14:28N 60:53W
For the benefit of those watching we are now on a French island named
after a famous fruit trader.
We have moved out of simple carribian sailing with boat boys and
anchorages to europe, Martinique has this fancy marina with some big kit
parked in it, no lads offering to polish your boat , no put,put dinghys
with local traders offering washing and fruit, Euroes is the curency and
they speak french. Even yhe coloured population is in a minority. All
yhis apart we are moving north and that was the plan.
The weather is proving interesting , we are back with squls and showers,
very much like the rubish we sailed into St. lucia with. The last couple
of between island sails have been with seriose reefs in main and reduced
jib, toe rail in water and blue juice flying over coach roof, me calmly
explaining to CLS that when we round up it is time to reduce sail. I
guess we are were in 25 knt terotry , the wind instrement fails to
respond to bigger wind
There are possably more ARC yachts here than here are in St. L , and the
boat here are in use. Hartbeat the sexiest on the fleet was towed in
last night, presume no engine; and a bene first 50 that was chinese is
parked up on another pontoon.
My idea that this island would be the holly grail of boat repair is a
bit off the mark; engine repair would take 10 days so asked locals and a
man appeared , he thinks the same as me that head unit with starter and
rev counter is dead. Phoned Hamble to see if waranty, poss not however
local agent shows 2 year , (watch this space.) Battern is only available
in 6 meter and we wnt 1.4, where can we store 4.5 mts of spare? . Have
spare windlass part and will fix tommorow. Lifejacket gas is prooving
imposable, just have to pray I have eaten lots of beens before faling
over , so jacket can be inflated.
When I upgraded chain cut two bolts, has taken all afternoon to polish a
small amount of rust off deck, to anyone watching always clean iron
fillings off a placy boat.
Caught up with hanse ownwer site tonight and it was confirmed that
gertha was 18th on corected time and Peter at hanse UK may buy us all tea.
Tommorow is laundry day and try for atrip around island.
Happy days
Simon
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