Hiya Gang â we arrived back courtesy of Virgin Atlantic on Sunday 6 March into the early afternoon warmth and took a taxi back to the marina. We were surprised how the vegetation had changed in just 2 weeks with the grass turning brown and leaves dying back as they prepare themselves for the dry season and need to conserve every drop of water. We had a great taxi driver, John Neptune, with a very comfortable Lexus 400, who provided a superb commentary as we drove from the airport in the south of the island up the east coast, through the central rain forest and up to the west coast to Rodney Bay Marina in the north. We could see all the damage caused by hurricane Tomas in October, land slides, road slips, bridges washed away and dead trees clogging the river bed.

 

Suzie Too looked good apart from a covering of dust â which the jet wash soon took care of the following morning. Then Charlie came by and helped me take the yankee to Kenny at Rodney Bay Sails to mend a tear in the leech tape, which was fixed for EC$230 (about Â60) and Suzanne & I hoisted it back up the following day.

 

We checked out 2 new malls, a half mile dinghy ride from the marina and picked up some fresh produce from the excellent supermarkets to re-stock the fridge. I picked up a few bits from the chandlery and we tinkered around sorting out our luggage, provisions and doing little jobs â very relaxing.

 

We planned to get out of the marina in a couple of days â but now it is Friday and we are still here, chatting with people, we met up with an Irish Legend 456 called Saroise, Gerry and Denise, whom we had met on the ARC in 2005 in Las Palmas. Then yesterday we took a 1 mile dinghy ride to Pigeon Island for a âday outâ â had a good walk around the beaches and forts, lunch at the Captains Cellar Pub and then found a tree and laid on the grass in the shade for a little siesta.

 

At some stage we are going out to the anchorage, but Minnie B, African Seawing and Harmonie are all heading this way, so today we have no plan and no agenda, we will see what the day brings â welcome to Island Time in the Caribbean