GETTING BACK INTO OUR OLD ROUTINE

MARCH 14, 2014

PRICKLY BAY FROM THE TOP OF SUICIDE HILL

We have been back in Grenada for 8 days and we have settled into our old routine that we love.  Life aboard the boat in Grenada is very easy.  We have begun our habit of walking to town about 3 times a week and we are quite out of practice.  A few more trips and we will be able to climb suicide hill without gasping for breath and stopping midway.  We could take the shopping bus but walking is good for our health and our attitudes.   Rod is back to his volleyball games 2 or 3 times a week with a new volleyball Nazi on the team.



GARDEN GATE ON OUR WALK TO TOWN
DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT PICKING FRESH VEGGIES

We have been working on our list of necessary things to do before leaving in April for Columbia.  We have cleaned the dinghy bottom, got the pactor modem working, resealed around the windshield, commissioned  the water maker changing belts and filters, topped off the diesel tank and serviced the boat batteries.  Still there is much to do.
The pactor modem allows us to send and receive email by SSB radio without being connected to the Internet.  We also will receive current weather forecasts and faxes for anywhere in the world.  Rod is very happy to be back on the air checking in with the maritime net every evening.



TAKE OFF THE MOTOR

There are fewer boats in the anchorage this time of year and more new people to meet. Many of the people we meet are long time cruisers, some having lived aboard for 10 or more years.  They do not talk of returning to a land based life. Some of the Americans have said they have no intention in returning to the US to live.  We are not quite sure what to make of this, it has not occurred to us that we would not want to return.  

TURN IT OVER - BEGIN TO SCRAPE & SCRUB

Yesterday we walked into town to buy some supplies and cleaned the dinghy when we got back to the marina dock.   This project is a bit harder than washing the car.  After you empty it and remove the motor, its time to flip it upside down.  Not an easy task with an 11ft dinghy.  Then out come the scrapers, barnacles and other things that grow on the bottom are quite happy to stay there and don't come off easily.  After about 2 hours it was time to rinse and mount the motor.   Back aboard It's Perfect we called it a  productive day.  Time to relax.

RINSE