Sunday, October 20, 2013

Another First

This week started out kinda crazy but ended with another first.

  As I said before, we are maintaining lots of stuff on the boat.   The generator, water maker, refrigerator, mainly all of the systems on the boat are requiring constant monitoring and maintenance.  This week was no exception.   We will start taking the boat out of anchorage to check all our navigation and electronics shortly to be prepared for our visitors and our trip north.  

 On Thursday morning, when starting the generator we discovered that the newly installed check valve was in backwards, and therefore, no water could get into the generator to cool it and it shut down.   Kirk was not happy with himself.   Nothing like working  in unbearable heat in cramped quarters to make your mind work at top level.  Kirk was so excited that this new check valve would solve the problem of the generator losing it's prime.  It is not the same kind as we had before and he had high hopes that this might be the ticket.   Ah no....   After correcting the installation of the check valve, the generator held it's prime for one day and then again this morning we had to add water.   Bummer.....   More problem solving for Kirk.

As soon as the generator was up and running,  I was cleaning up morning dishes when water and air started spurting out of the faucet.   Bad sign.   I immediately shut it off and called Kirk who was so very happy to hear that I had found another problem for him to solve.    We were so lucky to discover that the water level gauge was broken and in fact the tanks were empty not half full.   That was quite a shocker, but we were so glad that we did not have a leak.   We searched the boat high and low looking for a leak and would keep bouncing ideas off one another.  Then the job of filling the tanks with the water maker started.  As of today (Saturday)  we are about half way filled.   

Kirk had been working on scrubbing the bottom of the boat from the dingy.   It is a terribly hard job and had been put off for too long.   The bottom of the boat has grass, shrimp, crabs and other sea creatures growing and living in it.  Not to mention the barnacles!!!   It stinks literally from the sea life, and when you disrupt their living conditions they then run into you.   yuk.   We are hiring a diver to do the parts that cannot be reached from the top with snorkel equipment.  

All of this fun stuff was going on after a week of working on the refrigerator only to find out there is nothing we can do with the frig.   Kirk installed an extra fan to keep the condenser unit cooler.   You almost have to be a magician to fit your hand in the space between the frig and the cabinet.  Another fun job.  Yesterday Kirk installed a switch so we can turn the fan off at night (when it is cooler) to save the extra amps during the night.

Ok  Now for the good stuff!!!

One of the nights we did have pretty consistent winds and the wind gen kept the batteries pretty well charged!!!!!   yeah for that one....

Now for the really good stuff,

Last night, during the full moon, we saw a moon bow.   It was fantastic.   We even saw colors at one point.   That was cool.   We also watched for the lunar eclipse but did not really see too much in that way.  The moon bow helped to sooth frazzled nerves as we got poured on in our first attempt at taking the dingy in the full moonlight over to Clarkes Court Marina where Kirk had been invited to play with fellow musicians.   For the first time, I got to see him perform with a plugged in guitar and microphone to sing. I was totally impressed.  





Kirk took this pic with his phone.   Sorry for the grainy look.  We were getting back into the dingy to head to Clarkes Court.



Looking into the space between the frig and the cabinet.  On the top is the newly installed fan, then a dual thermometer and finally the switch.  The cabinet door is off to give you more access.


The vent to allow more air into the space where the compressor is located and more access to work on the frig compressor.




Kirk learning a new song!



New fin holder for when we have guests to store the fins.  It is made out of mesh so they will drain and the rain will wash them before they get put away.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Hiking, swimming and dinner


On Saturday, October 12th,  we hiked around Mt Hartman Bay up and over a mountain and ended up on the road to Grand Anse where we had a swim and dinner.   It was a blast.   Hard hike for me with the bum knee but would not have missed it for anything.  John estimated that it was about 4 miles.  Hills were steep going up and down.  Ah for the days of when you would run down the hills with no fear of falling!
l-r Kirk&Donna; John & Kathy of Oceana; Chris& Linda of Troubador; Glen of Amore ( Dalynn photographer)



Our boat is in the middle of this pic.  You can see the yellow kayak just in front of the mast.


This is to give you an idea of how high we hiked.   We were not even to the top yet but stopped for this photo shot.



This is at the top.  You can barely make out the bull behind on the left.  He has light colored horns.   He was tied with a chain.  A little further across from him was momma and baby.   Momma was right in our path, but she did move over and watched us carefully.   Baby on the other hand was most skittish.  All animals looked good which is great for around here.  We also saw a momma goat with babies.  Little babies,   they were so cute.   She was not very friendly either.



This house was so colorful and maintained.  Most are not.   I just had to take a pic.  



The group enjoying dinner.

We really had a good time.  A band started at 7 and they were full of talent.

Last night was a first for me.   Kirk rode the bus to Whisper Cove for jam session and I stayed at Mt Hartman.   I had to go get him in the dark......   Donna in the dingy at night by herself.   Another first!


Sunday, October 13, 2013

Life Continues YEA!


As promised in the last blog here is a picture of Jack curled up in Kirk's lap.  Please note, Kirk does not call him to come over and see him.   He just does.   Jack loves Kirk.   It is hysterical.  Kirk does not seem to mind which is great.



This picture is from cousin Ashley's wedding.   Our kids with Kirk's mom.  



We were up at Secret Harbor watching a movie and this little puppy was there.   I had a good dog fix that evening.  I did not know Kirk took this picture on his phone until he emailed it to me.


We have been busy fixing things on the boat. We are getting ready for visitors and for our trip back north.  Maintenance on lots of things as the boat is 7 years old now so things are starting to wear. Many times you have to make a tool or improvise with something to get the job done.  Kirk has been working on the frig for over a week.   It is giving him a terrible time.  Thank God he is so smart and such a fix it man.   We even had the local frig expert to the boat twice and he is stumped also.  I have a valve to put in the stove so all the burners will work. I need to start that project.  

We spent two days going into St Georges via the local buses.   The rides were more thrilling than anything in a carnival.  Kirk actually rode the buses into town 3 days in a row.  Always is an adventure and the people you meet are so interesting.  Kirk is an ole pro at the bus riding scene.

The chandlery, Island Water World was visited by Kirk 4 times in one week.   

We have stayed anchored in Mt Hartman Bay.   Thank you Kirk as my girl friends are here and I go noodling with them in the afternoon.  This morning at 6:30 I joined the "swim club"  with 2 of my noodling friends.   A group swims about 1/2 mile around the anchorage each morning.

We continue to meet more people and enjoy them all.  It is cooling off just a a tiny bit but any relief is wonderful.  We are still watching the weather daily.  


Thursday, October 3, 2013

Life Continues

Life here in Grenada continues to be an adventure.   Maybe it is living on a boat, maybe it is the different culture, at any rate it certainly is interesting.   Kirk continues to constantly fix things.   One project leads to 3 others.   Leaks have been found and patches figured out.  Engines are serviced.  The list goes on and on.  The bottom of the boat looks like a forest is growing.   It is a pain to scrape cause these little shrimp get all over you and they bite.  yuk   I continue to clean the sugar scoops as they get filled with sea life in about 5 days.   

 Kirk asked me on a Tuesday if I thought he should go home for niece Ashley Benefiel's wedding as the weather was not threatening. Of course I said yes.  We contacted Keith and Janine and were given the YES, please come and so on Thursday morning after moving the boat into the marina at Secret Harbor, Kirk boarded the plane to head home.  So that meant I was by myself in the marina.  Although I did miss Kirk,  what fun I had with the girls.  

Kirk reported that the wedding was lovely and he so enjoyed seeing family and friends.   His visit was short and sweet as he was back on Sunday.

Lots of work was accomplished when he was gone as I did not have to stop and cook.   So I had a holiday also.



This is my way (cruisers) of ironing curtains. The clothes pins hold the folds.  They turned out fabulous and they are CLEAN!!!  So happy about that.  Found lots of surprises under the curtains and sooo much dirt and mold.   I had a big time cleaning away.   It was also a challenge to figure out the best way to hang the curtains on the life lines without getting marks on them.   By the time I had washed all of them I had it figured out.



More ironing    hahahah


We have met Scott and Paula on Scherzo.  They have a dog named Jack.  I also dog sat for Jack when Kirk was away and Scott and Paula went to the hash.   Here he is being a watch dog.   He is all jack russell terrier.   A personality I have not really experienced before.  He is a pistol and loves Kirk.  More pics of that to follow in next blog post.



The girls having girl time.   We usually have it noodling in the afternoon.  We made skinny girl margaritas !!



Who could refuse this face?  

The following weekend I flew to Tampa, Florida to meet MaryJane and Dorothy for the memorial service for their dad.   It was fantastic to see them and their families, so sorry it was was not under better circumstances.   We made the best of a sad situation.

We continue to monitor the wind gen and solar panels.  When Kirk was gone I shut down the freezer as it is just a power hog.  We are once again buying ice and using the cooler.

Am getting excited for visitors Messicks and Trettins coming in one month   Yea!!!!!