Journeying South from Dominica to Martinique we leave the anchorage and as the wind dies completely and we are in fact drifting back towards the anchorage Chris tries to start the engine and nothing happens....  Everything checks out with the engine, check the starter and discover the starter switch has corroded behind the console, call CDrifters to let them know what is happening and begin repairs.... 30 minutes later we are back on our way.

Leaving Hillsborough, Carriacou heading for Grenada I am pulling out the Genoa sail when I can’t quite understand as it very slowly and elegantly falls down from the forestay into the water, as I am admiring the grace and elegance of this manoeuvre a voice behind me suggests “you might like to get it out of the water” Ah yes action stations!  I haul the sail aboard, once again we call CDrifters and advise of situation, we will effect repairs and re-haul sail while under engine, slow ahead.  Sail on board reason sail dump is broken shackle half of which is now at the top of the mast and needs Chris to climb and retrieve it, so far so good, while at the top of the mast (after a very fast climb) I look behind an see the black clouds of the squall approaching, oh goody....  Chris safely back on deck, everything thoroughly soaked with the passing squall and now we need to re-thread the sail back into the reefing track on the forestay, all going good.  “Ok, Sharon, make a big circle point into the wind heading toward that headland and put her into automatic pilot while you winch the sail up”, and off HE goes to the foredeck to feed the sail into the track...  OK, circle into the wind, point to the headland, slow the engine right down and put it into automatic pilot good?, No, NOT good, “why are you slowing down leave the engine, put it back into forward, you are losing the wind”  Ok smarty pants, it is you on the pointy end and you will hit the headland first so I will just do as I am told even though all my instincts say “do not point at that headland and leave the wheel!”  Guess what, it works (I never learn) and we are soon having a very bracing sail down the East coast of Grenada and dropping anchor in Calvigny Cut, Clarkes Court Bay. 

Too boring to tell about the pin holding a tension line on the dinghy davits snapped with a bang and was also fixed en route.... All I can is say is I am always glad it is Chris that I am sailing with if these things have to go wrong x