Fai Tira Blog 16.00 UTC  Wednesday 6th January

Fai Tira in Dominica    18:34.85N 61:27.91W

The last few days have had the effect of emphasising a feeling of limbo, that’s been building for some time now. (just the length of time we’ve been here I think) A relaxed laid back mode has prevailed that’s affected most things, including the desire to up-date the blog, so I apologise for the delay and just hope that I can get my mind back in gear before the end of this piece!!!

The social side of our holiday has quietened down a lot now after the seasonal celebrations particularly as most of the other boats had left to make their way South. The hot, oppressive, sultry weather also soon returned, following the New Years Eve rain storm.

 Dee had been struggling for some time now with the heat induced claustrophobia of boat life, so she’d decided on a conventional escape route in the direction of the Hotel as part of her, newly hatched, survival plan having abandoned the tunnelling idea on the basis of potential for error, not to mention the slight risk of dampness!!

So she started the new year in air conditioned luxury and after a period that saw her using all of her powers of persuasion, I reluctantly decided to join her (Well I am supposed to be a hardened sailor now!!!!)

It was about this time that our neighbours on Chsalonina returned. First it was big Jeremy, from Trinidad, followed the next day by little J after his short trip to the wintery U.K.

Sorry if my description has the effect of making you guys sound like something out of the theatre, but I’m sure you must realise that your contrasting double act like personalities, always provide huge entertainment, and it was really good to have you both back. It helped to counter the subdued feeling of melancholy of the recent and forthcoming goodbyes.

We tried to mix up the last few days before Dee went, with relaxation and preparation. There was boat maintenance, tidying, sail replacement, provisioning, stowing, a sea to swim in and, as we discovered, a karaoke night to attend at the local bar.

One of the pressing and important jobs was to investigate the causes of the Atlantic crossing failure of the two stay sail winches, a job I started to tackle, perhaps a bit inadvisably, after a session with the two J’s, Pete and Dee at the East Meets West bar.

Anyhow I think that I may have needed a bit of Dutch courage to start. because I was struggling a bit with the conviction that any attempt at disassembly had the potential to be met with a bunch of, what would now be, uncontained spring loaded prawls, flying around my ears.

Glad to say it didn’t happen.

Everything was quite conventional and just clogged with grease, so thorough cleaning, re-lubricating and re-assembly saw both back together and functioning well.

The boat was reasonably tidy, after all the last two occupants are really considerate and organised people!!!( alright, alright, but I’d like to think some of it’s true)   So it didn’t take long, with all of us assisting, before it was sparkling again

The light winds in the morning assisted in the sail change. Pete had already dropped the Yankee as I emerged on deck. And without any horrors we combined to hoist the, neatly repaired, Genoa into position all ready for our off.

Provisioning was to be done courtesy of Baileys Supermarket about 4 miles away and involved a trip on our most favourite mode of transport, public bus. It never disappoints!!.

As it went flying past the door of the shop at break neck speed, I went into local inhabitant mode, and found myself shouting out “boostawp” in my best Caribbean accent. No bus stop there of course, but what does that matter, on went the brakes, the thing came to a standstill and off we got. An hour later we were back on the boat laden with goodies and completed the stowing.

Monday afternoon was spent relaxing on the beach and swimming and snorkelling in the warm waters

After a fabulous last evening meal in the French restaurant in English Harbour, Dee and I returned to find Pete propping up the bar and listening to the Karaoke. Three rum punches and a beer later and I was convinced we were as good as any of them. Then on came Otto ,a huge black guy with a voice as big as his torso. It was just about then that I remembered,  this wasn’t the Oxford Community Choir and I wasn’t surrounded by other voices that could make, even, me sound acceptable,.... Oh yeh, and I can’t sing.

The last breakfast in the local cafe was sad for both of us. We’d befriended one of the waitresses and saying goodbye is never easy..

The evening ride into the airport just had to be done by bus and as we waited, our friendly waitress turned up going in our direction.

There’s no direct bus route to the airport, so it was always going to be change at St Johns, but a word from our friend to the driver and after the last normal stop, he turned his bus into an exclusive taxi just for us and dropped us right outside, another good memory for Dee to take away.

After an emotional farewell and with Dee safely on the plane to the snowy U.K. it was an early night for a quick start in the morning.  Pete had an anxious night worrying about slipping the mooring, but in the event it all went smoothly and before long we were out of the harbour with sails set for Guadeloupe.

I know the sail was a cracking one because Pete told me. Close hauled in 15-20 knots of wind making 7 knots over the ground and covering the distance of 50 miles in about 8 and 1/2 hours, but unfortunately I had the now familiar nauseousness of seasickness that just took the edge of the fun for me.

After a rock and roll night on anchor off  Guadeloupe, the next day saw us make an early start, with another fantastic close hauled sail down to Dominica to meet up with other rally boats for supper

More excitement!!!!

Bye for now.

Pete and John