13.00N 61.14W Admiralty Bay, Bequia

Ca Canny
Sun 20 Dec 2009 22:15
Dear Blogg readers,
We have had another day in Paradise
After a leasurly breakfast we went ashore and
walked to the waterfall.
There we all had a play in the falls.
They where rather small but pictoresque.
Photo's to be seen on a visit to our house.
We left around 11.00 hours.
After motoring a short time, we saw a few sail
boats under sail more out at sea.
So we put up our main sail and genoa.
Easy, mild sailing initially till we hit the inter
island channel. It was described in the cruising guides. The local photographer
was out at sea in his RIB, attached to bow. He was described in the book. He
just takes pictures from all the passing sail boats who are hit by the increased
wind.
Very good sailing with winds up to 24 knots. We saw
2 separate sea turtles. Very large.
While under good wind, we suddenly lost speed. No
idea what happened. We saw the main sail bagging out. We found that the
main halyard mantel had sheared at the cleat in the cockpit. So the main halyard
was slipping in the cleat in the cockpit.
Alan put a safety on the main halyard past the
mantel problem. We cut away the mantel, taped it off either end.
Kept sailing past the chanel part and once in the
lee, lowered main sail land fore sail.
We arrived in Admiralty Bay under motor. On a moor
ring.
Alan and me changed the topping lift to the main
halyard position and the main halyard to topping lift. All is well again. We
realised that the old main halyard was probably too thin for the cleat, was
slipping and eventually gave way.
During this the families went to the local beach,
snorkelling etc.
By the time they returned, it was time for a sun
downer and starting the dinner.
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