A new event now fits into our timetable at 7.30am each morning. The Grenada Cruisers Net broadcasts on VHF channel 68 giving weather, safety issues, services offered and required, items for sale and events taking place. Many yachties listen in so afterwards is  a good time to contact friends. What commitment by Island Water World chandlery and others to offer this service free every day. They also print out weather and emergency numbers to give out and have free wifi in store. Wonderful!

   Shopping was on the agenda this morning. We jumped in ‘the car’ and shot over to the other side of the anchorage in search of sail battens. Our size wasn’t available but we took a larger size sample to try then had a mosey round the chandlery in cool air conditioning before shooting over to the marina side of the anchorage to buy ‘O’ rings for the water maker. Under a huge almond tree we breathed in and squeezed into a tiny office where an array of bags was pulled off shelves and rummaging through, our size was eventually found. I crossed everything that these would solve our pressure leak in the system. We couldn’t move on without saying goodbye to our friends and called by for coffee on Liberty making plans to meet up again. Back on Brindabella Si tried out the batten which should just fit into the end cap. We returned after lunch to buy the lengths required and while we waited for them to be cut I watched with interest the sail makers in the huge loft going about their business.

   We’d had a VHF call earlier from Amazing Grace, a catamaran participant from the ARC. In Las Palmas John had saved the day and very kindly decanted gas for us and others when we all discovered that our regulation gas bottles wouldn’t be filled. They were now here and out of the water in the yard having the hull antifouled and invited us for tea. We had a very pleasant time over a cuppa comparing sailing stories before shooting off to set sail for Clarkes Court Bay Marina, our home for the next couple of weeks. Si was keen to get us settled before leaving for England tomorrow.

   It felt strange after weeks at anchor to be hanging fenders and tying mooring lines but the luxury of shore power and no stress water supply was great. Salt encrusted Brindabella was immediately given a much needed rinse down. Si also couldn’t wait to connect to the marina wifi after weeks of frustration. Alas, this didn’t go as smoothly as we’d liked, but after much fiddling on laptops over G&Ts in the bar with Bob the owner, all was sorted and bag packing commenced back on board. It was an itchy night with my new collection of 60+ mozi bites!!!