Guests arrived safely as planned on 3/1/2014 and we spent a few days in Rodney Bay stocking up at Castries Market and in the supermarket at the new Mall.  Avocados are out of season, Mangoes are in  and we could not find eating bananas in the market, but it was fun as usual.  Not such fun was the problem with the alternator bracket fixing to the Port engine, which has broken leaving 2 bolts sheared off in situ that no one has been able to remove.  After some useful tips from other boats on the Rodney Bay VHF net, we found a mechanical engineer called Alwin who suggested a work around when he could not shift the broken bolts and an engineering shop who could manufacture the necessary part.   Skipper managed, armed with the new part, to fix the problem.

 

 

Skipper at work fitting the new mounting for the port side engine alternator.

 

While waiting for various parts and people, we spent a day on Pigeon Island with another excellent lunch and the female members of the crew walked the beaches in both directions, Kate finding the hotel that she stayed in with her late husband in 1996 at the end of the town beach.  It had clearly been a lovely, unspoilt place, now abandoned but still guarded.

 

      

 

Kate enjoying lunch at the restaurant on Pigeon Island.

 

Friday 7/2/2014 with the engine fixed and the boat stocked up, we left the Marina in sunshine and showers for a pleasant motor sail to Marigot Bay, skipper very nappy about getting the mainsail out for such a short trip, even in the face of complaints from some members of the crew about wanting to be entertained!  Happily, with the knowledge that there had been a theft from one of the boats on the outer moorings at Marigot, we were met by Nash, one of the Marina staff, who saw us safely installed on one of the lagoon moorings.  With plenty of yachts in the Marina providing entertainment for the afternoon, we ended a very pleasant evening with a memorable meal in the Rainforest Hideaway, very generously paid for by the Skipper’s mother as it is an exotic and expensive location, with a wonderful atmosphere and excellent cuisine.

 

Saturday 8/2/2014 was a lovely day, starting with a very unsuitable walk for a Great Granny, up the “Stairway to Heaven” behind the Rainforest Hideaway, involving a steep climb of about 800 feet up to the top of the ridge and then along the ridge and down to the Oasis resort.  It was challenging but lovely and safely accomplished by all which was pretty impressive for the over 80s.

 

   

 

The Skipper leading his mother up the trial behind the Rainforest Hideaway, leading to the Stairway to Heaven.

 

    

 

Sue and Kate on the Stairway to Heaven

 

    

 

A much needed rest at the top of the ridge and the very tame St Lucien PeWee we saw at the beginning of the walk.   

 

The View from the top and Skipper feeling hot on the way down to the Oasis Resort.

 

 

The entrance to the Bay from the hotel at the end of the walk.

 

Following our major excursion in the morning, we had a lazy afternoon resting and watching the yachts going in and out, small and super of every design and size.  Plan is to go to Soufriere in the morning.

 

 

Sunset, Marigot Bay

 

Alcedo.