12 degrees north, 38 degrees centigrade
Fleck
Sat 22 Sep 2007 17:44
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Hi everyone, Just begining to acclimatise to
the heat and get some useful work done on Fleck. arrived a week ago in a
torrential dowmpour, since which it has been usual caribbean weather of hot sun,
strong tdade winds and scattered clouds which provide welcome shade for the
uncivered bits. Sleeping on the boat is uncomfortable, but possible thanks to my
12volt fan, which makes a huge difference. Not too many friends were waiting for
me when I arrived, just six cockroaches in the traps, and no scratching or
scuttling noises at night so far. Mosquitos another problem entirely: bitten to
death in the first 24 hours, but have evolved a regeime which is partially
effective, including screens on the boat, loads of repellent at dusk, dawn, and
in the toilet block. They especially like hiding under the rim of the loo: use
your imagination!! I now spray with killer before sitting down, but that's quite
enough personal detail.
Several others in the Marina, inclding my
friend Douwe who arrived from Holland two nights ago: he is cheating and has
rented an apartment with Air Con! I don't blame him. My luxury is my Hyundi
Atmos from Thrifty. I will keep him until we relaunch as the Yard in literally
miles from anywhere, also you can just sit in the car and turn the AC on:
luxury!!
Yard runs on Caribbean rules which state that
everything is promised tomorrow, but that tomorrow never comes. At last I have
mains electricity on board, hence I can get the computer going, and charge the
ships batteries which appear to be on their last legs now but should last
until Panama. Have spent three days up the Mast fitting an ariel for my new toy:
a device which detects other ships radar beams, sends them back an amplified
blip, and wakes me up below with a loud bleep. At the top of the mast it is at
least breezy, but no shade, and a bit wobbly! I have threaded a wire down the
mast, and through a deck gland (waterproof device). Now I just have to bury the
wire under the headlining and fix the control box in my navigation station:
still adorned with the plaque from my old shipmates (if anyone upstairs at RHH
reads this they will know what I mean).
I guess it will be another week before I
relaunch, and will then sail back up to Spanish Waters, where most of the
cruisers anchor up, and where there is a good pub, and easy buses to town
and the big Dutch Supermarkets. Then planning to sail in tnadem with Douwe and
his wife Maaike to Aruba, then along the Colombian coast to Cartegena, then
to the San Blas Islands.
Cheers for now
Richard
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