The Haul Out, St Davids Bay 12:00.60N 61:40.70W
Pacific Bliss
Colin Price
Thu 20 May 2010 13:33
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Unplanned haulout in St
Davids curtesy of Grenada Marine
I think I am just about coming to terms
with the idea that living on a boat is not easy, the addage 'its all plain
sailing is a lie.'
But we have just had a very very good relaxed
time, for about 6 weeks, when all our trouble where put to one side and we
enjoyed ourselves with out any dramas. Having had this R&R
where we haven't put our heads down the bilges or been scared by un-identifiable
ships in the night. We are in fact ready to get the boat into check before
heading off into the unknown. Some thing that has been looming at
the back of our heads is that we are going to make a trip in the next few weeks,
that could be our worst from a wind and sea point of view. So we are now
in Grenada for a month with the notion we need to iron our any
difficulties. We are also about to head into non-English/French speaking
land and no-one on board is happy with speaking Spanish to sort out
anything technical. So after not much consideration we decided to
haul out at a yard recommended by Catana Uses Forum on the
internet, Grenada Marine. Especially, after we spent the
evening in the yard bar, and discovered what a
good happy place, run by good folk, seemingly happy
workers and a large number of recomendations from other cruisers being
hauled out during hurricane season.
We also have a wobbly anode on the
port sail drive (thats the leg that sticks out of the bottom of each hull
that has the propeller on). It might have been alright to Panama, but I
think probably not. Best to get it done, and at the same time have a load
of other stuff as well.
We booked the next available slot for haul
and returned 4 days later. Spent a few days with Bonaire and Zepher Zest
(OCC members, Andrew and Jo, from Luton) and then headed back to St Davids for a
haul.
Out she came and like nervous parents we stood
by her, we then realised we were like every other proud owner, taking photos of
what sermounted to a boat with a filthy bottom and propellers almost incapable
of turning, bit like having a child with attitude problems at school, and
a dirty bum, how proud can you feel!?
For me the worst expectation of living on the
hard is:
1, Mosquitos
2, No water or water facility including loo,
sink or shower.
3, heat.
4, dirt
5, no refridgeration
So given all of the concerns, we arrived with
little to no provisions to spend 4 days on the hard. Colin keenly fixed on
this time scale, me expecting the time to shift. Apparently I
am a pessimist due to my consideration, I say a realist. so 8 days
later we are relaunched, but by god we got stuff done.
Our Yard experience, a bit like our other
dry land experience was great, I am now wondering if this might be telling
us something...............?!
The Children met friends on the first friday in
the form of Nathan and Georgia, the yard kids, or yardys and colin
likes to call them. These guys are 4year old twins both considerably
taller than our kids, mum comes from esher dad Grenada and who started the
yard 12 years ago. The Kids had a fine time cycling round being watched by about
80 parents everyone who works at the yard. Cosmo suffered a set back
initially due to his flat tyre, but after 2 circuits of the yard and boat colin
was unable to find a puncher repair kit. But cosmo found a
friend on the rusty old RUM RUNNER party boat in the dock for repair and we
where taught how a local boy repairs a tyre....................... tye a
bit of string around the hole. two holes down and the byc is riding
well. The Rum Runner Workers arrived at 8.30 eachday and started to bang
and bang and bang untill about 4.30, so are now known to us as the BANG BANG
boys, Cosmo seems to have earnt respect from them and each time
we are in the Yard lots of clenched hands are out reached to join in a bit
of brotherly respect.
After 3 days on the hard, peeing in a bucket
seems the norm, but the mozies are driving us mad. We now have to close
the windows at 4pm spray the boat and then leave it for a few hours, we
then return to the boat full of chemicals, hot and airless. then we need
to eat, I think this was my main problem and I definetly had enough
of cooking after a week of trying to balance a families nutition whilst not
having access to a shop or refridgeration.
The great things about the yard
where:
Flushing loos
Cosmo having to learn to wipe his own bottom,
halaloolya
Showers that you don't need to turn
off.
the kids being able to run around
safely
and the Prize of all Prizes. Z & C
where having so much fun they were invited to have a play date with Nathan and
Georgia, the kids of the yard owners, Jason and Laura. Where else do you
get hauled out, have good showers, a bar that surpasses most in terms of view
and kids looked after for the afternoon by the owners of the yard ?
..................... result. We love and recommend Grenada Marina to all
with kids, even if childcare doesn't happen for all, the yard is safe
clean and happy.
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