the raster in the boat was very helpful to our young blonde Danish neighbour
who was having trouble getting into a coconut and he then paddled away in a very ropey boat that was nothing more than a box.
 
 
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You can't hear the traffic on the road anymore, maybe there isn't any, but the rain is
hammering down and has been for over two hours now and the thunder sounds
like something crashing into the boat and it sort of reverberates through
the hull. 
 
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The lightening lights up the whole harbour and the wind hurls the
rain down at times as if it is trying flatten everything and then it just
leaves the rain to continue.  It is pretty awesome and the only difference
between here and what you might be having in England is the temperature and
the rum punch.  We are very glad we are next or a very large yacht with a
much taller mast than ours!
 
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The two photos were taken one after the other, the second catches the lightening and the rain.
 
The skipper's wife's latest form of entertainment today has been collecting
rainwater as the Marina water is pretty fifthly and there is plenty of pure
stuff coming straight from the skies, 18 litres today and it could be a
whole lot more, but we have run out of containers. 
 
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After complete hysterics at the skipper having used the best "clean" mop for a diesel mop up, there
has been a huge 'clean the boat and get rid of smells effort' so peace is
restored and we feel good about it being Christmas in spite of the weather.
 
So we have just had the first drink and lent the neighbours a garlic press
and hand beater for their lobster supper and now we will have steak and a
lovely bottle of red wine from the canaries, courtesy of Jesus and Monica,
thank you both so much.
 
Happy Christmas everyone and if it is half as wet where you are, at least we
do not have to worry about water shortages for the immediate future, even if
climate change is clearly an issue that will be a worry.
 
Alcedo