Ticketeeboo - End of the beginning!

End of the beginning!

Ticketeeboo

Sue & Alan

Thu 23 Jan 2014 12:20

We finished our Ocean Passage at about 1300 local time, which is 1700 UT (UK time). As per info in the pilot books, we had a little chat with the Port Control and asked if we could go on the hook in Carlisle Bay, and proceed to Bridgetown, Deep Water Harbour in our RIB. "You must bring your yacht into Deep Water Harbour to check-in" was the reply. "Thank you! What is the sea-state in Deep Water Harbour?" I asked politely. "Slight swell from the North" they replied "And you must tie-up near to Arcadia cruise ship." they said. They also asked for more of our details and were tickled-pink when they eventually unravelled our name, only after asking me to spell it phonetically! I later discovered nearly every VHF eavesdropper in Barbados now knows Ticketeeboo is visiting Bridgetown, Barbados! The Customs knows, Immigration knows & Health Control all seemed to know.
Deep Water harbour has a bad reputation for us yachties. As the name implies "Deep Water" is for BIG ships. As we approached there were two such friggin big ships in, One either side of Deep Water Harbour. The Arcadia on one side and another similar sized horror on the other. We makes our way (slowly) towards the southern quay, near Arcadia's pointy bit. We're like the sacrificial lamb. The quay is where friggin big ships tie-up. It's got 'orrible obstructions every 10m or so, for the sides of friggin big ships to rest against. At 17m overall length these obstructions do not help us. The bollards, couple of meters our heads are for friggin big ropes carried by friggin big ships. They don't inspire us either. Despite this, we were well prepared with our total compliment of no less than 14 fenders decorating our stb'd topside. Our first approach was a recci. Our second was for real. Gently, gently we snuggles up to the friggin big obstructions meant for the sides of friggin big ships.
When close enough to scrape the crabs off the concrete..... Ray astonishingly shows no fear and was about to execute his spiderman impression and climb up onto the quay, when I spots a guy coming close-buy. With a few succinctly descriptive words and guestures we persuaded the unsuspecting individual to put a line round the nearest friggin big bollard meant for friggin big ropes carried on friggin big ships and pass it back to Ray. We now have our bow tied to land (in a fashion). Next for our stern line. This meant some jiggery-pokery with our engine & bowthruster to put us close enough to climb up another of these 'orrible obstructions, close to our beam and hop onto the quay and back with our stern line. All that now remained was to keep us safely off these two orrible instructions whilst we attached for'd & stern spring lines. We're now cookin with gas and reasonably safely tied to land, with 14 fenders between us and possible damage. I the goes ashore to check-in. Pass GO visi
ting Customs, Health Control & Immigration, where most questions are the same and most forms identical, except to the Health Control, where Cecil Lloyd needs to ensure Ticketeeboo and crew are free of infectious diseases, pestilences and infestations. With stamps all over forms & passports we're now officially OK to run a muck in Barbados.

Off we goes a wandering, with permission to anchor in Carlisle Bay, just off Bridgetown. Beautiful clear water, sunshine (and just a little rolly to keep us from loosing touch with the Atlantic swell!)

For the statisticians:
Shortest distance 'over ground' from Tenerife to Barbados is 2,606NM
Total distance recorded on log = 2,803NM
Time taken = 19 days 9 hours (which includes 4 hours flogg clocks) giving average speed through water of 6kn.
The toll:
We donked for 113 hrs, thus sailing for 76% of our passage (just about the opposite to sailing in the Med)consuming an estimated 500L diesel fuel.
We ran our generator for 95 hrs, typically 6 hrs a day when sailing, consuming an estimated 100L fuel.
Genoa & jib sails will need new stitching to keep UV protective strips firmly attached.
Cooker gimble restraints altered and mountings re-secured! (Job done & ticketeeboo!)
Lewmar autopilot motor progressively weakened throughout passage (Temporary innovative repairs now done & seems ticketeeboo!)
Hull has picked-up lots of little beasties and a fancy bright green beard on our waterline (job in progress removing the little buggers!)
For'd & aft shower doors need proper restraints to hold them firm in heavy seas because original hook-method is useless. (Job to be sorted)
Main engine temperature is rising when test running at high revs (suspect blocked through-hull slotted holes are fouled-up - today's job?)
Sliding washboard spring-balance arrangement NFU (original arrangement is unserviceable, troublesome and prone to failure at an inconvenient time. i.e Nice touch but crap - now on todo list and considering options before planning project).
Ray - bad back, thought to be caused by constantly moving about on watch, when reading, specially when cooking in galley, not least when bungy-bouncing across bunk & hull sides whilst trying to sleep in ever moving lumpy testing swelly seas. (Job in progress awaiting an energetic Sandra to put right!!!!)
Ticketeeboo MMSI 235071989 Callsign 2CED3, Ham callsign = m0hng
At 21/01/2014 18:45 UT our position was 13°05.57'N 059°37.01'W
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