Position 10°40’614N 061°38’4184W
At anchor, Chaguaramas, Trinidad
Hi dear friends, thank you for following my journey. Here is this week’s update.
Firstly I am sending this update a day early for I am just about to depart and go to a deserted Island for the weekend, one must just get way every now and then. The radio signal from there is very week.
Once again, it must have been another great night ashore for once again I missed the dinghy and so had an early morning swim. Oh, the freshness of the water here, ya right..
History can be a strange thing, for example, I was watching a DVD the other night called ‘The Dish’, and I had forgotten it was 37 years ago this week that man first landed on the moon.
During this coming week I will have been away from the UK for one year, my trip has not gone to plan but then the best things in life often come that way. How quickly does time go bye.
The things I have learnt about myself and what one can do if the need arise has never failed to amaze me. The people I have met also especially my friends in Abidjan. You are the best, the way you looked after us, with such kindness, I always think of you and the work you do. Now, and in years gone bye I will always look back fondly and with great admiration. Than you.
Ok, back to the here and now, life does not get much better than this; I have spent most of the week onboard enjoying the sunshine bopping away to some great music. Then in the evening, some enjoyable sundowner’s with good company, nice chilled wine, some ‘Jerky’ chicken and some of the best home made sausages I have ever tasted, curtsey from Donald and Debbie from SV Flam.
Life on board:
Ok, let’s step back a bit from the paradise mentioned above for there is a serious side to being here in Trinidad, the death toll in Trinidad has risen by 150 (108 in total last year) while during my four month stay in this area and in that time the dinghy thefts are around 30 mark while the outboard engine thefts are around the 46, however yesterday marked the first serious attack on ‘yachties’ here.
During the night (Thursday), a yacht had his Honda generator stolen from onboard during the night anchored near by and during the other night (Wednesday) 6 engines and one dinghy was stolen.
A maxi taxi was hijacked at 10:30 AM just a short distance away from where I usually board the maxi at ‘Power Boats. Two locals (Black, blacks. A local saying, which I will not go into) boarded at the next stop ‘Crews Inn’. Shortly after, they pulled a gun out and ordered the driver out.
In this situation, your life is not worth what is in your backpack or handbag so you should just give them what they want and stay calm. I realise that this is easier said than done but those onboard decided not to so and were punched in the face for their resistance. Good old ‘Jesse James’, a local who for over 10 years has been working with the ‘yachties’ here made sure once he had heard about this attack did all he could to help’.
Only last night an owner returned from ashore only to find his yacht ransacked.
Ah, well that is life I suppose. Nearly as bad as living in London.. Ok, that is not interiorly true but out here, you know who to look for (on average).
The boat:
For the first time since I can remember there is no work to do onboard, she is behaving herself like all good girls should do, so I have just been enjoying life out here.
Fair winds and calm seas.
David.