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 hope you will not mind but as I have a good connection speed at the moment I have attached a photo of some new guests I have onboard, two birds who visit every night making Pinta their home until the morning then go elsewhere.
Also I have such lovely company here, I was on my back in the dinghy from doing some shopping when a small turtle swam across my bow, he raised his head as to say hello, paused for a moment then off he went. It was only a baby at 40-50cm in size.
I was offered twice the money I paid for Pinta this week from a local project investor (who was intrigued by the sailing Pinta & I have done so far) who has been working on his 100 foot schooner and has had enough and just wants to go sailing now. I declined his kind offer however the other offer, that should I have a project that needs an investor, the money was there waiting, I will leave open, one never knows what the future holds.
Well silly me, I lost a few day this week for I woke up Thursday (at 15:30hrs) and Friday thinking it was Saturday. I went out for a few drinks on Wednesday at 15:00hrs, for just a few you understand but the people are so friendly here. I met up with few locals and that was that until 05:00hrs the following morning when, as these things tend to happen, happened. You know under the influence you often see one or two images of the same image, well, this was the case when I went to get back in the dinghy (in the morning), unfortunately I chose the wrong image, bounced off the side tubing and, k-splash. Refreshed, I got back onboard… ha ha ha ha ha
It was a good night though and making new friends is always a bonus, one of these who is the head of immigration has invited me to a big party at his home on Sunday.
Boy with this heat 38°C I am looking forward to the awning (a cover to keep the sun off the cabin roof) I have ordered from a local sail maker, this will stretch from the mast going aft down to, and meeting the new Bimini also on order. Then out will come the hammock fitted just underneath the awning, it will be time to really lime out then, a cold beer, some music. eh life can be hell you know :-) Ok, Mike, Leon and Joe (in Abidjan) not the same as relaxing in your pool. Eh those were the days but eh I will manage.
Life on board:
Apart from the little incident mentioned above life onboard has been a little slower this week, although very productive. Do you know one of my favourite times of day / night, well it has to be at night when I turn in. Why, well I feel blessed for whenever I lay my head down, through the deck hatch I see stars in the heavens above. Slightly dancing around as Pinta swings on her rode (the rope and chain used on the anchor), it is a complicated view and yet an exotic one, like something that fills your body with emotions, pulling at your heart strings, soon to fade away, and you wait everyday for it to return, oh yes, you do! Em got carried away there, on we go.
The Boat:
The finishing touches to the water maker installations have been carried out this week with the fitting of the power cables. They run from the engine bay amidships (centre of the boat) then across to the starboard side however due to the modern design of yachts this took some three hours in temperatures of 36°C but at least the cables are out of sight and installed in a safe and seamanship way (as with everything onboard). I also fitted a ‘Y’ valve, this enables me to switch the output from the water maker to fill either the forward or aft water tanks.
I have also cleaned, rubbed down and re-varnished Woody’s old cabin so with that all done and now that all the saw dust has finished settling I have started washing (one at a time) the covers on the seats and beds onboard
Well that is it for another week, I hope you are all fine and enjoying the English spring weather.
Fair winds and calm seas.
David.