Tuesday December 18th LAST DAY

 Last Day

Serious Summary

I arrived here on November 26th. I'd like to say that we covered a lot of ground but the fact is the boat moved about 50 meters (although the new location has a view and some wind) and the trip was by travel lift and they wouldn't let me ride on her. But it was a voyage none the less. A bad day on a boat is still better than a good day on land.
I hope that the yard folks will get to the boat today and work with a flourish and get the chain plates mounted. I doubt that will happen. The Caribbean world unfolds slowly and at a pace I am unfamiliar with. Much of it is due to shipping and simply locating parts and pieces but there is that something else that slows things down. It is probably something good and it will take me more than three weeks to learn either how to deal with it or how to work with it.
Advice: make sure your boat is pimped out before you leave home. Make your yard work your own maintenance or the unexpected stuff. Repairs do not happen quickly unless you are prepared and do it yourself or with minimal help.
Don't get me wrong, I am not slamming Virgin Gorda. I think this marina is a good place to summer your boat. They allow you to do your own work and to stay on the boat with electricity and water while you do so. The rates are not that bad to do that. They have a significant number of hurricane pits and tie downs so you could do that if you want. But if you need the yard or workers to get stuff done it will take longer to do than you think and the noisy wheel does not get greased it gets put at the bottom of the list.

If you need stuff the ferry ride to Tortola is only 15 bucks and 30 minutes. Likely cheaper than sourcing it out at home. Thus endith the sermon. After using endith I will likely keyboard with a lithsp. Oh crap, ith already happening.

It is 7:08 and the Captain is still asleep. I will make the coffee using the new convenient galley outlet. Probably find out that the GFI won't hold the friggin coffee maker. Oh well another day on a boat.
Update on the coffee, there are more grounds in the pot than I put in the filter. Filter?? Ooops

The Captain did get up shortly after 7:10

Today's Challenge

Today I have to figure out how to put 53 pounds of stuff and two bottles of rum into my checked bag and have it weigh less than 50 when complete. I think two helium balloons will do the trick. No, that is compressed gas and probably hazmat issues and jailtime...
Here's the reality, pay $100 bucks for an overweight bag to bring home two bottles of rum (one is legal) and save $25. The irish island part of me stills sees the $11 rum as a deal. Oh well it can stay in ships stores until we come in March, although the Captain speaks of Evaparrhation (sorry). He reports that entire bottles of rum have evaparhhated in one day. I have to believe him because I've seen a similar thing occur on this voyage. Voyage?

Prepatellar Bursitis

I guess you have to be careful when searching the googlizier machine. I was looking up prepatellar bursitis, as my knee has more junk floating around on the knee cap than the harbour here. I was reading obvious expert information that lead to 'should see your Vet'. Ooops. Now I understand the part about carrots, withers and saddles.

Project Moving

I knew if Rick started to prepare to paint the bottom the yard would appear to do the work. Although he has not actually appeared yet, the owner Jeff said he would. Rick asked if the project might be done in time for him to be off the hard for Christmas and Jeff positively beamed at that opportunity and said sure. So stay tuned photos of work to follow. Rick is taking down the shrouds in preparation...and I'm going walk about.

Ricky hard at work...I know he should be wearing a life jacket? What am I saying, perhaps a parachute

Let the record show that at 3:56 no sign of anyone to work on the boat. They were to be here after coffee break this morning. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.

Sign along the path to the uphill hardware store

Local Green house Restaurant

for those of you in the north this is a flower F L O W E R

Shake your groove Ting?

Crossing the road...Yes Why? Couldn't get a straight answer. I think the chicken was coming out of the bar. Some go to bars to pick up chicks...she was looking to pick up a rooster.

There are chickens, chicks and roosters everywhere and we eat Pork tenderloin! Tonight it is steak. 20 hours of travel plus airport time to  escape in Toronto. When the Customs guy or gal asks do you have anything to declare I will be happy to respond "I hate winter" and the Leafs suck.

So much stress, there is only one thing that makes me OBC and that is air travel. I am worried that I will make the ferry, and all the planes along the way. I will be fine....so they say.


More to come
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