Back in the Caribbean

ULA
John & Jackie Richards
Mon 2 Feb 2009 13:55
We left home at 5.30am heading for Gatwick with forecasts of snow, cold winds and sub-zero temperatures. Getting off our BA flight in St Lucia we were immediately hit with 30degrees and needed a quick trip to the toilets to exchange our UK jeans etc for something much cooler while we waited for our taxi to turn up. Our pre-booked taxi was about 40 minutes late and not picking up on his mobile eventually turning up only to tell us he had been there a while but had no credit on his phone. He had apparently arranged to pick up another couple who had arrived on the slightly earlier Virgin flight but had not made contact with them either - we subsequently found out that this had been Bob from Libertad and his wife Lynne who had given up and used someone else. We will probably arrange transport with someone a bit more organised for future trips!
 
On arrival at Rodney Bay we thought something didnt look quite right on Ula - our bimini canvas had been rather crudely tied up (we had left it out). On closer inspection it appeared that one of the large pieces of the stainless steel frame had been stolen along with a side bar and the fixings were scattered on deck. So much for security and paying someone to keep an eye on things whilw we were away. Kenny the sail and bimini maker in the marina is on the case getting another piece of tubing for us but unfortunately this couldnt be organised before we left Rodney Bay to go South. Marina security and Kenny are of the view that this can only have been stolen by another yacht as a large piece of bent tubing such as this would be of no use to anyone else. A depressing thought.
 
Not all doom and gloom however - we were pleased to catch up with Rory and Ursula from Cerys who had returned after a break in Ursula's home country of Chile and were heading off north to Martinique. We also saw Bob and Lynne. Many of the ARC boats have now left the marina as crews go home or set off travelling further afield. Monday we provisioned up, (a great trip to Super J on the bus - EC$1.50, get on and off wherever you like as there are no official bus stops), sorted the boat out etc and got ready to go travelling............
 
Jackie and John