Engine update is that the English
fitters have emphasised that we have not been given anything
like the
correct info from the local engineer. The engine does not need
to be
lifted out for the oil pump to be removed. All we need is for a
good
engineer to do some work on the boat.
Further update is that any
engineer should have an oil pressure gauge to check the oil
pressure.
Murray has checked the sensor afap and that appears to be
working. We
have now had 3 completely different assessments from 3
engineers, so
have no idea what to do next. At least the tender engine now
works
and we have bought a new phone locally.
We are staying in the
Errol Flynn marina, which is lovely, the staff are hardworking
and
friendly. We have access to a beach, swimming pool, washing
machines,
cheap cocktails and have a 5 minute walk to a Devon House ice
cream
and cake parlour. Great views in what was once a playground for
the
rich and famous of Hollywood.
“I never met a woman as beautiful as
Port Antonio” - Errol Flynn who once owned Navy Island opposite
the
marina.
Blue Mountain coffee is
wonderful, the land is lush and colourful. All in all it would
be
hard to find a prettier marina. The benches in the marina
grounds are
used for schoolboys and girls to conduct a much shyer form of
courtship than you would see in England.
A visit to Kingston
provided a drive on some of the worst roads in the Caribbean and
a
visit to the quirky Bob Marley museum. The guides can all sing
and
are such massive fans of this prolific mixed race
singer/songwriter.
The 'shot room' has preserved the two bullet holes where some
black
men shot Bob Marley, his wife and an employee. Mainly they
missed,
but Bob played the rest of his life with a bullet in his elbow.
The
gunmen were never caught and Bob Marley went to live in London
for 18
months.
The gang wars continue
in Montego Bay and a yacht turned
up that had been refused entry due to the continuing conflict.
Like
all Caribbean islands Jamaica has a bloody past with the Maroons
and
others fighting the British and anyone else who landed on the
island.
In a gap in the Maroon wars they turned in any runaway slaves,
had
their own land and peace ensued for a while. More war, more
conflict
that seems to continue today.
We decided not to cruise for several
reasons: the extreme racism Caroline experienced, the ease of
obtaining guns and the enormous amount of drug taking. Port
Antonio
locks you in at night and has a number of guards, plus Police
and
Coastguard on site.
One day Caroline was walking along and
realised a young child had slipped their hand in hers and was
happily
walking along with her while the parent was going in a different
direction. Clearly advice to children is different in Jamaica as
when
in the car we were flagged down by children asking for
candy.
Unfortunately the racism experienced by Caroline left s not
wanting to stay. Examples include being pushed in supermarkets
by
local customers, overcharged and generally a number of local
people
were clearly not happy with white visitors. A market trader
shouted
“F**k off white person you have no right visiting a black
persons
country, white people should stay in Europe”. Scams included
trying
to sell us a dead crab saying they couldn't put it on the ground
to
prove it was fresh as it would run away and frozen lobster which
was
still in the wholesalers plastic bags but was 'definitely fresh
when
it was frozen last night – it's the law in Jamaica' (it isn't,
we
checked). Another was serving a more expensive dinner – pork
chop
in a sauce – as they had run out of pork chop without a sauce,
but
didn't tell us in advance. Topped off by the whole marina being
called bloodsucking motherf***ers for the best part of 2 hours,
the
flavour of Jamaica can sometimes be quite bitter.
Racist Lady