tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65016129741512935832024-02-20T07:02:58.842-04:00Salt Whistle SailingSeñorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-91133373352825024342018-01-06T15:32:00.001-04:002019-04-25T10:12:00.769-04:00SOLD!!!! Salt Whistle is for sale! $39,500 OBO!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
We
have made the extremely difficult decision to move back to land and sell our beloved Salt Whistle.<br />
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She was a wonderful floating home and took us on many adventures over the past 5 years. We sailed from the Virgin Islands and island hopped our way down the Caribbean chain to Grenada and back, stopping at nearly every island along the way. We made many improvements and added lots of extras (over $30,000 worth) during our time as owners of Salt Whistle to add to her safety, comfort, and convenience. We are hoping for a quick sale, asking only $39,500.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the improvements and upgrades we have made to Salt Whistle:<br />
<br />
ENGINE<br />
• Engine - We removed the 1985 Volvo Penta MD-30A, cleaned and painted
the engine room, and replaced it with a Beta 50hp. Current hours – 210
hrs.<br />
• New propeller<br />
• Hoses - Replaced raw water hose & some exhaust hose. <br />
• Steering- Rebuilt hydraulic steering.<br />
• Fuel system - Installed new fuel hoses & Mr. Gasket electric fuel
pump with ability to transfer fuel from tank to tank and polish fuel
through Racor 500FG Turbine Series fuel filter/water separator.<br />
• Lighting installed in engine room<br />
<br />
DINGHIES<br />
• 8 ft Caribe RIB <br />
• 9 ft Avon soft bottom collapsible dinghy<br />
• 8hp Yamaha 2 stroke outboard<br />
• 5hp Mercury 2 stroke outboard<br />
<br />
ON DECK<br />
• Windlass - Ordered new parts & rebuilt. <br />
• Railing - Had Bruce at the machine shop (Independent Boat Yard, St.
Thomas) custom make our stainless steel railing. Bought hardware &
fasteners. Installed it from mid-ship aft on both sides to mount our
new solar panels.<br />
• Outboard rail mount<br />
• Magma grill <br />
• Swim ladder - Had Bruce at the IBY machine shop weld and strengthen our swim ladder.<br />
• Anchor chain & rode - Bought 200ft of chain. 150ft of chain on
main anchor and 50ft chain plus 150ft rode on secondary anchor.<br />
• Anchor upgrade - Bought Mantus 65 lb anchor to use as primary anchor. <br />
<br />
SAILS & RIGGING<br />
• Running rigging - Replaced all running rigging.<br />
• Genoa - Brought Genoa to Joe at Quantum Sails in St. Thomas to replace sacrificial sun cover. <br />
• Had Genoa re-stitched in Grenada<br />
• Bought new (used) mainsail & mizzen sail from Bacon Sails in Annapolis <br />
• Lazy jacks and sailbag on mainsail<br />
<br />
HEADS<br />
• Replaced both heads with Jabsco heads<br />
• Replaced all hoses and clamps<br />
<br />
BILGES<br />
• Bilge pumps<br />
• New float switches <br />
<br />
COMMUNICATIONS <br />
• New VHF Radio with cockpit microphone<br />
• AIS receiver and transponder<br />
<br />
POWER<br />
• 6 x 6-volt golf cart battery bank wired in parallel and series <br />
• Battery charger <br />
• Solar panels - 600 watts<br />
• New shore power cord and 50-30amp pigtail<br />
• Inverter - Xantrex Prowatt 2000<br />
• AIR Breeze Marine Wind Turbine (not installed)<br />
<br />
NAVIGATION<br />
• GPS - Garmin 741xs<br />
• GPS linked to AIS and VHF<br />
<br />
SAFETY EQUIPMENT <br />
• Life raft - Zodiac 6 person offshore<br />
• EPIRB - ACR GlobalFix Pro<br />
• Life jackets<br />
• Fire extinguishers<br />
• Fire blanket<br />
• Smoke detectors<br />
<br />
GALLEY<br />
• Refrigeration - Rebuilt refrigeration boxes & installed<br />
• Propane solenoid - Installed Seward solenoid to prevent potential gas leaks inside of boat.<br />
• Pressure cooker - To save time & money cooking. Use less propane & quickly cook beans, potatoes, & more. <br />
• Dishes<br />
<br />
SALON<br />
• New salon and nav station cushions with new foam & upholstery.<br />
<br />
VENTILATION<br />
• Solar vents - Installed solar vents in both heads to improve air circulation.<br />
• Fans - Replaced old fans with energy efficient Caframo fans.<br />
• Air conditioner - We got a little energy efficient window unit. Mainly for use at docks with lots of bugs and little wind.<br />
<br />
ORGANIZATION<br />
• Book shelf - Built an oak bookshelf into the fold down table in the salon. <br />
• Shelving - Stained and varnished small shelves and installed in heads and salon. <br />
<br />
ENTERTAINMENT <br />
• TV - Installed small flat screen TV in salon, and mounted on Cheetah movable bracket.<br />
• Bluetooth sound bar for TV or music.<br />
• Speakers - Installed speakers in aft cabin.<br />
<br />
WATER <br />
• Installed watermaker - Katadyn 1.5 gallon per hour – needs service. Full rebuild kit in forward cabin. <br />
• Water jerry cans - five 5 gallon scepter cans.<br />
<br />
TOOLS <br />
• Hand tools<br />
• Power tools<br />
<br />
MISC<br />
• Washing machine – Manatee – aft head<br />
• Printer – HP<br />
• Shop vac<br />
• Ryobi dust buster<br />
• Fishing equipment - Hand reel & Net<br />
• Deck brush<br />
• Boat hook<br />
<br />
Please contact Skeeter at (340) 244-3851 or email him at skeeterxxi@gmail.com with any questions or to make an appointment to look at Salt Whistle.<br />
<br />
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Skeeterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681298570807664634noreply@blogger.com2St Thomas 00802, USVI18.335361 -64.9534009000000217.853008499999998 -65.598847900000024 18.8177135 -64.307953900000015tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-43441772739115220412017-05-30T13:44:00.000-04:002018-01-06T14:21:02.721-04:00DIY Sailboat Interior Cushions - Part 2 - Construction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
TAKING 2 BOXES OF FOAM AND A ROLL OF FABRIC AND MAGICALLY CREATING SALON CUSHIONS</div>
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Biggest challenges:</div>
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Getting the materials to St Thomas </div>
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Finding time to actually do it</div>
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Lack of work space</div>
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Being in a rolly anchorage </div>
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Sweating like a pig</div>
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Move things back and forth over and over again</div>
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Getting the panels to match up perfectly with the boxing</div>
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Getting the silk wrap to stay in place on the big cushions </div>
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DAY 1: Remeasure & Rethink. This sofa needs to convert into bed. How should I divide the cushions? Originally wanted one long cushion for main seat cushion. Now rethinking it because seat cushion can stay and back rest can be the extension when it converts into a bed. Also noticed that the cushions are not totally rectangular because all the way forward the fiberglass angles inward. Of course, my little helper Momo was right there to assist.<br />
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I opened up the first foam box. The piece of foam was huge. I was glad to see that it was the right dimensions and 5" thick, but there was absolutely no way to lay it flat anywhere on the boat . It was impossible to get an accurate measurement without being able to lay it flat. How the hell was I going to draw a straight line and make a straight cut in this small space???!!!<br />
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Cutting foam is NOT a one man job. Especially when you don't have enough space or a flat surface to cut on. They say measure twice, cut once. I measured 4 times because I really didn't want to screw this up. I cut out the biggest piece first, so the rest of the cuts would be a little bit more manageable. My first cut was VERY sloppy. Oh how I wish I had a huge space and big table to work with like they do in the Sailrite demo videos.<br />
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I laid the piece on the starboard side seat. I couldn't get a good measurement when it was curved, so I propped it up and had to crawl under it army style to get to the other side to measure and mark. Of course I repeatedly forgot something I needed so I had to crawl back and forth under the foam on the hot and rocking boat numerous times.<br />
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If I screw up this cut, I could screw up the entire project. No pressure, right? I decided to use the wooden lip of the couch on the underside as the bottom guide and hope for the best.<br />
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It sure isn't pretty...but at least I have this gigantic piece of foam cut down to a slightly more manageable size. Maybe I can go back later and smooth out the edges??? Each cut got easier, as the piece of foam I was cutting from got smaller and more manageable. I measured and traced a line on all sides of the foam with a sharpie to try to cut the line as straight as possible. <br />
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I know I'm doing a shitty job, but I don't know what else to do under the circumstances. I decided to make the factory cut the front edge, and the sloppy cut the back edge where the zipper will go and be covered up by the back cushion. Should be fine, hopefully.<br />
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I made a special cut for the odd shaped corner. It actually turned out okay...though by now my standards have dropped dramatically. Perfect is just NOT going to happen, and I've accepted that.<br />
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I am going to wait to cut the seat backs. I don't have room for another gigantic sheet of foam right now anyway. It can stay compressed in the box in the forward cabin for a while longer. Plus, after the seat cushions are complete, I can take seat back measurements starting at where they will meet the seat cushions.<br />
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Next I unrolled the giant roll of materials from Sailrite. First I had to unroll all of the batting and re-roll it up on its own. Then I unrolled each fabric, separating and folding up the smaller piece I bought for the piping and the throw pillows. I now had just my main fabric, the Sunbrella dupione paradise, on the big roll. <br />
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Next I started making the piping. I started to make 1.25" fabric strips because that was recommended in the Sailrite piping video, but since I should have plenty of fabric and my straight edge is 1.5" thick I decided to go with 1.5" fabric strips to make it easier. I only had a metal square as a straight edge, so it was grueling work. In retrospect, I really should have bought a metal yard stick. I have a wooden one, but it is warped and definitely not straight enough for drawing lines. I was hunched over working on the floor, so my back was sore after a while.<br />
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I was extremely pleased that I splurged on the Sailrite Edge Hotknife. It cut through the fabric like butter. It only took a minute to set up, and just a couple of minutes to get the feel for how long to hold down the trigger to make it cut without scorching the fabric edges.<br />
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I made 20 strips, and decided to stop there and call it a day. I had been working from 7am to 5pm without a break. I cleaned up so we could have some living space, and had to move all of the old cushions off of our bed so we could have somewhere to sleep. I covered up the bare foam with a blanket to keep it safe from kitty claws and clean.<br />
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DAY 2: The next morning I got started around 8am. I decided to start to measure and cut my cushion panel fabric. It was awkward to work with the huge roll in the small work space on the boat, but no where near as challenging as working with the giant sheet of foam! I decided to make the biggest panels first.<br />
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I laid the fabric on top of the biggest cushion and then struggled for a couple minutes to decide which way the stripes should go. I did a little research and looked at some pictures, and finally decided to have the strips running from front to back of each cushion rather than side to side. A big part of this decision was that the fabric was only 54" wide and my cushion is 77" long. So it would be easier. <br />
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I made my marks with a mechanical pencil, since my white marking chalk didn't show up well enough. Cutting along the stripes was so beautifully easy. I'm sure it was my straightest cut yet, since I just had to follow the stripe of the fabric! And I got really lucky, because the width of my fabric roll made it possible to perfectly fold the fabric in half, score a line with my scraper tool, and then cut along the line. And I magically had a top and bottom panel of equal sizes! I left a seam allowance of 1" all the way around the panel. In retrospect, I should have just cut the panels exactly the same size as the foam so it would be a more snug fit.<br />
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I made my own piping using Sunbrella canvas parrot upholstery fabric. I already had some strips cut from yesterday. First I had to join the strips together. I decided to join the strips on an angle so it would look nicer and less bulky where they meet up.<br />
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Then I centered the piping cordage in the strip and sewed as close to the cordage as I could. I screwed up a few times and sewed through the cordage. I had to use my seam ripper and tear those stitches out and start again. When I finished sewing about 5 strips of piping together, I realized that I accidentally had the wrong side out and the stitching was showing where I joined the strips. Oops! I seam ripped and fixed most of them, but I was getting pretty impatient and decided to just leave a couple of them as they were.<br />
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I sewed the piping to the top and bottom panels.<br />
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I started getting confused about what measurements to take for my boxing, because some sources were saying to give a seam allowance of 1/2" on every seam, but Sailrite said cut the fabric exactly to the same dimensions as the cushion so you have to stuff the cushion into the fabric and have a more full looking firm cushion. I wasn't sure what I should do, so I did my smallest cushion (the nav station) as an experiment using the exact dimensions as the cushion to see how it turns out.<br />
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After cutting the boxing for the nav station cushion to exact size of the foam I decided to tackle the zipper plaque. I used the first technique demonstrated in the Sailrite video. I cut a piece of fabric 1.5" wider than the thickness of my foam (5" + 1.5" = 6") and 5" longer than the length of the side of my foam so the zipper could wrap around slightly to the other sides to make it easier to insert and remove the foam. Then I folded that strip in half and sewed .75" away from the fold. Next I cut open the fold and splayed it out, setting the zipper on top of the splay. I initially sewed too close to the zipper and it the zipper wouldn't work, so I had to get the seam ripper and do it again. Aaarg. Next time I sewed farther away from the zipper, and it turned out much better. Then I got the seam ripper and broke through the threads and the zipper looked great! It was perfectly hidden under the flap. I pulled the teeth of the zipper slightly apart and put on the zipper pull. I was so proud! I made my first zipper!!!<br />
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At first I started sewing the pieces of boxing to the top panel, but then I watched the Sailrite instructional video again and realized that I was supposed to join the boxing panels all to one another and then join them to the top panel. Seam ripper, yet again! I sewed all of the boxing panels together, not really sure what I was doing with the zipper plaque piece. It confused me, since it was supposed to wrap around slightly.<br />
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I sewed the boxing strips and the zipper plaque all together, and then
sewed it to the top and bottom panels. Getting the panels to line up perfectly with the boxing was really difficult. I kept ending up with extra fabric along the sides so I had to kind of bunch up the boxing a little bit to make it line up.<br />
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I wrapped the cushion in
polyester batting and then attempted to silk wrap it. That was easier
said than done. The slightest amount of air movement and it was blowing
around and very unruly. It was hot on board, so I was sweaty and the
silk wrap kept sticking to me. I accidentally put a hole in it while
trying to get it completely wrapped around the cushion. It wasn't a
great wrap, but I got it good enough to use the vacuum cleaner to suck
out the air and insert it into the fabric. It looked pretty darn good!
I doubt most people would notice the flaws, but I know that I will.<br />
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For my next cushions I will do a couple of things differently:<br />
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1.
I will make the fabric fit tighter around the foam by cutting the
fabric exactly to the foam dimensions with no seam allowance on the panels or the boxing strips.<br />
2. I will use shorter stitches for stronger seams.<br />
3. I will make sure my piping strips are right side out.<br />
4. I will use the 3M Super 77 adhesive spray to hold the batting in place.<br />
5.
I will make marks around the fabric to make sure my panels line up
better with my boxing (I ended up with a little bit too much fabric on
the last bit of the boxing to panel attachment and it looks a little bit
bunched up)<br />
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Alas, I had to go back to work, so my upholstery project sat for a week untouched. One side of the salon was stacked all the way up to the ceiling. I left the newly cut foam in place with the fabric draped over it, and then stacked the old cushions on top of it. I laid a blanket over the foam and fabric on the port side, where we usually sit, so it could be reasonably comfortable for the time being without messing up the foam. I know I should probably just take the old cushions to the dumpster, but I really hate throwing things away and adding to the impossibly big trash heap on this small island unless there is no other option. I think I will put a post up on Facebook to see if anyone can re-purpose any of our old cushions. If they can, they can have them all for free. If no one bites, I guess it will be added to the St. Thomas dump.<br />
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DAY 3: I have to go back to work tomorrow for another 5 days, so I'm hoping I can get a lot done today so the boat doesn't have to be in total disarray for too much longer!<br />
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I worked from 8am - 7pm without a break, and only managed to finish one cushion. I originally cut the panels with a seam allowance, so I had to go back and trim off the excess so it would fit more snugly around the foam. I think it looks better with no seam allowance. Everything looks full and plump. I'm not totally satisfied with my piping, though, as stitching does show in some spots. Trying to get the silk wrap on this big cushion was a nightmare. After many attempts, a lot of swearing, and a near temper tantrum, I decided to for-go the silk wrap and just jam the cushion in the fabric by hand. It turned out a little bit lumpy, but I plan to take it out in the near future to glue down the batting with 3M Super 77 adhesive spray and then maybe I can get Skeeter to help me get the silk wrap on it, shrink it with the vacuum, and get it nicely in the fabric.<br />
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Other than completing cushion #2 today, I also cut the boxing and make the zipper plaque for cushion #3, and I made a ton of piping. Hopefully on my next day off I can finish the seats. I think they will go faster because I'm getting the hang of things, and I already have lots of piping made.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvh1eKqLy3u8tLJinN1j47563vzMFmQgqaWKx8fKFuB9b_wixyv35QU4vzXq2DvqRIRjG8DPrWzqL7MGv0gazGG6TOLcTKmA_N_K2BQSA56ZEdusOO85atLJzOd6qfgMjWIWpEVsByak/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvh1eKqLy3u8tLJinN1j47563vzMFmQgqaWKx8fKFuB9b_wixyv35QU4vzXq2DvqRIRjG8DPrWzqL7MGv0gazGG6TOLcTKmA_N_K2BQSA56ZEdusOO85atLJzOd6qfgMjWIWpEVsByak/s320/IMG_0003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIqPxE2DjrCIib-0BR97J4e239cPCzzpXnrT3arZF0SX74k-T_jJlQFlPhMox78V8WojZ_R91-TafE6eETf_VtGzxX7-b8rHAYHyZ3XnmhnwKhvFhmcWah69psB4hAiZGim1ZWVJomJw/s1600/IMG_0004.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIqPxE2DjrCIib-0BR97J4e239cPCzzpXnrT3arZF0SX74k-T_jJlQFlPhMox78V8WojZ_R91-TafE6eETf_VtGzxX7-b8rHAYHyZ3XnmhnwKhvFhmcWah69psB4hAiZGim1ZWVJomJw/s320/IMG_0004.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
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A few weeks later I finished all of the bottom cushions. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLb7QDsBO18osboxpKbrAo_7flZjsjPlUfofoPNYrGpLUBi_vxd6C6X1oVLmXtbkF8dHkLEwZ7x-neiDCElozdIVo5Dxo8V8PX1fCN4Jz3TDZQqx3Plx3UDADJHA5VHaT2yOW9CAKv0E/s1600/Bottom+cushion+complete.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="645" data-original-width="860" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLb7QDsBO18osboxpKbrAo_7flZjsjPlUfofoPNYrGpLUBi_vxd6C6X1oVLmXtbkF8dHkLEwZ7x-neiDCElozdIVo5Dxo8V8PX1fCN4Jz3TDZQqx3Plx3UDADJHA5VHaT2yOW9CAKv0E/s320/Bottom+cushion+complete.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starboard side</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8l2X4V0DF_exsBiFl_EUW3t2sZD2q4WhraUQKM5OQLsQaUbd1oa5OcGtwB6mas8YoG7xIAtQ4rZA_zMcCoUAf-oSjk9vce_uDTeGT_IYNaOscccnUhjxjRHP5sGFMsO-KnHGykE8JHs/s1600/Bottom+cushions+complete.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="645" data-original-width="860" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8l2X4V0DF_exsBiFl_EUW3t2sZD2q4WhraUQKM5OQLsQaUbd1oa5OcGtwB6mas8YoG7xIAtQ4rZA_zMcCoUAf-oSjk9vce_uDTeGT_IYNaOscccnUhjxjRHP5sGFMsO-KnHGykE8JHs/s320/Bottom+cushions+complete.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Port side</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6gM40yFBuLNi4bTjGbCogq0XOFPfpdtIhtHDoIXuNdL8Ao8G6ftrdG4CuZVHFU6ce1WjHtkqrNK9pQhAXBh5nSxXEmJLmIY98gn5GY4uVicgsfwApKfB97_15Ab4IzQKlkQsUk1Xin4/s1600/cushions+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="645" data-original-width="860" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6gM40yFBuLNi4bTjGbCogq0XOFPfpdtIhtHDoIXuNdL8Ao8G6ftrdG4CuZVHFU6ce1WjHtkqrNK9pQhAXBh5nSxXEmJLmIY98gn5GY4uVicgsfwApKfB97_15Ab4IzQKlkQsUk1Xin4/s320/cushions+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Momo enjoying the new cushions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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FAST FORWARD TO THE FUTURE: After 8 x 10 hour days and many months later, I finally completed this project! It took me an average of 10 hours per cushion. My favorite part was sewing the throw pillow covers, since they were ridiculously easy compared to the upholstery job.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO4Ci4dXrMkzSEALSQl_F3D_fnMUuQFs-L9vihJuql3N7evYHcdDDztxq-BSBvLa_YSP_K8aA0_CBvQkM2hc0BTJ8Vj6wykbB3pXmI3wK7shrlOWLnuE4tZkd7MSGcS1Chnbuhi46wOI/s1600/P1015109.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO4Ci4dXrMkzSEALSQl_F3D_fnMUuQFs-L9vihJuql3N7evYHcdDDztxq-BSBvLa_YSP_K8aA0_CBvQkM2hc0BTJ8Vj6wykbB3pXmI3wK7shrlOWLnuE4tZkd7MSGcS1Chnbuhi46wOI/s320/P1015109.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I lost motivation 5 1/2 cushions in because I was seriously burning out taking my every moment of free time to work on this monster of a project, and work was getting busier. I couldn't muster the time nor energy to continue.<br />
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Fortunately, Skeeter's mom and dad visited us and helped motivate me to finish. I only had 2 1/2 seat backs left to sew but I was too burnt out to finish on my own. Skeeter's mom Deb is very crafty and a great sewer. She enjoys this kind of thing. They talked me into bringing the cushions, machine, and materials over to the place they were staying. They got to house and cat sit for a very kind friend of ours at a big beautiful house with a pool and a spectacular view. It was a lot of stuff to lug over, but well worth it to have ample work space and helpers!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhEhLSmBZK4IVxaz4y_DbH0TdCoZmoAlg-5aXLAJz3dqGwxBmGezclH5xqUYzvgXax1DBM7kO16d1EOrZ0Js05Is8mJXAX45cKJh9H-sYeG1C-PmyIlmKwWX6m7YHthAjEmC-1d6aGwE/s1600/TomandCindysHouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhEhLSmBZK4IVxaz4y_DbH0TdCoZmoAlg-5aXLAJz3dqGwxBmGezclH5xqUYzvgXax1DBM7kO16d1EOrZ0Js05Is8mJXAX45cKJh9H-sYeG1C-PmyIlmKwWX6m7YHthAjEmC-1d6aGwE/s320/TomandCindysHouse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Skeeter and his dad Mike me helped measure and cut, and Deb and I (mostly Deb!) did the remainder of the sewing. I felt bad that part of their vacation was spent slaving over my upholstery project, but they said they were happy to help. I must say, Deb did a better job sewing than I did. It was absolutely perfect! I'm glad she had fun doing it, because by that time I absolutely HATED this project and was so glad it was over!<br />
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<br />Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-6742846725664960792016-01-27T12:24:00.001-04:002016-01-27T12:24:31.271-04:00WHEN YOU CAN'T TRAVEL, WATCH FOREIGN FILMS!<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I absolutely love traveling. It exposes me to different people, languages, cultures, perspectives, and way of doing things. It helps me to think OUTSIDE of the box and helps me to look at things from a more worldly perspective. But when I can't travel, I expose myself to different people, languages, cultures, perspectives, and way of doing things by watching foreign films.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Do you ever get sick and tired of the same old Hollywood predictable
plot lines?<span> </span>Bank robberies, fast cars, and
over-the-top special effects?<span> </span>The good
guy always winning?<span> </span>The main character
always getting the girl?<span> </span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Think about it.<span>
</span>English is just one language.<span>
</span>There are <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/guide/languages.shtml">up to 7,000 different languages</a> spoken around the world.<span> </span><span></span>Why limit yourself to watching
movies in English when there are so many other options?<span> </span>Most people don’t realize that <a href="http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Media/Films-produced">India producesmore films per year than the United States</a>.<span>
</span>Japan, China, France, Italy, Spain, and Germany also produce a healthy
number of films per year, along with many other countries. There is so much amazing
talent out there that most English-speakers haven’t been exposed to.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Watching a movie in a foreign language might sound more like
torture than pleasure, but reading subtitles gets easier and easier over
time.<span> </span>When I find a truly great movie I
often forget that I’m even reading subtitles.<span>
</span>And I get the added satisfaction that I got to watch something truly remarkable,
that most of my friends have never even heard of.<span> </span>Please watch the movies in their original
languages!<span> </span>Watching a foreign movie
dubbed in English takes so much away from it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here is a list of ten of my favorite foreign language films
and why I think you will fall in love with them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSFqTWQzmPnDd0y_UCTnmtMT57sa8YuLVdFMMSHQmCULmEDpxQOhBfUur3xLEvB4CHmYxgfmfuL1qZtevsfJY47ivck4ZWXn0GkLKv7BLL3c5niUzWV-O9H0EN19Dkg5g4lk7CsCNxEA/s1600/Run+Lola+Run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSFqTWQzmPnDd0y_UCTnmtMT57sa8YuLVdFMMSHQmCULmEDpxQOhBfUur3xLEvB4CHmYxgfmfuL1qZtevsfJY47ivck4ZWXn0GkLKv7BLL3c5niUzWV-O9H0EN19Dkg5g4lk7CsCNxEA/s400/Run+Lola+Run.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span><span>1<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></b><b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130827/">Run Lola Run</a></b></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (1998) – Language: German – IMDB Rating:
7.8 – If you are in the mood for something original and thrilling, Run Lola Run
should be on your watch list.<span> </span>This movie
will suck you in and have you on the edge of your seat from the very beginning. <span></span>The music is guaranteed to have your
heart pounding.<span> </span>You will find yourself
cheering for the main characters, even though they make some desperate
decisions that are highly illegal.<span> </span>You
find yourself questioning your own morals and wondering, “What would I do in
that situation?”<span> </span>It’s the most original
movie I think I’ve ever seen.<span> </span>It shows
us that each choice we make in our lives can lead to dramatically different
consequences – so we should be careful to choose wisely because you don’t get a
second chance…or do you?<span> </span>This is a movie
you will never forget, and surely want to watch again and again.<span> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHPQASm1704ZN3ZxWz453Y5llDW0BaMOAg5dn1EROcrJC0ynVfwk9yskZVyhObffJvkwPMsJLsuJB_wi5o1qWq_seGpXhyphenhyphenDwC2yqt0z8V0_VxYS0LIqdOFNGK5JZYx1zFseiHhCwtmpY/s1600/Life+is+beautiful.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHPQASm1704ZN3ZxWz453Y5llDW0BaMOAg5dn1EROcrJC0ynVfwk9yskZVyhObffJvkwPMsJLsuJB_wi5o1qWq_seGpXhyphenhyphenDwC2yqt0z8V0_VxYS0LIqdOFNGK5JZYx1zFseiHhCwtmpY/s400/Life+is+beautiful.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span><span>2<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118799/?ref_=nv_sr_1"><b>Life is Beautiful</b></a></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (1997) – Languages: Italian, German – IMDB
Rating: 8.6 – If you feel like watching something that teaches you to always
look on the bright side, no matter how difficult the situation, Life is
Beautiful is the film for you.<span> </span>This
movie is the most heartwarming but heart wrenchingly sad movie I’ve ever
seen.<span> </span>A family is victim of the
Holocaust and gets put into a concentration camp during World War II.<span> </span>Determined to shelter their young son from
the horrors of reality, they convince him that they are merely playing an
elaborate game.<span> </span>This movie takes one of
the most horrible events of world history and turns it into one of positivity,
love, and hope.<span> </span>You will feel more
compassion for the characters in this film than you ever have before.<span> </span>You will find yourself wondering what you
would do in this situation.<span> </span>You are
guaranteed to laugh and cry as you watch possibly the most beautiful movie ever
made.<span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjUiBBrhMcRUG6IdX3izpA4Wb72o2INlLsn6-mGReKP7hYb8biZmK6h1ibdkAdE81oh7rUVdCOc5XHL-IrFI7KzhbrKFjVMsdYH9wvEDR-gDdpJo77pzfdYQOXkKZ9XYgY0Rn1jAVunNU/s1600/Amelie.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjUiBBrhMcRUG6IdX3izpA4Wb72o2INlLsn6-mGReKP7hYb8biZmK6h1ibdkAdE81oh7rUVdCOc5XHL-IrFI7KzhbrKFjVMsdYH9wvEDR-gDdpJo77pzfdYQOXkKZ9XYgY0Rn1jAVunNU/s400/Amelie.jpg" width="271" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>3 <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211915/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Amelie</a> </b>(2001) – Language: French – IMDB Rating: 8.4 – If you are looking for a film that will make you feel playful and happy and take you for a magical adventure, Amelie is the movie you should watch. You will simply adore it, especially the main character, played marvelously by Audrey Tautou. Amelie develops an extraordinary imagination because as a child her overprotective parents sheltered her so much that she didn’t get much interaction with others. She learns to use her imagination to make something extraordinary out of the simplest things, and will have you smiling the whole way through. When she grows up and moves into an apartment of her own in Paris she is still very shy and innocent, but becomes intrigued by the lives of others and begins spying on them. In her own unique mischievous way, she ends up bringing happiness to those around her. This movie is guaranteed to charm you, to make you smile, and to make you feel an overwhelming sense of happiness. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNulosTgUA_YDxsh5GgBZbJ67Bunldw8iQP3Cn-q_8LzjDSbmj5y7C5r48VuqwS1_FEqMxNL-Jb_uuwVp-3np6WuVlNabKZEuYGqRjIGp4geBXA87XlelqxQGa8sOXCMTS1g3B3ZdXNw/s1600/Castaway+on+the+moon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNulosTgUA_YDxsh5GgBZbJ67Bunldw8iQP3Cn-q_8LzjDSbmj5y7C5r48VuqwS1_FEqMxNL-Jb_uuwVp-3np6WuVlNabKZEuYGqRjIGp4geBXA87XlelqxQGa8sOXCMTS1g3B3ZdXNw/s400/Castaway+on+the+moon.jpg" width="271" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <b><span><span>4<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1499666/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1"><b>Castaway on the Moon</b></a></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (2009) – Language: Korean – IMDB Rating:
8.2 - Even though I do really like Tom Hanks “Castaway” movie, this one is a
million times better.<span> </span>This movie is
unique beyond description.<span> </span>Castaway on
the Moon is a perfect mix of drama and humor.<span>
</span>The main character starts out suicidal, but after a botched suicide
attempt he finds himself stranded on a river island in an urban area.<span> </span>He can see overpasses and skyscrapers, but it
seems no one notices him.<span> </span>If only he
knew how to swim!<span> </span>He has to adapt and survive
using the washed up garbage and debris from the city.<span> </span>In his fight for survival he develops a new
appreciation for life.<span> </span>While stranded on
his island, he develops a relationship with an agoraphobic misfit who lives in
one of the city’s high rise apartments and is obsessed with the moon.<span> </span>When she spots him through her telescope she
is sure she has discovered an alien from outer space.<span> </span>You will fall in love with this quirky,
unconventional movie. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHmgslCwfrsea-5coD1BRep-hGvypAVRH7T9gKsFQSfTuy5AT6tiAoujckMRSlCi7S10iiDNFVW4usejRJZLfd_iFTWL7RLyvE6Y_-gesQypwZDKBetEn6caHf1W1YbVtQSmQfckWFQ4/s1600/PK.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHmgslCwfrsea-5coD1BRep-hGvypAVRH7T9gKsFQSfTuy5AT6tiAoujckMRSlCi7S10iiDNFVW4usejRJZLfd_iFTWL7RLyvE6Y_-gesQypwZDKBetEn6caHf1W1YbVtQSmQfckWFQ4/s400/PK.jpg" width="271" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>5<span> </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/LINK%207:%20http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2338151/?ref_=nv_sr_1">PK</a></b></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (2014) – Languages: Hindi, Urdu, English –
IMDB Rating: 8.3 - This film is a goofy and wonderful gem.<span> </span>It’s a tale of love, friendship, and life
lessons.<span> </span>If you’ve never seen a
Bollywood film before, this one will get you hooked on the Bollywood film
industry.<span> </span>It’s colorful, musical, and
just the right amount of cheesy.<span> </span>The
main character’s innocence and oddities will win you over instantly.<span> </span>He looks at the world in a way no one else
does, and makes others rethink their lives.<span>
</span>Social issues are looked at through this movie, but from a humorous
angle.<span> </span>It will have you laughing out
loud and maybe even crying at some points.<span>
</span>You will be swept away to beautiful places on this adventure, and will
get to experience the vibrant color and complexity of Indian society.<span> </span>It’s an absolute masterpiece, and you will
get to meet some of India’s best actors through it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZN0JgOvkFqzYeWs7g3TE0eR35S_VhSu3HYFR6We73hYq6BI5DvoLseXyNvOr79Esc9bF1_f8S6gV94U7rCgBfkudQUQHCR7r1_7hr1b5TNc-3YfeWYjAHLTaXEtwJpbwz0zT7fwEyVM/s1600/Pans+Labyrinth.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZN0JgOvkFqzYeWs7g3TE0eR35S_VhSu3HYFR6We73hYq6BI5DvoLseXyNvOr79Esc9bF1_f8S6gV94U7rCgBfkudQUQHCR7r1_7hr1b5TNc-3YfeWYjAHLTaXEtwJpbwz0zT7fwEyVM/s400/Pans+Labyrinth.jpg" width="271" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <b>6 <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457430/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Pan’s Labyrinth</a> </b>(2006) – Language: Spanish – IMDB Rating: 8.2 – This film is extremely creepy and magical at the same time. Although some people may describe Pan’s Labyrinth as a fairy tale, it’s definitely not for kids. It’s a dark fairy tale full of violence and brutality, but also hope. It is set in Spain at the end of the Spanish civil war under the regime of Francisco Franco. The main character, an innocent young girl, escapes the horrors of reality and finds herself on a desperate mission in a dark fantasy world. Some of the characters in the fantasy world of Pan’s Labyrinth would surely make little kids cry. The quality of storytelling and seamless overlapping of fantasy and reality is what makes this movie so brilliant. And as an added plus for people not used to foreign films, it doesn’t require an excessive reading of subtitles because it is more visual than dialogue driven. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbuH6C4FmPnALqwYmiUpNuSUhEU0IaaSC8v5TtHz2IQI63A8uBJHKX1IotDiuohUOLt0rBcREoB5RV6wRCuZFcBZGjMNOpHXO2XHQ6XA7DA5eqLD1G0zSV7h26WSHXdTKVW-Akd_GkzEE/s1600/Ida.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbuH6C4FmPnALqwYmiUpNuSUhEU0IaaSC8v5TtHz2IQI63A8uBJHKX1IotDiuohUOLt0rBcREoB5RV6wRCuZFcBZGjMNOpHXO2XHQ6XA7DA5eqLD1G0zSV7h26WSHXdTKVW-Akd_GkzEE/s400/Ida.jpg" width="271" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <b>7 <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2718492/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Ida</a></b> (2013) – Language: Polish – IMDB Rating: 7.4 - Set in 1960’s post World War II Poland, this movie makes you believe that
it was truly filmed during that era.<span> </span>It
is visually stunning, and the black and white images and choice of music are
perfectly fit to the story.<span> </span>The story is
told in a very calm, quiet way.<span> </span>The main
character was raised in a Catholic orphanage.<span>
</span>She is about to take her vows to become a nun, but before she does that
she has to go on a journey to meet aunt, her only living relative, and learn
who she really is.<span> </span>Ida is pious and
innocent, and her aunt is a gruff alcoholic.<span>
</span>Ida learns that she is really Jewish, and that her parents hid her at
the orphanage at the end of the war to save her from the Holocaust.<span> </span>Ida goes on a quest to find her parents’
grave, and her experience outside of the nunnery make her question everything she
thought she knew.<span> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5A5Q9Jg0Y693HFLaxhEo-qk1aIpcyWUhGk_9q8_FVi-cvuyi81llYXlNlAq5ErSnmGkZP3YEDs31aaZkZZ93XOiRLRs1H_idPZkEGoQyc8E2YkRk9IuzUw5h26NTFvwMjw9BPwlDM03E/s1600/Good+bye+Lenin.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5A5Q9Jg0Y693HFLaxhEo-qk1aIpcyWUhGk_9q8_FVi-cvuyi81llYXlNlAq5ErSnmGkZP3YEDs31aaZkZZ93XOiRLRs1H_idPZkEGoQyc8E2YkRk9IuzUw5h26NTFvwMjw9BPwlDM03E/s400/Good+bye+Lenin.jpg" width="271" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span><span>8<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301357/?ref_=nv_sr_1"><b>Good Bye Lenin!</b></a></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (2003) – Language: German – IMDB Rating:
7.7 - The story line of this movie is extremely creative, tackling social issues
in a humorous, satirical way.<span> </span>It takes
place around the time of the Cold War in East Germany, around the time of the
fall of the Berlin Wall.<span> </span>A mother who has
dedicated her life to supporting the communist party ideals has a heart attack
and falls into a coma when she sees her son on TV getting arrested in an
anti-communist protest.<span> </span>When she
awakens, Germany has been reunited and western ideals and goods have poured
in.<span> </span>Everything is dramatically
different.<span> </span>Her son fears that his mother
will fall back into a coma if she learns the truth.<span> </span>To protect his mother, he creates a false
reality and goes out of his way to trick his mother into believing that
everything is as it was before the fall of the wall.<span> </span>You won’t believe the things he has to do to
keep this illusion up!<span> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3Y2iG8yWh337L63NSj2oDN1Sg_ew0SuGtmo5rrj7VmJYFMmsTnsVLqfUlhsrxyg02KscBEZKkLiMdDcsKrZqd_8ZWLVnQ87cmCD64mK-o-gCziTrPR3QKLz2Oa2iD4Bz2VXy49BZ1TE/s1600/Like+stars+on+earth.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3Y2iG8yWh337L63NSj2oDN1Sg_ew0SuGtmo5rrj7VmJYFMmsTnsVLqfUlhsrxyg02KscBEZKkLiMdDcsKrZqd_8ZWLVnQ87cmCD64mK-o-gCziTrPR3QKLz2Oa2iD4Bz2VXy49BZ1TE/s400/Like+stars+on+earth.jpg" width="271" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span><span>9<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0986264/?ref_=nv_sr_1"><b>Like Stars on Earth</b></a></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (2007) – Languages: Hindi & English –
IMDB Rating: 8.5 – This film is uplifting, heartwarming, and
inspiring. It sends us the very powerful message
that every child is special, and is especially powerful for parents and educators. What each
child needs to be successful may not be the same.<span> </span>The little boy in this movie is always
misbehaving and failing in school and his parents and teachers don’t know what
to do with him.<span> </span>He
gets sent away to a boarding school because his parents and teachers think that
strict discipline is the only thing that can straighten him out.<span> </span>Boarding school starts out horribly for him,
and he becomes severely depressed. <span> </span>No
matter how hard he tries, he still fails.<span>
</span>When his usual art teacher gets replaced by a highly unconventional teacher,
things start to look up for him. <span> </span>You
will feel an overwhelming sense of joy when you see the little boy’s world
start to turn around.<span> </span>Like Stars on
Earth will make you look at “difficult children” in a whole new light.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbaIpZDZTZa8oQL8BG2Osffa37OAAJIHXT_Jy2FYHVzAhRlZ9WzyGYrxVvuzIdM2_irOSogE6kZ9t63I7In88-ztpidn1VaIlbb4nxtSHidDuRh1XRm9zP_EdPIQAzxZmrrL93RZolp4/s1600/My+name+is+khan.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbaIpZDZTZa8oQL8BG2Osffa37OAAJIHXT_Jy2FYHVzAhRlZ9WzyGYrxVvuzIdM2_irOSogE6kZ9t63I7In88-ztpidn1VaIlbb4nxtSHidDuRh1XRm9zP_EdPIQAzxZmrrL93RZolp4/s400/My+name+is+khan.jpg" width="271" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span><span>10<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1188996/?ref_=nv_sr_2"><b>My name is Khan</b></a></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (2010) – Languages: Hindu, Urdu, English –
IMDB Rating: 7.9 - This film will introduce you to a beautiful way of looking
at the world.<span> </span>“There are only two kinds
of people in this world.<span> </span>Good people who
do good deeds.<span> </span>And bad people who do
bad.”<span> </span>The main character’s mother taught
him this when he was a child, and he lives by it.<span> </span>You will grow emotionally attached to this Indian
Muslim boy with Asperger’s syndrome because of his innocence, blunt honesty,
and good heart.<span> </span>As a child in Mumbai,
India he faces the challenges of being different than all the other
children.<span> </span>When he is older, he moves to
the United States where he falls in love with a Hindu woman.<span> </span>His open heart leads him to many new
experiences, both good and bad, and helps him to make friends and enemies of
different backgrounds.<span> </span>This movie will
help you to look past race, religion, and social class and see people for who
they truly are.<span> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>Give these films a try! They will open up your world. Nowadays it is easy to find great foreign films. You can even find many of these films on <a href="http://www.netflix.com/">Netflix</a>.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>What are your favorite foreign films? Please post in the comments below! </span></span></span><br />
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Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com3St Thomas 00802, USVI18.335361 -64.9534009000000217.853008499999998 -65.598847900000024 18.8177135 -64.307953900000015tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-87968924072030494452016-01-26T16:38:00.000-04:002016-03-03T14:42:01.735-04:00DIY Sailboat Interior Cushions - Part 1 - Planning<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Our salon cushions and upholstery are </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">gross</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">. They are ugly, old, no longer very supportive, have lost their shape</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">, are thread</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">-</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">barren, filthy, and smell like mold. I decided to give our salon a major face-lift and replace and reupholster our cushions.</span></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRs0841z-yh0kHIab-xLMW7Q1naejmDRkvSBW580yK-BW83GehdO2Al2PyUpxk2aLkD4kgK4UBnFmjWWlj3hfTjTYdPsOWRANGxJHlRfsKv44xN3AhkeBIsIc2OZFu8Cqeew1POMQlf0/s1600/IMG_20160126_151547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRs0841z-yh0kHIab-xLMW7Q1naejmDRkvSBW580yK-BW83GehdO2Al2PyUpxk2aLkD4kgK4UBnFmjWWlj3hfTjTYdPsOWRANGxJHlRfsKv44xN3AhkeBIsIc2OZFu8Cqeew1POMQlf0/s640/IMG_20160126_151547.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our GROSS old cushion and upholstery</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I have never done any upholstery work, and had very limited experience sewing. Since sewing scrunchies in 8th grade home economics class over 20 years ago, I just recently got back into sewing so I could save money and do lots of projects aboard our sailboat. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I purchased a <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Sailrite-Ultrafeed-LSZ-1-PLUS-Walking-Foot-Sewing-Machine" target="_blank">LSZ-1 sewing machine</a> from <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/" target="_blank">Sailrite</a> a few months ago and have completed a couple of projects using my <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Sunbrella-4637-0000-Forest-Green-46" target="_blank">Sunbrella Marine Fabric in Forest Green</a> from <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/" target="_blank">Sailrite</a> including a generator cover, a helm cover, a splash guard for the aft companion way, lee cloths, and a sail bag.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFcu590kzSZxNCAZZ7270G5cNdGF9zLxzsIUtDSjO5gNYlhkffqVD1M3IwnT4hcfdyCDSfO0BlRg6Bg4g1225AGYlrYXGnPXroPSZUAXcVgI9bq7rZTmdFO98T2VCbPE7k19HsO7uZPus/s1600/IMG_20150412_141531.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFcu590kzSZxNCAZZ7270G5cNdGF9zLxzsIUtDSjO5gNYlhkffqVD1M3IwnT4hcfdyCDSfO0BlRg6Bg4g1225AGYlrYXGnPXroPSZUAXcVgI9bq7rZTmdFO98T2VCbPE7k19HsO7uZPus/s400/IMG_20150412_141531.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My Sailrite LSZ-1 Walking Foot Sewing Machine</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzQXd30W0O1ylI-WsI7E4VcqLppWtX_sU-WGpaja7My_2M09ZbbfqFUwRvaxXNRSgIdY9ewPJdhBZjRiCorh80T_lN-8ZNMvasCIlK15BGSukD0D4_IdlDTwo4k66LNRbiBh8LnPiQZg/s1600/IMG_20150412_163032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzQXd30W0O1ylI-WsI7E4VcqLppWtX_sU-WGpaja7My_2M09ZbbfqFUwRvaxXNRSgIdY9ewPJdhBZjRiCorh80T_lN-8ZNMvasCIlK15BGSukD0D4_IdlDTwo4k66LNRbiBh8LnPiQZg/s400/IMG_20150412_163032.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The generator cover I made</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12EYMNgm1WvWKf7Vg6sehIDID7pxOILljYVWK4aUmHeHSdEYvykLPgCFYe457JOkB05JrepNwVcUI44btfBilSyd5DSPvoxsHP87mGkPqX_2h1RWxH_Bwem05g_wufF9tBbcGK8ta8ak/s1600/11256426_10155520467965573_1666480536_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12EYMNgm1WvWKf7Vg6sehIDID7pxOILljYVWK4aUmHeHSdEYvykLPgCFYe457JOkB05JrepNwVcUI44btfBilSyd5DSPvoxsHP87mGkPqX_2h1RWxH_Bwem05g_wufF9tBbcGK8ta8ak/s400/11256426_10155520467965573_1666480536_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I made a helm cover</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjKVvd-VYWezUz6UnSfrD-v7kmfOowA7Lz6os1QbklpLn9xxQtE0qC946iy-A9k_5v0VrbIQc0gm9MBjB4GzGpc0B48iWfRGS7NmUIi_y9TYlmf1n-F0UiGDsjeZMA0xqhlmeReSIYkE/s1600/IMG_20150710_074934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjKVvd-VYWezUz6UnSfrD-v7kmfOowA7Lz6os1QbklpLn9xxQtE0qC946iy-A9k_5v0VrbIQc0gm9MBjB4GzGpc0B48iWfRGS7NmUIi_y9TYlmf1n-F0UiGDsjeZMA0xqhlmeReSIYkE/s400/IMG_20150710_074934.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I made a splash guard for our aft companion way</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPO1gJ9_2ezGgsa-n5xiG4ZGmkJuw4dPPkEiXEKNVpt_oXSGyfD-QnkVeJJ4bMJqkldXcTwn3KCGatcoXvEniLOBTsE7Z2Ejfer-yPoi3Mnf1CnMPfXBysyYBv8skqqu_6eyiLwbZuZTw/s1600/IMG_20150601_184010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPO1gJ9_2ezGgsa-n5xiG4ZGmkJuw4dPPkEiXEKNVpt_oXSGyfD-QnkVeJJ4bMJqkldXcTwn3KCGatcoXvEniLOBTsE7Z2Ejfer-yPoi3Mnf1CnMPfXBysyYBv8skqqu_6eyiLwbZuZTw/s400/IMG_20150601_184010.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The sail bag I made for our mainsail</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> Realizing that I had zero knowledge about how to do a new cushion and upholstery project, I began by reading, researching, and watching videos. I have included links to the most helpful information I found. Not surprisingly, I watched lots and lots of <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Videos#!Videos" target="_blank">Sailrite instructional videos</a>. They have a ton of them on all sorts of sewing projects, and I don't think I would have the courage or skills to do any sewing projects without them! </span></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Cushion-Foam-Video-Which-Type-Should-I-Use" target="_blank"><span class="watch-title " dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Cushion Foam: Which Type Should I Use for My Boat or Home?">Cushion Foam: Which Type Should I Use for My Boat or Home?</span></a> </span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Eisenberg Upholstery: </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.eisenbergupholstery.com/Eisenberg_upholstery_foam_class.html" target="_blank">Understanding foam density & firmness</a> </span></span></span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Carrs Corner: <a href="http://www.carrscorner.com/foam.php" target="_blank">A complete education about cushion foam</a></span></span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is very important to understand some foam terminology before making your decision on which foam to use for your project. It may seem overwhelming at first, but soon you will understand what all of this means and be able to choose your ideal foam.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><u>Closed cell foam</u></b> - Each individual cell is closed off from the others, meaning that water cannot penetrate the foam. This foam floats, typically pretty hard, and is recommended for boat cockpits. It is typically more expensive than open cell foam because of its higher density.</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>Open cell foam</b></u> - Each cell is open, and moisture can penetrate it and potentially be trapped in it. It is softer than closed cell foam, and recommended for use inside where it will not be exposed to much moisture. It can, however, be covered with a moisture barrier to help with potential moisture related problems such as mold, mildew, and bacteria.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>Biocide</b></u> - a treatment added to some foams in the manufacturing process to prevent mold and mildew. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>Dry fast foam</b></u> - It's an open cell foam with its cell walls removed. It is extremely porous, so water can run right through it rather than be absorbed into it. It is significantly more expensive than regular open cell foam. Good for outdoor applications, or places where it is likely to get wet.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>Foam density</b></u> - Pounds polyurethane per cubic foot. Higher density foam is considered higher quality and will typically last longer than lower density foams.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>Indentation Load Deflection</b></u> - The force in pounds required to compress the foam by 25%. The higher the ILD number, the firmer the foam. The lower the ILD number, the squishier the foam. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>Memory Foam</b></u> - A polyurethane foam with added chemicals to increase its viscosity and density. It conforms to the body and reacts to body heat, helping to warm you. Not recommended in hot environments.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">After my research I decided that I wanted an open cell 5" foam with a density over 2.3 lbs, an ILD rating of 35-50 lbs, and a long life. I also decided that DryFast foam would not be necessary, since it would be used inside and it would not be exposed to water. Some articles I read recommended more firm foam for the seat cushions than the backs, but I wanted the same foam for both the seats and seat backs because my settee converts to a bed. It would not be comfortable for sleeping if the cushions were not all uniform.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I really wanted to buy my foam from Sailrite because I have benefited so much from their products and instructional videos, but unfortunately they didn't offer foam in the sizes, density, and ILD rating that I was looking for. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">After searching all over the internet and comparing prices and quality, I decided to order foam from the <a href="http://www.thefoamfactory.com/" target="_blank">Foam Factory</a>. Tiffany was the sales rep who helped me. She was very kind and tolerant of my numerous questions, the headache of figuring out shipping to the Virgin Islands, and she even advised me on which foam I should get.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I originally picked out the 5" <a href="http://www.thefoamfactory.com/opencellfoam/LUX-HQ.html" target="_blank">LuxHQ foam</a>. It has an ILD rating of 50, and Tiffany warned me that this is very firm, almost like sitting on the ground. Yikes! I don't want that! So I picked out the <a href="http://www.thefoamfactory.com/opencellfoam/HD36-HQ.html" target="_blank">HD36 high quality foam</a> instead. It has an ILD rating of 35, so it would feel more comfortable.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Tb9k6oKi7Yg8N8eBE9WOEvHsYPqDD5MgB9EhE3JaXVu9pxlg1IWUFNE7zXe6BdEapHzonkzGHOc9drZGMcFuJGspm2mtr_0CfdN4n_7rjmYXioIdHSeRc2SiEVVJostgadn-FWOicsg/s1600/HD36+High+Quality+Foam+Specs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="513" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Tb9k6oKi7Yg8N8eBE9WOEvHsYPqDD5MgB9EhE3JaXVu9pxlg1IWUFNE7zXe6BdEapHzonkzGHOc9drZGMcFuJGspm2mtr_0CfdN4n_7rjmYXioIdHSeRc2SiEVVJostgadn-FWOicsg/s640/HD36+High+Quality+Foam+Specs.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The prices I found on their website were significantly better than anything else I was able to find online. It was $205.99/sheet. The foam density of 2.8lbs/cubic ft was in the range I was looking for (2.3lbs/cubic feet or higher). The Indentation Load Deflection (35 lbs) was in my desired range. The foam comes in big sheets (82" x 76") so I won't need to puzzle piece my cushions together and can have some long cushions. And it's rated to have a typical life of 12-18 years.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">After I figured out what foam I would use, it was time to do some research on fabric. I've included links to the most helpful videos and articles that I found. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.smithbrothersfurniture.com/guidetoupholstery/findingtherightfabric" target="_blank">Finding the Right Fabric</a> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-basics-of-upholstery-fabrics-shopping-guide-191047" target="_blank">Understanding Upholstery Fabric</a> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.sunbrella.com/en_us/about/history/" target="_blank">Sunbrella Fabric History</a> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://sailrite.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/what-is-sunbrella-fabric/" target="_blank">Sunbrella Fabric Explained</a> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.outdoorfabriccentral.com/acrylic_fabric_page.html" target="_blank">More about Sunbrella</a> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I originally decided to go with <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Sunbrella-5429-0000-Canvas-Macaw-54" target="_blank">Sunbrella Upholstery Fabric in Macaw green</a>. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/418VbDanmp8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/418VbDanmp8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But after some more consideration, I changed my mind and decided to go with <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Sunbrella-8050-0000-Dupione-Paradise-54" target="_blank">Sunbrella Upholstery Fabric in Dupione Paradise</a> because it has more of a texture to it and I think it would look more classy and not show stains as well. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KcgStMexiaY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KcgStMexiaY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Now that I knew what foam and fabric I wanted to buy, it was time to figure out how much of it I should order. I found a video that helped me take measurements.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ALB-F5mCJc" target="_blank">HOW TO MEASURE A SOFA CUSHION</a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I found a website with a great calculator to help you figure out how lay out your cuts to get the right size pieces with minimal waste. You just input the dimensions of your starting piece, input the dimensions of your individual pieces, and then it lays it all out for you in the best way.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.optimalon.com/" target="_blank">OPTIMALON CUT CALCULATOR</a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="watch-title " dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Cutting Cushion Foam using Electric Kitchen Knife">I was wondering if I would be able to cut the foam myself, or if I would need to get it custom cut (for a significant increase in price). I found a great Sailrite video showing how easy it is to cut foam yourself using an electric kitchen knife, purchased from any store selling kitchen products for around $15.</span> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wqodjNexy7w/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wqodjNexy7w?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was curious how you get the foam into the fabric, and I found this Sailrite video:</span></span></span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3ffvhyMo9e4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3ffvhyMo9e4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> To figure out how much fabric I would need to purchase, and later, to figure out how I should cut it, I used Sailrite's handy <a href="http://www.fabric-calculator.com/" target="_blank">FABRIC CALCULATOR</a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I decided to buy <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Sailrite-Edge-Hotknife-Package-110-Volt" target="_blank">Sailrite's Edge Hotknife Package</a> to make my life much easier, and to prevent unraveling of the edges of my fabric over time. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.sailrite.com/103800_1_zoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sailrite.com/103800_1_zoom.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I also decided to add <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Batting-83-Thick-55-Wide" target="_blank">polyester batting</a> to my cushions so they would be more comfortable and less boxy. I took measurements and estimated I'd need 13 yards.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.sailrite.com/100158_1_zoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sailrite.com/100158_1_zoom.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I decided to get <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Cushion-Wrap-Silk-Film-Center-Fold-54" target="_blank">cushion wrap silk film</a> to use as a moisture barrier around my cushions, to prevent mold and mildew.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.sailrite.com/core/media/media.nl?id=715655&c=603010&h=d4371a084ee7e20b49f4" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sailrite.com/core/media/media.nl?id=715655&c=603010&h=d4371a084ee7e20b49f4" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://sailrite.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/2015_august-silk-film-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://sailrite.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/2015_august-silk-film-2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I plan to use a zipper on one of the edges of each cushion, so I measured and estimated that I'd need around 50 feet for my cushions and some throw pillows. I decided to go with </span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.sailrite.com/YKK-Continuous-Vislon-Zipper-Chain-White-5" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">YKK® Zipper #5 Vislon® Continuous White</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> because it wouldn't corrode and #5 is a good size for cushions. I also ordered 20</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/YKK-Single-Pull-Non-Locking-Slider-White-Vislon-Plastic-5" target="_blank">YKK® Slider #5 Vislon® White Plastic Single Non-Locking Pulls</a>.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.sailrite.com/103161_1_zoom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sailrite.com/103161_1_zoom.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.sailrite.com/28218_1_zoom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sailrite.com/28218_1_zoom.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I decided that I wanted to have piping around the perimeter of my cushions to give them more of a professional look. You can buy pre-made piping in a limited number of colors and styles, but it is not cheap. I decided to make my own piping, using <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Piping-Cord-5-32">Sailrite's 5/32" foam piping</a> and a slightly different but coordinating fabric, <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Sunbrella-5405-0000-Canvas-Parrot-54">Sunbrella Canvas Parrot Upholstery Fabric</a>. I found a photo on Amazon of a throw pillow that was upholstered in Dupione Paradise fabric with Parrot piping, and was convinced that these two fabrics would be a great combination for my cushions. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjDKlIpAbBTtZUxkunMkEaMW76WKkyAoLFodFLUCVXdSY2i6v24jSdYqopwsDbWtRINpqwlgSBRrurobHmMiCmMB35dowQdX1MGtilf8fL5z41GO7GOSjWP6GUA81c03C3U8rkrsPVh=" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sailrite.com/1055_1_zoom.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51d8WH5VJbL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51d8WH5VJbL.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><a href="http://www.sailrite.com/5405-0000_1_zoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sailrite.com/5405-0000_1_zoom.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="http://www.sailrite.com/8050-0000_1_zoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sailrite.com/8050-0000_1_zoom.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was so excited to have found the foam and fabric I wanted, but living in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands poses a problem for shipping.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I got a shipping estimate for foam from <a href="http://www.thefoamfactory.com/" target="_blank">The Foam Factory</a>.</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I wanted to order 2 sheets of 5" LuxHQ foam, but they cannot ship the 5" foam to the Virgin Islands. Instead I could order 2 sheets of 2" foam and 2 sheets of 3" foam and glue them together. I figured I could do that, but my eyes about popped out of my head when I saw the shipping cost estimate!</span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">2 Sheets of 2” x 80” x 76”= $ 84.99 (each) =$169.98 </span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">2 Boxes 24Lbs = $90.00 (each) =$180.00</span> </span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">2 Sheets of 3” x 80 “ x 76” = $ 125.99 (each)= $251.98</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">2 Boxes 34Lbs = $100.00 (each) = $200.00</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Grand total for the foam plus shipping = $801.96 ...YIKES!!! The shipping cost was almost as much as the cost of the foam!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I checked into alternatives, like taking advantage of their free shipping within continental US and shipping through a freight company based out of Florida. I found out it would save me A LOT of money if I went through a freight shipping company, and I could order the 5" foam that I wanted after all. Here are the quotes I got from a couple of different shipping companies that service St. Thomas for the following shipping dimensions: </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">2 boxes - 55 lbs, 34"x21"x21" </span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">SHIPPING COMPANIES: </span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://www.caribtrans.com/" target="_blank">Caribbean Trans</a> </span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">(340) 201-4668</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Cost: $75 + $45 Maritime fee (bill lading fee) = $120 TOTAL</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://www.tropical.com/" target="_blank">Tropical Shipping</a> (</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span class="null">340) 776-8767</span> </span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Cost: $78 TOTAL </span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://sttcargo.com/" target="_blank">St. Thomas Cargo</a> </span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">(340) 776-8660</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Representative: Tracy Brian x100</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Under 10 cubic feet Cost $20 + Insurance $10 minimum </span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Under 20 cubic feet Cost: $40 + Insurance $10 minimum</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Over 20 cubic feet $3.95 cubic foot + $35 documentation + insurance $20 minimum </span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Cost: $50 TOTAL </span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://www.vishipping.com/" target="_blank">International Logistics Solutions</a> </span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody"> (340) 244 0519</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Less than 6 cubic - $25</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Less than 11 cubic feet - $45 </span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Less than 21 cubic feet - $75</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Cost: $75 TOTAL</span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody"> </span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">All of the companies I contacted quoted me much better prices than shipping directly from the seller to St. Thomas. However, St. Thomas Cargo won my business. They had the best prices and most clear and simple shipping instructions of all of their competitors. </span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">They
can even consolidate your packages from multiple shipments. Cargo must
arrive to warehouse by noon on Wednesday to make their Thursday sail. Cargo
arrives to St. Thomas on Sunday. They unload cargo Monday Morning. Their motto is: "Shipping is as easy as 1-2-3!"</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I managed to save a lot of money by shipping <span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">my foam through <a href="http://www.sttcargo.com/" target="_blank">ST. THOMAS CARGO</a> instead of using standard shipping. </span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Foam Original Shipping Quote: $380.00</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Cost to ship to Florida + Cargo Ship to St. Thomas: FREE + $50 (including insurance)</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Money saved: $330.00</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Sailrite Original Shipping Quote: $120.00</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Cost to ship to Florida + Cargo Ship to St. Thomas: $31.37 </span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Money saved: $88.<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">63</span></span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">TOTAL MONEY SAVED: $418.<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">63</span></span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">I'm sure budget is a big deal for many liveaboard sailors. To give you an idea of how much everything cost me for this project, my foam order was $411.98, my Sailrite order was $685.29, shipping via St. Thomas cargo should be $50, and the electric kitchen knife cost me $12. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">My grand total for this project was $1159.27. I should mention that this amount also includes some extra things from Sailrite, including extra fabric to make throw pillows, extra <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Bobbins-for-Ultrafeed-Yachtsman-Home-Sewing-Machines">bobbins</a>, extra <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Thread-V-69-White-Polyester-UV-4oz-1-400-Yds">V69 thread</a>, extra <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Schmetz-Sewing-Machine-Needles-135x17-16-Pack-10">#16 needles</a>, and an extra <a href="http://www.sailrite.com/Soapstone-Marking-Pencil-Refill-White">soapstone marking pencil</a>. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.sailrite.com/123100_1_zoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody"> I am excitedly awaiting the shipment of my materials so I can get started on this project! I'm really hoping my measurements and estimates were right, and that the foam and fabric are what I expect! I will blog again once the project is complete!!!</span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></b></div>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sailrite.com%2F1055_1_zoom.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjDKlIpAbBTtZUxkunMkEaMW76WKkyAoLFodFLUCVXdSY2i6v24jSdYqopwsDbWtRINpqwlgSBRrurobHmMiCmMB35dowQdX1MGtilf8fL5z41GO7GOSjWP6GUA81c03C3U8rkrsPVh=" -->Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com9St Thomas 00802, USVI18.335361 -64.9534009000000217.853008499999998 -65.598847900000024 18.8177135 -64.307953900000015tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-24164170892478495932015-11-25T18:28:00.000-04:002015-11-25T18:40:11.668-04:00AIRPORT ADVENTURE ST. MAARTEN - DO SOMETHING AMAZING!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLV4V75jvN5MrnE-MMI5iA7-btkilEXbqyM7axo-ZxfmzqHad3MGhmc1VfGPq2VDR95T3H-3fxfK-pNMLLYEJA037ngi-cw664qccfZY2xoUQSV4Tuq4B6RMjpIX_-_MiQ4GkgFIz008/s1600/IMG_20151124_095849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLV4V75jvN5MrnE-MMI5iA7-btkilEXbqyM7axo-ZxfmzqHad3MGhmc1VfGPq2VDR95T3H-3fxfK-pNMLLYEJA037ngi-cw664qccfZY2xoUQSV4Tuq4B6RMjpIX_-_MiQ4GkgFIz008/s640/IMG_20151124_095849.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let's say you're going to St. Maarten on a cruise. You want to do something fun and memorable, but no one can agree on what to do. Has this ever happened to you? <a href="http://www.airportadventuresxm.com/" target="_blank">Airport Adventure</a> has the solution to your problem! It combines beautiful views, a boat ride, snorkeling and swimming, airplanes landing right over your head, delicious affordable food & drinks, great music, and even offers frozen tropical drinks. Their trip is sure to please the whole family.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9MUaXfLHDVXrBwFlkS7WhhPdZEpMYrNTDfAWl-IBdgWj4FZb1wtMq9DVpKxvUpEcAIbge1GuOntULvJqmDGUDsX6MdaXZ5tWkGjyoYIXC2akumIlfW5vedRbi3CmX729ExnYKPlDT-s/s1600/IMG_20151124_113538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9MUaXfLHDVXrBwFlkS7WhhPdZEpMYrNTDfAWl-IBdgWj4FZb1wtMq9DVpKxvUpEcAIbge1GuOntULvJqmDGUDsX6MdaXZ5tWkGjyoYIXC2akumIlfW5vedRbi3CmX729ExnYKPlDT-s/s400/IMG_20151124_113538.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We went out on the Airport Adventure boat yesterday morning, and were so impressed with the trip. It took us to Maho Bay, right in front of the airport landing strip! It was different from all of the other excursions on the island, and unlike anything we'd ever done before. It took many of our favorite things to do and combined them into one awesome trip! </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCY6upHO6yfEDiNjG40ucIONe3fmolK3JrlV4FfWfQjXAmR8H6YuEF3S6tSF-VV1i4k1eSGiQTmp5gK91RAnMTMfu3cMltbgkhX2K98dCdDYJ4bMhHpImXGnt2_8Z1wKqPZB445oXc1jQ/s1600/IMG_20151124_113228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCY6upHO6yfEDiNjG40ucIONe3fmolK3JrlV4FfWfQjXAmR8H6YuEF3S6tSF-VV1i4k1eSGiQTmp5gK91RAnMTMfu3cMltbgkhX2K98dCdDYJ4bMhHpImXGnt2_8Z1wKqPZB445oXc1jQ/s320/IMG_20151124_113228.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The boat was very well thought out. It was very easy to get on board with a solid ramp with handrails. The crew was there to help, too. Downstairs there is a little restaurant, three bathrooms, and a shaded area for those who want a break from the sun. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-W7Mh6nXP2vt2QsUhqHm4frJ1Sq9NilO1-RC7mzdvv2K5psjDgAIxfAHgSDMxWyZhwRdACwLOYyrfwfyXBEWuQtkCbTtLGBXymgMxo-NIdK4xJfbnPz5KQb3ykaPTEdLwm7S6u2DmjQ/s1600/IMG_20151124_113004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-W7Mh6nXP2vt2QsUhqHm4frJ1Sq9NilO1-RC7mzdvv2K5psjDgAIxfAHgSDMxWyZhwRdACwLOYyrfwfyXBEWuQtkCbTtLGBXymgMxo-NIdK4xJfbnPz5KQb3ykaPTEdLwm7S6u2DmjQ/s400/IMG_20151124_113004.jpg" width="400" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Upstairs there is some more shaded seating, picnic tables, the bar, and a huge sun deck with lots of chairs, benches, and another picnic table. They had lots of cubbyholes underneath the benches so you could store your bags in a safe place, out of the walkway. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When we got to Maho Bay we had another surprise of incredible ingenuity! The front of the boat has a huge ramp the width of the boat that folds down into the water, making it incredible easy to get in and out of the water. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The side of the boat has a big floating platform attached to it, that also folds down into the water. As soon as the crew lowered the floating platform, the other crew members had chairs and tables set up on it in no time! The floating platform is another place you can hang out, dangle your feet in the water, and get some sun. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The crew was amazing. Not only did they make things run smoothly, safely, and efficiently, but they were all extremely welcoming. They made us feel right at home. It was obvious that they truly cared that everyone aboard was safe and having a great time. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We jumped off the top deck of the boat into the water. Fun! The crew was very good about keeping everyone in the water safe. One crew member was padding around in a kayak so he could be close to everyone. Two others were on the ramp keeping a close eye on all of the swimmers. They provided masks and snorkels, fins, noodles, and even a blow-up unicorn float for guests to use. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We snorkeled, swam, and floated around, enjoying the clear blue waters. They sunk a little sailboat in the sandy area and created an artificial reef that the fish like to congregate around, and there is also some coral reef along the rocky shoreline. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ymq2ECtAz8mI_SXos5O0AV6KyIdgyjQkRMt33dKAZ92nWjhJN3sd7d0MoiBODivMZrXsmF_yn4hv4jS5UxK-PL3Ye4XgHUpVLdkOjp6U4phqCFxU9hZ4Jvxz-zpZze_wJhUSomRk4Bs/s1600/IMG_20151124_111859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ymq2ECtAz8mI_SXos5O0AV6KyIdgyjQkRMt33dKAZ92nWjhJN3sd7d0MoiBODivMZrXsmF_yn4hv4jS5UxK-PL3Ye4XgHUpVLdkOjp6U4phqCFxU9hZ4Jvxz-zpZze_wJhUSomRk4Bs/s400/IMG_20151124_111859.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Suddenly there was an announcement over the intercom that a plane was about to land! They didn't want us to miss an opportunity to see it whoosh over our heads, and wanted everyone to have time to get their cameras ready. St. Maarten's runway is very very short, so the planes come in very low to the ground and it's an exhilarating experience to see them right overhead! We watched the first few planes land while we floated in the water. What an amazing vantage point! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We decided to get out and grab our camera so we had photographic (and video) evidence of this incredible experience. But first, we rinsed off in their fresh water showers - a luxury not common on boating excursions. We got some pretty cool pictures just using our cell phones, but kind of regretted not bringing a better camera.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After all that swimming and snorkeling we were hungry. The crew was very attentive, and walked around to check on everyone often. I ordered a hot dog and Skeeter ordered a hamburger. Their menu had quite a few choices, and at very reasonable prices. The crew even delivered our food, so we could just relax and enjoy ourselves. The food was delicious! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We found out they sell really nice Airport Adventure t-shirts and tank tops. We regrettably didn't think to bring enough cash for souvenirs, but we'll be on island a while and will be sure to get our shirts another day! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The crew seamlessly packed up the floating platform and brought the ramp up, the captains started up the engines, and we were headed back. We were sad this amazing trip had to come to an end, but so happy we got to experience it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We gathered up our stuff, thanked the crew, and of course remembered to drop our tip in the tip jar. Lots of people don't realize that the crew's livelihood depends on these tips...so please don't forget to tip your crew. 15-20% of your trip's overall cost is customary for good service, but you can leave even more if you think they went above the call of duty.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you so much to the crew of Airport Adventure for a fabulous day!</span></span></div>
Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com9Sint Maarten18.04248 -63.05483000000003817.9216915 -63.216191500000036 18.1632685 -62.89346850000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-24302026965287826002015-11-19T17:30:00.000-04:002015-11-25T15:32:11.488-04:00OUR FIRST OVERNIGHT SAIL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QHSlhcCxLTSjD8cVAGoYKK318eUAgeWaW0LRPMPjh0iR4XG_AiKOVSAS2X0SGKiDgQAR_LnNRUSN-jjz0yjtDJgUiYYLaSwG97rN_-yHSC9tCgR2td4qLmJwAvm1zDPYBC7FQX7Bsw0/s1600/IMG_20151119_055257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QHSlhcCxLTSjD8cVAGoYKK318eUAgeWaW0LRPMPjh0iR4XG_AiKOVSAS2X0SGKiDgQAR_LnNRUSN-jjz0yjtDJgUiYYLaSwG97rN_-yHSC9tCgR2td4qLmJwAvm1zDPYBC7FQX7Bsw0/s640/IMG_20151119_055257.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well, we did it! We successfully completed our first overnight sail. We had put this off for a long time for a number of reasons. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>WHY WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING OFF OUR FIRST OVERNIGHT SAIL</b></u> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">First, we don't have autopilot. That means someone has to be at the helm actively steering the whole entire time. And there are only two of us to take turns. Momo hasn't quite passed his training to be able to stand watch on his own while we are both below sleeping.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Steering the whole time can get tiring</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Secondly, we don't have radar. (Actually, we DO have it, but it's still sitting in a big box taking up most of our forward cabin. We just haven't put it up yet because we haven't decided exactly how we're going to mount it way up on the mast and how we are going to run the wires through the mast: a project we've been putting off and dreading for a while.) </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our Radar is still in its box</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">No radar means that we can't see upcoming weather (squalls) and other vessels that don't have AIS. AIS stands for "Automatic Identification System." AIS is required for big commercial vessels on an international voyage, such as tankers and cruise ships. But it is optional on privately owned vessels and smaller commercial vessels. We have an AIS receiver and transmitter, which means we can see other vessels with AIS and they can see us on our GPS display screens. You can track our AIS signal on marinetraffic.com or click this link: <a href="http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/oldshipid:3440164/oldmmsi:367660730/olddate:lastknown" target="_blank">Salt Whistle's location.</a> You can also create a profile on that website and sign up to get notifications when we are moving.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Third, an overnight passage requires traveling in the dark, unable to see any upcoming obstacles that aren't illuminated. Floating debris (like logs, trees, trash) and fishing trap buoys can usually be seen in ample time in the daylight hours if you are paying attention, and you can steer around them. However, at night, you are at the mercy of good luck. If you are far enough offshore, in deep enough water, and on the windward side (upwind) of land you don't have as much to worry about as far as floating debris and fish trap buoys. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/ShippingContainerSFBay.jpg/800px-ShippingContainerSFBay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/ShippingContainerSFBay.jpg/800px-ShippingContainerSFBay.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Shipping containers lost at sea are one of my fears</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But there's always the dreaded shipping container lost at sea. According to a survey conducted by the World Shipping Council, an average of 1,679 shipping containers are lost at sea each year. There's a lot of ocean out there, but even the remote possibility of plowing into a 60,000 pound shipping container scares me. Even in the daylight hours, though, you may not see a mostly submerged shipping container in time to avoid it. So, I guess, what's the point in worrying about things out of my control?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>WHAT MOTIVATED US TO DO OUR FIRST OVERNIGHT PASSAGE</b></u> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">What pushed us to do an overnight passage? It was a combination of a dwindling bank account, the desire to take on a new challenge, and impatience. Bad weather and poor sea conditions had impeded our progress on our passage north to Saint Martin. We waited out weather in St. Lucia, again in Martinique, and then again in Guadeloupe. This stalled us by more than two weeks. We had planned to arrive in St. Martin by early to mid November, and that time had already passed. Arriving before the "tourist season" begins gives us a better advantage for finding jobs in the tourism industry, our line of work. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We had intended to stop in Antigua and Barbuda, since we hadn't been there yet, but the more we read about their rules and regulations the more we wanted to avoid it. It does sound like a beautiful place, but they sure don't make it appealing at all to the low budget cruisers. They nickel and dime you for everything. Entry charge, cruising permit, daily park fees, anchoring/mooring fees, departure tax...Fees, fees, fees. Plus, when you arrive they require you to pull up to their customs dock where they will likely board your boat, and if you have a pet you will need to have a Veterinary Officer come aboard and examine your pet for a large fee. Not to mention that our little fur baby, Momo, is typically traumatized and not himself for weeks after a veterinary examination.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Antigua's fees are out of control </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Stopping at the island of Montserrat was another option, but from previous experience and from everything we read, the anchorage there is extremely uncomfortable and rolly. Getting a good night's sleep is impossible there when the weather conditions are anything other than glassy pond-like conditions because the bay offers little protection. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Montserrat isn't well protected</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nevis was our last consideration. But looking back at how much they charged us last time we visited, we decided against it too. It seems that the British and formerly British island nations are the absolute worst when it comes to regulations and fees. On the other hand, the French islands are the most laid back and the cheapest. Definitely not what we would have guessed before we sailed through the Caribbean. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>PLANNING AND PREPARING FOR OUR FIRST OVERNIGHT PASSAGE </b></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We had been watching the weather and sea conditions very closely. After a couple of bad experiences getting caught in some terrifying weather at sea, we weren't about to make the same mistake again! This time we were safely tucked into the bay at Deshais, Guadeloupe while the nasty conditions passed over us. There were 8-10 foot seas outside of the bay and lots and lots of downpours. No thank you! </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We were so happy to be on a mooring in a safe place when some of those nasty squalls passed by with whistling winds, buckets of rain, and sometimes zero visibility. At least we were able to collect water to fill our tanks! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The anchorage in Deshais, Guadeloupe</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our plan was to sail from Deshais, Guadeloupe to Gustavia, St. Barths. The journey would be 117 nautical miles (135 miles for you landlubbers). Based on our limited experiences, our sailing speeds in open water averaged at least 5-6 knots. We figured it was safe to assume that we could average 5 knots, since we'd be in open waters. We calculated that our voyage would take us around 23 hours (117/5), or maybe less time if we were moving faster. If we traveled at 8 knots, the voyage would take us 15 hours. Based on this calculation, we decided to leave at 5pm on Wednesday night, when the seas would finally calm and the skies would be clear. That would put us in St. Barths some time after sunrise but before sunset on Thursday.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our path from Guadeloupe to St. Barths</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We filed a float plan with our families, using the pdf on the US Coast Guard's website: <a href="http://floatplancentral.cgaux.org/download/USCGFloatPlan.pdf">http://floatplancentral.cgaux.org/download/USCGFloatPlan.pdf</a> That would keep our loved ones informed of our intended journey, as well as give us a better chance of being rescued in the unlikely event of a catastrophic disaster at sea.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We tend to go to bed pretty early, but we forced ourselves to stay up late for a few nights prior to our big passage so we didn't fall asleep at the wheel. We slept in as much as we could to help adjust our sleep schedules too. It's harder than you might imagine to sleep in on a boat in the Caribbean. Once the sun comes up the light pours in through the portholes, and the cabin starts to heat up and make you start sweating. So despite our efforts, 9am was the most we managed to sleep in. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We did lots of reading about overnight passages on different sailing forums, online sailing magazines, and sailing blogs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The afternoon of the day we were leaving, I did a little food preparation. It's not the most pleasant feeling to be down below in a hot rolly cabin while underway and heeling 15 degrees, trying to prepare something to eat. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Eating nothing but granola bars is fine for a shorter passage, but for a longer passage like this we wanted some real food. I mixed up some tuna salad in a tupperware container. I put it in an easy to access part of the refrigerator, along with a couple of apples and our leftover pasta from the previous night. I filled a waterproof box with crackers, granola bars, some ginger cookies, and some ginger candy (great to combat that queasy feeling in rough seas). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We went around and secured the boat inside, making sure nothing would come crashing down to the floor as we sailed. Sinks are good places to put some things, since they are deep enough to keep them in place. We knew we would be on a starboard tack (meaning the wind would be coming over the right side of our boat, and we would be tilted with the left side down), so we put anything that might fall on the port (left) side of the boat so it wouldn't go anywhere.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We made sure everything was secure on deck (outside), and that nothing would fall overboard. We also had to make sure that we didn't forget to pull up the swim ladder and the cat's rope (which dangles in the water to help Momo climb back aboard if he falls in the water).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Skeeter rowed us to shore (the dinghy motor was already secured to Salt Whistle's rail) and we checked out of customs. When we got back to the boat we raised the dinghy using the halyard (line that is normally used to raise the sail) and put the dinghy on the forward deck. Skeeter tied it down tight with ratchet straps. We sure didn't want to have our dinghy go airborne in the middle of the night! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We put our rain jackets, life jackets, water, headlamps, binoculars, and box of dry snacks in the cockpit. Skeeter did our final engine check while I ran around closing all portholes and hatches. Then I turned on our VHF radio, GPS & AIS, and our navigation lights since it would soon be dark. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN!</b></u> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I started up the engine and plotted our course on the GPS. We put on our life jackets for safety, as we do every time we go sailing, especially offshore. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Skeeter untied our mooring lines and we were off! We left at 5pm, just as planned. The sun was low in the sky, about to set. I motored to the outer edge of the bay, then turned into the wind so Skeeter could raise our mainsail. We had it double reefed, reducing the overall surface area quite a bit so we wouldn't be in trouble if bad weather hit unexpectedly. Once we got out of the bay and far enough away from shore so the winds were more steady and consistent we unfurled our Genoa sail.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Good-bye sun!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">At 6pm we filled out our logbook, including GPS position. Conditions were as good if not better than expected. 3-5 foot seas from the east & 10-15 knots of wind from the northeast were predicted. The seas were probably around 3 feet high, and the winds around 10 knots. We were on a close reach, with the wind coming from the northeast and we were heading northwest. It was a bit rolly with the swells hitting our beam, but relatively comfortable. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VPb4nOK5IrRLFrfpAzHFJPoez_ENPDBtcj4CaxijZZ7vx1_QTNzoJFOP61u6rPS_qW93sRWzuUGLkis2nrmsB0fj5gMZCeIh6CdFGOFQ5okOnqXQXPcvC1Z90Q_EGXmS2ZdVMgUXp_o/s1600/IMG_20151118_172814.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VPb4nOK5IrRLFrfpAzHFJPoez_ENPDBtcj4CaxijZZ7vx1_QTNzoJFOP61u6rPS_qW93sRWzuUGLkis2nrmsB0fj5gMZCeIh6CdFGOFQ5okOnqXQXPcvC1Z90Q_EGXmS2ZdVMgUXp_o/s400/IMG_20151118_172814.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Momo is such a good boy</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As the sun set behind the horizon we felt excited but nervous at the same time. By 6:30 it was completely dark, except for the glow of the half moon. With the sun gone, it started to get a little bit chilly. </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We
put on our raincoats for splash protection and warmth. Believe it or
not, it can get pretty cold out on the water, even in the Caribbean. </span></span>We decided to shut off the engine and just sail, since were making pretty good time so far. We could finally clearly hear the sound of the wind in our sails and the seas lapping against our hull. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2ZI4rcb3SQ9OBmceegn3ICxwvT2XQ3lbJfWaAp3GSask0EzsadJeKw3zMp9vJ525ZL4uGy57eCFtlNLQOTCqQv5yChE4M6GHQ5Qq7IJOrf79LJtW8OEUC2HVBibDYkrgbwWEISaehyphenhyphenk/s1600/IMG_20151118_172821.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2ZI4rcb3SQ9OBmceegn3ICxwvT2XQ3lbJfWaAp3GSask0EzsadJeKw3zMp9vJ525ZL4uGy57eCFtlNLQOTCqQv5yChE4M6GHQ5Qq7IJOrf79LJtW8OEUC2HVBibDYkrgbwWEISaehyphenhyphenk/s400/IMG_20151118_172821.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately, our compass light didn't work and we didn't have any visual references in sight, so I had to navigate based on the GPS. We had it set in "head up" position, meaning that the boat would always be pointing up but the map would be rotating around. Blah!!!! It was making me way too pukey feeling watching the map spin around every time our heading changed as we went up or down the side of a wave. And it was so bright compared to the night's sky so it was screwing with my not so good night vision. It was time to grab my first ginger candy. Skeeter changed it to "course up" and dimmed the screen, and it was much better. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktVo4JFTrMbb5IphQWIWuAK3xMnQEVwXbvTEbIAnROqiFQLsVcYnWE0dEQTD3LTqaq1nGYVZ0AIkxTg6LfI3XIGPmj3S-4R5X3KkvANKsUnGIRFQc4qPAj6sw7n6_3ANg7pZqmNjLdxE/s1600/IMG_20151125_143631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktVo4JFTrMbb5IphQWIWuAK3xMnQEVwXbvTEbIAnROqiFQLsVcYnWE0dEQTD3LTqaq1nGYVZ0AIkxTg6LfI3XIGPmj3S-4R5X3KkvANKsUnGIRFQc4qPAj6sw7n6_3ANg7pZqmNjLdxE/s400/IMG_20151125_143631.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's important to keep a good log</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">At 9pm our shift schedules began. Skeeter grabbed the<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span>logbook and recorded our position, average speed, and conditions. We were moving along at about 6 knots. From 9 until midnight Skeeter sailed while I went below to get some rest. We both agreed that while on shift we shouldn't hesitate to wake the other for any reason if we are worried or unsure about something. Also, it was important to pee before every shift. I felt the need to remind Skeeter that he is not allowed, for any reason, to leave the cockpit to tinker with anything or pee without first waking me. During the daytime when we're both on deck he likes to move around and tinker with things a lot and it makes me nervous. One of my biggest fears is to lose him overboard and never find him again. Scary stuff. But it does happen. We have a friend who lost his wife overboard and she was never found. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The wind got lighter and the sails starting luffing (flapping around when not full of wind), so Skeeter had to sheet in (tighten the sails). Every little change in the way the boat moved, change in wind, or different sound that I heard had me worried. Had he fallen overboard? I have a wild imagination, which can sometimes be a blessing but at other times a curse. This time it was a curse. I had a hard time relaxing and getting rest. I called up to Skeeter to see if everything was okay and make sure he was still there! It was. And he was. I closed my eyes again and tried to get used to my body rolling around the bed and tried to stop imagining bad things happening up above. It wasn't easy. I squirmed and repositioned myself until I finally figured how to lay without moving around too much. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Skeeter called down to me that it was my turn, I felt kind of disoriented and dazed...so that means I must have gotten some sleep. I got up, went pee, recorded our position, average speed, and conditions. We had slowed down to about 3.5 knots, and the seas had calmed to 2-4 feet. We were now just east of the island of Montserrat. You could see the glow of Antigua ahead of us off our starboard side. I ate some cold leftover pasta while Skeeter debriefed me on the conditions and everything that he had observed during his shift. He only saw one boat the entire time, and it was a cargo ship, about 12 miles away. He saw it's lights first, and then zoomed out on the GPS to see if it showed up on our AIS. It did, and he was able to get all of the details about the ship's size, speed, and where it was heading. It wasn't going to pass anywhere near us. The skies were pretty clear, and the stars were shining so brightly. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After being updated on what was going on out there, I took the helm and Skeeter went down below to try to get some rest. It was my shift from midnight to 3am. It was kind of thrilling sailing by myself at night. I was really enjoying the sounds of the wind and the sea. We were on a starboard tack, heeled to port. The water was being pushed off the port side of our hull in sheets of shimmering blue-green light. Bio-luminescence! It was so beautiful and magical. Like something out of Peter Pan.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Steering was pretty easy for the most part. The sails were adjusted well, so the boat stayed on course when the winds were consistent. When the wind died down I had to make adjustments and steer toward starboard, and when the wind picked up I had to steer toward port to keep us on course. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Judging distances at night time is no easy task. I saw some white lights far in the distance and was having trouble figuring out just how far away they were, identifying what kind of lights they were, and if I should be concerned or not. I grabbed the binoculars, but it was kind of hard to look through them while the boat rolled around on the waves. Yuck. Trying to focus and look through the binoculars made me a little queasy. Time to grab another ginger candy and stare at the stationary lights of Montserrat. I felt better pretty quickly, and went back to enjoying the night. I just kept an eye on those mysterious lights to see if they appeared to be moving or getting closer. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcpGonSoOUKPvxXywqOTNaCff8lRA51PTA06BKENiuKK6KvJvK2sAyF4EHLfkyyO5RDyh5HxPk336AsVpiV2MqfvEqMhFUSX1ly6Lqm-PKhB-albjQyAH87wt0qr1AwM-XCQcgmroa1Oc/s1600/Carnival+Cruise+Ship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcpGonSoOUKPvxXywqOTNaCff8lRA51PTA06BKENiuKK6KvJvK2sAyF4EHLfkyyO5RDyh5HxPk336AsVpiV2MqfvEqMhFUSX1ly6Lqm-PKhB-albjQyAH87wt0qr1AwM-XCQcgmroa1Oc/s400/Carnival+Cruise+Ship.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Carnival Cruise ship </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A little bit later I saw a big glow behind us on the horizon. I zoomed out on the GPS and saw that it was a Carnival cruise ship, headed to St. John's, Antigua. It was 14 miles away and wouldn't come anywhere near our path. I couldn't believe how few boats were out there. It's lonely in a way, but in another way its very reassuring that our chances of a collision were extremely slim. I relaxed a little bit more, looked up at the stars, and enjoyed the peace and quiet.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Skeeter's next shift was from 3am to 6am. I told him to wake me at 5:30am because I was very excited to see our first sunrise at sea. We did our change of watch routine, and I went down below for some attempted rest. Once again I tossed and turned trying to get comfortable and trying not to worry about changes in sound or movement. Somehow I was much more relaxed when I was the one at the helm. I trust Skeeter's skills and judgement 100%, but there's just something comforting about knowing the source of any changes. I guess I'm the same in a car on road trips. I tend to be very sensitive to any changes and jerk to attention at the slightest thing. I finally convinced myself that he would let me know if something was wrong, and I drifted off to sleep.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It seemed only seconds after I finally fell asleep that Skeeter woke me up. It was 5:30, and I had asked to be awoken for sunrise. Part of me regretted this request since I was so tired I was delirious, but I reminded myself how magical this experience was going to be and I got my butt out of bed and outside.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBb7wZlEgy6yOu_XTkA-sHaD7GSBnuAZqb2DWzNkFQoCBFAzvaGNfJmUv9B4GThxDBcxp11aEUTualweWSXL3aQv5kVzGcKHbsiBxMoQwL2Ov5EFyMRMQJgC1JdkOmfV4jGqP4sG9VvXU/s1600/IMG_20151119_055257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBb7wZlEgy6yOu_XTkA-sHaD7GSBnuAZqb2DWzNkFQoCBFAzvaGNfJmUv9B4GThxDBcxp11aEUTualweWSXL3aQv5kVzGcKHbsiBxMoQwL2Ov5EFyMRMQJgC1JdkOmfV4jGqP4sG9VvXU/s400/IMG_20151119_055257.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The horizon glowed when the sun began to rise</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We were now off the coast of Nevis. The morning was more beautiful and magical than I could have ever expected. The horizon began to glow a beautiful shade of yellow, orange, and red. Yes, I know what they say, "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in the morning, sailors be warned." It could be interpreted as rough weather to come, but I convinced myself that it was more orange than red. I grabbed my phone from down below to snap a few pictures of the colorful glow on the horizon. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTNxc2JVBRmP2Zm1pTi4xYR5mbDM1zy6KPT3HCzp0b47UXCw3jIwdjUsIfT1b3VVDdPjEjTWqcUSzMDzIulNcfszvrfOJ14U9KYpiGT8P0846C6Qdqp5dzf_2DAmCtKV_pzRlIT3d0GY/s1600/IMG_20151119_060313.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTNxc2JVBRmP2Zm1pTi4xYR5mbDM1zy6KPT3HCzp0b47UXCw3jIwdjUsIfT1b3VVDdPjEjTWqcUSzMDzIulNcfszvrfOJ14U9KYpiGT8P0846C6Qdqp5dzf_2DAmCtKV_pzRlIT3d0GY/s400/IMG_20151119_060313.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This sunrise was worth getting up for</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Skeeter made an interesting observation. He said, "How many people in
the world do you think ever get the opportunity to be this far away from
other people?" It was just the two of us (and Momo, our kitty) and no
one else for miles. We were truly out there all alone. Then I heard a sound that scared me. Pfffft! What was that!?! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4eM78HuGNaqkL1fJJP8keh_0otHp8v4f0Rk0jAoTQ4gZqi7hYhvjjVzlSSm6gDcJ-61TF29HEqx1x2_n-hJuY5e05Jdfk2dNp_Nllz7LIBCn1tpOzal5bPp_ASLgQJ-lZvtgMtAZi7M/s1600/IMG_20151119_055209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4eM78HuGNaqkL1fJJP8keh_0otHp8v4f0Rk0jAoTQ4gZqi7hYhvjjVzlSSm6gDcJ-61TF29HEqx1x2_n-hJuY5e05Jdfk2dNp_Nllz7LIBCn1tpOzal5bPp_ASLgQJ-lZvtgMtAZi7M/s400/IMG_20151119_055209.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Are we all alone out here?</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span>pparently we weren't all alone. I was completely alert now. I was so excited I think I may have squealed. Dolphins!!!!! I could hear them but I couldn't yet see them. I was certain: there was a huge pod of dolphins swimming alongside our boat! As the sun crept up higher and higher we could finally make out their sleek shapes and see their little blow holes break the surface and make that wonderful, "pffft" sound. They were EVERYWHERE! In front of us, on the port side, on the starboard side. There were at least 30 dolphins, if not more! They stayed with us for a while, and I attempted a few pictures and a video, but it was too dark to really capture the magic of the our first dawn at sea. I am sure glad I got up early for my shift! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJ1BPG40O_S75hUlnuLhb647DvTm-0O4kJkvClHjZOkDnOQJjkgtrh_D1f0f3KNmpaGOFOT786kyt4B1J72exiGbAEjPmgHHNo8L0Qn0LdlphtlF-rzH3BkrebvWvUjemvd6nKEdI6KI/s1600/IMG_0537+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJ1BPG40O_S75hUlnuLhb647DvTm-0O4kJkvClHjZOkDnOQJjkgtrh_D1f0f3KNmpaGOFOT786kyt4B1J72exiGbAEjPmgHHNo8L0Qn0LdlphtlF-rzH3BkrebvWvUjemvd6nKEdI6KI/s400/IMG_0537+%25283%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dolphins wished us a good morning!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After the excitement was over we did our change of watch routine and filled out the logbook. The lighter than expected winds made our ETA way too late. Our GPS was telling us that we would arrive in over 30 hours, which would mean FRIDAY! Yikes. We wanted to get there on Thursday by 5pm at the latest. For one, we were exhausted and wanted to get there. Most importantly, though, we put 5pm on Thursday as our expected time of arrival on our float plan. We didn't want our families to worry about us, and we didn't want them to call the authorities and have the Coast Guard out searching for us! So we decided to start the engine so we could arrive on schedule and not cause any unnecessary drama. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Skeeter went down below for some rest. I was on duty from 6 - 9am. The first hour I was still glowing with excitement about the sunrise and the dolphins. But by 7am I was beyond exhausted. I had to pay very close attention to stay on course. The wind had shifted a little bit, and we were now motor sailing very close to the wind. My eyes were literally starting to roll back in my head. I needed to stay alert. If I accidentally steered too much upwind the sails would start to luff and make a lot of noise, and disturb Skeeter's slumber. And if I steered too much downwind I would get us off course and potentially get too close to land.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I tried different techniques to stay awake. I tried standing up, I tried dancing, I tried singing, and I even tried slapping myself in the face. One time I couldn't overcome the exhaustion and I had one of those "falling asleep in class" moments. We've all had them. Despite your most valiant efforts, your body's desire to rest wins, and suddenly you lose consciousness and you body goes completely limp. I almost smacked my head on the helm. But then I jerked myself awake and managed to fight it for the remaining part of my shift. I sheeted in the sails as much as possible so we could get as close to the wind as possible without luffing. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We were now off the coast of St. Kitts. Good thing I got myself to be fully conscious again, because there was a tiny little fishing dory directly in my path. The boat was small...so small that I didn't even see him until I was less than 1000 feet away. I was shocked to see two guys in a tiny fishing boat over 10 miles offshore on the windward side of the island. Those fisherman are brave souls, going out to sea in such small boats. I diverted course, turning downwind toward St. Kitts to safely go around them. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I noticed that the skies were changing, and there were lots of clouds. Some of them looked ominous and tall - storm clouds. I was hoping they would miss us. On a positive note, the storms in the distance produced the most beautiful rainbows in front of St. Kitts and Nevis. But unfortunately, I was by myself in the cockpit and didn't want to abandon the helm to go get my phone to take a picture. And I didn't think Skeeter would appreciate me interrupting his much needed sleep because I wanted him to get my phone and take a picture of a rainbow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Finally 9am came around, we did the change of shifts, and I went down below to get some sleep. This time I had much less trouble falling asleep. After minimal squirming I passed out. I woke up after about a solid hour of sleep. Hallelujah. That was the best rest I'd gotten so far. I dozed back asleep, but jerked back into consciousness every time I heard or felt a change. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I was completely out of it when I heard Skeeter calling down to me. "We're heading into a squall. Sorry to wake you early, but I need you up here." I stumbled out of bed, drunk from exhaustion. I quickly peed, then I went up on deck. Uh oh. It looked pretty nasty. Skeeter tried to steer around it as much as he could, but it was way too big and impossible to avoid. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFOGLlOYqUb4RzjT0iQtt801qMGCUJknJ-itqKRjWIH_hF8XTtTmljnHYw-8kCsL82OJGSpBcpf6cvHYOF3j2IkWCKYwDBmP3f0-ZhdUvEyzv90z-q1bmsgixC3fki4TL6fo4P8UBIA8/s1600/IMG_20151119_112320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFOGLlOYqUb4RzjT0iQtt801qMGCUJknJ-itqKRjWIH_hF8XTtTmljnHYw-8kCsL82OJGSpBcpf6cvHYOF3j2IkWCKYwDBmP3f0-ZhdUvEyzv90z-q1bmsgixC3fki4TL6fo4P8UBIA8/s400/IMG_20151119_112320.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Heading into a squall</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I took the helm and turned into the wind so we could furl in the Genoa sail. I was to keep tension on the sheet (the line connected to the back corner of the sail) while Skeeter pulled on the furling line, rolling up the sail. I was still in a daze. I was having trouble keeping Salt Whistle pointing into the wind (it was variable and gusty) and holding onto the sheet at the same time. It's normally not that daunting of a task, but I was still totally out of it. By this time the wind had picked up significantly, and was gusting hard. Skeeter was pulling the furling line with all of his might and for some idiotic reason I let go of the sheet. The line went flying out of my hand and luckily we had tied a stopper knot in the end of it, because it caught in the track-car and I was able to retrieve it and avoid any catastrophes from my mistake. If there wasn't a stopper knot tied on the end of it, the sail would have been flapping out of control and the sheet (line) would have been whipping around dangerously. It would have been difficult to retrieve without getting hurt, and may have caused damage to our sail.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">By this time the rain had already begun. The sky grew darker and the rain came down harder and harder. It was stinging our faces, and making it hard to see. We spotted a tiny patch of blue sky still remaining, so we pointed the boat in that direction. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbRuOlfC0XO01S19wOn6dnjvkuhJUKif2y1p1VtP_gonnwQ2hf6_teY6azo5fDhkWzMsgPa4QoFwa-vkg_-CODKo3BcMRSkTo-qO0fGi3AUhGpjKOQJ83Q2mJ3gsx0JFqkWCaqrO-AN0/s1600/IMG_20151119_113008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbRuOlfC0XO01S19wOn6dnjvkuhJUKif2y1p1VtP_gonnwQ2hf6_teY6azo5fDhkWzMsgPa4QoFwa-vkg_-CODKo3BcMRSkTo-qO0fGi3AUhGpjKOQJ83Q2mJ3gsx0JFqkWCaqrO-AN0/s400/IMG_20151119_113008.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A teeny patch of blue peeked through the storm clouds</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">To our good fortune, it was also in the general direction of St. Barths, where we were trying to go. After toughing out about 20 intense minutes of heavy rain and wind, the tiny blue spot increased in size. It was like a miracle. The weather was terrible just to our left, and horrible just to our right. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZ7QpSQZyd4hrJmj-fTgBBOGk7BBaJExqHBRgDM8khwK_u2MlqNefP74n3A-g4xyQ_WB2PlNhUdyBIEp8r2VRj2OgDRplY7y0Gv6ky0QsAYEp5LNErRs4jp675gh2B0OO6-xT5Fbtpno/s1600/IMG_20151119_113303.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZ7QpSQZyd4hrJmj-fTgBBOGk7BBaJExqHBRgDM8khwK_u2MlqNefP74n3A-g4xyQ_WB2PlNhUdyBIEp8r2VRj2OgDRplY7y0Gv6ky0QsAYEp5LNErRs4jp675gh2B0OO6-xT5Fbtpno/s400/IMG_20151119_113303.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We made it through the squall!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomexOKC8RRCyJAH4PdpUZcJtoUd8dO-u9y69g58VNGtP9ULGbHJuqSoKgQ_sQNzegpv0DNhaWvSUqVV8B-wj27Z-gdCPawox8rjikiNhZgTmBXZL-cAyEC_RZRpcpxIxJcjOj-4cEsJQ/s1600/IMG_20151119_112310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomexOKC8RRCyJAH4PdpUZcJtoUd8dO-u9y69g58VNGtP9ULGbHJuqSoKgQ_sQNzegpv0DNhaWvSUqVV8B-wj27Z-gdCPawox8rjikiNhZgTmBXZL-cAyEC_RZRpcpxIxJcjOj-4cEsJQ/s400/IMG_20151119_112310.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The clouds took over the sky</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTg1nEtAMQyFVsxnfhXtmQe_fi6PATv1qbdlVPA0OTfCL27ociLMUpdDdx3OtwnLb7LOTLWePS6Jx0xE3f_-pXzpFtEa00epKuATHuXiqgUMQEO1UBVk6bdtXp1kKZzLnH3wjTX4Vxq8/s1600/IMG_20151119_114828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTg1nEtAMQyFVsxnfhXtmQe_fi6PATv1qbdlVPA0OTfCL27ociLMUpdDdx3OtwnLb7LOTLWePS6Jx0xE3f_-pXzpFtEa00epKuATHuXiqgUMQEO1UBVk6bdtXp1kKZzLnH3wjTX4Vxq8/s400/IMG_20151119_114828.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wasn't there a huge island there before?</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Huge islands that we could previously see just vanished into the storm. Good-bye St. Kitts. Good-bye Statia. Good-bye Saba. HELLO St. Barths! We could finally see our destination.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxHyVXmmFlbZQ1AsKUfIWDN9q2wbSI3QhFXsuyrSuMaoaNswVg4Z2QYccJIf8-5cUF779wyLP5j1KWspx_nMdgGv-VF84i3mZjNSHXmOR_wMnxn9BayZ-8o4ozZ0BLHoCZTd6tzR_Tzg/s1600/IMG_20151119_112336.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxHyVXmmFlbZQ1AsKUfIWDN9q2wbSI3QhFXsuyrSuMaoaNswVg4Z2QYccJIf8-5cUF779wyLP5j1KWspx_nMdgGv-VF84i3mZjNSHXmOR_wMnxn9BayZ-8o4ozZ0BLHoCZTd6tzR_Tzg/s400/IMG_20151119_112336.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our destination is in sight!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We both stayed outside for the remainder of the journey to St. Barths. We managed to arrive unscathed by around 3:30pm. Just ahead of schedule. We hoped and prayed that the AIS receiving tower on St. Barths had picked us up and updated our position <a href="http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/oldshipid:3440164/oldmmsi:367660730/olddate:lastknown" target="_blank">Marine Traffic</a>. We moored in Anse de Colombier, a beautiful uninhabited beach. We couldn't get internet to alert everyone that we had safely arrived, so we hoped they would get updates form Marine Traffic and not worry about us (or send the Coast Guard searching for us!).</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgow8YFfJWwN4UnhJN8zQjmdUapIMcalcTZsD3bH_4bgcTei96KDGIOPQZ9QNeW-l37xFfrvUMoqLxfZjfVZkiBXLgecDX4YvkTMDvJ1kIzvn06GmyzwoT6kolkw9-AsNnOYxtCyTKSU/s1600/IMG_20151121_142551.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgow8YFfJWwN4UnhJN8zQjmdUapIMcalcTZsD3bH_4bgcTei96KDGIOPQZ9QNeW-l37xFfrvUMoqLxfZjfVZkiBXLgecDX4YvkTMDvJ1kIzvn06GmyzwoT6kolkw9-AsNnOYxtCyTKSU/s400/IMG_20151121_142551.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We were all beyond exhausted</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We were beyond exhausted but so happy to have successfully completed our first overnight passage! We arrived just in time, too. Shortly after we tied up some nasty squalls came through and the seas increased. Thank you to the sea gods for granting us a safe passage! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbqIR0ZXR53htgfKGtsVfcYPi22NQLx1JtEZl2NXtAp3YJpgURXuZHeXEuuBxz0MlfjP42sRx9F0AIfYvK-gYUp3uTFPrgg9dW2iGCg1C0knWPOmdhhiJ_5flu7VoEQLPEkh55h0bLDE/s1600/IMG_20151119_164212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbqIR0ZXR53htgfKGtsVfcYPi22NQLx1JtEZl2NXtAp3YJpgURXuZHeXEuuBxz0MlfjP42sRx9F0AIfYvK-gYUp3uTFPrgg9dW2iGCg1C0knWPOmdhhiJ_5flu7VoEQLPEkh55h0bLDE/s400/IMG_20151119_164212.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We made it just in time...here comes another squall!</span></span></td></tr>
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Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com6Lesser Antilles15.4391667 -61.345833299999981-10.0828678 -102.65442729999998 40.9612012 -20.037239299999982tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-68668374093614405902015-11-09T22:17:00.003-04:002016-01-27T11:34:43.450-04:00DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 4 of 4 - ST. LUCIA<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>ST. LUCIA -</u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Thursday, October 29 -</i> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There were storms behind us and storms up ahead of us, but
somehow our timing was perfect and we missed all of them. We neared the famous natural wonder of the
Pitons near the southern end of St. Lucia at about 1:30pm. The rain clouds were mostly covering them up
at first, making it hard to get a good photo, but then the clouds started to dissipate. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A huge pod of small dolphins (maybe
spinners) came by and played alongside the boat for a few minutes! About an hour later ANOTHER pod of dolphins,
bigger in size and in number, swam past us to hunt a huge school of fish. Four different dolphin encounters in one
day. Unheard of!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In other exciting news, we caught our first fish today! We had a hand line dragging behind the boat,
and a jack grabbed our lure! Not a
very big fish, but big enough to eat, and a good start for us. Skeeter had no trouble pulling it up. We thanked the poor little guy for his sacrifice and Skeeter ended his suffering. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I hadn’t been fishing in over 20 years, and
Skeeter in over 10 years. We aren’t
super confident about our fishing abilities, and don’t want to catch something
out of our league. I have this fear that
we will catch a huge fish and it will pull one of us overboard. Plus, we don’t have autopilot and a bigger
fish could take two of us to haul aboard. Also, we don't want to be wasteful and kill something that we can't eat.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">While this was happening, I thought it a good opportunity to
have Dad take the helm. I gave him
instructions on how to hold a compass heading, and then I went to the back of
the boat to take pictures and to bring Skeeter the never-before-used filleting
kit. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Skeeter filleted the fish. It was his first
time filleting an ocean fish, and I think he did a much better job than I could have done. I had no idea how to fillet a fish, and wasn't mentally prepared to cut into a recently living creature. I should probably be a vegetarian if I can't handle this kind of thing. But I think I'll eventually get over it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dad
stayed at the helm for a while, getting better and better at staying on
course. Steering a sailboat for the
first time is harder than it seems, since you have to anticipate how the boat
is going to move because there’s a lag between you turning the wheel and the
boat’s response. Next time we had to
trim the sails we let Dad take the winch handle and sheet in both the main and
the Genoa. He was becoming a real
sailor. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now Skeeter and I had a chance to relax and take it easy, because Captain John had the helm.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We arrived at Marigot Bay at 4pm, beating the sunset. As I motored into the bay it felt like we
were being attacked by vultures. A boy
in a dinghy zipped up to us at high speed, and a drunk guy wearing a Santa hat
in a kayak full of bananas & his bottle of booze paddled toward us with all his might. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtL_wLBGhpKC63TzkyU8cqvksHSI6N1Y6xiVNpgS84Du2aLpmbhKrUZSt-LjNhtHipXD68RaB_J5gujK9YX6VP4PO3vbXRcgS7MStQDr-5Ux86fyT7AfalVL5JkyvIT15LPvs5bvkfg4I/s1600/IMG_0598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtL_wLBGhpKC63TzkyU8cqvksHSI6N1Y6xiVNpgS84Du2aLpmbhKrUZSt-LjNhtHipXD68RaB_J5gujK9YX6VP4PO3vbXRcgS7MStQDr-5Ux86fyT7AfalVL5JkyvIT15LPvs5bvkfg4I/s400/IMG_0598.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Drunk Santa (Noel)</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3Wi-nom9KutMdV3Iwlps66WHY8HVSGJXPzsxsJMyY72U_dDzhimKogrFnpnc654LoLQmZIqMoalD7Rrhb95-nRKCmvu5SXPUa-fXYArltxu8oqL_ZbkzaR8wYff3_D5JDcwyUra9-oM/s1600/IMG_0594.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3Wi-nom9KutMdV3Iwlps66WHY8HVSGJXPzsxsJMyY72U_dDzhimKogrFnpnc654LoLQmZIqMoalD7Rrhb95-nRKCmvu5SXPUa-fXYArltxu8oqL_ZbkzaR8wYff3_D5JDcwyUra9-oM/s400/IMG_0594.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another fruit vendor</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The boy was not an official marina staff
member, like we had been hoping, but he led us to one of the marina’s moorings
in the inner bay. He took our mooring
line from Skeeter and ran it through the mooring, helping us tie up. He asked for a tip, and Skeeter gave him a
small tip even though tying up to a mooring is something we could easily have
done on our own. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewYyqH3Ks-upguDLR1ZEO4Q1ZFPom_39H4d3JP956-IwcAzQWhCAWstvyafOBr4_-NrqPEJ9xM66iOyCF_M5xdlX7LjSHullvqjk3sFuBr7kuoakgjuJxKE3sxi90hSsDlCUYv7mDMbs/s1600/IMG_0569.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewYyqH3Ks-upguDLR1ZEO4Q1ZFPom_39H4d3JP956-IwcAzQWhCAWstvyafOBr4_-NrqPEJ9xM66iOyCF_M5xdlX7LjSHullvqjk3sFuBr7kuoakgjuJxKE3sxi90hSsDlCUYv7mDMbs/s400/IMG_0569.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Capella Marigot Marina</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The inner bay was very
calm and protected, so calm that it is considered a hurricane hole and boats
come here if there is a storm. The only
waves were created by other boats and the water taxi that constantly shuttled
resort guests to the beach during the day.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi77X7XszBsL77YIlED-2_iKM5K1usc6LzsGpRe9CGw_RQF1q1W7xW8lSzcJiO11vHt1a_xBKZ8EJNLDlD6A-OvcM0AdiZsEurD-xQp94K1EFrtdQyKizqSTu97l0LMspCMgfdBWCAeS8s/s1600/IMG_0571.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi77X7XszBsL77YIlED-2_iKM5K1usc6LzsGpRe9CGw_RQF1q1W7xW8lSzcJiO11vHt1a_xBKZ8EJNLDlD6A-OvcM0AdiZsEurD-xQp94K1EFrtdQyKizqSTu97l0LMspCMgfdBWCAeS8s/s400/IMG_0571.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Calm, protected waters</span></span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJadsy8Vwr8D1_69qxwiUmeGtcIU5XCnCTD07-oPZbds4xCf_Q03GYXKzuQxKHltpi7QiXmX55dqLZ3qotmp7c_dLipJu2EfyYagzJZbd1FeXIfHh5N9NlLm9TnhwiWwOJRTNGiCoRTTU/s1600/IMG_0600.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJadsy8Vwr8D1_69qxwiUmeGtcIU5XCnCTD07-oPZbds4xCf_Q03GYXKzuQxKHltpi7QiXmX55dqLZ3qotmp7c_dLipJu2EfyYagzJZbd1FeXIfHh5N9NlLm9TnhwiWwOJRTNGiCoRTTU/s400/IMG_0600.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The water taxi shuttled resort guests to the beach</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Drunk Santa (really named Noel) suddenly appeared next to us
and started opening up bananas. He handed
one to me, one to Dad, and one to Skeeter.
I was really hungry, so I took it and ate it. I called it a banana bribe. Normally, he said, he charges tourists $30EC
for a bunch of bananas, but we get the local price – $20EC. I laughed.
$20 EC is equivalent to $8 US.
There is no way locals pay that much for bananas here. He definitely took us for fools. Bananas are dirt cheap in this part of the
world, and he probably just picked them off someone else’s tree. I bargained him down to $10EC and got him to
throw in a couple of limes too. Still an
expensive bunch of bananas, but after his banana bribe I felt obligated to give
him something. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3z0FJFBPjm2rslI9XMNsAzT7OhgaSl6JxzmN6FZXessz-8PqT8Dhi1JfXymdOTVnT4BYCQ87qyCExjqhXecnberJUvU36ifxYYrPSL9DGY4EdDoTYcDj0qr2ZDwlT2PmF7tQWDrvVPY0/s1600/IMG_0603.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3z0FJFBPjm2rslI9XMNsAzT7OhgaSl6JxzmN6FZXessz-8PqT8Dhi1JfXymdOTVnT4BYCQ87qyCExjqhXecnberJUvU36ifxYYrPSL9DGY4EdDoTYcDj0qr2ZDwlT2PmF7tQWDrvVPY0/s400/IMG_0603.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Drunk Santa trying his banana bribery on another boat</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We had heard about Marigot Bay and <a href="http://www.capellahotels.com/saintlucia/" target="_blank">Capella Resort</a> from our
friends Gayle & Todd on My Motu and Mark & Sheryl on Peaceful
Lady. For $20 a night you get a mooring
in the inner bay, and use of the 4.5 star resort’s facilities: internet, pool
with waterfall, towels, gym, and hot showers.
It was an impressive resort.
Nicer than any resort I had ever seen.
We were super impressed by the staff, too. They were incredibly welcoming, and had the
best customer service skills I had seen.
</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwjaJlfoidDWNKEZc7MJjHx-F1T6smu7ZJJQaXc9g34SrJWtOGnBjQ4MmoCn7JgkIZlvho-eb4lBg6tXwnthD0PqSZQ4g3D1hGerBRrA0c_RQM_qxGV8pLKN6firqrVAFKoSIde7YNWE/s1600/IMG_20151030_103045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwjaJlfoidDWNKEZc7MJjHx-F1T6smu7ZJJQaXc9g34SrJWtOGnBjQ4MmoCn7JgkIZlvho-eb4lBg6tXwnthD0PqSZQ4g3D1hGerBRrA0c_RQM_qxGV8pLKN6firqrVAFKoSIde7YNWE/s400/IMG_20151030_103045.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Capella Resort</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We went for an evening swim, took our first hot showers in a long long
time, and then went on a mission to find dinner. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HXTB1q8UtnCoJUn9bXpe_r5xR-Gmb27c-Zt-5sM8NblbX0g5WEEkv2E6nRK0FQnDRoJfgB0N7PqmocYizmRhL8hdNJfgMzXUQ62bsyU6Uq6kLW5pLpbMoBBGjyS3mr5ZWzJAI7OzjDI/s1600/IMG_0568.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HXTB1q8UtnCoJUn9bXpe_r5xR-Gmb27c-Zt-5sM8NblbX0g5WEEkv2E6nRK0FQnDRoJfgB0N7PqmocYizmRhL8hdNJfgMzXUQ62bsyU6Uq6kLW5pLpbMoBBGjyS3mr5ZWzJAI7OzjDI/s400/IMG_0568.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Evening swim</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We left the resort premises to find a local place called
“JJ’s.” The short walk “up the hill”
ended up being more of a hike up a mountain.
JJ’s ended up being closed, but some local guys pointed us in the direction
of another place with local food called “<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g671541-d2235457-r94388070-Julietta_s-Marigot_Bay_Castries_Quarter_St_Lucia.html" target="_blank">Julietta’s</a>.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The place looked nice, with wooden chairs and
tables with tablecloths and flowers overlooking the marina from the
mountainside. When we got the menus we
saw that the restaurant made local food targeted to tourists. The prices were way higher than what we were
looking for, but at this point we were very tired and hungry and had no more
options nearby, so we stayed. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/7d/a2/f6/filename-pic-0557-jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/7d/a2/f6/filename-pic-0557-jpg.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Julietta's is on the mountainside above Marigot Bay</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We all
ordered chicken, rice & vegetables, and drank tap water to quench our relentless
thirst and make the total bill less painful.
Dad ordered a local Piton beer.
The service was very slow, but when the food came out it was all worth
it. It was mouthwateringly delicious,
and the chicken was the most juicy, tender, flavorful chicken we had ever had.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNETdsxjQWTYGnIv8E-CySN7dxUuL_B0b6v0d3kE1aWt58Ofq1BJo7WlpFO0XVVDFCDE06IozLGuMcDn_khrYeazBrwCRuu9goEQpaovEQX3LB3DP-MsnSrLG7SVQ4RacF_oLij4rxyo/s1600/Piton+Beer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNETdsxjQWTYGnIv8E-CySN7dxUuL_B0b6v0d3kE1aWt58Ofq1BJo7WlpFO0XVVDFCDE06IozLGuMcDn_khrYeazBrwCRuu9goEQpaovEQX3LB3DP-MsnSrLG7SVQ4RacF_oLij4rxyo/s200/Piton+Beer.jpg" width="115" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Local Piton beer</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On the walk back it seemed that all of the locals knew us
and that we had just come from Julietta’s for dinner. A drunk man who looked to be in his 60’s was
holding a grasshopper he had made out of palm fronds. Suddenly it was in my hand, and he was trying
to get me to give him money. He said he
was Julietta’s brother, and he needed money to feed his children. I gave him his grasshopper back and said that
his sister has all of our money, because we just spent it all on dinner. We dinghied back to the boat, thoroughly
exhausted, and went to bed. The boat was
so still, it felt like we were on land. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Friday, October 30 –</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">5 star relaxation. Today was a low key day. We checked into customs, explored the Capella
resort in the light of day, and went for a swim in the beautiful pool. A waterfall emptied into the shallow end of
the pool, and another waterfall spilled over the side of the deep end of the
pool. The deep end of the pool
overlooked the marina. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iPpxlrNgPnyCPERDhJSOw5qpnmSjVw7RmvW_6X0YUxGpm-ML-2-7IzJtsB2l57ZNrxY6DBy5WihNyQClO5iEAFyA2U7443F8aAigGYCSdhHBa2exsMAYwMJ_lqcWBaI-0pmmzmfFUEA/s1600/IMG_0585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iPpxlrNgPnyCPERDhJSOw5qpnmSjVw7RmvW_6X0YUxGpm-ML-2-7IzJtsB2l57ZNrxY6DBy5WihNyQClO5iEAFyA2U7443F8aAigGYCSdhHBa2exsMAYwMJ_lqcWBaI-0pmmzmfFUEA/s400/IMG_0585.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pool overlooking the marina</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCbiY4YrwmnsWBRppfUiZF3lTLmyagzijfW5AB-mqfZh2nrABrRfi4I_sg27EX7WAlaIVqgN4U-Z8NJdAqo9mjMb0WBoRbrShvsBpPwW1zQ3s0v4dt6Xn-gLDW2HjF78trwP-i_FUimg/s1600/IMG_0580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCbiY4YrwmnsWBRppfUiZF3lTLmyagzijfW5AB-mqfZh2nrABrRfi4I_sg27EX7WAlaIVqgN4U-Z8NJdAqo9mjMb0WBoRbrShvsBpPwW1zQ3s0v4dt6Xn-gLDW2HjF78trwP-i_FUimg/s400/IMG_0580.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lovely tropical garden</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxkXYRFz0R7s3Ma8un7BzHAgkVZvvyJ2OJTnBYtEasXAPxV481DQEnGjY0sWKvvSxMi_HFj-gu8-1JfoEwzJqNaV55X2ZIo6fBh9Q50yjdS-piqiNRL-1J16Y3GyZIcs9u80f0YXXRVZo/s1600/IMG_0582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxkXYRFz0R7s3Ma8un7BzHAgkVZvvyJ2OJTnBYtEasXAPxV481DQEnGjY0sWKvvSxMi_HFj-gu8-1JfoEwzJqNaV55X2ZIo6fBh9Q50yjdS-piqiNRL-1J16Y3GyZIcs9u80f0YXXRVZo/s400/IMG_0582.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Waterfall emptying into the pool</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The weather was a
little bit rainy on and off, but when the sun came out it was blazing hot. Dad found some big leaves that fell off of an
almond tree, and he used them as swim paddles.
At one point one of the resort staff was cleaning up and tried to take
them, and Dad told them they were his swim paddles and even gave a little
demonstration. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkaISGyFDkwMAhOGuvZy-mKE5IKLXeB7RwRCNvqkiKZ0KHsptWVUSXb_4uQ0MMGg_rxSd8jI2NqE7npcne-vWQaBFcFX22wlyb7lgqeIHlg4R7mZ9O3Tmco7Piko82-cUdNkr4y1WwAo/s1600/IMG_0581.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkaISGyFDkwMAhOGuvZy-mKE5IKLXeB7RwRCNvqkiKZ0KHsptWVUSXb_4uQ0MMGg_rxSd8jI2NqE7npcne-vWQaBFcFX22wlyb7lgqeIHlg4R7mZ9O3Tmco7Piko82-cUdNkr4y1WwAo/s400/IMG_0581.JPG" width="300" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The resort staff brought
us a caddy filled with ice and water bottles, and later came by with coconuts
for each of us to sip the coconut water - all complimentary. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ajhS2fRnpWdN7u9OIv5koU0aayKiXH58jxNXgtK42KuePwQ97z6oCvpfdLElRnfN_IK_U4WS_Ls49sj6sWeS3YD_5cf6rBUZzw51Pqpl_fUj48DtCWQNG96adTTP-WMzdfc5adEUqMc/s1600/IMG_0591.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ajhS2fRnpWdN7u9OIv5koU0aayKiXH58jxNXgtK42KuePwQ97z6oCvpfdLElRnfN_IK_U4WS_Ls49sj6sWeS3YD_5cf6rBUZzw51Pqpl_fUj48DtCWQNG96adTTP-WMzdfc5adEUqMc/s400/IMG_0591.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Complimentary poolside coconut</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> We took hot showers, and when we finished there
was a major downpour. We had to wait for
it to stop before dinghying back to the boat. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I made tuna melts for lunch, and
then we relaxed in the cockpit. I
noticed that our scuba gear smelled bad, and realized that there were tons of
dead shrimp all over out BCD’s even though we had rinsed them off. I spent hours picking off the tiny shrimp from
every nook and cranny, and even found some sizable crabs lodged in some
crevices. Gross. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then we relaxed some more, and watched the beautiful sunset. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I made tacos for dinner, and we
watched one of my favorite old movies, “Captains Courageous.” Dad had never seen it before, and really
enjoyed it. It’s about a bratty little
rich boy who falls overboard and ends up on a fishing vessel and learns some
big lessons. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Saturday, October 31 -</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We slept in a little bit, then dinghied in to the
resort. I went to the gym and went for a
run and lifted some weights while Dad and Skeeter went to the pool. It was a nice gym, and I had it all to
myself. After working out I discovered
some even nicer showers than the ones we had found before next to the spa. I joined Dad and Skeeter at the pool. Of course, Dad had his swim leaves
again. After swimming we took the most
luxurious hot showers imaginable in the spa bathroom. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We wandered around the marina, looking at the different sailboats, powerboats, and mega yachts. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">At noon we sailed north to Rodney Bay. It was only about a 2 hour sail. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/At_the_top_of_Pigeon_Island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/At_the_top_of_Pigeon_Island.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When we arrived, Gregory the fruit man pulled
up to our boat with his impressive fruit and veggie boat. It was piled high, loaded down with tons of
fresh produce. I bargained with him, and
ended up getting a pineapple, 3 mangoes, 2 soursop, and 2 cucumbers for
30EC. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We dinghied through the channel into the inner bay where the
impressively big <a href="http://www.igy-rodneybay.com/" target="_blank">Rodney Bay Marina</a> is located.
We walked around the marina and along the docks, checking out the
different boats. We saw some party
boats, some pirate ships, catamarans, mono hulls, and powerboats among
others. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Rodney_Bay_Marina_St_Lucia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Rodney_Bay_Marina_St_Lucia.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We went to the taxi stand and
arranged an early morning taxi pick up for Dad tomorrow morning. We ended up having dinner at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bread-Basket/173634712696467" target="_blank">Bread Basket</a>
in Rodney Bay Marina. I got a mahi roti
that was amazingly delicious and a great value, Skeeter got a burger, and Dad
got baked chicken breast. Everyone’s
meal was delicious, and we got to see a pretty sunset. We didn’t have internet out on the boat, so
it was good to be able to use their wifi to check on weather and Dad’s flights.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisz4OcnB6OBUH267KSZ9sUpCzmyc2cao1y5Bylef8XSjWC9jXuwO5MWU5EketFwr7Q1HOL9eW6JJAdJqLki_yKrKr4eM-HEuKn2mj-h0sfK2-QGbYh1a97QcAEVoOH4KwY8DV-Nuc18GE/s1600/IMG_20151031_174430.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisz4OcnB6OBUH267KSZ9sUpCzmyc2cao1y5Bylef8XSjWC9jXuwO5MWU5EketFwr7Q1HOL9eW6JJAdJqLki_yKrKr4eM-HEuKn2mj-h0sfK2-QGbYh1a97QcAEVoOH4KwY8DV-Nuc18GE/s400/IMG_20151031_174430.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My mahi roti & salad</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Back at the boat I helped Dad pack, then we sat out in the
cockpit enjoying the night. </span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sunday, November 1 -</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We woke up at 5:15am and took Dad by dinghy to meet his taxi
at 6am. It was a wonderful visit, and I
think we all really enjoyed this time together.
We hope Dad had a great time and will be able to come sailing with us
again in the future! We love you, Dad!</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/10/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-1-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/10/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-1-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 1 of 4 - GRENADA</span></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/10/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-2-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 2 of 4 - CARRIACOU</span></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/10/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-3-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 3 of 4 - ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES</span></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/11/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-4-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 4 of 4 - ST. LUCIA</span></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-22957098331320319812015-10-29T16:47:00.000-04:002016-01-27T11:32:46.149-04:00DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 3 of 4 - ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>ST. VINCENT &
THE GRENADINES -</u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Monday, October 26 -</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We got inside the bay at Union Island outside of the town of
Clifton at 3:45pm, and didn’t think we had time to anchor. Skeeter grabbed a VHF radio, our passports,
and clearance papers and jumped into the dinghy (crossing our fingers that it
would run properly!) and put-putted to the dinghy dock and ran to the customs
office. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6tpr8e8L-NYeU4PBz5dJjY8Y0lVus0qE-o-xHYLRMtUzG1LUaGmbfUWBGBH_shYf13gZLpovPVXyRFviaB_oLq7ZF8EL_QbOx4n2053aYsppDwII3p-PeRDU2_YphsG2AAVoJ7CXxa0/s1600/IMG_0447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6tpr8e8L-NYeU4PBz5dJjY8Y0lVus0qE-o-xHYLRMtUzG1LUaGmbfUWBGBH_shYf13gZLpovPVXyRFviaB_oLq7ZF8EL_QbOx4n2053aYsppDwII3p-PeRDU2_YphsG2AAVoJ7CXxa0/s400/IMG_0447.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> In the meantime, I was driving
Salt Whistle, trying to keep her in one place in the bay, fighting against a strong
outgoing tide on my beam and the wind on my bow. This was my first
time driving Salt Whistle without Skeeter aboard. In the back of my mind I was worrying about
what I would do if I lost power while inside the tight bay, with shallow reef
directly downwind from me. Dropping
anchor is easier said than done when the anchored is tied off on the bow and I
cannot leave the helm even for a second. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKuiUAaYi4oFCFV1cAVIFtQ5AzRKpoqIK0rtJVjDHWWNzub1z965JFfJkmEdJHFO8P02IGkMYNOcGxkbjzmxSLLT8e4kZd2W2FdrtkAlNtJiIGfEo6fDmtsehWTatdL1T-rzfE2o5lAk/s1600/Clifton+Union+Island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKuiUAaYi4oFCFV1cAVIFtQ5AzRKpoqIK0rtJVjDHWWNzub1z965JFfJkmEdJHFO8P02IGkMYNOcGxkbjzmxSLLT8e4kZd2W2FdrtkAlNtJiIGfEo6fDmtsehWTatdL1T-rzfE2o5lAk/s400/Clifton+Union+Island.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I then heard Skeeter hail me on the VHF.
The customs office in Clifton does not take payments after 3:30pm
(though they’re open until 4:30), so he’d have to walk to the airport. Crap! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhRX6wQzkZmTa6g1d7_-MBfKldbeNSIMUrXdkDIK0mGRFPVoTInXJdIfqbpkPArpSSBT9YOg7VJxL2gz8IkfomH53oBKM4j5SaEOcoSu6ovgl6xeSWEHtvfpXaTwrgLinaSnBcf0CHYJY/s1600/Union+Island+Airport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhRX6wQzkZmTa6g1d7_-MBfKldbeNSIMUrXdkDIK0mGRFPVoTInXJdIfqbpkPArpSSBT9YOg7VJxL2gz8IkfomH53oBKM4j5SaEOcoSu6ovgl6xeSWEHtvfpXaTwrgLinaSnBcf0CHYJY/s400/Union+Island+Airport.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Skeeter had to run to the airport to check into customs</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Skeeter ran to the airport as I continued to hold
position. At the airport he was charged
the overtime fees after all (80EC, $32US), even though the clock read 4:31pm
and he had just gone on a wild goose chase to clear in! Anyway, I was extremely relieved when Skeeter
got back to the boat because the sun was starting to go down, I was tired of holding
position and fighting the wind and current, and I really had to pee but
couldn’t leave the helm! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdwBWcuo-_YX5l7JYTQiZJvniYEQCfjDvThrMRaCFp8TeLL-eCsX_RvkD2mS75Mtf_C41Q8Dh-6eEkpxtfZ3c96sj4tfvLqMCjwj4DdRBLWhyphenhyphenwKTa5sV5ATMO0UPKex5FQZZ0HiIKOoI/s1600/IMG_0449.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdwBWcuo-_YX5l7JYTQiZJvniYEQCfjDvThrMRaCFp8TeLL-eCsX_RvkD2mS75Mtf_C41Q8Dh-6eEkpxtfZ3c96sj4tfvLqMCjwj4DdRBLWhyphenhyphenwKTa5sV5ATMO0UPKex5FQZZ0HiIKOoI/s400/IMG_0449.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The sun was setting, and we weren't yet anchored for the night</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We had planned to spend the night in Chatham Bay on Union
Island, but instead we decided to motor to Frigate Island because it was closer
and we were racing the sunset. We
anchored there in time, went for a sunset swim and took our daily boat showers. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFoSPUUTW6r7Puk2WbDh-fNEyUzdrcXEOVXuzpUSckBftB8XIRinKmpBwzOA_EAA2D5pDZd8jZWMnSHHDYSnc4oXDFaLHbgt8791-cNIljcp9VTRYUT51OO41kZ2Oz97WrAqvlfZtxWJo/s1600/Frigate+Island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFoSPUUTW6r7Puk2WbDh-fNEyUzdrcXEOVXuzpUSckBftB8XIRinKmpBwzOA_EAA2D5pDZd8jZWMnSHHDYSnc4oXDFaLHbgt8791-cNIljcp9VTRYUT51OO41kZ2Oz97WrAqvlfZtxWJo/s400/Frigate+Island.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I heated up leftover spaghetti and made some
plantains and salad for dinner, and we watched “Into the Blue.” Dad thought it was hokey but highly
entertaining.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6cN5vF6hTwnsIFR2P0qbFrD23iYJi3ZeLylREIaBMd1_XrnXHd5l5O8eaP2yIhUJJYzMjDXF2UQbg6-G9dEIE2JtcDA95zNARXVG7IwR07GDvINegzWCaP1I0E2cWYqZ4TeI5rVGCEA/s1600/Into+the+blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6cN5vF6hTwnsIFR2P0qbFrD23iYJi3ZeLylREIaBMd1_XrnXHd5l5O8eaP2yIhUJJYzMjDXF2UQbg6-G9dEIE2JtcDA95zNARXVG7IwR07GDvINegzWCaP1I0E2cWYqZ4TeI5rVGCEA/s400/Into+the+blue.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Tuesday, October 27 -</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We woke up at 6am and managed to begin our sail to Bequia at
7am. I always love getting an early
start. It was a beautiful day to
sail. The sky was clear, the seas were
calm, and the winds were a steady 10 knots.
These were the calmest conditions we had ever experienced. We played some Bob Marley and Jack Johnson as
we sailed. Dad slept most of the
way. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCEZheoc_dEN_JxOojnpFg9WvgcMSd4T-h3riuoOfYQ3hVj5_Irf8krqrFQgunXschRRpPckp2gOB51GWF0iEvS6uQRubpl9XP2py1VEAHwSESCYEBIuSsOTZuqddbl7Sj77xXznYAQ4/s1600/IMG_20151027_083110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCEZheoc_dEN_JxOojnpFg9WvgcMSd4T-h3riuoOfYQ3hVj5_Irf8krqrFQgunXschRRpPckp2gOB51GWF0iEvS6uQRubpl9XP2py1VEAHwSESCYEBIuSsOTZuqddbl7Sj77xXznYAQ4/s400/IMG_20151027_083110.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTa8Z0HETwTjnotfgTVJUy95_9KUJCa10iEg7CAme-SHlM3KX9aL7vsCJwBVj48Svj4PhLbZnn2W6xwccmPDX2y_PT86kXDTMn4WFqZ5Z5QlXfycCOjW4dhiaGhKkzNXaIVFnYxVe_YDk/s1600/IMG_0452.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTa8Z0HETwTjnotfgTVJUy95_9KUJCa10iEg7CAme-SHlM3KX9aL7vsCJwBVj48Svj4PhLbZnn2W6xwccmPDX2y_PT86kXDTMn4WFqZ5Z5QlXfycCOjW4dhiaGhKkzNXaIVFnYxVe_YDk/s400/IMG_0452.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Calm enough seas to be up on the bow!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> At around 11am we decided to use
the engine and motor sail so we could arrive with some daylight to spare. Near the fort at the entrance to our anchorage, Port
Elizabeth, Bequia there was an old shipwreck. We were checking that out when all of a sudden we saw dolphins! They were passing by us to take advantage of
a big fish boil in the distance.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OOYgUWjReAWctLZzwvBsN7mGBlOg0-boPtAbZGCKf_rfhlkhw9yd4z2y-PtpXv_p5hxqtV036Q9vSGyTZAPM5ur7ds-x8zNTEH9OLLDWSggvjxhAwqRMfAeMfv9c0sLfp8hdACGRBXI/s1600/IMG_0458.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OOYgUWjReAWctLZzwvBsN7mGBlOg0-boPtAbZGCKf_rfhlkhw9yd4z2y-PtpXv_p5hxqtV036Q9vSGyTZAPM5ur7ds-x8zNTEH9OLLDWSggvjxhAwqRMfAeMfv9c0sLfp8hdACGRBXI/s400/IMG_0458.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Shipwreck at the entrance to Port Elizabeth, Bequia</span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33On4sgfh69rhlqvd0irKUwWl_KopWYxuF9SgjwjVvFgNbmW2MdnHi1MkFhgfDihDMsjnx_1elUBj1y2KA5XNnetpZUO5bS5DQAX8m2m44um298HJ7x74f9dA77jrMWy-npLbiA-lOFI/s1600/IMG_0460.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33On4sgfh69rhlqvd0irKUwWl_KopWYxuF9SgjwjVvFgNbmW2MdnHi1MkFhgfDihDMsjnx_1elUBj1y2KA5XNnetpZUO5bS5DQAX8m2m44um298HJ7x74f9dA77jrMWy-npLbiA-lOFI/s400/IMG_0460.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dropping the mainsail as we enter the bay</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Motoring into Port Elizabeth</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>BEQUIA</u> -</b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHqGrRTEFpucEwK0V-Q4JkNFQtmjyml8S6x7kNhk_H5OKRWxG-pNhEYZ1Djw_aXrVAwYLpe36QBBxu14k9JOYyyqC1hf0e60Z8ftHWZDkkGtDahrJ0qbbqcbJfIklOESURhEpFk4EgrA/s1600/IMG_20151028_113628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHqGrRTEFpucEwK0V-Q4JkNFQtmjyml8S6x7kNhk_H5OKRWxG-pNhEYZ1Djw_aXrVAwYLpe36QBBxu14k9JOYyyqC1hf0e60Z8ftHWZDkkGtDahrJ0qbbqcbJfIklOESURhEpFk4EgrA/s400/IMG_20151028_113628.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We arrived in Bequia at around 2:30pm. It’s a beautiful island, and the bay at Port
Elizabeth is dotted with old fishing boats, sailboats, and tall ships. We saw our friends’ boat, Cosmos Mariner, in
the anchorage too! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bM7tbT8hOGp6EQ5eXxGrREwuuqJ8V37E2YFquEAMNGo_9oSYwwQgh1T77oLrQEFCYDD_LKSHgyqEuGEoOeZGxKccs210oIn82q5n6EaRNC1LUXdVHQ2xLZbnmTWUFoLea6W9UHKZiis/s1600/IMG_20151028_121015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bM7tbT8hOGp6EQ5eXxGrREwuuqJ8V37E2YFquEAMNGo_9oSYwwQgh1T77oLrQEFCYDD_LKSHgyqEuGEoOeZGxKccs210oIn82q5n6EaRNC1LUXdVHQ2xLZbnmTWUFoLea6W9UHKZiis/s400/IMG_20151028_121015.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cosmos Mariner, Windjammer, & a Lagoon catamaran</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We dropped anchor,
then went for a snorkel by the boat. The
bottom was a mixture of sand and sea grass.
Dad was very excited to see a gold spotted eel, and was determined that
it was a snake. He watched it for a long
time, and dove down to get a closer look. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0PoiDv2PujSm5FOXTZIhFywYtLWX9lWGAwcHCL2cTKQGL4Rzl_FrNtEgCmGSxhGcUBtkg_LuhlR3j1d_Mm73XSfXKtrAs7Ug4YQjAZ0IOMXhAQQlvbN34WpID7NwMvUmHT82mSL1aAmQ/s1600/Goldspotted+eel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0PoiDv2PujSm5FOXTZIhFywYtLWX9lWGAwcHCL2cTKQGL4Rzl_FrNtEgCmGSxhGcUBtkg_LuhlR3j1d_Mm73XSfXKtrAs7Ug4YQjAZ0IOMXhAQQlvbN34WpID7NwMvUmHT82mSL1aAmQ/s400/Goldspotted+eel.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A goldspotted eel</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> After our boat showers we put on the dinghy motor and dinghied into
shore. We walked around town and did
some exploring. October 27<sup>th</sup>
is Independence Day for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, so it was a lively
atmosphere. There was a lot of music,
drinking, and dancing in the streets. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpU-nG_qo2rjFInHoXHRk__8oeOjfQnympgJqESM-qJFoYzbR0jUD-4GTpfTA9anS4GzxfnXhv_xgoH-AF8xUL7sTT5s1Po6kweoveBk3wLmasn1DiCbsbmtn-mubHvQ60_0bMrdiKACU/s1600/IMG_0462.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpU-nG_qo2rjFInHoXHRk__8oeOjfQnympgJqESM-qJFoYzbR0jUD-4GTpfTA9anS4GzxfnXhv_xgoH-AF8xUL7sTT5s1Po6kweoveBk3wLmasn1DiCbsbmtn-mubHvQ60_0bMrdiKACU/s400/IMG_0462.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The entrance to this place, the Whale Boner, is made from whale ribs. Sadly, Bequia still hunts whales :(</span> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most places were closed for the holiday, but we did manage to find an
open restaurant called Maria’s. It was next door to "Pizza Hut." We all
ordered Fish & Chips, and watched the sunset. Service was very slow, but the food was delicious.
It was not your typical deep fried fish & chips. The fish was fresh caught kingfish, baked in
island spices. Our waitress told us proudly that her son caught our fish. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAmXlYy8NjdXkZZl88QhjaS3GBDIcRLZeJVL9aoqAq0bcfqPQW3JzOffcnRG7OVmMFgNChDHE4AjGhNNhl1yra0UFp0hUbyBhfW_sg8nbwNzLpfJMTmXVfR9ynds0CuluoE7qpq4B67g/s1600/IMG_20150805_145202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAmXlYy8NjdXkZZl88QhjaS3GBDIcRLZeJVL9aoqAq0bcfqPQW3JzOffcnRG7OVmMFgNChDHE4AjGhNNhl1yra0UFp0hUbyBhfW_sg8nbwNzLpfJMTmXVfR9ynds0CuluoE7qpq4B67g/s400/IMG_20150805_145202.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bequia's "Pizza Hut"</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaY_q2KuOyRqpdkCaU-V-pP1Uwmrqc0qtLmvSUnOsUbk_2-S59bSus9IwCS_ur2TjYtUDoBw-rnQy5bsagOYacpZwiRWpvop8cDtbJ7RmPxEn8XRBAmkot0IBgWzUu8z1iaIEfqa1Zpno/s1600/IMG_0467.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaY_q2KuOyRqpdkCaU-V-pP1Uwmrqc0qtLmvSUnOsUbk_2-S59bSus9IwCS_ur2TjYtUDoBw-rnQy5bsagOYacpZwiRWpvop8cDtbJ7RmPxEn8XRBAmkot0IBgWzUu8z1iaIEfqa1Zpno/s400/IMG_0467.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sunset our first night in Bequia</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We went back to the boat and relaxed, and
started watching “Shallow Hal,” but Dad fell asleep just a few minutes into it
so we decided to call it a night.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQUbdL-WdECyttaiDpESpbYbmUd0_Wlmvl3y_hZ-elJ9QeG0U-w1HMBw4AMRzYYIZVZLshy7Akm4ZBgP7WhP6UV1PgLj5JlG-7NNt1rIDkPD_MEWaK8f5dV9HcD527fGGy7sx8mtX_UY/s1600/Shallow+Hal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQUbdL-WdECyttaiDpESpbYbmUd0_Wlmvl3y_hZ-elJ9QeG0U-w1HMBw4AMRzYYIZVZLshy7Akm4ZBgP7WhP6UV1PgLj5JlG-7NNt1rIDkPD_MEWaK8f5dV9HcD527fGGy7sx8mtX_UY/s400/Shallow+Hal.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Wednesday, October 28<sup>th</sup>
-</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This morning we dinghied to shore and met up with our friends Rob & Deb next to the ferry dock. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWAzm7WL6IoKTQhSY1AV7bckoLp0vtuR4fMBAClfCorYfX4N3GUEUGSFTw3YRxHCBOthsZ5CGGyYMzpkyM5ZJvb3UB2RlJy8BmmdTZogAHS_3UwnrFrxmiF7b8UTOFg2hoBtcnTmG1Ss/s1600/IMG_0468.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWAzm7WL6IoKTQhSY1AV7bckoLp0vtuR4fMBAClfCorYfX4N3GUEUGSFTw3YRxHCBOthsZ5CGGyYMzpkyM5ZJvb3UB2RlJy8BmmdTZogAHS_3UwnrFrxmiF7b8UTOFg2hoBtcnTmG1Ss/s400/IMG_0468.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This ferry goes to the main island, St. Vincent</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rob and Deb are on <a href="http://www.sailingthecosmos.com/" target="_blank">S/V Cosmos Mariner</a> (and also have a blog). We shared a safari style taxi and went to the <a href="http://turtles.bequia.net/" target="_blank">Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary</a>, on the other side of the island. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKP9kVIKNv5ap7Wadpyq6RoSwl-VxsAy72svVxCGQk3tMIuMS0-_Fd0c-wXVRntvsRfZG3qwdQIaZWOBYFCE2WmyBZbX8RRBk9QD9iKEBzv206BcAu62bra_MGFjGZ0t0tqvHrJuyZXIY/s1600/IMG_20151028_101717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKP9kVIKNv5ap7Wadpyq6RoSwl-VxsAy72svVxCGQk3tMIuMS0-_Fd0c-wXVRntvsRfZG3qwdQIaZWOBYFCE2WmyBZbX8RRBk9QD9iKEBzv206BcAu62bra_MGFjGZ0t0tqvHrJuyZXIY/s320/IMG_20151028_101717.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Deb & Rob from S/V Cosmos Mariner</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBP8NvdgLxKhJKFh77LXWFMVaYqZwRQFwXsbSGvHXedvVBN3Xi9Lx6Bn87EQzV9bM6NrGWOQC0JtxzC5FZqaDYy5jS6zeD2KuWLJXkyHJNoqZe0eyeB_7kYHhhX7NRzOYLX1coHSdViBs/s1600/IMG_20151028_101705.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBP8NvdgLxKhJKFh77LXWFMVaYqZwRQFwXsbSGvHXedvVBN3Xi9Lx6Bn87EQzV9bM6NrGWOQC0JtxzC5FZqaDYy5jS6zeD2KuWLJXkyHJNoqZe0eyeB_7kYHhhX7NRzOYLX1coHSdViBs/s400/IMG_20151028_101705.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dad is excited to be going to the Turtle Sanctuary</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKkkNjuYynKRhE4FmqQiNzQyklzFmLK4SbjJhMIDvszXVedKdmT7B65i9F_DX5co2hCOZk5kbSGH4-9PlXIBjnN_Dv5F053bdXw0zup86L-luIzr9QyIKuBx3My06hwzyxUPk8KV1Xg0/s1600/IMG_20151028_102321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKkkNjuYynKRhE4FmqQiNzQyklzFmLK4SbjJhMIDvszXVedKdmT7B65i9F_DX5co2hCOZk5kbSGH4-9PlXIBjnN_Dv5F053bdXw0zup86L-luIzr9QyIKuBx3My06hwzyxUPk8KV1Xg0/s320/IMG_20151028_102321.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter on the open air taxi</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We were all excited to be visiting the turtle sanctuary. We all love turtles, and are eager to learn as much as we can and to help them survive.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dad outside the sanctuary</span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We paid our entrance fee, and stepped inside to the sanctuary. The entrance fee goes toward feeding the turtles and maintaining their tanks. They need to clean the tanks and change the water daily.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4XFS0TgqYT-R1zhcFtoGn4KSriyrzNmT-OMPg0fXmlpOkJ0t7RaxtAPJvyocYWb7j1qAA1GIQ66JHpzLvCBQphJz4kqDUyjdu9uJl3lDQBsN1vxXep_eQPNpxQXedzgLc0MMGnUHlHY/s1600/IMG_20151028_102941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4XFS0TgqYT-R1zhcFtoGn4KSriyrzNmT-OMPg0fXmlpOkJ0t7RaxtAPJvyocYWb7j1qAA1GIQ66JHpzLvCBQphJz4kqDUyjdu9uJl3lDQBsN1vxXep_eQPNpxQXedzgLc0MMGnUHlHY/s400/IMG_20151028_102941.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">There were numerous big rectangular pools, surrounded by smaller square pools. The turtles were separated by age. The biggest turtles were nearly big enough to be released back into the wild. Some of the smaller pools contained the turtles who needed to be separated from the others for their own health and safety or that of the others. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUULFkFnNTF3N4tMQcCOBq_xcLSuJTvPUrJMiMU2Y6tsjprDzXQzlbOC2E7UdxMMVBAj3WlqSCZxoP2udbu80SBmgwBtsbhbiT9lACF0R3iYcLISnfvlWFgxXdBfopHrqFJO3Anx7tj0/s1600/IMG_0473.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUULFkFnNTF3N4tMQcCOBq_xcLSuJTvPUrJMiMU2Y6tsjprDzXQzlbOC2E7UdxMMVBAj3WlqSCZxoP2udbu80SBmgwBtsbhbiT9lACF0R3iYcLISnfvlWFgxXdBfopHrqFJO3Anx7tj0/s400/IMG_0473.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Brother King educates people about the turtles</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrZ3RGAxLQDyQPjqppKyg_udOhgio8unG8sLIMuJ0w90rJDLeF16Nz2z5A2QjkwFSQjlUI-QAnWH2j5Ln2-jnE0i9V3OSd-EfkydRcUYX1pFapLqjUxK3vVEFPNTB0i44lCUUk9CAHMU/s1600/IMG_20151028_103042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrZ3RGAxLQDyQPjqppKyg_udOhgio8unG8sLIMuJ0w90rJDLeF16Nz2z5A2QjkwFSQjlUI-QAnWH2j5Ln2-jnE0i9V3OSd-EfkydRcUYX1pFapLqjUxK3vVEFPNTB0i44lCUUk9CAHMU/s400/IMG_20151028_103042.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The turtle on the left is a Hawksbill, and the one on the right is the only Green at the sanctuary.</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0okkeEY_i8bhyPritSdb787WLf59860WST2rZCvxBWblglo8FPiB7PQaBpR9Tirbx67C0COTZfvg-B0MbUiP8JT2kIRN_e506mxGj3MMM2f0s0yMioZqq4OoACooj_Xj2FDHbV-pyHBU/s1600/IMG_20151028_103539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0okkeEY_i8bhyPritSdb787WLf59860WST2rZCvxBWblglo8FPiB7PQaBpR9Tirbx67C0COTZfvg-B0MbUiP8JT2kIRN_e506mxGj3MMM2f0s0yMioZqq4OoACooj_Xj2FDHbV-pyHBU/s400/IMG_20151028_103539.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Joshua is one of Brother King's knowledgeable assistants</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">There were also smaller circular pools that contained lots and lots of tiny turtle hatchlings.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggz0BU-guvUP4XjzmR83FsAhtXM37fg3abFODIalxYb_bnr7Gm5UUXoquosQjTKMtN014bJNJu748UAp_S4EfjY9ewIk-smwXymmNnT8xO19nEadr652q9ZR5WG2W9YhyKXzIknSQVrFg/s1600/IMG_20151028_105954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggz0BU-guvUP4XjzmR83FsAhtXM37fg3abFODIalxYb_bnr7Gm5UUXoquosQjTKMtN014bJNJu748UAp_S4EfjY9ewIk-smwXymmNnT8xO19nEadr652q9ZR5WG2W9YhyKXzIknSQVrFg/s400/IMG_20151028_105954.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A pool of Hawksbill turtle hatchlings</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> And some circular pools that contained one or two big turtles.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqlh0-9YzB-JnFv9foBo2BKFWoblPS7AWZoT2RfJ4nUxsEZQYn-do1iglRYPT7TxbEk4jG3hTI1eAtOgynYm9SqYEiSn1P3i7yomHApJoNTLga3z0ge0HZ7fRUMYyaSbYUraQ_6JZoBo/s1600/IMG_20151028_110220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqlh0-9YzB-JnFv9foBo2BKFWoblPS7AWZoT2RfJ4nUxsEZQYn-do1iglRYPT7TxbEk4jG3hTI1eAtOgynYm9SqYEiSn1P3i7yomHApJoNTLga3z0ge0HZ7fRUMYyaSbYUraQ_6JZoBo/s400/IMG_20151028_110220.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She was a very interactive Hawksbill turtle</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The sanctuary is owned and operated by a retired local
fisherman, Brother King, who started trying to help the endangered Hawksbill
sea turtles have a better chance of survival. </span></span> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynWqg8zbqFIruwY1nUUaOsQhWE-EBE106k4vffjJbfXQKT_2mMRxgIrl6vN-BEzEIvJcPjiS2XdgAkgAVKw3Jp1iNjtmGm7KpnL4VONIBfCAWewQyayMIseRvAtFnpfI-pKN25E6-3jQ/s1600/IMG_0479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynWqg8zbqFIruwY1nUUaOsQhWE-EBE106k4vffjJbfXQKT_2mMRxgIrl6vN-BEzEIvJcPjiS2XdgAkgAVKw3Jp1iNjtmGm7KpnL4VONIBfCAWewQyayMIseRvAtFnpfI-pKN25E6-3jQ/s400/IMG_0479.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Brother King, the founder of the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He collects turtle eggs and raises them in his sanctuary until they are
about 3 years old and big enough to have a better chance of survival on their
own. He releases them at the same
beaches where he found them, in hopes that when the females reach maturity they
will return to lay eggs of their own. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brother educates both tourists and locals, and hopes he can help save these magnificent
reptiles from extinction. They are still
hunted in this area of the Caribbean, and their populations are dwindling. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XItq-n7lYVebxUvENVOclYARQtyq8WHfxR3XMLelCQELw7bDa3CLMr5gyv-IDZ3WfoyKhNEmCBD0Kim6ts-Nae0w8fiX8ExFaNdpctdiLEmTH-HdZOMdPG7rn14YxbEEKaEp2FsKe4I/s1600/IMG_0481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XItq-n7lYVebxUvENVOclYARQtyq8WHfxR3XMLelCQELw7bDa3CLMr5gyv-IDZ3WfoyKhNEmCBD0Kim6ts-Nae0w8fiX8ExFaNdpctdiLEmTH-HdZOMdPG7rn14YxbEEKaEp2FsKe4I/s400/IMG_0481.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvslmv4Y_AEyB1t1vY5P7_lNSOTrktwdEpYMYqFZw-wUqiJ_flve_dF9KZK6SxGg6pbfjCU5-qTApL5eqfCwwkVIYrJU_jwY2dR9Zl_9nxFSXd162ssyqdFmW7oqoir4-Q-RE3p6VFtw/s1600/IMG_0482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvslmv4Y_AEyB1t1vY5P7_lNSOTrktwdEpYMYqFZw-wUqiJ_flve_dF9KZK6SxGg6pbfjCU5-qTApL5eqfCwwkVIYrJU_jwY2dR9Zl_9nxFSXd162ssyqdFmW7oqoir4-Q-RE3p6VFtw/s400/IMG_0482.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Friendship Rose, a tall ship that does charters</span></span></td></tr>
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the boardwalk. It runs along the
waterfront, in front of various shops and restaurants.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you hike over the hill it turns into a
lookout deck and staircase along rocky cliffs overlooking the anchorage. We could see <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/165845513593010/" target="_blank">Salt Whistle</a> & <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sailingthecosmos/" target="_blank">Cosmos Mariner</a> down below. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQPWkH_eKpEgymJCNPdUpUnkGvO9ma1xQH-IgUImrEgLo6S4_vSBN5uH8UE6uUCx3sgo5ypV1ZpuLP_hX0p9zO3LcryPvInKyOFV8MZ-oWZ_zN3w9zkTr2Cpxo7Y7_6KOjCyf0V61d0c/s1600/IMG_0492.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQPWkH_eKpEgymJCNPdUpUnkGvO9ma1xQH-IgUImrEgLo6S4_vSBN5uH8UE6uUCx3sgo5ypV1ZpuLP_hX0p9zO3LcryPvInKyOFV8MZ-oWZ_zN3w9zkTr2Cpxo7Y7_6KOjCyf0V61d0c/s400/IMG_0492.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Salt Whistle</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowfGbFkUGLbsgEe4aYiA5sJxnpOvgFc71LGJtIJoYWHNmM5plpYdfBQQw-Mu_jW68W6FlXME5qb69Yw5L7Zhyphenhyphenc6tdfhZCOPBoxpxH5wjmjoFRsaudcKk7dfEsJY3xV4I00ej_SAgfN18/s1600/IMG_0493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowfGbFkUGLbsgEe4aYiA5sJxnpOvgFc71LGJtIJoYWHNmM5plpYdfBQQw-Mu_jW68W6FlXME5qb69Yw5L7Zhyphenhyphenc6tdfhZCOPBoxpxH5wjmjoFRsaudcKk7dfEsJY3xV4I00ej_SAgfN18/s400/IMG_0493.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cosmos Mariner</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It then follows the cliffs and runs just above sea level toward the picturesque Princess
Margaret Beach. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOad_gJ-Y0oJHW0BK0zdemx-IODkrVFxD-rQp9cevBSDYOMS7Hen46skjbmCuWjPZ9CC_M0VtwXamVaK1qZidXP5u9nLDC42SNuFvRrY4LCLLHjuCxAuj_7XOB_7ozujUGIqL4w4Unp2s/s1600/IMG_20151028_121927.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOad_gJ-Y0oJHW0BK0zdemx-IODkrVFxD-rQp9cevBSDYOMS7Hen46skjbmCuWjPZ9CC_M0VtwXamVaK1qZidXP5u9nLDC42SNuFvRrY4LCLLHjuCxAuj_7XOB_7ozujUGIqL4w4Unp2s/s400/IMG_20151028_121927.jpg" width="400" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJBlz85K9zr2Xgt9ed2D659gdGkqt2O5cBkewKtr9yKdfxmPnsKy2SEiw3dzSTiNPH4umbzJQoKCp8MO5_dk05VOC0SrCOZQ5yjyt36U-0bhkmz7ZkwSrYI25KVrYeZD5NkBfxIKGf9k/s1600/IMG_20151028_121402.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJBlz85K9zr2Xgt9ed2D659gdGkqt2O5cBkewKtr9yKdfxmPnsKy2SEiw3dzSTiNPH4umbzJQoKCp8MO5_dk05VOC0SrCOZQ5yjyt36U-0bhkmz7ZkwSrYI25KVrYeZD5NkBfxIKGf9k/s400/IMG_20151028_121402.jpg" width="400" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpW5fC3vCUfCCWpJMFQivcPFKSd1I6yqxPsgnWLsy00YZnG5Q9yrXF-NunkKhrNiwaSO3XI-3IXRT0d_Ow4dDN3fpB5d1FzxgBj4FOL7k7vKyi5VgbzcHQtby1ndIekIIkLAtw_4v6pU/s1600/IMG_0491.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpW5fC3vCUfCCWpJMFQivcPFKSd1I6yqxPsgnWLsy00YZnG5Q9yrXF-NunkKhrNiwaSO3XI-3IXRT0d_Ow4dDN3fpB5d1FzxgBj4FOL7k7vKyi5VgbzcHQtby1ndIekIIkLAtw_4v6pU/s400/IMG_0491.JPG" width="300" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the beach we met a local woman named Fay,
who has been selling her handicrafts and souvenirs in Bequia for decades. Dad found some nice little handmade fish
keychain souvenirs for his friends at the Senior Center.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZlBwFV2RJlQL3vm3tdv6bLfPrJx61Q2IQFxkycAmhXnJ8J20svNjGrqD0DwW_RLONavQnLyRMGgpqVQXSYkwkU4SjjDkWuojtSVLvXDyWbYncjv0RmdfSIUaxFpKIN1kCgViGCEQPTU/s1600/IMG_20151028_122501.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZlBwFV2RJlQL3vm3tdv6bLfPrJx61Q2IQFxkycAmhXnJ8J20svNjGrqD0DwW_RLONavQnLyRMGgpqVQXSYkwkU4SjjDkWuojtSVLvXDyWbYncjv0RmdfSIUaxFpKIN1kCgViGCEQPTU/s400/IMG_20151028_122501.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Princess Margaret Beach</span></span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPF9Dz6XlYaX6AnHqEk4bDxb33SZ9YyOWkqfSEYOfXCzRUJCjN727ltZ_VGP3BlALVIYWpINNB3omvySwGdMpUmar61e6Lh1RKoTJLTZFlvgqK399wXoJHyIgjV3bCzsakKTgMIkR2WZ8/s1600/IMG_20151028_125327.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPF9Dz6XlYaX6AnHqEk4bDxb33SZ9YyOWkqfSEYOfXCzRUJCjN727ltZ_VGP3BlALVIYWpINNB3omvySwGdMpUmar61e6Lh1RKoTJLTZFlvgqK399wXoJHyIgjV3bCzsakKTgMIkR2WZ8/s400/IMG_20151028_125327.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fay's beach stall on Princess Margaret Beach</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrx6M-Bj_ciuIFwHJxa_lCcCveGykL_JinGZq3rGTPYVg8CxmX0wWja_9PJOWr9f_AECoxR-hK5ettsP4q0tj6wBn1VnxG5hU1lEHPmASeTvRvBAMXwbHfPn5ExRibD5WHC2lf4M3Av4/s1600/IMG_20151028_121855.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrx6M-Bj_ciuIFwHJxa_lCcCveGykL_JinGZq3rGTPYVg8CxmX0wWja_9PJOWr9f_AECoxR-hK5ettsP4q0tj6wBn1VnxG5hU1lEHPmASeTvRvBAMXwbHfPn5ExRibD5WHC2lf4M3Av4/s400/IMG_20151028_121855.jpg" width="400" /></a> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the way back from Princess Margaret Beach, Skeeter and I
thought about how badly we need to scrape the hull and get the months and
months of growth off before our big sail to St. Lucia. It is a 63 nautical mile sail, and that extra
drag on the hull would slow us down significantly. With a clean hull we would move through the
water much more easily, and it could add an entire knot of speed, reducing our
total sail by hours. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqXF4drmaotm4dU62uAamUZn_1T9Tzf-1QUUyhlhP_vEd1D3q00VyXWo2JYkQMFBIOFJHdKGwQAI19qNeN3DTOqh9Fukb2iamxB8tQecYdSkM1UCK7adIzP0lbGJYiSkRQC3vQlyRdjw/s1600/IMG_20151028_122848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqXF4drmaotm4dU62uAamUZn_1T9Tzf-1QUUyhlhP_vEd1D3q00VyXWo2JYkQMFBIOFJHdKGwQAI19qNeN3DTOqh9Fukb2iamxB8tQecYdSkM1UCK7adIzP0lbGJYiSkRQC3vQlyRdjw/s400/IMG_20151028_122848.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Taking a little rest on the walk back</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/35/c2/9d/dive-bequia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/35/c2/9d/dive-bequia.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The dive shop where we rented tanks</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We decided to stop in
at <a href="http://www.divebequia.com/" target="_blank">Dive Bequia</a> on the boardwalk and see if we could rent some tanks. We got 2 tanks ($15 each) and high-tailed it
to the boat since we had to get the tanks back to the dive shop by 4pm and it
was already 2. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We scarfed down some sandwiches, threw on our scuba gear,
grabbed some scrapers and a green scrubby sponge, and got to work. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2Sg_PFP6gaf8pZEwIujibV-nZf5Vxc7syOsAt3L7VfGcA_4g37BTB9dLp4o5hhf2odKriAE7RUZNBRDcBnlZ6SpDgjTYjizQZnI_3WbxqYEQAyofRfroEQ8cuptNzqFfG3FZ0W_ITLI/s1600/IMG_0500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2Sg_PFP6gaf8pZEwIujibV-nZf5Vxc7syOsAt3L7VfGcA_4g37BTB9dLp4o5hhf2odKriAE7RUZNBRDcBnlZ6SpDgjTYjizQZnI_3WbxqYEQAyofRfroEQ8cuptNzqFfG3FZ0W_ITLI/s400/IMG_0500.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Getting geared up to go scrape the hull</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvG1q608-f1C0kaV9bzjPrvrI3Jbl91EOvHEfPq2fFc7ZShIFzYkwMnKyoFMWrzDsWI1YjE1QroUeS_Ay4m7TSTu8ZHVgqwXZLzNjuF-jikVsGPDmG6c-s3RJP_46HVF9bzKdFD6aHxis/s1600/IMG_0504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvG1q608-f1C0kaV9bzjPrvrI3Jbl91EOvHEfPq2fFc7ZShIFzYkwMnKyoFMWrzDsWI1YjE1QroUeS_Ay4m7TSTu8ZHVgqwXZLzNjuF-jikVsGPDmG6c-s3RJP_46HVF9bzKdFD6aHxis/s400/IMG_0504.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Covered from head to toe, ready to scrape</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We covered ourselves well with hoods, gloves,
and wetsuits, realizing that we would be encountering millions of pinching shrimp,
crabs, hydroids, fire coral, and other organisms. It took us an hour and a half, and the hull
looked beautifully clean. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While cleaning
the propeller, I noticed that the prop nut had vibrated itself loose. Yikes!
Skeeter got a crescent wrench and tightened it down. That could have been bad! We dropped down to the bottom and took turns
brushing the shrimp, crabs, and other sea life off of each other. I even had a baby lobster on me!</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cx8XlpjMyQERB11YMvuVkoPY-WaPzyi1fc8FqEpDXnQJBGOM8ud31XPtN1AgZp3oCVmNU_Fha9iRbzm27nI_ydia1Iwq4tvoPcBNVOh0hYb8MCjcb9mwtfPPoOyz2lXBoq-OMYhxaMA/s1600/11262933_10155520387640573_1835823348_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cx8XlpjMyQERB11YMvuVkoPY-WaPzyi1fc8FqEpDXnQJBGOM8ud31XPtN1AgZp3oCVmNU_Fha9iRbzm27nI_ydia1Iwq4tvoPcBNVOh0hYb8MCjcb9mwtfPPoOyz2lXBoq-OMYhxaMA/s400/11262933_10155520387640573_1835823348_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">No one wants to lose a propeller at sea!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When we ascended, Dad told us that it was almost 4pm, our
deadline for returning the scuba tanks and for checking out of customs without
incurring any overtime charges! We didn't want to have to pay absurd overtime fees again! We took off our
scuba gear as quickly as we could, and rinsed off. I dropped Skeeter off at the customs dock,
and then Dad & I headed over to the dive shop to return the tanks. We had to wait around for the dive boat to
return. They were out for a dive, and
running late getting back.</span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After returning the tanks, Dad really wanted to go for a swim. off
the docks with the Bequia swim team. He didn't get in the water when we were scrubbing the hull for two reasons. First, he would have gotten covered in all of the nasty buggers we were scraping off the hull, and second, people drive their boats through that anchorage like maniacs so it isn't safe to swim there. The coach was very nice, and welcomed him to join in their practice. He said anytime visitors would like to practice with the team they are more than welcome. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/540151915_640.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/540151915_640.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Bequia United Swim Club</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The kids are great swimmers who work very hard. They swim miles and miles every day in the open ocean. They are headed to Antigua soon for a big competition. They have a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/hb75cs7k" target="_blank">"Go-Fund-Me"</a> page, if you'd like to help support them. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the meantime, Skeeter and I ran over to
Knights Trading Supermarket and grabbed a few groceries. Our stocks were running pretty low. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BYm35M3GpHYZuKzp2OItqK_JzOfomDwkJgGZeamqlLORS39fT3IfqTVjzF0ap0bUM2zSbhwcYS535CMbNGFflicHodkNODv6cywBASgrXeZhqilcVnhtSMJ1v99Nngho73diImh1Vow/s1600/IMG_20151028_133118.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BYm35M3GpHYZuKzp2OItqK_JzOfomDwkJgGZeamqlLORS39fT3IfqTVjzF0ap0bUM2zSbhwcYS535CMbNGFflicHodkNODv6cywBASgrXeZhqilcVnhtSMJ1v99Nngho73diImh1Vow/s400/IMG_20151028_133118.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Heading back to the boat</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We headed back to the boat and had leftover
Caribbean curry for dinner, watched Star Trek – Into Darkness, and prepared the
boat for our long passage to St. Lucia tomorrow. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Thursday, October 29 -</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We woke up at 5am, before the sunrise, and left Bequia by
6am. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0gqrgvi2SPSZj6GoiPGi-2WQK_LiRApIE-iX4wILcmzr2__AYzl0rbsO4hpie71Xc-9_HEB2qFjkAF42Hgh2wQjY28HOwIo68dckVAbruLuAGyT0zass7Y6tGxgz8tSMHch71AgtpTE/s1600/IMG_20151029_074023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0gqrgvi2SPSZj6GoiPGi-2WQK_LiRApIE-iX4wILcmzr2__AYzl0rbsO4hpie71Xc-9_HEB2qFjkAF42Hgh2wQjY28HOwIo68dckVAbruLuAGyT0zass7Y6tGxgz8tSMHch71AgtpTE/s400/IMG_20151029_074023.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter, with coffee in hand</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We were so glad to have scraped the
hull. We could feel Salt Whistle gliding
through the water better and were seeing noticeable results in our speed. Conditions were once again absolutely
gorgeous. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZ9fSKX5tWTPJ7Vc10sA5KBmGuky13LfMXEjqiV8JkbjgOqo3UkP3WHz8LJ3h576emz2otBiJ7cyNSj85St0bPyJdkCg39wVqlpTyl-QhJI3A1KfUD_R0i71jhNY-ghkHpmwZ8Vc93K4/s1600/IMG_20151029_074225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZ9fSKX5tWTPJ7Vc10sA5KBmGuky13LfMXEjqiV8JkbjgOqo3UkP3WHz8LJ3h576emz2otBiJ7cyNSj85St0bPyJdkCg39wVqlpTyl-QhJI3A1KfUD_R0i71jhNY-ghkHpmwZ8Vc93K4/s400/IMG_20151029_074225.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Seas this calm don't happen often!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-zgnhPqiQcSK3Ws47TGeb2TknQvXczg9WljlRtm2GgsnrOYZ-M540a4rfYNutVA64YU-xfM9O7rxotxt6ZIvjn_o4ZOGY2tD5SYNiKRx1uH8ASJ5SSsd-iQ4j0rpz-c64p3qYooi9W8/s1600/IMG_20151029_075100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-zgnhPqiQcSK3Ws47TGeb2TknQvXczg9WljlRtm2GgsnrOYZ-M540a4rfYNutVA64YU-xfM9O7rxotxt6ZIvjn_o4ZOGY2tD5SYNiKRx1uH8ASJ5SSsd-iQ4j0rpz-c64p3qYooi9W8/s400/IMG_20151029_075100.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Seas were like glass!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YMmSPyC4U77ywzOQuaQ5MoaJ7DRQ9W0CyTwFyEOI6WWfpKTjKsP3P_MVq-VQL3DGE0jHBISQUkFRMsK68zF0_Rplw1L3WeBQ8UiAABDl8wfE4cafP-Ido5f60OcNeQADA9K8D1j8o8Q/s1600/IMG_20151029_080318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YMmSPyC4U77ywzOQuaQ5MoaJ7DRQ9W0CyTwFyEOI6WWfpKTjKsP3P_MVq-VQL3DGE0jHBISQUkFRMsK68zF0_Rplw1L3WeBQ8UiAABDl8wfE4cafP-Ido5f60OcNeQADA9K8D1j8o8Q/s400/IMG_20151029_080318.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sunscreen time!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDr4Ca4Bn2EGoV9B1DTVX7JVXnvlI8yr5tda1Kta59i_KFJaFzOMFlcB_uaYzubAWiXHPtm1y4KCS0yKT4IcY5QRXKjXE-oCgzc1EPQ3j6RgpV1UysIqdjhARwWa7mMsWGGMYzxsu0Cc/s1600/IMG_20151029_080441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDr4Ca4Bn2EGoV9B1DTVX7JVXnvlI8yr5tda1Kta59i_KFJaFzOMFlcB_uaYzubAWiXHPtm1y4KCS0yKT4IcY5QRXKjXE-oCgzc1EPQ3j6RgpV1UysIqdjhARwWa7mMsWGGMYzxsu0Cc/s400/IMG_20151029_080441.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You missed a little on your nose ;)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dad would be getting his first sailing lesson today, so he decided to do some studying before he had to take the helm.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlk2npLsaIXEaGEElQJKqhMI-L6VULNRMW-Q48Yu8j4LH148Da6D-M-leCC88Y1xKT1tU6UxHioFqIyLMbbG-2oZ7UqVIwQNBGNzkDMPyKYO0X-mK4jpCQBw8Kqvw3BgPa5a2Q03iccw/s1600/IMG_20151029_072154.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlk2npLsaIXEaGEElQJKqhMI-L6VULNRMW-Q48Yu8j4LH148Da6D-M-leCC88Y1xKT1tU6UxHioFqIyLMbbG-2oZ7UqVIwQNBGNzkDMPyKYO0X-mK4jpCQBw8Kqvw3BgPa5a2Q03iccw/s400/IMG_20151029_072154.jpg" width="300" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We decided to motor sail so we
could make good time, and arrive well before sunset. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This would be our longest sail, about 65 nautical miles. We had to sail across from Port Elizabeth, Bequia to St. Vincent, past the entire island of St. Vincent, sail across to St. Lucia, and more than half way up the coast of St. Lucia. </span></span>Sailing alone would have taken us well over 13
hours, but with the motor we were able to cut it down to just over 9.5
hours. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWur7Amu5Kq8_2xT9ewKmWJ60vfiuuZodmQI0qM8cEVkDWCGTA2TFaK6RJCn-1wcDp9gXxbHpa5cX-_oLnB0iCJL2T1uqAO-y7j_Law9-WhyphenhyphensZAqqXjSsqVxQiCe61SiBk-CBi3pZYcA8/s1600/Bequia+to+St+Lucia.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWur7Amu5Kq8_2xT9ewKmWJ60vfiuuZodmQI0qM8cEVkDWCGTA2TFaK6RJCn-1wcDp9gXxbHpa5cX-_oLnB0iCJL2T1uqAO-y7j_Law9-WhyphenhyphensZAqqXjSsqVxQiCe61SiBk-CBi3pZYcA8/s400/Bequia+to+St+Lucia.JPG" width="251" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1hovKesQIPPmVn7bvvYfrRhrgGd8botstvAzs7cIBEW_quz4wzsx8sFwkwwNwb_w9n5hknCtUw3Xe-hSfUOYEC0GEc7WPm43iXDdaGnrZJsFvFEOnrCX-kAGh84sV9U06LbcmpU20GQ/s1600/IMG_20151029_074503.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1hovKesQIPPmVn7bvvYfrRhrgGd8botstvAzs7cIBEW_quz4wzsx8sFwkwwNwb_w9n5hknCtUw3Xe-hSfUOYEC0GEc7WPm43iXDdaGnrZJsFvFEOnrCX-kAGh84sV9U06LbcmpU20GQ/s400/IMG_20151029_074503.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mainsail up for stability and a little extra push</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At 8:30am I thought I saw two logs in the water. But then I saw one of the logs move. They weren’t logs, they were sleeping
dolphins! We had never seen sleeping
dolphins before! They sleep on the
surface, and look very similar to logs.
Only 45 minutes later we saw more dolphins, and one of them
breached, playfully jumping out of the water.
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnZjA7lPAgcS89CBd4stlj2ix3cIQ_ukUi734qMOVD1V8-55JmacGFDaDH1bm8dpjUrw-SdPb7qKazpANwpW2Jx5ziiBbV7t8sGn_ktPG6KjhKAa02aMMeRx00acrOz9FSa_1Ur3dvcg/s1600/IMG_0537+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnZjA7lPAgcS89CBd4stlj2ix3cIQ_ukUi734qMOVD1V8-55JmacGFDaDH1bm8dpjUrw-SdPb7qKazpANwpW2Jx5ziiBbV7t8sGn_ktPG6KjhKAa02aMMeRx00acrOz9FSa_1Ur3dvcg/s400/IMG_0537+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dad was very enthralled by the flying fish as well. He couldn’t believe how far they could
glide! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To be continued...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/10/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-1-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 1 of 4 - GRENADA</span></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/10/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-2-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 2 of 4 - CARRIACOU</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/10/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-3-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 3 of 4 - ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/11/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-4-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 4 of 4 - ST. LUCIA</span></span></a></div>
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Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com2Bequia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines13.0122965 -61.22773010000003112.950414 -61.308411100000029 13.074178999999999 -61.147049100000032tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-89025462666826157312015-10-26T17:00:00.000-04:002015-11-09T22:23:14.669-04:00DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 2 of 4 - CARRIACOU<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>CARRIACOU, GRENADA
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Wednesday, October 21<sup>st</sup>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The weather and sea conditions were so good that Momo was able to be on deck for part of our sail. The ride was so smooth, I'm not sure he even realized that we were underway! </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Momo looking up at the Genoa sail</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We arrived to Carriacou at around 4:30pm and anchored in Tyrrel Bay. There were quite a few boats, and the water was bluer than I had remembered. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou</span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVu50Ct1XbCEV9IShmL_uU_QON1qksiyvnzO8gTq1KTB6dR9qGhIZo7edJmck0MUDdCUQ0BbIBWEUSVNRpk_NNEDgP8qGzR0uuqE5GSUm_wGZr57W__pqPCBudPz3Te59ZPjnViWHMZ4/s1600/IMG_20150807_141404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVu50Ct1XbCEV9IShmL_uU_QON1qksiyvnzO8gTq1KTB6dR9qGhIZo7edJmck0MUDdCUQ0BbIBWEUSVNRpk_NNEDgP8qGzR0uuqE5GSUm_wGZr57W__pqPCBudPz3Te59ZPjnViWHMZ4/s400/IMG_20150807_141404.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We went for a swim and took
boat showers, put the motor on the dinghy, then dinghied to shore. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dad enjoying his swim in clear blue waters</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We had dinner at the <a href="http://www.lazyturtlewi.com/" target="_blank">Lazy Turtle restaurant</a>. The pizzas were
delicious. We were told that they are
the best pizzas in the country, and I have to agree. There was a birthday party there, and
everyone in attendance was wearing brightly colored wigs. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lazyturtlewi.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.lazyturtlewi.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/image.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lazy Turtle is a great little beach-side restaurant</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-7PIDpVGDLYY4JbhHzdsB9QYRxu59TcvfHcMTb9A8tMmthwG76rVGCh-TpoVRrgr56oVGbBujabuw8ZaDIAMQ_6GA-vT9ru2WQM5zqqJ2J5tFu_f5jOneLEd4Q-pXtRsYuA5XcCqVC8/s1600/IMG_20150807_181531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-7PIDpVGDLYY4JbhHzdsB9QYRxu59TcvfHcMTb9A8tMmthwG76rVGCh-TpoVRrgr56oVGbBujabuw8ZaDIAMQ_6GA-vT9ru2WQM5zqqJ2J5tFu_f5jOneLEd4Q-pXtRsYuA5XcCqVC8/s400/IMG_20150807_181531.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sunset in Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After filling our bellies we walked down the
beach in the moonlit night and checked out the boatyard and the fuel dock. On the way back to the boat the dinghy
started to act up, and wasn’t running right.
Probably time for new spark plugs. Oh, boats…always something!<i> </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Monday, October 26 -</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I made eggs and pancakes for breakfast, then Skeeter
dinghied to shore to check us out of customs.
We needed fuel and water, and the fuel prices in Carriacou are duty
free. This is a significant savings when compared to the main island of Grenada, and they have quality fuel. In some places you can get cheap fuel off a barge from Venezuela, but the sediment and impurities in it are not worth the risk of harming our engine.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKerZQmu_PiY4Lsie4RA1J7wSfI6ohRkgHpkkg829MD2uSu0XxiBmGvBtZtVEicEXC5EasmxawEWj8g-Je_A7Wg_MYk4ZZC5c_ozR3xQ8xKawGzYiaDdLnz0JiqxgbV_MUyukv_E7SRtY/s1600/IMG_20150807_144934.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKerZQmu_PiY4Lsie4RA1J7wSfI6ohRkgHpkkg829MD2uSu0XxiBmGvBtZtVEicEXC5EasmxawEWj8g-Je_A7Wg_MYk4ZZC5c_ozR3xQ8xKawGzYiaDdLnz0JiqxgbV_MUyukv_E7SRtY/s400/IMG_20150807_144934.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Around 30% off retail price when you get duty free!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.carriacoumarine.com/" target="_blank">Carriacou Marine</a> has a great reputation for having good prices and doing good work. For that reason, a lot of boaters haul their boats out here. We might haul Salt Whistle out there next year to do some work.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Salt Whistle has only been on a dock a
handful of times since we’ve owned her, and I had yet to be behind the wheel
any of those times. The fuel dock in
Carriacou is a bit of a tricky approach for a sailboat with very limited
maneuverability, since there are lots of obstacles and shallow reef right in
front of the dock. And to add to the
stress, a little hobie cat under sail was coming straight at us in the narrow channel and I had
nowhere I could move. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's usually me driving the boat, but I hadn't put her on a dock yet </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Despite the
obstacles, I pulled up to the dock perfectly on my own for the first time,
after yelling at my crew just a little bit.
The dock master said he couldn’t believe it was my first time, since he
always sees people crash into this dock and I put her on it so smoothly. He said I put those other guys to shame. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Skeeter filled our tanks with duty free diesel, including our 2
jerry cans to have a little bit extra just in case. Those jerry cans of diesel saved us in the past, since one time we didn't realize our fuel gauge wasn't working and we ran out of fuel during a storm! Thanks to those extra few gallons of fuel we were able to make it safely into port.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter filling our fuel tanks with duty free diesel</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On the other side of the dock was a sailboat
with a couple from Detroit, Michigan who were about to perform a de-naming
ceremony. We had never seen this before,
and were very interested in witnessing it.
It involved reading a poem to the sea gods and making an offering of red
wine into the sea over the bow. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pouring the wine overboard during the ceremony</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Making a toast</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After waiting for the other boat to finish filling their water tanks I filled
up our water tank and jerry cans. We only use the starboard water tank right now, since we think the port side and forward water tanks have leaks in them. It is going to be difficult to figure out where the leaks are and to repair them, since the water tanks are underneath the floorboards and access is extremely limited.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm ready to fill up our water tank & jerry cans</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I was somehow distracted when
the dock master gave me the bill and I didn’t realize until we had left the country that
we had been grossly overcharged for water.
It said we bought 366 gallons when we only really got around 50. Damn! I need to pay attention next time! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Maybe I should have been checking the bill instead of posing for a picture!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We got a later start than intended because of breakfast and
fueling taking so long. We left
Carriacou at 1:30pm and sailed to the Grenadines. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Approaching Union Island, Grenadines</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">About to entry a new country</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We put up the main and the genoa, but soon
decided to furl in the genoa and motor sail because we were racing the clock to
get to customs before 4:30pm to avoid the overtime fee, and we had to fight
against a strong current.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Racing the sunset</span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/10/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-1-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 1 of 4 - GRENADA</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/10/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-2-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 2 of 4 - CARRIACOU</span></span></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/10/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-3-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 3 of 4 - ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES</span></span></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/11/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-4-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 4 of 4 - ST. LUCIA</span></span></span></a></div>
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Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com2Carriacou, Grenada12.4785888 -61.449384212.354562300000001 -61.610745699999995 12.6026153 -61.2880227tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-79264070460110868402015-10-25T21:42:00.000-04:002016-01-27T11:28:19.070-04:00DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 1 of 4 - GRENADA<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a very last minute decision, Dad decided to fly down to Grenada to join us aboard Salt Whistle. He had always enjoyed reading books about sailing and spending time at sea, and now he would get to experience it first hand. Skeeter and I had spent the hurricane season in Grenada, just south of the usual hurricane zone, and were now beginning our passage north so we could find work and save up for another adventure. We decided that this would be a good opportunity for all of us to sail the seas together. The adventures were plentiful, so I am breaking this blog into a 4 part series.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><u><b>Dates of Dad's adventure:</b></u><b> </b></i><b>October 21 – November 1, 2015</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u>Nautical Miles Sailed:</u> </i>160 </b></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><u>Countries visited:</u></b></i><b> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Grenada (Prickly
Bay, St. George’s, & Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou), </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>St. Vincent and the
Grenadines (Frigate Island, Bequia)</b><b>, </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>St. Lucia (Marigot
Bay, Rodney Bay)</b></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>GRENADA – </u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Wednesday, October 21<sup>st</sup>
– </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Brian drove Dad to O’Hare airport in Chicago at 6am. He had layovers in New York & Miami, but
all flights went smoothly and were on time.
When he arrived to Maurice Bishop Airport in Grenada, Skeeter and I were
there waiting. Dad had a little bit of
trouble at customs, since he struggled to understand the West Indian accent,
but the customs officer finally gave up and just let him through. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/c0/34/31/maurice-bishop-international.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/c0/34/31/maurice-bishop-international.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Grenada's Maurice Bishop International Airport</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Dad walked out of the airport into the humid
night. We exchanged hugs and listened to
stories about his trip, then grabbed a taxi to Prickly Bay. We were impressed that he was able to pack light, with a little bit of guidance, fitting everything into a little backpack and duffel bag. Before heading out to the boat we stopped at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/timbersgrenada/" target="_blank">Timbers</a>,
a restaurant on the water next to <a href="http://spiceislandmarine.com/" target="_blank">Spice Island Boatyard</a>, for a drink. Dad tried
a rum & coke, made with Grenadian rum, Skeeter had a local ginger ale, and
I had a golden apple juice.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/12004837_731714910306680_1643471511153796352_n.jpg?oh=9416f1fb3047e0df995a8f8d5ccf9a7c&oe=56F90213" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/12004837_731714910306680_1643471511153796352_n.jpg?oh=9416f1fb3047e0df995a8f8d5ccf9a7c&oe=56F90213" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Timbers Bar & Grill</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We climbed into our little 8ft. dinghy, turned on our
navigation lights since it was dark out except for the stars, and buzzed over
to Salt Whistle. We gave Dad an
orientation around the boat. We showed
him his bathroom (he’d have to share the toilet with our fur-baby, Momo), set up his
bed (a pull-out couch in the main salon), and sat outside for a little while
under the stars. I gave him a book about
Caribbean pirates to read and a headlamp, and we all went to bed. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNauEvfADTzRAb0gKOJVtNn6ub7sgYh2JnyozmE3vcASDTFiTSxhpJjQOovv_EOZQ79YYVpcXCTCeUZOTRf_xYc4BL2vESkUyxW_cMaDJBmBdMl848kBg2_zNT3lmP9uTfvQNpmaFtPSk/s1600/IMG_20150810_220750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNauEvfADTzRAb0gKOJVtNn6ub7sgYh2JnyozmE3vcASDTFiTSxhpJjQOovv_EOZQ79YYVpcXCTCeUZOTRf_xYc4BL2vESkUyxW_cMaDJBmBdMl848kBg2_zNT3lmP9uTfvQNpmaFtPSk/s400/IMG_20150810_220750.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dad was a good sport about sharing the toilet with this guy!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Thursday, October 22<sup>nd</sup>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> In the morning, Dad got his first view of Prickly Bay and all of the surrounding boats. Arriving in the dark can be disorienting!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pOvwye1Je4TDlw9oDhAB3_Hp_1yvLwogaiJSPYJQ526oN2Xsy1oTWlD6AuU45Kr3W1I3V2GrulsIJdJJOgbYuofT0q6MxXvsbZIDFK8gxN58YCZXdzZrFpb1FVfeV7k5GUP2FpzGsoY/s1600/IMG_20150908_085053.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pOvwye1Je4TDlw9oDhAB3_Hp_1yvLwogaiJSPYJQ526oN2Xsy1oTWlD6AuU45Kr3W1I3V2GrulsIJdJJOgbYuofT0q6MxXvsbZIDFK8gxN58YCZXdzZrFpb1FVfeV7k5GUP2FpzGsoY/s400/IMG_20150908_085053.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aerial view of Prickly Bay, with Salt Whistle circled</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We dinghied over to <a href="http://pricklybaymarina.com/" target="_blank">Prickly Bay Marina</a> and walked to the US
Embassy so Skeeter and I could pick up our new passports. The Grenada embassy was amazingly quick in
getting them renewed for us. It only
took 5 days! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Across the street from the
Embassy was a really nice house for sale.
Out of curiosity, we walked over to see what they were asking. The owner was a very friendly man, and he
showed us around the house. It had a
separate unit upstairs which could be rented out, and lots of breezy outdoor
sitting areas and balconies. The garden
was beautiful, bursting with color from all of the tropical flowers. He was asking almost $800k. Definitely not something we could afford, but
a beautiful place, in a good location, on a wonderful island.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.propertyingrenada.com/images/listing_photos/1301_grenadarealestate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.propertyingrenada.com/images/listing_photos/1301_grenadarealestate.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.propertyingrenada.com/index.php?action=listingview&listingID=1301" target="_blank">Click here to see listing</a></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On the walk back to Prickly Bay we stopped by the little
beach and looked out at Salt Whistle and all of the other boats. We picked up our filled propane cylinder from
the marina, and then we headed back to our boat to drop it off. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our stomachs told us that it was getting to
be lunch time. We dinghied over to the
Spice Island Marine side of the bay and walked toward St. George’s University
to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Azizs-We-Ting/327643110725132" target="_blank">Aziz’s We Ting restaurant</a>. <a href="http://www.sgu.edu/" target="_blank">St. George’s University</a> is Grenada’s international medical school. There are many students from all over the
world, including the United States, Canada, England, Europe, and other
Caribbean islands. Most students are
studying to become doctors or veterinarians, though there are some other
smaller programs as well. Not a bad idea: earn a degree in paradise.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMklLaMt9vSPkQ4JCpdhSfjnqfENprNf7PhsbAuMy_w2QJ8ity2o8VqO0c8X2nfNHxM-j0OFkvZyg6aW-b4YPmiOVuevPPGqILszBCLmeTJTElR-Mm5rTNd4GQrGsa4S_0uhq7y4DC4Ho/s1600/IMG_0382.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMklLaMt9vSPkQ4JCpdhSfjnqfENprNf7PhsbAuMy_w2QJ8ity2o8VqO0c8X2nfNHxM-j0OFkvZyg6aW-b4YPmiOVuevPPGqILszBCLmeTJTElR-Mm5rTNd4GQrGsa4S_0uhq7y4DC4Ho/s400/IMG_0382.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">St. George's University overlooks the Caribbean</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Skeeter and I had been to Aziz’s restaurant once before, and
were excited to have an opportunity to return.
Aziz is a really cool guy whose parents are from Syria and
Trinidad. He makes great burgers,
shwarma, and salads. Skeeter and Dad
ordered the Aziz burger, and I ordered the chicken salad. They were enormous and delicious, and cheap
for Grenada standards.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWL3fFK6Rol5a2Cms_HlGimIFKFLA1515UV0sc-m5CB2sMHCKM1L7OoZk6EXOr6uSgCYPJcYTCDd6qFkRlH8InaTTyB64VFK55aAhgGNuztuAU_1MpZA60tXOh4TczWmeClIogHBhrwI/s1600/IMG_0342.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWL3fFK6Rol5a2Cms_HlGimIFKFLA1515UV0sc-m5CB2sMHCKM1L7OoZk6EXOr6uSgCYPJcYTCDd6qFkRlH8InaTTyB64VFK55aAhgGNuztuAU_1MpZA60tXOh4TczWmeClIogHBhrwI/s400/IMG_0342.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ridiculously delicious gigantic portions</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMtmvXPZ88RwODaQZrrthvVDEdmRfF255DoqGNQGtrrqimC7YF6KDt5iWVMUEkNXKlYMTHBhcQ9GKmbP2v1IOP3bWqDzRUT0TghW9enZJ37ez8YmlWSScls6CZ5JLRBlaHEFDHO_qzQ8/s1600/IMG_0343.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMtmvXPZ88RwODaQZrrthvVDEdmRfF255DoqGNQGtrrqimC7YF6KDt5iWVMUEkNXKlYMTHBhcQ9GKmbP2v1IOP3bWqDzRUT0TghW9enZJ37ez8YmlWSScls6CZ5JLRBlaHEFDHO_qzQ8/s400/IMG_0343.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dad enjoying his locally brewed beer & gigantic burger</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After lunch we decided to paddleboard to beach. Dad had never paddleboarded before, so he
decided to kneel rather than stand. Skeeter
took the other paddleboard, and I swam, pulling and guiding Dad’s paddleboard
until he got the hang of it. The beach
was a farther swim than I thought, and I was pooped by the time we got
there. Dad was tired from all that
paddling, too. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/97/12/6c/97126c234a496fe8cf85627678e1ccce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/97/12/6c/97126c234a496fe8cf85627678e1ccce.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Prickly Bay Beach</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We met a couple of
English women, one of which was a veterinary medicine professor at the
university. Her friend had never
paddleboarded before, so we let her give it a try. She struggled to go from kneeling to
standing, because trying to balance your very first time is a real challenge
and your legs tend to be shaky. Also at
the beach, Dad got his first lesson about sea life when he accidentally swam
into a rope and got stung by the hydroids living on it. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.towerpaddleboards.com/v/vspfiles/photos/INTL-BD-TWR-ADV-PKG-11.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.towerpaddleboards.com/v/vspfiles/photos/INTL-BD-TWR-ADV-PKG-11.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We love our <a href="https://www.towerpaddleboards.com/iSUP-p/bd-twr-adv-pkg.htm" target="_blank">Tower Inflatable Paddleboards</a></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On the way back to the boat we formed a paddleboard
train. Dad sat on the back of my
paddleboard while I paddled (we were the caboose), and we were tied to
Skeeter’s paddleboard (the engine). It
must have been quite a scene. It was a
challenge to stay balanced, and I had to remind Dad not to wiggle at all or we
would fall. We had a couple of close
calls, but somehow we managed to make it all the way back to the boat like this
without ending up in the water. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7Lf1wkepDGD9i0MfFyIXK1dADceh0xgUPo7ThymMYyIDtqv8byTVRLvOVPrBmsqbIOU4gEVDcrBBQGaQFrg4RuvGWCW3qSI-UER4xbKhUQL9afbE5P_oqAUQYUVUEWujMXhbe_cg9Xc/s1600/IMG_20150515_092514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7Lf1wkepDGD9i0MfFyIXK1dADceh0xgUPo7ThymMYyIDtqv8byTVRLvOVPrBmsqbIOU4gEVDcrBBQGaQFrg4RuvGWCW3qSI-UER4xbKhUQL9afbE5P_oqAUQYUVUEWujMXhbe_cg9Xc/s400/IMG_20150515_092514.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Boat showers require only 10 seconds of fresh water</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When we got back, we taught Dad how to take a “boat shower.” Water is a very valuable commodity when you
live on a boat, so we are very conservative with our water usage. We get wet in the ocean, climb aboard and
soap up, jump back in the ocean to rinse the soap off, and then use only a few
seconds of fresh water from the deck hose to rinse off the salt. Dad took to boat showers like a champ, and he
actually said he liked them. Tonight we
took our boat showers as the sun was setting, and we drip dried as we watched
the sun go down.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0N9XhnwofWKf1PvV9XEOosk-lNJRKqPvczi6VWb_bv68G_o-rZoVUwsa2rm1vWAamzjxH95bDBnNjqhDV5rM82OXBtKixAfQKQb8qBMOf_QpsagCD6IS1_4g9N7uKGodi66I4-o5DUo8/s1600/IMG_20151021_174234.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0N9XhnwofWKf1PvV9XEOosk-lNJRKqPvczi6VWb_bv68G_o-rZoVUwsa2rm1vWAamzjxH95bDBnNjqhDV5rM82OXBtKixAfQKQb8qBMOf_QpsagCD6IS1_4g9N7uKGodi66I4-o5DUo8/s400/IMG_20151021_174234.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sunset over Prickly Bay</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For dinner I made a Caribbean curry in the pressure
cooker. It had goat meat, curry &
spices, coconut milk, rice, pumpkin, peppers, okra, eggplant, green onion, and
carrots. We watched “The Secret Life of
Walter Mitty,” though Dad fell asleep part way through because he was tired
after so much walking, swimming, and paddleboarding.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj72hXeLRjhIgJYeU-FheC_hVLQL4O1ek8unk8UqDA8fR_OJmHWZC1XU_E-EmkvEEzAR6w9vmUNl1oCrjHXiJ9gye6aQeoeP8E3M6-hRg6EkwEU69xowAYdn6e5OZZNYQkNUxOR2rYIryM/s1600/The+Secret+Life+of+Walter+Mitty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj72hXeLRjhIgJYeU-FheC_hVLQL4O1ek8unk8UqDA8fR_OJmHWZC1XU_E-EmkvEEzAR6w9vmUNl1oCrjHXiJ9gye6aQeoeP8E3M6-hRg6EkwEU69xowAYdn6e5OZZNYQkNUxOR2rYIryM/s400/The+Secret+Life+of+Walter+Mitty.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Friday, October 23 -</i></span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Skeeter made us oatmeal for breakfast, because we knew we’d
need energy for our action packed day today.
We were going to hike to a waterfall!
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We dinghied to Spice Island Marine and made the mistake of getting on a
local bus that wasn’t on the regular bus route.
We should have just walked a few blocks to get on a #1 bus on the
regular route, but the driver convinced us to get in. He drove went back to the parking lot by the
dinghy dock (where we just came from), and sat there for about 20 minutes. We would have surely gotten off if he didn’t
tell us every time we were about to give up on him “just one more minute.” He managed to fill all but 3 seats on the bus
with other boaters arriving at the dinghy dock, then, hallelujah, he started
driving. He honked at every single
person he saw walking and slowed down the bus to see if he could convince
anyone else to get on. Each bus is
privately owned, so the more passengers a driver gets, the more money he
makes. There is a bus and taxi
association on Grenada that regulates prices and routes. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OzfbKqn3MkfDf0KF-RLIRcee-ru2CQKi0IMXNtG8ihLQLnfmZZy8hFwZadZLTL7aaK6DBDjJXFQA8fXDHtHrsFdz75PXHi8gz3_61XjtJpo7km0-Um5_fXj4zr9L7o8GjfaFHmGrcGQ/s1600/IMG_20151023_152329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OzfbKqn3MkfDf0KF-RLIRcee-ru2CQKi0IMXNtG8ihLQLnfmZZy8hFwZadZLTL7aaK6DBDjJXFQA8fXDHtHrsFdz75PXHi8gz3_61XjtJpo7km0-Um5_fXj4zr9L7o8GjfaFHmGrcGQ/s400/IMG_20151023_152329.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dad experiencing a local Grenadian bus</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He stopped at the gas station to fill up his tank, which
took another 15 minutes. Included in the
stop was a chat with his friends and a photo shoot with a man in motorcycle
racing gear, helmet and all, sponsored by the “Rubis” gas station we were at. By this time we had been sitting in that bus,
sweating, for 40 minutes. We should have
already arrived downtown by now, but we had only made it about a mile. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i0.wp.com/thenewtoday.gd/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Rubis-Gas-Station.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i0.wp.com/thenewtoday.gd/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Rubis-Gas-Station.jpg" height="255" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The gas station in Grenada</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We were finally fueled up and back on the
road. Our overly eager driver continued
stopping for every person he passed and going off route in hopes of picking up
more passengers. He even went off route
into the mall parking lot so he could give door-side service to a cute Danish
girl. This was the most torturous bus
ride ever. We finally arrived downtown. What normally would have taken us 20 minutes
took us an hour and a half! He could
have done the route four times if he would have stuck to the program!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After sitting on the bus so long we needed to find a
bathroom. There was one at the main bus
terminal, but we had to pay $1 EC (around $.40 US) each to use it. That’s pretty standard in Grenada. Public toilets are available, but you pay a
fee to cover the cost of toilet paper, water, and maintenance. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_85PIjY2FHF-ScIl6MMqSnvMoUWzZayM1lElPFyx-CdTkOK9sd88vhleUpI4qzutw84VOHFxr9LjWtSLd8miUpNlmrVBNvYpkgAQAicKQbgSCGn3XY5jDhVWmorqgQtWinqBlSF5WN8/s1600/IMG_20150810_124807.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_85PIjY2FHF-ScIl6MMqSnvMoUWzZayM1lElPFyx-CdTkOK9sd88vhleUpI4qzutw84VOHFxr9LjWtSLd8miUpNlmrVBNvYpkgAQAicKQbgSCGn3XY5jDhVWmorqgQtWinqBlSF5WN8/s400/IMG_20150810_124807.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Downtown St. George's</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Downtown St. George’s was packed with people. It was almost shoulder to shoulder in the
streets. I’m not sure if it was because
it was a Friday, or because it was the start of a holiday weekend (Grenada’s
Thanksgiving).</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHB-aGFtObagtwCecHu6qrupr0ngUfsz-LOfR2mJV46PrSrxNEZ9LKn7DIWm4fDbWzN5LyJEqF7Tz-ZXNpB6Z3WMszgEeZsQreWOOylaiUKMKVE5vSlhXQEz88IouUMUZqZfIl4GNFb8c/s1600/grenada+bus+station.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHB-aGFtObagtwCecHu6qrupr0ngUfsz-LOfR2mJV46PrSrxNEZ9LKn7DIWm4fDbWzN5LyJEqF7Tz-ZXNpB6Z3WMszgEeZsQreWOOylaiUKMKVE5vSlhXQEz88IouUMUZqZfIl4GNFb8c/s400/grenada+bus+station.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The #2 bus to Mt. Carmel</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We packed into a #2 bus to Mt. Carmel, and the bus departed
as soon as we got on. Dad got to sit in
the front with the driver, next to the window, so he got the best view. The mountainous roads in Grenada are steep,
narrow, and windy, and often times it seems there isn’t enough room to pass
oncoming traffic. But somehow the drivers
make it work. Sometimes they pass so
close you couldn’t even fit a sheet of paper in between them. We passed plantations, small mountain
villages, a rum refinery, and scenic overlooks.
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KLobW5ooF5GWPaLjy0HY4jgQZV4DclrJOhwBdmcWGAovWT7dax5u7tkoU2bd_ehpUeSFuWRphG67L6ge_3Uhv5TVFPcl6fRpIcPH5WSAApa_rVsGe181HWczocCi9NQQhigykKBOl3A/s1600/12122385_10100864807405849_496164114780833268_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KLobW5ooF5GWPaLjy0HY4jgQZV4DclrJOhwBdmcWGAovWT7dax5u7tkoU2bd_ehpUeSFuWRphG67L6ge_3Uhv5TVFPcl6fRpIcPH5WSAApa_rVsGe181HWczocCi9NQQhigykKBOl3A/s400/12122385_10100864807405849_496164114780833268_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beautiful views of the interior of Grenada</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There was a loud drunk man in the back of the bus who was shouting his
political views at the driver. There was a military coup in Grenada in 1983, which led to US involvement. Click <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Grenada" target="_blank">here</a> to learn more about the invasion of Grenada. Some Grenadians supported the rebels, while others did not. The drunk man and the driver had opposing views, and the driver tried to
drown out the drunk man's political preaching by turning up the music.
Everyone was telling the guy to be quiet, but he wouldn’t. I was surprised the driver didn’t make him
get off the bus. When the drunk guy did
finally get off, he grabbed Dad by the arm, said something incoherent, and
called him “the Venezuelan.” He paid the
driver and everyone on the bus was shouting to the driver not to give the man
his change. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A little further up the
driver let us out at the tiny village of Mt. Carmel, and yelled to a friend to
take us to the path to the waterfall.</span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The guy’s name was Dexter, and we decided to let him guide
us to the waterfall and show us the different plants and trees along the
way. He showed us mango trees, papaya
(known as paw-paw in Grenada), golden apple trees, soursop trees, banana
plants, coconut trees, lilies, almond trees, and more. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Bd5rJysElq47ivx-i29_pCjkH0z5iXYdKF9hXDYm11FupUM3gbK1o7j0H0Pn6HWfwfOFvCRjXBnIUFJ1SfBIXTW0y0LqkB2B1i3jYNVo1SWkzh7E-_Ac6S1tt0hn-dE4OKoUeoY22Hc/s1600/IMG_0344.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Bd5rJysElq47ivx-i29_pCjkH0z5iXYdKF9hXDYm11FupUM3gbK1o7j0H0Pn6HWfwfOFvCRjXBnIUFJ1SfBIXTW0y0LqkB2B1i3jYNVo1SWkzh7E-_Ac6S1tt0hn-dE4OKoUeoY22Hc/s400/IMG_0344.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dexter, showing us some figs (banana's cousin)</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTzzYp_j9-iPytQJ-otctLfFtuJUTvinBBAU4qmU3sEBBQskaLJRqljathXVW22MZPVZ0Ofbpx399doFTd-jjdSdmx0sLzdalaUviIvUUICHlDOyXJ9QhgNijnh87VmN6IWw7q3JnmI5g/s1600/IMG_20151023_140009.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTzzYp_j9-iPytQJ-otctLfFtuJUTvinBBAU4qmU3sEBBQskaLJRqljathXVW22MZPVZ0Ofbpx399doFTd-jjdSdmx0sLzdalaUviIvUUICHlDOyXJ9QhgNijnh87VmN6IWw7q3JnmI5g/s400/IMG_20151023_140009.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A papaya tree (locally known as paw-paw)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He talked me into standing on a log with him
for a picture, but as soon as I stood on the log it began rolling down the
mountainside. Good thing I have quick
reflexes and jumped off in time! Down by
the river he got us some almonds and broke them open with a rock. It really made us appreciate how difficult it
is to get a single almond! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0J2vKzjd6r8kwPHctgMv_EMjxsW-2xmCT_HIYlPAm2X1fOSdhRskdjYrAn5cHisBADC3AfFIpQfFUjBK_AVZuFWxx4LykTV62CWRhy-gjaQ-u9DziMvJvg3k81eakE7Y6_rUrpwOc7nM/s1600/IMG_20151023_134318.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0J2vKzjd6r8kwPHctgMv_EMjxsW-2xmCT_HIYlPAm2X1fOSdhRskdjYrAn5cHisBADC3AfFIpQfFUjBK_AVZuFWxx4LykTV62CWRhy-gjaQ-u9DziMvJvg3k81eakE7Y6_rUrpwOc7nM/s400/IMG_20151023_134318.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dexter used a rock to crack open the almond</span></span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipO-DgBUxOx955rM2R_NEMu2Y6FqrCGmh8qvt-8iZABmZGW60dhyphenhyphengYfoF_nMpdvkCCrfA_i5YIrEdHEdyMRKVSy0KvjQg8ZYPPS5iokvdirNxnv6vZjqnOi2A2CphtDUML7kDx487t2Mg/s1600/IMG_20151023_134234.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipO-DgBUxOx955rM2R_NEMu2Y6FqrCGmh8qvt-8iZABmZGW60dhyphenhyphengYfoF_nMpdvkCCrfA_i5YIrEdHEdyMRKVSy0KvjQg8ZYPPS5iokvdirNxnv6vZjqnOi2A2CphtDUML7kDx487t2Mg/s400/IMG_20151023_134234.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dexter giving <span style="color: #0000ee;">Dad an almond</span></span><u><br /></u></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeziAe87cd_F32qFLzAGQLKnuGoGERFrk33aF4kbWvfOvG2UClh9gRwc5KqaVgmFgwt-61hmg7_eSSbdvmaSHysR-ivRKw6SFT_HmXM_1lHmDDMU2qB7JFgmGOBsio2-CLNsTZp7ZDfXc/s1600/IMG_0356.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeziAe87cd_F32qFLzAGQLKnuGoGERFrk33aF4kbWvfOvG2UClh9gRwc5KqaVgmFgwt-61hmg7_eSSbdvmaSHysR-ivRKw6SFT_HmXM_1lHmDDMU2qB7JFgmGOBsio2-CLNsTZp7ZDfXc/s400/IMG_0356.JPG" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We made it to the waterfall!</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The waterfall was tall, wide, and beautiful. We thanked Dexter for escorting us down there
and gave him a generous tip. There were
a lot of people down there, maybe because it was a holiday weekend (Grenada’s
Thanksgiving is on Monday). Some people
were cooking an “oil down,” a traditional Grenadian coconut curry stew, over a wood fire next
to the waterfall. The smoke was a bit
overwhelming, but it dissipated after the food was finished cooking. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMnY1UtdBvYdov56HtoH4xJf_1kDCWkM3MqLJGlQwiXr_oBHKajoPk1UGP7Gu3w9SHo2CRZqvFzznjTgEXVXacF-KK4IeEr29spUD4ohGjQnIFtaq6iFvhFqllopM3GooufczMYKlLQ4/s1600/IMG_0345.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></span> </span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzzTpBSZjZjn1_JsXOPuOXvBt2ip4DttOylNkc9GLGIVpec_RdKXiLsVsIqWtXjWt3E2RrvdIdrwd9cnn0Ii1VkK3SoGTNMr33jpyO6DNQXs4auJNF-kfmse4TyluROy05xQaH_AZLZw/s1600/IMG_20150827_132935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzzTpBSZjZjn1_JsXOPuOXvBt2ip4DttOylNkc9GLGIVpec_RdKXiLsVsIqWtXjWt3E2RrvdIdrwd9cnn0Ii1VkK3SoGTNMr33jpyO6DNQXs4auJNF-kfmse4TyluROy05xQaH_AZLZw/s400/IMG_20150827_132935.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Traditional Grenadian Oil Down</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The rocks were slippery, so we took our time
and were careful as we made our way toward the waterfall. We stood under the falling water and went for
a swim in the fresh water pools. We even
found a bar of soap, so we took advantage of the opportunity and cleaned
ourselves.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEulzY_ZI_W_3j4FL2GKZGOboMjJu1wTbZ4OmN2W1xad5pIAXzPFcdm51_xkX2af65YvunfWrS-4eGb6X0KlDKduoregU5tK5q5EBUQLOM9XyHkINrF-T9gbuZzPKRjaUasA8d1zk4nW4/s1600/IMG_0348.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEulzY_ZI_W_3j4FL2GKZGOboMjJu1wTbZ4OmN2W1xad5pIAXzPFcdm51_xkX2af65YvunfWrS-4eGb6X0KlDKduoregU5tK5q5EBUQLOM9XyHkINrF-T9gbuZzPKRjaUasA8d1zk4nW4/s400/IMG_0348.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dad & I at the Mt. Carmel Waterfall</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xkhZD3un2Er4r4EHLMkg1vysOq0W1lDAJDUVY1Ip6tKWr4AEg9yGVBwaD4QrdF0DEskT_RUOCUW4klL_cUQ8iXlewwSqQzpmHTBHiEnKCpfZToMk7lc4QeTkZnCOTsi0BsQl-H4lYGU/s1600/IMG_20151023_144233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xkhZD3un2Er4r4EHLMkg1vysOq0W1lDAJDUVY1Ip6tKWr4AEg9yGVBwaD4QrdF0DEskT_RUOCUW4klL_cUQ8iXlewwSqQzpmHTBHiEnKCpfZToMk7lc4QeTkZnCOTsi0BsQl-H4lYGU/s400/IMG_20151023_144233.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter & Dad after a nice swim in the waterfall pools</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEOH4anSKgB2N4YYTrVY0_Ie6S1mjKCNdy1bM-e-pEVnAU6Fj20HHLctS5xKBFiUt69i3aaqNdV-jccCJrk-TFFWv7XkAyJIyiUwwYFAqeRyg-9FcceZO-hQhQVy37aKoqWhPp6TJ8Og/s1600/IMG_20151023_150216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEOH4anSKgB2N4YYTrVY0_Ie6S1mjKCNdy1bM-e-pEVnAU6Fj20HHLctS5xKBFiUt69i3aaqNdV-jccCJrk-TFFWv7XkAyJIyiUwwYFAqeRyg-9FcceZO-hQhQVy37aKoqWhPp6TJ8Og/s400/IMG_20151023_150216.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A wild lily</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When we were leaving, one of the local guys claimed that we
had used his soap that he uses to do his laundry. And that Dad cleaned himself “all over.” I wasn’t sure if he was joking or not, but it was a good laugh. I
apologized and said I’d bring a new bar of soap next time we come. It’ll have to be next year! </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMnY1UtdBvYdov56HtoH4xJf_1kDCWkM3MqLJGlQwiXr_oBHKajoPk1UGP7Gu3w9SHo2CRZqvFzznjTgEXVXacF-KK4IeEr29spUD4ohGjQnIFtaq6iFvhFqllopM3GooufczMYKlLQ4/s1600/IMG_0345.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMnY1UtdBvYdov56HtoH4xJf_1kDCWkM3MqLJGlQwiXr_oBHKajoPk1UGP7Gu3w9SHo2CRZqvFzznjTgEXVXacF-KK4IeEr29spUD4ohGjQnIFtaq6iFvhFqllopM3GooufczMYKlLQ4/s400/IMG_0345.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter & I, hiking back up to town</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></span> </span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cTO5W29MEt-gdqt5lEFDoWYYdu6cGFEatCGVupmaGw-morcnDGc7v_0p_8XS0WmknyGnZxFLYxgTXqdWrK9ofCrXnT-f6XNTCUUXeqICzpYEp14lm1NbwGvDN0LZiOn7UwgRRmjGg3M/s1600/IMG_0361.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cTO5W29MEt-gdqt5lEFDoWYYdu6cGFEatCGVupmaGw-morcnDGc7v_0p_8XS0WmknyGnZxFLYxgTXqdWrK9ofCrXnT-f6XNTCUUXeqICzpYEp14lm1NbwGvDN0LZiOn7UwgRRmjGg3M/s400/IMG_0361.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A banana flower and tree</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnu9WXnTupCJ1nJFZylqOgRtUJDJPsaO2CTVste_UpG3K-fnJpNHzl_Lu1C4SS_Trwyq5HaSl6mnrf4fyJdOJiIHxT0Z1bXYkLIVhPTJaBF7Y4wPv-ZvTBMNQHUt70wLecddTaTxMOTDI/s1600/IMG_20151023_145432.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnu9WXnTupCJ1nJFZylqOgRtUJDJPsaO2CTVste_UpG3K-fnJpNHzl_Lu1C4SS_Trwyq5HaSl6mnrf4fyJdOJiIHxT0Z1bXYkLIVhPTJaBF7Y4wPv-ZvTBMNQHUt70wLecddTaTxMOTDI/s1600/IMG_20151023_145432.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter & Dad taking a break during the hike up</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We hiked back up to the town of Mt. Carmel,
and Dexter had an avocado, some roasted corn on the cob, and a bag of golden
apples for us. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdOUJEPlPfNcLSFEpNUtYcIQUU1h6PXMuExhUcdtG3mt7krIZjiBY5W9utANmaCP0w4cyBL6qsIaakoq0I_pPfKT3Ev05XW34jOWQCgTLjELrfRP5uc8EZi4bT8CyfnfnNr_IcBITgV8/s1600/IMG_20151023_151149.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdOUJEPlPfNcLSFEpNUtYcIQUU1h6PXMuExhUcdtG3mt7krIZjiBY5W9utANmaCP0w4cyBL6qsIaakoq0I_pPfKT3Ev05XW34jOWQCgTLjELrfRP5uc8EZi4bT8CyfnfnNr_IcBITgV8/s400/IMG_20151023_151149.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We made it back up to the town of Mt. Carmel</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We hopped on a #2 bus
back to the capital, St. George’s, and went to the Creole Shack, located
upstairs from a grocery store. The food
is served cafeteria style, and it’s local, delicious, and cheap. </span></span></div>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM2w4YE6VjhYQ4M4-FvIzvAZthQ5hJny7id25-fBZCv4Qt-5s1_636j7lqrhM0HhH2VfG53vmMmEv-DbosSpI1ad6sMS3WMP-tvJf6VNWhKb86iXb5k5cQgRgZ6jTJf-OFbTtHV3zs9rg/s1600/IMG_20151023_163717.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM2w4YE6VjhYQ4M4-FvIzvAZthQ5hJny7id25-fBZCv4Qt-5s1_636j7lqrhM0HhH2VfG53vmMmEv-DbosSpI1ad6sMS3WMP-tvJf6VNWhKb86iXb5k5cQgRgZ6jTJf-OFbTtHV3zs9rg/s400/IMG_20151023_163717.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stewed pork, rice & peas, pumpkin & coleslaw</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsO-AUPiDptiHmUYnAYC9SnkJ4xMLwpN9wZlgqjRpR_Scv5uR6RDTDrteSidP-jeu_X1Tw31WgPM-BdhswePw31R0fvDjuSK1WH-xgI6GlUrN7SJj3i1Kzc3_2XTEqIvTKXFYH2q8LxG4/s1600/IMG_20151023_163731.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsO-AUPiDptiHmUYnAYC9SnkJ4xMLwpN9wZlgqjRpR_Scv5uR6RDTDrteSidP-jeu_X1Tw31WgPM-BdhswePw31R0fvDjuSK1WH-xgI6GlUrN7SJj3i1Kzc3_2XTEqIvTKXFYH2q8LxG4/s400/IMG_20151023_163731.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dad is ready to dig in!</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCVn0LXNbz20i8kVRQgmxxSZl6k5rhoiF856jQr_7udI2aNpB9WzdbdIN1R4wq9LmYIQxP3FCIs-DP65T5MKisgjGOCn6RIAXhAym_DHcyEL6pgTD0eU9lwCCP9NIfB6t3hZORP4selM/s1600/IMG_20151023_163812.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCVn0LXNbz20i8kVRQgmxxSZl6k5rhoiF856jQr_7udI2aNpB9WzdbdIN1R4wq9LmYIQxP3FCIs-DP65T5MKisgjGOCn6RIAXhAym_DHcyEL6pgTD0eU9lwCCP9NIfB6t3hZORP4selM/s400/IMG_20151023_163812.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We love the Creole Shack!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Afterwards, we had locally made nutmeg ice
cream from the grocery store below. And
once more, we hopped on the #1 bus back to Prickly Bay. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Saturday, October 24 - </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We woke up at 5:45am so we could prepare the boat for our
sail to Carriacou. We had everything
secured, all ports and hatches closed, and were ready to raise the anchor and
head out. As soon as I put the engine
into gear I heard a horrible sound and immediately put it back into
neutral. We had been sitting in Prickly
Bay for 2 months now, and it seemed that our engine was out of alignment. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzhgeBddNiVG9tZyLcbLvsNmG8whhfZ4fTujJIZWPpR29MRU8D-y_E7tbgOqEn1521PlkYi2KVDihp7MIaFnWfN1JA1NIsxg40pYPEtbo03MKxV56bB72TplxiXIDSLbYnok7wkINNZo/s1600/P4114992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzhgeBddNiVG9tZyLcbLvsNmG8whhfZ4fTujJIZWPpR29MRU8D-y_E7tbgOqEn1521PlkYi2KVDihp7MIaFnWfN1JA1NIsxg40pYPEtbo03MKxV56bB72TplxiXIDSLbYnok7wkINNZo/s400/P4114992.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">New engine means frequent alignment</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Because we have a new engine, the alignment
needs to be readjusted from time to time as it settles in and the rubber feet
on the engine mounts compress. The
slightest change in how the engine sits can cause the propeller shaft to wobble
when rotating, causing a terrible noise and eventually damage the transmission
and the engine.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4tE8CC1dWldnD2mvvJj1MDAOiiag4DMCNgRKnnXWVfJeWjHpggUo5Wmpt9GruKYe3qwKxSP2G2iOSYKQVEzECM2KJfXVexDZz9qcshlNRAYOxeUezxAbtmVgheNHc3Y9yNBd5cBgMGA/s1600/PC244948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4tE8CC1dWldnD2mvvJj1MDAOiiag4DMCNgRKnnXWVfJeWjHpggUo5Wmpt9GruKYe3qwKxSP2G2iOSYKQVEzECM2KJfXVexDZz9qcshlNRAYOxeUezxAbtmVgheNHc3Y9yNBd5cBgMGA/s400/PC244948.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The propeller shaft goes into the stuffing box</span></span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYuizqmmTyGUtLfBCZ1NUbAO9Xw1HJGxCnMsTARcC_Vv_mvREL46DtGfq5jCdns1dcFMv1lId8NM3YjSxxJUQ59PV9iVO1ire8HPI_etxXvp0fuXbkqTYElHjaPAkWWXBToPEMUUH4oUc/s1600/PC244953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYuizqmmTyGUtLfBCZ1NUbAO9Xw1HJGxCnMsTARcC_Vv_mvREL46DtGfq5jCdns1dcFMv1lId8NM3YjSxxJUQ59PV9iVO1ire8HPI_etxXvp0fuXbkqTYElHjaPAkWWXBToPEMUUH4oUc/s400/PC244953.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And this hose makes alignment very difficult without x-ray vision</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Boaters learn to be flexible, to expect the unexpected, and
to fix all sorts of things yourself. We
knew that we couldn’t run the engine with improper alignment, so we decided to
change our plans. Skeeter warned me that
this could take all day. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dad and I
headed to Grand Anse Beach to give Skeeter peace and quiet to work on fixing
the engine alignment. Dad drove the dinghy from the boat to the dock like a champ.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpXvYXDsCRcA6peNQgQgH-oP0hX0TW-2nVOghfrx03PxB5Cb2Tu16L0tyesRWOmLhA1AWMHuoLGaU1gEr9Xiy_2TgF_liYiuqqKxxYw5hxtcaferDsyB_pfm-N-oyYiFmdEgJbf0bMIg/s1600/IMG_20151024_093209.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpXvYXDsCRcA6peNQgQgH-oP0hX0TW-2nVOghfrx03PxB5Cb2Tu16L0tyesRWOmLhA1AWMHuoLGaU1gEr9Xiy_2TgF_liYiuqqKxxYw5hxtcaferDsyB_pfm-N-oyYiFmdEgJbf0bMIg/s400/IMG_20151024_093209.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dad driving the dinghy</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We hopped on a #1 bus to the Radisson Beach Resort, took a
shortcut through their property to the beach, and found a shady place
underneath an almond tree. We chose our
spot carefully, since there are some spots with lots and lots of ants, which
bite really hard and leave you very itchy for days. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatph8aftR-8Zx1e03HtQAG85iPi_6D4MsV2ZQCm2MeRNHnBcTi-InyOLbByQ5mA05pRZV2y2Cx7y6a7gM8_JfGBU4283O6idMJsgNwhBdBfwlKAD44DiBcXzND8Wrr6oObVZg5EqbTGg/s1600/IMG_20151024_112251.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatph8aftR-8Zx1e03HtQAG85iPi_6D4MsV2ZQCm2MeRNHnBcTi-InyOLbByQ5mA05pRZV2y2Cx7y6a7gM8_JfGBU4283O6idMJsgNwhBdBfwlKAD44DiBcXzND8Wrr6oObVZg5EqbTGg/s400/IMG_20151024_112251.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Grande Anse Beach</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The sand was soft and the water was crystal
clear. It dropped off quickly, so you
didn’t have to go far to find water over your head. Dad was very happy swimming and bobbing
around here. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpXvYXDsCRcA6peNQgQgH-oP0hX0TW-2nVOghfrx03PxB5Cb2Tu16L0tyesRWOmLhA1AWMHuoLGaU1gEr9Xiy_2TgF_liYiuqqKxxYw5hxtcaferDsyB_pfm-N-oyYiFmdEgJbf0bMIg/s1600/IMG_20151024_093209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></span> </span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtypChcQQBrP15YOSdmEm6eQPUVOd0zvDeC74PgVAiqhotBMNfnlVQ4d46ShQZm8MZ4AnTU85WBxdC1VIoeLffoyT7fzv6grCfbDuLD8KZc61V-8SWzDBMoHq1lNFV8GdVkulC4t0O8JY/s1600/IMG_20151024_101431.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtypChcQQBrP15YOSdmEm6eQPUVOd0zvDeC74PgVAiqhotBMNfnlVQ4d46ShQZm8MZ4AnTU85WBxdC1VIoeLffoyT7fzv6grCfbDuLD8KZc61V-8SWzDBMoHq1lNFV8GdVkulC4t0O8JY/s400/IMG_20151024_101431.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dad enjoyed the crystalline waters of Grand Anse Beach</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Afterwards we sneaked into
the Radisson hotel to use their showers to get the salt off our skin, and
changed in their bathrooms. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cache.carlsonhotels.com/ow-cms/rad/images/hotels/GRDGRGR/Marquee-GRDGRGR-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://cache.carlsonhotels.com/ow-cms/rad/images/hotels/GRDGRGR/Marquee-GRDGRGR-3.jpg" height="227" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Radisson Beach Resort in Grenada</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">By the time we got back, Skeeter was just finishing up. I made us some tuna sandwiches for lunch, and
then Skeeter jumped into the water to clean the growth off our anchor chain and
propeller. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYFG8hmW6iNtDqU-nS6pYuk5OgGtEltbX6UqDf1xao8K7ZAMvnygOK-4Qwd8Oh5Z6_XL5pOcgzSmaSjV0216BHAo79Kl9cCZxvuXh6rYqIY0h2wLxd8XH4leP6sPlkSMAzg4w6KZ8M44/s1600/IMG_0375.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYFG8hmW6iNtDqU-nS6pYuk5OgGtEltbX6UqDf1xao8K7ZAMvnygOK-4Qwd8Oh5Z6_XL5pOcgzSmaSjV0216BHAo79Kl9cCZxvuXh6rYqIY0h2wLxd8XH4leP6sPlkSMAzg4w6KZ8M44/s400/IMG_0375.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter cleaning our anchor chain</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> He got absolutely covered in
thousands of tiny shrimp, so I helped him get the nasty little buggers
off. They pinch really hard, so it was a
good thing Skeeter wore a rash guard in the water. If you don’t get them off, they will stink like
dead fish. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9zAA9qOENC7Bsx0SQC14f2hIvi58nxjvJ3gbcgl4_6mjPZ0J6Xf38anpNx5QX4PmL6GyfSv4McUOuT2EOzKoMkGgcZOgmls81J_VTX3Wm2kGJ_9faVVD_WtSTUhHJQ6yr0r5lC9LoCA/s1600/IMG_0380.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9zAA9qOENC7Bsx0SQC14f2hIvi58nxjvJ3gbcgl4_6mjPZ0J6Xf38anpNx5QX4PmL6GyfSv4McUOuT2EOzKoMkGgcZOgmls81J_VTX3Wm2kGJ_9faVVD_WtSTUhHJQ6yr0r5lC9LoCA/s400/IMG_0380.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm brushing off as many shrimp as I can</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Even though we couldn’t make it all the way to Carriacou now
because it was too late, we decided to sail around to St. George’s. But the alignment was still off! We were discouraged, but Skeeter opened up
the floor again and went to work to get the alignment right. This time he succeeded, and we decided that
if we left immediately, we could still make it around to St. George’s. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPqevqHva1CX2uQ5YM0F0fCbZmGRGfUxQTdtZ1RU6pmLc0ll-91WHYN2JwG_DaocBTyDOxx1B2NC-85Ln1v0nY6X2kc2b-9YT9IFlAPbqaUe08BWNoe3RQCmKP1161I-_v8n-eOmrSMU/s1600/IMG_0383.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPqevqHva1CX2uQ5YM0F0fCbZmGRGfUxQTdtZ1RU6pmLc0ll-91WHYN2JwG_DaocBTyDOxx1B2NC-85Ln1v0nY6X2kc2b-9YT9IFlAPbqaUe08BWNoe3RQCmKP1161I-_v8n-eOmrSMU/s400/IMG_0383.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We sailed past the airport as a plane was preparing for take-off</span></span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMyYFVfJQVk6jpSIzlvva1nXFWoojzC4UMY5thOvMW1wBdS-jpkBf-fJ3N7E8i6FgxqvAP6Y82XYU6LT2eRB5BJiU4AoRyy-77n7U_ZKzfHznq4WFA2iZJQYTAV_gpAOby6JfPmqyy60/s1600/IMG_0386.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMyYFVfJQVk6jpSIzlvva1nXFWoojzC4UMY5thOvMW1wBdS-jpkBf-fJ3N7E8i6FgxqvAP6Y82XYU6LT2eRB5BJiU4AoRyy-77n7U_ZKzfHznq4WFA2iZJQYTAV_gpAOby6JfPmqyy60/s400/IMG_0386.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our sunset sail to St. George</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGbG5U5sFw5lYwJqDmp0YOnVVopJrjp9afDI5EewCGBhwRSQkD__ISWYl1CwT-LB7lRE7bcNW5o9B6NKmBQIFWzexeQc1JVvoO96ZAPxwaAsInxQNkjwNDR5EawWlxjBvuKxIRG6H6hY/s1600/IMG_0394.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGbG5U5sFw5lYwJqDmp0YOnVVopJrjp9afDI5EewCGBhwRSQkD__ISWYl1CwT-LB7lRE7bcNW5o9B6NKmBQIFWzexeQc1JVvoO96ZAPxwaAsInxQNkjwNDR5EawWlxjBvuKxIRG6H6hY/s400/IMG_0394.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was Dad's first sail with us on Salt Whistle</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> We had a nice sunset sail, and managed to
anchor in the nick of time, just before the sky went completely dark. I made plantains and spaghetti for dinner,
and we relaxed and watched “Trading Places,” one of our favorite 80’s
movies. Dad really liked it too, and
managed to stay awake through the entire movie!
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sunday, October 25 -</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We woke up at 5:30am to prepare the boat for our sail to
Carriacou, but just as we were ready to leave the sky became really dark. A big squall came over the mountains and hit
us hard. The winds began to howl and the
rain started coming down in sheets. We
had a mono hull to our port side, and a catamaran to our starboard side. The way the wind was whipping over the
mountains was causing the mono hulls to swing differently than the catamarans,
and we were being blown dangerously close to the catamaran. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I pulled up the swim ladder and started the
engine while Skeeter pulled our dinghy up alongside. The rain was pelting us in the face and we
were drenched in an instant. I put the
engine into gear and carefully maneuvered just enough to get us away from the
catamaran without putting us too close to the monohull. It was intense. Skeeter was up on the bow ready to take up
any slack on our anchor chain when necessary.
We didn’t want to raise our anchor and leave the anchorage during the
squall because there were numerous boats downwind from us and the visibility
was extremely limited.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After about 30 minutes the squall finally passed, we raised
our anchor, and headed out toward Carriacou.
But the stress was not yet over.
The alignment felt and sounded off again. We put up the mainsail and genoa, turned the
engine off, and once it cooled Skeeter went down below to work on it yet again,
this time while underway. After that
nasty squall the winds were so light they were practically nonexistent. We were moving along at only .5 – 1.5 knots
(we were in the lee of the island), so I tried to head further out from land to
catch some more wind. We were outside
the capital of St. George for 3 hours, making very little headway. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKMiGWYpBpZ-JO5SpLBGZPIedsFZLw9mMyYSIVXVlVMdeypGrgz6E2wya2F4QFItreeits8LZ5hHCKwD2gwFSfgx9U4jF6Mno4UFsmc4PdBL6Al8Wr7U-hMEh-517YsPkgud06Cy8T3z4/s1600/IMG_0401.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKMiGWYpBpZ-JO5SpLBGZPIedsFZLw9mMyYSIVXVlVMdeypGrgz6E2wya2F4QFItreeits8LZ5hHCKwD2gwFSfgx9U4jF6Mno4UFsmc4PdBL6Al8Wr7U-hMEh-517YsPkgud06Cy8T3z4/s400/IMG_0401.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We're STILL in front of St. George's???</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrjNhauJza_GqOtMIIkdyQUrUTBk93wL6KY58czJND8BVf6hAjNHFYqFbSqDMmO7PYnA-QAT7Y5mg4gPOfW-CZrJKTeR-6IPm-lpjxbSqer5I-lC2d199Qo_heESesdmxiF-f68g_Tbk/s1600/IMG_20151024_170721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrjNhauJza_GqOtMIIkdyQUrUTBk93wL6KY58czJND8BVf6hAjNHFYqFbSqDMmO7PYnA-QAT7Y5mg4gPOfW-CZrJKTeR-6IPm-lpjxbSqer5I-lC2d199Qo_heESesdmxiF-f68g_Tbk/s400/IMG_20151024_170721.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sailing very slowly toward Carriacou</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5gCfauSkwgmn7nFrNPDtw4kk3_MxPo_MlEFMTHkJ8HlbULDnaHDg3up4Fmk07zi3v-A3YTF_EPJJCKGlcJCpcfPv2KxYbbBkSfrZ_4Il7oooJX1bD_SAxvGcbm8z9QkhPvE7gxftRwoI/s1600/IMG_0405.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5gCfauSkwgmn7nFrNPDtw4kk3_MxPo_MlEFMTHkJ8HlbULDnaHDg3up4Fmk07zi3v-A3YTF_EPJJCKGlcJCpcfPv2KxYbbBkSfrZ_4Il7oooJX1bD_SAxvGcbm8z9QkhPvE7gxftRwoI/s400/IMG_0405.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was so calm that even Momo was comfortable on deck</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Skeeter got the alignment right we decided to motor
sail to make up for lost time. We wanted
to arrive to Carriacou before dark.
After that big squall, there was lots of debris in the water. There were tons of pieces of Styrofoam,
plastic bottles, coconuts, and worst of all, hundreds of gigantic logs. It was like the old video game “Frogger”,
except a whole lot more intense. Hitting
one of gigantic logs could put a hole in the boat or destroy our propeller. Skeeter was out on the bow on the lookout,
and I was at the helm steering around what seemed to be an entire forest of
trees. To add to the frustration, the
winds were very inconsistent in both direction and speed so we had to adjust
course and trim sails repeatedly. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_85PIjY2FHF-ScIl6MMqSnvMoUWzZayM1lElPFyx-CdTkOK9sd88vhleUpI4qzutw84VOHFxr9LjWtSLd8miUpNlmrVBNvYpkgAQAicKQbgSCGn3XY5jDhVWmorqgQtWinqBlSF5WN8/s1600/IMG_20150810_124807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The northwest coast of Grenada</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once we got out of the lee of Grenada the winds got steadier
and the debris field was over. We were
able to shut off the motor and just sail again.
We picked up speed to around 5 knots.
Dad took a siesta when things got steadier, and we sailed past the still
active underwater volcano, Kick ‘em Jenny.
We passed the beautiful Ronde Island, which is currently for sale, and
the most expensive island in the world at an asking price of $100 million. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGxNpgV5bqgLGWLNONLR_aVDbVCAbYsW0bTyfsZcObk53aanlDea-HZU1jRN6F5mL_tWZvyqnxE64svHirLEKxpP3lvAYKTjBa5RwI8101SlHjpUUHykr4Jy33y-KF5ke8GU_5Z9N_Do/s1600/IMG_20151027_083005.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGxNpgV5bqgLGWLNONLR_aVDbVCAbYsW0bTyfsZcObk53aanlDea-HZU1jRN6F5mL_tWZvyqnxE64svHirLEKxpP3lvAYKTjBa5RwI8101SlHjpUUHykr4Jy33y-KF5ke8GU_5Z9N_Do/s400/IMG_20151027_083005.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dad is the siesta champion</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As soon as we passed Ronde Island we felt a
strong current, pushing us perpendicular to our intended path and slowing us
down to 2-3 knots. We restarted the
engine and motor sailed so we could be sure to arrive before dark. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/10/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-1-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 1 of 4 - GRENADA</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/10/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-2-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 2 of 4 - CARRIACOU</span></span></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/10/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-3-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 3 of 4 - ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES</span></span></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/11/dads-adventures-in-paradise-part-4-of-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DAD'S ADVENTURES IN PARADISE PART 4 of 4 - ST. LUCIA</span></span></span></a></div>
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Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com2Grenada12.1165 -61.67899999999997411.6199715 -62.324446999999971 12.6130285 -61.033552999999976tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-74769193798558201812015-10-03T15:13:00.000-04:002015-10-05T15:52:17.047-04:00CONCORD FALLS - PARADISE DISCOVERED<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iGHKBoxboeqqAvtq15XjDJX8ARWlE9MDv-axdZalVtB5BuUE6qxTug0-VWv8OUvuHe8-hntqXSyxdEULqQv8-BopShPvFoHwzE9mHCZ45d9vKdQSKPkFVeJIbJh3KZhq863e6mRpPsE/s1600/IMG_20151003_121628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iGHKBoxboeqqAvtq15XjDJX8ARWlE9MDv-axdZalVtB5BuUE6qxTug0-VWv8OUvuHe8-hntqXSyxdEULqQv8-BopShPvFoHwzE9mHCZ45d9vKdQSKPkFVeJIbJh3KZhq863e6mRpPsE/s640/IMG_20151003_121628.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Motivated to get off the boat and get our feet on solid ground by a very rolly anchorage, we decided to meet up with our friend Jason and do some exploring. We were on what I like to call the "No plan plan," choosing to make decisions on a whim and to go with the flow. In the past, this kind of attitude has left us open to more possibilities and taken us on some of the most magical and unexpected adventures. Today was no exception. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our Camelbaks help us stay hydrated, even in the island heat</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We filled our <a href="http://www.camelbak.com/en/International/Sports-Recreation.aspx" target="_blank">Camelbaks</a> up with water (a necessity for any activity on this hot tropical island at only 12 degrees north of the equator), grabbed a couple of granola bars, our phones (to take pictures), sunscreen, and bug spray. We threw on our only long sleeved t-shirts (Castaway Girl shirts, my uniform at my previous crewing job), and decided it was okay to look like a nerdy matching couple in the name of sun protection. And of course we had our swim stuff, because you never know when an opportunity to get in the water will arise and you don't want to chance missing out on it! </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJtZB3PIqmA2Us4oBMKQ9xpsHczLvQLMYK01FBwHjrPa7Y_h6xp5ymETkgCnDwWrOdzqna0CVnqlea_SshJ__IXGqJyRy565-O9yOyOlCJcf8ymW2465CXOtBq_eC6PMZBBCW7CW76eE/s1600/IMG_20151004_165439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJtZB3PIqmA2Us4oBMKQ9xpsHczLvQLMYK01FBwHjrPa7Y_h6xp5ymETkgCnDwWrOdzqna0CVnqlea_SshJ__IXGqJyRy565-O9yOyOlCJcf8ymW2465CXOtBq_eC6PMZBBCW7CW76eE/s400/IMG_20151004_165439.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Eastern Caribbean Dollars</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We grabbed some cash, a strategically planned combination of US dollars and Eastern Caribbean dollars. US dollars are widely accepted at stores and restaurants with one caveat: they are only accepted if in perfect condition with absolutely no marks or tears. This is more of a challenge than you might imagine. Open your wallet right now, and I can almost guarantee that the majority of the bills in your wallet would not meet the Granadian requirements for bill perfection. The Eastern Caribbean dollar, commonly called "EC," has been pegged to the US dollar at an exchange rate of 2.70 XCD to 1 USD since 1976. It's the currency you should use on buses, open air markets, and street stands to avoid complication or confusion. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XSDC-ctEH3iW8OQ2znbQLhUOLbvBEMx6_Z_2oLFroYjo3faAefcq-7D01MTnRMQCskGL3hr-vvLRXvHv9257xLaBP91jvhO3fI0XdL5BxAAvnYKoY45Ux2nWw-CiN54_kSwM1-KhDYo/s1600/IMG_20151004_165927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XSDC-ctEH3iW8OQ2znbQLhUOLbvBEMx6_Z_2oLFroYjo3faAefcq-7D01MTnRMQCskGL3hr-vvLRXvHv9257xLaBP91jvhO3fI0XdL5BxAAvnYKoY45Ux2nWw-CiN54_kSwM1-KhDYo/s400/IMG_20151004_165927.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Momo likes to help Skeeter raise and lower the dinghy</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Skeeter lowered our dinghy into the water. We raise it up each and every night to minimize sea life growth on the bottom, and as a theft deterrent. I closed all of our ports and hatches in case it rained while we were out. The waves in Prickly Bay were so bad it felt like we were in open ocean! And to make it worse, they were broadsiding us, making us rock hard from side to side. It's not usually like this, but hurricane Joaquin, a category 4 almost 1000 miles north of us, was sucking air from all directions, making the wind and swells come from the south, which made the waves easily enter through the mouth of the bay. Normally the winds come from the East, and there is a big peninsula blocking the waves and making it a calm, peaceful anchorage. We climbed over the side of Salt Whistle and had to time our entry into the dinghy strategically so we didn't fall overboard. Success! We dinghied over to the Spice Island Marina dinghy dock, locked her up, and walked to the main road, Maurice Bishop Highway, to catch a bus. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sbf5.com/~cduan/misc/bus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sbf5.com/~cduan/misc/bus.jpg" height="272" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The #1 bus takes us to St. George</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The buses in Grenada (and most of the Caribbean) are not like buses you are probably used to. They are more like mini buses or vans with a set route. It's very simple to catch a bus, because they are privately owned and the conductor and driver are eager to get as many passengers as they can so they can make more money. If you are just out taking a walk it can be a little bit overwhelming to have buses solicit you every two minutes, but if you are trying to catch a bus it makes it incredibly easy. As long as you are walking on a bus route, you will catch a bus in a matter of seconds, or at the longest, a few minutes. Here's some more amusing and interesting information on <a href="http://www.grenadaexplorer.com/tip/bus/" target="_blank">Grenada's buses.</a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We hopped on a #1 bus to the bus depot in St. George to meet up with Jason. The 5 mile journey to the bus depot only cost us 2.50EC each, less than 1USD. The downtown area of St. George is a bustling, lively area. It was 9am on a Saturday morning, and there were still people partying in the streets from the previous night. Jason was at the bus depot waiting for us. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxT_E-PPFA-YC8Esm4iPniMzUt0-qjwYFUb5IZQhFT75LSvVWWnK5Gz6m65c_ghHxygaQI4bSSuTOrAqAmyP_YEtSWiJv92kEvUbl5zx-aD3jzMFi2NvZqEEGnNN39jYtkYiwmkUCpSPk/s1600/IMG_20150815_102943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxT_E-PPFA-YC8Esm4iPniMzUt0-qjwYFUb5IZQhFT75LSvVWWnK5Gz6m65c_ghHxygaQI4bSSuTOrAqAmyP_YEtSWiJv92kEvUbl5zx-aD3jzMFi2NvZqEEGnNN39jYtkYiwmkUCpSPk/s640/IMG_20150815_102943.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The #5 bus takes us north along the west coast</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We decided to find a #5 bus, so we could head north along the western coastline. None of us had explored that part of Grenada yet, so we wanted to check it out. A young conductor (the driver's assistant) asked us where we were trying to go and I replied, "Gouyave." It was a small town we had seen on the map. The boy looked back at me slightly confused and said, "Gwav?" Apparently I had butchered the pronunciation. In the mean time, an eager conductor from another bus was trying to "steal us away" from this bus and get us on his bus. Our conductor told him, "leave these people alone," shooed the other guy away and won our patronage. He gestured for us to jump in. There were only a couple of people on the bus so far. We climbed in, and happily chatted with Jason for 15 minutes or so in the hot bus while the conductor worked hard at shepherding people into our #5 bus until it was packed full. And then we were off. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">When the bus is full, it's ready to go</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrzt0iBeTDQdSImKFOif4usa07kO8uN9Yqp3-8Lyg9ayO5q4_4KOFGhyvUJ6XLRzakQlwuTCtfqsEaB_7X80K17OPIm5sGWmOm7f0uB2rlvs7kl5sAOoOEpuYDPp9aOSzSTo48l2vYX4/s1600/Grenadamap2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrzt0iBeTDQdSImKFOif4usa07kO8uN9Yqp3-8Lyg9ayO5q4_4KOFGhyvUJ6XLRzakQlwuTCtfqsEaB_7X80K17OPIm5sGWmOm7f0uB2rlvs7kl5sAOoOEpuYDPp9aOSzSTo48l2vYX4/s640/Grenadamap2010.jpg" width="582" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A map of Grenada</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As we headed out of the capital city, the views got more and more spectacular. The road was a hilly and windy one, following the leeward coastline. The people and buildings were fewer and farther apart, and as we climbed to a higher altitude the vegetation got more and more lush and dense. The greens were so green, and the flowers were so vividly colored that it seemed like a technicolor dream. We rolled along without a destination or plan, hoping for some inspiration along the way. We traveled past the National Cricket Stadium, Mount Moritz, through the town of Happy Hill, and past Halifax Harbour. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.my-travelworld.de/wp-content/uploads/grenada_020_concord_falls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.my-travelworld.de/wp-content/uploads/grenada_020_concord_falls.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This sign was our inspiration to get off the bus here</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">8 miles into our scenic journey, our bus stopped to let a passenger off. I noticed a sign for the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147295-d148387-Reviews-Concord_Falls-Grenada.html" target="_blank">Concord Falls</a> on the roadside, and on an impulse I said to Skeeter and Jason, "Let's get off here!" They obliged, and we all stepped off the bus in the little rural village of Concord. We followed the sign up a mountainous side road, not knowing how far we would have to walk to get to the waterfall. But we didn't care. We all liked walking and exploring new territory, and were ready for a new adventure.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWMDktkqEmOeDcr7-I-JSaaRTTjcX3Egs4npYApO-G8-7tWLjnJj6QCMdTe8UD41dbX6bPP_YDzCkMY58AhTS0ZmufHNzVQfcHHU4m0x-thVbL1OBfuj7IpdwJQBPrQ3y4etDI7OonCc/s1600/IMG_20151003_100459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWMDktkqEmOeDcr7-I-JSaaRTTjcX3Egs4npYApO-G8-7tWLjnJj6QCMdTe8UD41dbX6bPP_YDzCkMY58AhTS0ZmufHNzVQfcHHU4m0x-thVbL1OBfuj7IpdwJQBPrQ3y4etDI7OonCc/s400/IMG_20151003_100459.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Skeeter and Jason, ready for adventure!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We walked past little houses and plantations filled with tropical fruit trees. We took lots of pictures, took in the fresh air and beautiful surroundings, and enjoyed our walk up the mountain. We were able to walk in the middle of the road, since there was hardly any traffic. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Vpim65az-DoJK8u7JzNob9NV8p5PqbAh0IB6_zhjJgxH6eIKkk4GCBSxaaOyvgbP0xvKSWPHfGtcmwSKsjsyIyqBrzM_lWyuOcnV2hhOtbMawPLx2gTFwyenxYlKZ9FfCZzHAM-Iu2Y/s1600/IMG_20151003_100757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Vpim65az-DoJK8u7JzNob9NV8p5PqbAh0IB6_zhjJgxH6eIKkk4GCBSxaaOyvgbP0xvKSWPHfGtcmwSKsjsyIyqBrzM_lWyuOcnV2hhOtbMawPLx2gTFwyenxYlKZ9FfCZzHAM-Iu2Y/s400/IMG_20151003_100757.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The road to Concord Falls</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIygjyakI9X4Z0fZ4jCs-jDIxvgiWGBF9TQhhtDWE75Qz_DJrrMijWFk1NPya0mCavbeV-3Z_R-r742mE4hnFmmNGntyBKRnSe4RaEu7ZZ3DEpmVRUWtjtB0g9S13CM4Tco78B7ykhQaE/s1600/IMG_20151003_100837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIygjyakI9X4Z0fZ4jCs-jDIxvgiWGBF9TQhhtDWE75Qz_DJrrMijWFk1NPya0mCavbeV-3Z_R-r742mE4hnFmmNGntyBKRnSe4RaEu7ZZ3DEpmVRUWtjtB0g9S13CM4Tco78B7ykhQaE/s400/IMG_20151003_100837.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Beautiful views along the road</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A little ways up the road we saw a sign saying that it was 2 miles to the Concord Falls. There were people hanging out on their porches with family and friends, and lots of goats grazing. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTGBZ_4E88Tatx-xCqbwjEnD9eBS66XFWPPEkBdgydbONi96fXXGC8whov0X73UXfcfmlYA9QXNL0fzKMCSRIu_emqwO8BXVZuLmr5yZP0hBuI1dqqqM8qKiJe0ZMONK5XVYy07d-M3I/s1600/12096587_10100864807321019_5089875941389911376_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTGBZ_4E88Tatx-xCqbwjEnD9eBS66XFWPPEkBdgydbONi96fXXGC8whov0X73UXfcfmlYA9QXNL0fzKMCSRIu_emqwO8BXVZuLmr5yZP0hBuI1dqqqM8qKiJe0ZMONK5XVYy07d-M3I/s400/12096587_10100864807321019_5089875941389911376_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Photo by Jason Kuczek</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnY_KoaIFLSKtBok3qzip7SxWEilhyUvzDeNsN5ZbiAHqb7XXCf_A3K5JHiEz2BV5pHxn2u3qLhI3EdHazG49VwIJnP1ZT41bsmy0NEWfbnhp8fBj1ZTDyQ7uKMHemmU83ofMn_VhcW4E/s1600/IMG_20151003_102249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnY_KoaIFLSKtBok3qzip7SxWEilhyUvzDeNsN5ZbiAHqb7XXCf_A3K5JHiEz2BV5pHxn2u3qLhI3EdHazG49VwIJnP1ZT41bsmy0NEWfbnhp8fBj1ZTDyQ7uKMHemmU83ofMn_VhcW4E/s400/IMG_20151003_102249.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">One of many roadside goats</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We were able to identify many different trees and fruits along the way, but had no idea what some of them were. We recognized bananas, papaya (called paw-paw in Grenada), mango, coconut, breadfruit, nutmeg, and avocado. There were also quite a few that we had no idea what they were.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnIhNgGjJ3YCO_qOI4UYtUBBZmT7jV1p2T547WDUQS7q0twlg92vYjnmuXy6854HF2g9df3tXg_uM4bmAYgNpcDXkl4KfHQIswiQ9Q5COCXdIWFSxyCBrqg0-o7GLzkCVjdaFZGUujtt0/s1600/IMG_20151003_101056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnIhNgGjJ3YCO_qOI4UYtUBBZmT7jV1p2T547WDUQS7q0twlg92vYjnmuXy6854HF2g9df3tXg_uM4bmAYgNpcDXkl4KfHQIswiQ9Q5COCXdIWFSxyCBrqg0-o7GLzkCVjdaFZGUujtt0/s400/IMG_20151003_101056.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Banana plants</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-L0Mert0tYb-rnBCql3w_Tfu6zJU6epTEueNkR_GCVmHSNTFch7YMoUENZ6hPeduWex_BZ-azn7lOqD_juQYao3RBB8zwLadbpxs0dcYj7PADKQt9mbl5DgJ2_h2N2BRDBWi0VpWNpI/s1600/IMG_20151003_102557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-L0Mert0tYb-rnBCql3w_Tfu6zJU6epTEueNkR_GCVmHSNTFch7YMoUENZ6hPeduWex_BZ-azn7lOqD_juQYao3RBB8zwLadbpxs0dcYj7PADKQt9mbl5DgJ2_h2N2BRDBWi0VpWNpI/s400/IMG_20151003_102557.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Breadfruit tree</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiscVpKhmEDJRipgB1eKzdT5kw23zLAIAWGduFhY9OURGJ1YdLEYOlsLhwsJ0gkmy8kDyB_9-FWFiuR_bEUvLExaRbQMzwFmKhAHFikV22M5hfa1Ou7tBCY4capYskDQfuqUW437tUgEGs/s1600/IMG_20151003_102742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiscVpKhmEDJRipgB1eKzdT5kw23zLAIAWGduFhY9OURGJ1YdLEYOlsLhwsJ0gkmy8kDyB_9-FWFiuR_bEUvLExaRbQMzwFmKhAHFikV22M5hfa1Ou7tBCY4capYskDQfuqUW437tUgEGs/s400/IMG_20151003_102742.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Some sort of citrus fruit</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PLc3PBBOFm_Y8srSmvf0zw5aqrSz7CuTu9RXqM6GqB2Py9zQ-QlZ9SghfSW3zM0eXwSDap4A7ZqNHsBztLN0ZRqQPL7cztM0GRhlyggkG1O-SXFEW1s3inlvqS0Cd9jnMpmwC5Uzibs/s1600/IMG_20151003_103106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PLc3PBBOFm_Y8srSmvf0zw5aqrSz7CuTu9RXqM6GqB2Py9zQ-QlZ9SghfSW3zM0eXwSDap4A7ZqNHsBztLN0ZRqQPL7cztM0GRhlyggkG1O-SXFEW1s3inlvqS0Cd9jnMpmwC5Uzibs/s400/IMG_20151003_103106.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Nutmeg tree</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsKcWnfjNE2qk_oCtbJy5gAJIeyHmp2HebymZKOLVMXIhSzzzBnDpeUU0drGM5vzQHMr9dAHSf-Rlq35whq3qLgLl01fYeiH0r3eOzoG2uPo6MfzCIDkbEY8C6oIuTWS_22AgvGsoR34/s1600/IMG_20151003_102338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsKcWnfjNE2qk_oCtbJy5gAJIeyHmp2HebymZKOLVMXIhSzzzBnDpeUU0drGM5vzQHMr9dAHSf-Rlq35whq3qLgLl01fYeiH0r3eOzoG2uPo6MfzCIDkbEY8C6oIuTWS_22AgvGsoR34/s400/IMG_20151003_102338.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We had no idea what these were</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Everyone in Grenada is so friendly it almost takes you off guard. Everyone we passed greeted us with a kind smile, a "good day," or a short pleasant conversation. Grenadians are very proud of their country, their culture, and their island's natural beauty, and are very kind and welcoming to visitors. I've never felt so safe and welcome anywhere else as I do in Grenada. If a man is walking down the road toward you holding a machete, fear not. He is not going to hack you to bits. He's a local farmer. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee304/tonyjcooke/Caribbean/Grenada22MacheteMan800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee304/tonyjcooke/Caribbean/Grenada22MacheteMan800x600.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">In the Caribbean, seeing a man with a machete is common</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Grenada is a place where you can let down your guard and be open to meeting people, without constantly thinking that you may be about to get scammed or taken advantage of. It's easy to make new friends here. We've even had numerous positive encounters with people who were obviously under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Many Grenadians just want to talk to you and share their passion about their island with you, and want nothing in return. Occasionally, particularly near the cruise ship terminal in St. George, people will ask for a handout...but in our experience they are friendly and non-aggressive, and don't persist if you say no. The conversation usually concludes with, "All the best," or "Have a blessed day."</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCzNUXBkd51fJo3beQcZfCRmbrBknkVk3ApUlt3hwqDCsqDll-gvQOtPJoGndhTh4oKe2MBppsz8TeZClz0cL_Te9SkuC2AuO3AIlkJd-M8D2J61IDmO17UH2IZMcXykCN_Drg7oDlPo/s1600/IMG_20151003_104805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCzNUXBkd51fJo3beQcZfCRmbrBknkVk3ApUlt3hwqDCsqDll-gvQOtPJoGndhTh4oKe2MBppsz8TeZClz0cL_Te9SkuC2AuO3AIlkJd-M8D2J61IDmO17UH2IZMcXykCN_Drg7oDlPo/s400/IMG_20151003_104805.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Walking up the road to Concord Falls</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WdbLYNiDTuqQHtUgEh5wjlGAtzBMxKf5Cg-v_-REv4zn0ZasoBMxrr_N-0d0BYeRP0t11clyf-C-6jgiej-9G_RXTSRiOfhJl85dNWJjTN0L4tDA18LeynC7ECSZW06PbsxI9z4iMgo/s1600/IMG_20151003_103644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WdbLYNiDTuqQHtUgEh5wjlGAtzBMxKf5Cg-v_-REv4zn0ZasoBMxrr_N-0d0BYeRP0t11clyf-C-6jgiej-9G_RXTSRiOfhJl85dNWJjTN0L4tDA18LeynC7ECSZW06PbsxI9z4iMgo/s400/IMG_20151003_103644.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">An abandoned house with spectacular views</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9PIJhax2YiR6C5WqiPjYcUJKSbm32VBRBSSANbyjIECA5RD-Kijg3Ba5VcpQOH83b1pywouHRV2jswESZzJe6ltk0eI9OQR1W6tLVgwlLNj5qHH97wcwk473fI_Ljq2X7H4-UATQCCc/s1600/12088387_10100864807440779_2788346979214404510_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9PIJhax2YiR6C5WqiPjYcUJKSbm32VBRBSSANbyjIECA5RD-Kijg3Ba5VcpQOH83b1pywouHRV2jswESZzJe6ltk0eI9OQR1W6tLVgwlLNj5qHH97wcwk473fI_Ljq2X7H4-UATQCCc/s400/12088387_10100864807440779_2788346979214404510_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Banana plants & Coconut trees</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Part way up the road I was taking pictures and realized that I had lost my Virgin Islands drivers' license! It was a real pain in the ass to get, and my only license. I only got it a few months ago in St. Thomas. Silly fool that I am, I had it in the pocket in my phone case and it must have fallen out when I was taking pictures. I tried to resist panic, but it wasn't easy. I announced what had happened to Skeeter and Jason, and started running down the road in the direction we came from like a mad woman. Walking up the road was a man I recognized from the bus. I decided to stop and ask him if he had found a drivers' license. I'm not even sure I gave him a chance to answer me before I launched into an explanation of how I probably dropped it somewhere in the middle of the road. He asked me if I was going to take him out, and then he reached in his pocket and pulled out my license! He was joking with me. I attacked him with a big hug and a thank you. I was so grateful. I thought it was gone for good, and I couldn't imagine the process I would have to go through to get a new license.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjveFSnALNrvQR-OrazfqgR1CdoAFRu7LJO9AXfjaU0eIgKhC_Sqbd5Se2gx0CBIOtz00YqBwkRIcWrYqe3nBxARZa8Ue9M2midVrDCiLVHHUSpRbqgnbY2Op_UwLQrBBUGhx44ggGYQH4/s1600/IMG_20151003_135901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjveFSnALNrvQR-OrazfqgR1CdoAFRu7LJO9AXfjaU0eIgKhC_Sqbd5Se2gx0CBIOtz00YqBwkRIcWrYqe3nBxARZa8Ue9M2midVrDCiLVHHUSpRbqgnbY2Op_UwLQrBBUGhx44ggGYQH4/s400/IMG_20151003_135901.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I was so happy to see my license again!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9IU7EHZb7_EtsZPGQgYE24Scbnp4ASE-gy-t1-YbPTPIH4b8swqLu74syKPzotVCWBsq_9hTUYJYlDJsBi-CzzyI3RalEgkQHwXBaF_oXSwaO_lkhQ3yiMPQrazlzhnH77FZQOpQDRyw/s1600/IMG_20151003_102848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9IU7EHZb7_EtsZPGQgYE24Scbnp4ASE-gy-t1-YbPTPIH4b8swqLu74syKPzotVCWBsq_9hTUYJYlDJsBi-CzzyI3RalEgkQHwXBaF_oXSwaO_lkhQ3yiMPQrazlzhnH77FZQOpQDRyw/s400/IMG_20151003_102848.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Not much further!<br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The walk ended up being about 2 miles from the main road to the entrance of the first Concord Waterfall and trail leading to the other falls. There were 2 little girls holding a baby Mona monkey sitting in chairs outside of a little store. A friendly guard greeted us. He didn't ask us for the entrance fee, so we asked where we should pay. He explained that we only had to pay if we wanted to swim in the first waterfall, which was directly downhill from the little shop. There were a few local kids playing in the water, and a man with a net catching crayfish. It was very pretty, but semi man-made. We decided to hike to the more remote waterfall and decide whether or not we cared to swim in the first waterfall upon our return.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv9d1D1oUg4JYZD6_IvWDuaDG_t6q9rSI_xp5mFl3lwRV68tyJLwJvWr2NP7b48DBf2Zh2Zagv7Jm8gRIdk2tG2IJM4GSSjEM7_TWD5gWxF_UDPY-hZmfeDAwcfzZFDf3M7AnmV-ZFMLg/s1600/SIgn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv9d1D1oUg4JYZD6_IvWDuaDG_t6q9rSI_xp5mFl3lwRV68tyJLwJvWr2NP7b48DBf2Zh2Zagv7Jm8gRIdk2tG2IJM4GSSjEM7_TWD5gWxF_UDPY-hZmfeDAwcfzZFDf3M7AnmV-ZFMLg/s400/SIgn.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sign at the entrance to the Concord Falls</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We followed the dirt road to its end. We expected to see a sign pointing to the trail head, but there was none. We saw a very thin strip of dirt cutting through tall grass headed toward a creek. We decided to follow it and walk across the creek. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VSL3G4ZBjRjuT7wUdJz01rY2mcAai12_lBSJq1dhKEwNfIqe0xLgt2BIsSnAnKmd4fO2iogD_csFxvwGLzHk0zzRgEEMO1_do9m8QEqedk0d8JWi1jF-2ebZqUghZfHdqJBpz5PjRtk/s1600/IMG_20151003_110319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VSL3G4ZBjRjuT7wUdJz01rY2mcAai12_lBSJq1dhKEwNfIqe0xLgt2BIsSnAnKmd4fO2iogD_csFxvwGLzHk0zzRgEEMO1_do9m8QEqedk0d8JWi1jF-2ebZqUghZfHdqJBpz5PjRtk/s400/IMG_20151003_110319.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">One of the river crossings on our hike</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once we had crossed, we decided that it had to be the path. It meandered through grass and vegetation sometimes as high as our waists. I regretted not wearing pants, but was prepared with Benadryl in case I broke out in an uncontrollably itchy rash (I'm kind of allergic to grass...). Jason put on his make-shift pants, which were tall socks that came up to his knees. Skeeter is pretty tough, plus his skin was shielded by his hairy legs. I was grateful my legs were sort of hairy too, but for maybe the first time ever, I was wishing my legs were even hairier. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7UbrXzK-yO40MR9GvzfCbTBFd_BCwGElSpljj5htJykKZHM0FWjVqljHSbLwNoDl75JAHujMYXczwdPlbFayAKJrPChX29gYfcYOekaRYio_yd4-pQoi4I1qC8SZxOe4kFbBO7_cWRk/s1600/IMG_20151003_124339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7UbrXzK-yO40MR9GvzfCbTBFd_BCwGElSpljj5htJykKZHM0FWjVqljHSbLwNoDl75JAHujMYXczwdPlbFayAKJrPChX29gYfcYOekaRYio_yd4-pQoi4I1qC8SZxOe4kFbBO7_cWRk/s400/IMG_20151003_124339.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hiking through tall grass</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmM9x9_ZSxlGtBFMx7tIBrVm9bUQNXEhNw6vSYbyX4crY6D6ELj10hAehNf5QU0mVDejjlj9zd_TabdyZeie2S3yuCeM4DgERTH6pfgRYrtN_2dwvfCA23xKABQ_gxHo9vnE1UpURTZhI/s1600/IMG_20151003_110515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmM9x9_ZSxlGtBFMx7tIBrVm9bUQNXEhNw6vSYbyX4crY6D6ELj10hAehNf5QU0mVDejjlj9zd_TabdyZeie2S3yuCeM4DgERTH6pfgRYrtN_2dwvfCA23xKABQ_gxHo9vnE1UpURTZhI/s400/IMG_20151003_110515.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Skeeter hiking through the grass</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeHG8OrsoqfuzSnrFz2eM3k0dBFVkV0pQf7U7ZkOe0x4FoLIf4L3Yu6_lG_z45qXzvqmhW9tW154jUTF4QkC1bdcpNkA64Ie0uzCw3y6YyjpyuZc_NidmC6zYCEON5SWRyDKhtfp1DtM/s1600/IMG_20151003_110234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeHG8OrsoqfuzSnrFz2eM3k0dBFVkV0pQf7U7ZkOe0x4FoLIf4L3Yu6_lG_z45qXzvqmhW9tW154jUTF4QkC1bdcpNkA64Ie0uzCw3y6YyjpyuZc_NidmC6zYCEON5SWRyDKhtfp1DtM/s400/IMG_20151003_110234.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Having fun despite the razor grass</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We ran into our friend Misha, who had found my drivers' license on the road earlier. He told us this is his "garden." His family owns this vast and varied plantation, covering the majority of the fertile valley and extending up the mountainside. He told us about some of the different fruit trees and vegetables we would see along the way, and asked us if we brought a pot. I was confused at first, but then realized that he was saying we should have brought a pot with us so we could collect all the necessary ingredients to cook up a nice stew after our hike. I guess we'll have to remember to bring a pot with us next time!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljvLcfVJME5DGfCk0gnG-3niRmPjJGLZ8UjuzLjscuT9sG4Nu8Ca6mZ8bOoI1HvsRBuQ0xCMgeKa3lh0MgGG-ETDgEFnUVncOFgQf_DRdBZE34x06QkBCI48WB-G0ffNhZMrcOpTvsO0/s1600/IMG_20151003_110806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljvLcfVJME5DGfCk0gnG-3niRmPjJGLZ8UjuzLjscuT9sG4Nu8Ca6mZ8bOoI1HvsRBuQ0xCMgeKa3lh0MgGG-ETDgEFnUVncOFgQf_DRdBZE34x06QkBCI48WB-G0ffNhZMrcOpTvsO0/s400/IMG_20151003_110806.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This hike was amazing</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We continued along the trail through what could have easily been the "Garden of Eden." The trail split a few times, and we just had to guess which way to go. We crossed the river various times as we ascended the mountain, trying not to slip on the mossy rocks. Skeeter and Jason were like graceful gazelles leaping across the rocks, while I decided to trudge through the water like a water buffalo. I preferred to get my monkey feet wet than to chance slipping on the rocks.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6alBLciJ-fadANO_JgwaMWZ-uOqXSdWwgLlFsw5Uk8xSWdiyE464gTuwItGWLgI2o0YdmSbXyFJYt4xRLMUA_l878LUTYPYl3IPMdCHDOYarwCTkJJuy9BDJAT8h_Zb0WFyJDwW7U8c/s1600/IMG_20151003_112822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6alBLciJ-fadANO_JgwaMWZ-uOqXSdWwgLlFsw5Uk8xSWdiyE464gTuwItGWLgI2o0YdmSbXyFJYt4xRLMUA_l878LUTYPYl3IPMdCHDOYarwCTkJJuy9BDJAT8h_Zb0WFyJDwW7U8c/s400/IMG_20151003_112822.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">These rocks can get slippery</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEKg-FjZlZBOWkVLYG0gSwFF08aiuZt_cK9xInXw3VVa4qI_7fsCiWjig0974ds4SM7lnIBB9O4PogFq0psAGIp2-9gDPqf05Eb1Yk_VND4LDH90Yh-Hq8FaGthdtzHrbsXjURzbVP1Q/s1600/IMG_20151003_113417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEKg-FjZlZBOWkVLYG0gSwFF08aiuZt_cK9xInXw3VVa4qI_7fsCiWjig0974ds4SM7lnIBB9O4PogFq0psAGIp2-9gDPqf05Eb1Yk_VND4LDH90Yh-Hq8FaGthdtzHrbsXjURzbVP1Q/s400/IMG_20151003_113417.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Skeeter crossed with ease</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj8Lj0FMtGGQCW89hBVZmZWer6dXnLJYAcnlkKAbmcr0coZJIYDeN1NHz-MdiUNvArPPoJMgaK_LRZhigrBGde-zDpPPLsnHdp-_BdDJK6kph09aPwZujj942AdzW-nKA13Cf1HPmnNSY/s1600/IMG_20151003_123120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj8Lj0FMtGGQCW89hBVZmZWer6dXnLJYAcnlkKAbmcr0coZJIYDeN1NHz-MdiUNvArPPoJMgaK_LRZhigrBGde-zDpPPLsnHdp-_BdDJK6kph09aPwZujj942AdzW-nKA13Cf1HPmnNSY/s400/IMG_20151003_123120.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">"There's no shame in crawling"</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwzlpp8LxB96CTFXQ6cvO7rIKYxw76ioMl1YKDuoeqTxNyW01jrgyuWOyEr46ie2NPFCj8F4VnVZRecbteD4gh_BrM3F3GQa5qyFnK9rltGM3XiTOon-qmr7OyY3zhw96qiLqkbT_07s/s1600/12141761_10100864807944769_97280991336670823_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwzlpp8LxB96CTFXQ6cvO7rIKYxw76ioMl1YKDuoeqTxNyW01jrgyuWOyEr46ie2NPFCj8F4VnVZRecbteD4gh_BrM3F3GQa5qyFnK9rltGM3XiTOon-qmr7OyY3zhw96qiLqkbT_07s/s400/12141761_10100864807944769_97280991336670823_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Getting ready to crawl - photo by Jason Kuczek<br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes we had to climb up or down big boulders or steep dirt. My other hiking mottos, "There's no shame in crawling," and "God gave us four appendages for a reason" suited me well as I climbed up and down the steeper parts on all fours rather than relying on my less that perfect balance and footing. Of course, Skeeter and Jason were perfectly fine hiking like human-beings. Part of the trail was more flat, meandering through tall grassy fields or forests of bamboo and nutmeg trees. We were fortunate it hadn't rained in a while, so our path wasn't too muddy.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6kJ8b2i-PFzVApPC2kUYdP_d4jV8fjK_u7ghLpoe-8iXLBPG-fCHUMTVK7aW3sbS3VJUagxBg5mvcwJo28AuTOfdvG7YbFY8tM2WNzM3RJC1DvJKti6nBFINE-ep0w2Kl83OPiFdgOtc/s1600/IMG_20151003_111407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6kJ8b2i-PFzVApPC2kUYdP_d4jV8fjK_u7ghLpoe-8iXLBPG-fCHUMTVK7aW3sbS3VJUagxBg5mvcwJo28AuTOfdvG7YbFY8tM2WNzM3RJC1DvJKti6nBFINE-ep0w2Kl83OPiFdgOtc/s400/IMG_20151003_111407.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Giant bamboo plants</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5MmKdtmHDyOsKroXv3xpaNToTObu5vUDwRMFJo8iIxopjqJkjav7XXA0Kq7VPW8OAS445-J_BEzVtPZroKqMlQryJ13ucUf2JWWB9dqfZUlq6F7bczr6tl7FizE2Y6nTJjxxiyDL6NE/s1600/IMG_20151003_110710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5MmKdtmHDyOsKroXv3xpaNToTObu5vUDwRMFJo8iIxopjqJkjav7XXA0Kq7VPW8OAS445-J_BEzVtPZroKqMlQryJ13ucUf2JWWB9dqfZUlq6F7bczr6tl7FizE2Y6nTJjxxiyDL6NE/s400/IMG_20151003_110710.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A recently planted field</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After our third fork in the road we were feeling less confident about our previous choices of paths. We decided to go on for another 10 minutes, and if we didn't find the falls yet we would backtrack. But apparently we had chosen wisely. Just when we were about to turn around, Jason shouted out, "We made it!" He was ahead of us on the trail, and first to see the tall, majestic waterfall. It emptied into a crystal clear rocky pool, which spilled over, creating a miniature waterfall into the stream. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadQKL1_r-UC51iLvc3vFNO52YLabz3QxMgHdgmSYqmZXGVGiy10XqpGoCa9GEq0_OuEXKaviHv6dpH6Pge8WKtr87q-Wg2yF2bEVbl7xzhE_fCenNjC88P1NyOkL-HqY_n6CLifOWI-g/s1600/IMG_20151003_113602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadQKL1_r-UC51iLvc3vFNO52YLabz3QxMgHdgmSYqmZXGVGiy10XqpGoCa9GEq0_OuEXKaviHv6dpH6Pge8WKtr87q-Wg2yF2bEVbl7xzhE_fCenNjC88P1NyOkL-HqY_n6CLifOWI-g/s400/IMG_20151003_113602.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We made it!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1VBp73EcTvnzOdtkL-cUDKAp9Dw2P-x-pglRT8JUP3uoyd8ti0UWoaw_2P3_54_5737hwmVY7Tg8_Ra4BYq9Lo0cVWyM60dFzcaqM6wl1V2lHaiWWAzpVDJEQzF5N4TlMEh67dY3aig/s1600/IMG_20151003_113253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1VBp73EcTvnzOdtkL-cUDKAp9Dw2P-x-pglRT8JUP3uoyd8ti0UWoaw_2P3_54_5737hwmVY7Tg8_Ra4BYq9Lo0cVWyM60dFzcaqM6wl1V2lHaiWWAzpVDJEQzF5N4TlMEh67dY3aig/s400/IMG_20151003_113253.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Glad we kept going</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6wGfWOTWu3koChuUQtifo57rBWb1oX_INtcT3grxne-qo8KtlO9qnV94zhzkAM1EY6OcH0YfKxt1D_VXJ7erwmm3txEj7Sl_u46V6TjMKpfYF-w9RMGXIIQeCYCt7lP_Fu4QBErw_2s/s1600/IMG_20151003_121309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6wGfWOTWu3koChuUQtifo57rBWb1oX_INtcT3grxne-qo8KtlO9qnV94zhzkAM1EY6OcH0YfKxt1D_VXJ7erwmm3txEj7Sl_u46V6TjMKpfYF-w9RMGXIIQeCYCt7lP_Fu4QBErw_2s/s400/IMG_20151003_121309.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Waterfall pool spilling over into creek</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was well worth the hike, and we were all so glad we had kept going. We were all glad to have brought our swim stuff, so we could take a dip in the crystal clear refreshing waters. And refreshing it was. Kind of like ice water. There were little crayfish and colorful blue and red bottom dwelling fish swimming around the pool with us. Most freshwater fish I had previously seen were very dull colored, typically brown or gray. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKz1Ca8RZBNi8ulJzyMDn_tCXxqDpSOisgxuV_4oVY2p74zhi7QmwBVBkPOnNcy0DTuVjrI4YiJG28Ofwaf29YIHgo_IZw9q8f5XjWLFHnDSHryvyK_ynmJlQ8Mn3xRtnGAn6UIT-j-rw/s1600/IMG_20151003_120850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKz1Ca8RZBNi8ulJzyMDn_tCXxqDpSOisgxuV_4oVY2p74zhi7QmwBVBkPOnNcy0DTuVjrI4YiJG28Ofwaf29YIHgo_IZw9q8f5XjWLFHnDSHryvyK_ynmJlQ8Mn3xRtnGAn6UIT-j-rw/s400/IMG_20151003_120850.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Natural beauty at its finest</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBqWjlyw1qTcN5vckXPH1xmGReKr_dD_xDqdeorgXNKStJmOE46Ac2Sel1JtWGZ1aLNF_MrRBXP70hN8_NaFKn8D9OdOELxspl9Vmk0z0NmU04Gvnmj7ItdDtl_0O7ZuvISqpucPEVtQ/s1600/12107167_10100864807994669_5752626630481154294_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBqWjlyw1qTcN5vckXPH1xmGReKr_dD_xDqdeorgXNKStJmOE46Ac2Sel1JtWGZ1aLNF_MrRBXP70hN8_NaFKn8D9OdOELxspl9Vmk0z0NmU04Gvnmj7ItdDtl_0O7ZuvISqpucPEVtQ/s400/12107167_10100864807994669_5752626630481154294_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Photo by author & photographer Jason Kuczek</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pleasantly refreshed, we got out and air dried. Still impressed with the sheer beauty of our surroundings, we took some more pictures, relaxed, and had our granola bars while we took in the views. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3WTBVIQLF9hx6Qo4UIpNgq4Z4U9VLr6oJITzs9HA1wDM-CHw8aoey2Ndj5pVsGNKRq7AQnHLv92R2PxQLbL-hnkVeWWzz3b_qP-PNhEr8nO6HINfdC4qo6E68wXujGlXe0HDNPotXaU/s1600/IMG_20151003_115239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3WTBVIQLF9hx6Qo4UIpNgq4Z4U9VLr6oJITzs9HA1wDM-CHw8aoey2Ndj5pVsGNKRq7AQnHLv92R2PxQLbL-hnkVeWWzz3b_qP-PNhEr8nO6HINfdC4qo6E68wXujGlXe0HDNPotXaU/s400/IMG_20151003_115239.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What a great swim!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisI4P-FdUiglEtdAnfMHBZjd0N3UoxgrELU3GA4vNbkjfhC66nzZr8dkr0b6GCN-kZ8-wNv0xrr4lQrZw_2qox219LwOudD3fBa281UyZqigzQeRcXivf43pnZML3h2tQaoU_nJBfDd4g/s1600/IMG_20151003_120938.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisI4P-FdUiglEtdAnfMHBZjd0N3UoxgrELU3GA4vNbkjfhC66nzZr8dkr0b6GCN-kZ8-wNv0xrr4lQrZw_2qox219LwOudD3fBa281UyZqigzQeRcXivf43pnZML3h2tQaoU_nJBfDd4g/s320/IMG_20151003_120938.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A couple of mosquitoes decided that they wanted a snack too, so I gave my legs a little squirt of repellent. The hike back seemed much easier and shorter than the hike up. I guess knowing that we were going in the right direction, and not needing to take a picture every couple of steps will do that. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://solotravelerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/concordwaterfall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://solotravelerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/concordwaterfall.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The first waterfall was pretty, but ours was better</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When we got back to the first waterfall at the main entrance, we decided to skip it. We just had such a great time in a pristine, natural waterfall, it didn't seem logical to pay to swim in a semi man-made one. A local man welcomed us back from our hike and asked if we wanted a coconut, and Jason and I each got one for 5EC. Kind of a touristy thing to do, I suppose, but I really like coconut water. It's very hydrating, and I've grown to really like the taste of it too. I guess it's a slightly acquired taste. The man grabbed his machete and skillfully loped off the top of the coconut without spilling the liquid inside. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuhM8GgllCqVOnKcze6zXnUfk6EKZJ3iCjZNolx5Ih2i1KRJncNMKb9grj6CDXaVkCjlFTc03yPfXZHzZdhtB_aPvCRSVmEmAfefQ5aN_djcxg2rA2-XZbLQNhb0yjMh14yfRb_xgyEE/s1600/IMG_20151003_130414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuhM8GgllCqVOnKcze6zXnUfk6EKZJ3iCjZNolx5Ih2i1KRJncNMKb9grj6CDXaVkCjlFTc03yPfXZHzZdhtB_aPvCRSVmEmAfefQ5aN_djcxg2rA2-XZbLQNhb0yjMh14yfRb_xgyEE/s400/IMG_20151003_130414.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Amy & Jason enjoying coconut water</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We were the only non-locals there. This time of year is hurricane season, and the very low tourist season. Time are very slow, and unless there is a cruise ship in port, those who work in the tourism industry have a hard time making ends meet. While we were enjoying our coconut water, another local man approached us to lure us to his little stand to see the souvenirs he had hand carved. "Just have a look," he said. "You'll never guess what I make these out of." I had a look. He had pipes, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and other things. They were neat. They were all made out of the same dark, shiny, twisty, skinny, branch-like material. I decided to play his guessing game. Was it made from a root? Was it a vine? "No," he said. "It's coral." I don't know if he noticed, but I couldn't help cringing a little bit. As a scuba instructor and someone who deeply loves the ocean, this news was not exciting to me. He went on to explain that it wasn't black coral, which is illegal. But all the same, plucking coral out of it's natural ocean environment doesn't please me at all. I didn't preach to him, but instead told him that he was very talented, and thanked him for showing me his work. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LDZMe3Ff5V5dqioXxGZSV12JGl6xXu34ZONtrimrOiyhhO2WbseNo9f9cxNkEfKEwfR5mGo6lLbtD1FvPyZxfqjpc_tLhHqPq_Nt1_dcM4SQ1n12Q-0Rf9AgqU3MC6ZUOng6Ou58Gm8/s1600/IMG_20151003_104941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LDZMe3Ff5V5dqioXxGZSV12JGl6xXu34ZONtrimrOiyhhO2WbseNo9f9cxNkEfKEwfR5mGo6lLbtD1FvPyZxfqjpc_tLhHqPq_Nt1_dcM4SQ1n12Q-0Rf9AgqU3MC6ZUOng6Ou58Gm8/s400/IMG_20151003_104941.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Souvenir stands at the Concord entrance</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMacLU1gumH3Yd6GTiBA2WABY4nlEYJYb4vKWlpuL6c_0t6XIn8ALWr4L4eS5nnOJ1mqLexRJfhOx5YtXFvQNdZYcmnm5jmOCxAZDJne1twFKeFqZd6jVYoc2Xulyrlu5FNdvazk_HqqM/s1600/IMG_20151003_103939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMacLU1gumH3Yd6GTiBA2WABY4nlEYJYb4vKWlpuL6c_0t6XIn8ALWr4L4eS5nnOJ1mqLexRJfhOx5YtXFvQNdZYcmnm5jmOCxAZDJne1twFKeFqZd6jVYoc2Xulyrlu5FNdvazk_HqqM/s400/IMG_20151003_103939.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Heading back down the road</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We started our hike down the mountainous rural road to the main road to catch the bus. Not long into our walk down, we heard the sound of a goat in distress. Like most goats, she was tied to a rope so she wouldn't run away, but would graze in that general area. She had managed to get herself so twisted around a tree that she couldn't move her head. In her probably panicked attempts to untwist herself, she had made it worse. We stopped and watched her for a while, seeing if she'd be able to free herself. Jason warned us that he would not be able to help with this one, since he had recently been attacked and butted by a mean goat in the neighborhood where he is staying. As a result of this violent encounter, he has developed a serious fear of all goats, big and small. And all of the goats in Grenada can smell his fear. They stare at him, and constantly taunt and threaten him with their evil glares. It became an ongoing joke, but honestly, I would probably feel the same way if I was the victim of a goat attack. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgEIUkdrLybZTRhfPmRbsFoQTG7jU62uo6iyqIfFelviasiOr-BrD_9jZFwUTa_O3k1HYUlzaBZAZ99M6HxVCfd_jfdyDMl0RwpNn9wSeWdHx4LdqgMTVv-Oe4w9Y0VTxTvyv2GOenrE/s400/download.jpg" width="330" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/taylar/3552694029" target="_blank">Photo by Ingrid Taylar</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I wanted to help her, but I was nervous. Skeeter bravely climbed over the stone wall and down the hill, and proceeded to rescue the goat. I kept my distance and watched Skeeter, the animal whisperer, work his magic. From the safety of the road I filmed the heroic rescue. The goat was surprisingly cooperative, and seemed to genuinely appreciate Skeeter's help. Jason and I were both very impressed.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmkav2ZJI8A3pcBz0Wpelv9cHX2fkYSank9nIu9zchs_Npy-19cXc5RXD2qPIGTbOpl7Iz2T21bH2-P4aDDN7x2r1BOmu2GUF41ukOPg-NJCwfo6ERu7dFgOcpYin93iDIXZUPqp23CU/s1600/IMG_20151003_130955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmkav2ZJI8A3pcBz0Wpelv9cHX2fkYSank9nIu9zchs_Npy-19cXc5RXD2qPIGTbOpl7Iz2T21bH2-P4aDDN7x2r1BOmu2GUF41ukOPg-NJCwfo6ERu7dFgOcpYin93iDIXZUPqp23CU/s400/IMG_20151003_130955.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Skeeter just rescued this happy goat</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A little bit further down the road, the man who had sold us the coconuts up the hill caught up with us. He had some big seeds with lines of red flesh wrapped around them in his hands. It turned out to be nutmeg. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Wfm7nZim4kRjNZv-fwQ6aD2IarzNW_Qmpaax9x-PSms__mgRA-H7RJosmNhgLkvkHrZO5yFCnVWwcH3djeWEt4EZW5__E3Qrcfb7PIkePCE2NDBGQ7CD_1uLq8UBsYeleaLahvIvens/s1600/IMG_20151003_132526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Wfm7nZim4kRjNZv-fwQ6aD2IarzNW_Qmpaax9x-PSms__mgRA-H7RJosmNhgLkvkHrZO5yFCnVWwcH3djeWEt4EZW5__E3Qrcfb7PIkePCE2NDBGQ7CD_1uLq8UBsYeleaLahvIvens/s400/IMG_20151003_132526.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Nutmeg</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He was very enthusiastic about showing us every tree and every fruit along the way, and went out of his way to get some of them so we could see, hold, smell, and taste them. He was wearing flip flops, but that didn't stop him from trudging through thick brush, jumping up to grab hanging fruits, and even scaling 15 feet up a tree into its not so strong looking branches so we could experience the local fruits from his family's plantation. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvZ6YNXcHOlITWHXd-ddr6PQoUfiodl3flQ5b-43PYHs03NUXvByg3uwMfQySQ4frf7ho_PuJPMhbnzqLdyqBPiBipZbnXjIv5ZEGfxy63iyQNMG-NqkHvdiotfOP-NUT-bx7ZJVcpjo/s1600/IMG_20151003_132536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvZ6YNXcHOlITWHXd-ddr6PQoUfiodl3flQ5b-43PYHs03NUXvByg3uwMfQySQ4frf7ho_PuJPMhbnzqLdyqBPiBipZbnXjIv5ZEGfxy63iyQNMG-NqkHvdiotfOP-NUT-bx7ZJVcpjo/s400/IMG_20151003_132536.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Determined to get us that fruit</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zWEzBB1Sb6nBMPy74wlIBNTUBr8ga6VfgTJpUaaABjsUaHbLFRBywnQpl_R9dbXNiQh8XosYSQgkQhHkx0JBByVCsTKJXQUE9pzAKqD7cn_H6h71K3BR1Gt5jlvjdY5D9zU2__RQ3s8/s1600/IMG_20151003_133411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zWEzBB1Sb6nBMPy74wlIBNTUBr8ga6VfgTJpUaaABjsUaHbLFRBywnQpl_R9dbXNiQh8XosYSQgkQhHkx0JBByVCsTKJXQUE9pzAKqD7cn_H6h71K3BR1Gt5jlvjdY5D9zU2__RQ3s8/s400/IMG_20151003_133411.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Nothing will stop him</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9THBNNh-rZJ_kd4QpetZcc23eg29Qy99gV6t888xb9CHhodGeVW3AczDncOrWDk7AZIMG27zYriCTq59uLHKP_ncqPZJSkLt7FNyg9jc1OEZ8svAbPdh9m0jIVqX6QtUSOrMEnpcPps/s1600/IMG_20151003_133952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9THBNNh-rZJ_kd4QpetZcc23eg29Qy99gV6t888xb9CHhodGeVW3AczDncOrWDk7AZIMG27zYriCTq59uLHKP_ncqPZJSkLt7FNyg9jc1OEZ8svAbPdh9m0jIVqX6QtUSOrMEnpcPps/s400/IMG_20151003_133952.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">He climbed way up into that tree for us</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We got to try golden apple, yellow plums, cocoa, guava, a citrus that seemed like a cross between a grapefruit and an orange, and other fruits who's names I can't remember. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihm7fYuEb-N9DlDvd8WZ-t6IQDuipmFR7EnwtW-gGkzPofMv6UV6j_uY3scCmDy82pwaYdzea7Ildart_A0Ix_JwvxJ3cB9CBz1A6qxxRYShHLbtgtHv9NNfYiQ1iwxeKSbCKdBBTxf74/s1600/IMG_20151003_133754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihm7fYuEb-N9DlDvd8WZ-t6IQDuipmFR7EnwtW-gGkzPofMv6UV6j_uY3scCmDy82pwaYdzea7Ildart_A0Ix_JwvxJ3cB9CBz1A6qxxRYShHLbtgtHv9NNfYiQ1iwxeKSbCKdBBTxf74/s400/IMG_20151003_133754.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Yellow plums</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5m-szXZTkE6qZTqDSUMyAGezYUkpiWdG3VaiKkVjiliiy8NPVLBrCZxXvim4QS4CMEYbaSuAVcPq741eLexIaa0s0eACMKEsv0q2g5950jTbcC_x_ygsAy29FxKVHHcqphVH8p15bZb0/s1600/IMG_20151003_133510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5m-szXZTkE6qZTqDSUMyAGezYUkpiWdG3VaiKkVjiliiy8NPVLBrCZxXvim4QS4CMEYbaSuAVcPq741eLexIaa0s0eACMKEsv0q2g5950jTbcC_x_ygsAy29FxKVHHcqphVH8p15bZb0/s400/IMG_20151003_133510.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I can't remember what these are called</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3aQT2cyodX-qJYACbrBt16FeyRH7XMGpTniVRZH7TWq7hx-JAbvvgRarGZLPu2IO1PU5q8wPoUSo2DYfPv9rwzSrJQ7jOioZOnQGTwPsYoGDNLB0tX9BDmwhvi3pqq_Nrh7tUj9Y1TU/s1600/IMG_20151003_132732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3aQT2cyodX-qJYACbrBt16FeyRH7XMGpTniVRZH7TWq7hx-JAbvvgRarGZLPu2IO1PU5q8wPoUSo2DYfPv9rwzSrJQ7jOioZOnQGTwPsYoGDNLB0tX9BDmwhvi3pqq_Nrh7tUj9Y1TU/s400/IMG_20151003_132732.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Delicious citrus & coconut</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6K5V-2wfDQ7rdLWC5W6n1uKGYIYOgUpUJ48O2YYh_25-eSPVQtN3QyahdEzzSUEzJShtSI1I2BSevLWCGfvd_V5zAoYDoX-69ChKGUEvP4bzkSLv-iuPRsGeCoMaylIz8dqz646PvyA/s1600/IMG_20151003_133616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6K5V-2wfDQ7rdLWC5W6n1uKGYIYOgUpUJ48O2YYh_25-eSPVQtN3QyahdEzzSUEzJShtSI1I2BSevLWCGfvd_V5zAoYDoX-69ChKGUEvP4bzkSLv-iuPRsGeCoMaylIz8dqz646PvyA/s400/IMG_20151003_133616.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Guava</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6Jm_ttY0KKOczoaYbF_-hm_SMYP9718X2d4zneQDT5gc4ZODuCp6gz5XiyjS2H9TDEGhyHTr9rCEmB8tkS11fpRNxZM1mWMppYHJCHvGHunBheZwuctUthY6N-zTXx_bsTdlU24lylQ/s1600/IMG_20151003_134741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6Jm_ttY0KKOczoaYbF_-hm_SMYP9718X2d4zneQDT5gc4ZODuCp6gz5XiyjS2H9TDEGhyHTr9rCEmB8tkS11fpRNxZM1mWMppYHJCHvGHunBheZwuctUthY6N-zTXx_bsTdlU24lylQ/s400/IMG_20151003_134741.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Fitsroy showing us the proper way to eat it</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQd0U9VdHcvMQg_eUe7P7nyLITH73NTQ7OlRIquC6gEhZ_auRDBfaWF3ci1jk0XrrtvtYFFvdyUwGoun2dk10dKSi5u673TaF9rXwYrpH1CtjJyw1dFBrFif6yY-uF3GODO5I2yroiLxU/s1600/IMG_20151003_134131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQd0U9VdHcvMQg_eUe7P7nyLITH73NTQ7OlRIquC6gEhZ_auRDBfaWF3ci1jk0XrrtvtYFFvdyUwGoun2dk10dKSi5u673TaF9rXwYrpH1CtjJyw1dFBrFif6yY-uF3GODO5I2yroiLxU/s400/IMG_20151003_134131.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Jason has a golden apple</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The craziest looking one was the cocoa. Jason said it looked like alien larva, and Skeeter and I agreed. The inner white flesh was a tasty fruit, and beneath that was the seed. When you break that seed open, you get to the part that gets processed and turned into chocolate! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mYAdXAB1DpUf_wfYLxNiASbNyjefJOmbCmLxidtv3gM1NgpkhzJWdgXYIcaXrdxNSV7wMi-dnkz2MtV05CFMnWSSnJzt2FsTd4A71H5PLt4sTDs_pDzy1B7G7HfJwNtFybc3-MNET0E/s1600/IMG_20151003_134721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mYAdXAB1DpUf_wfYLxNiASbNyjefJOmbCmLxidtv3gM1NgpkhzJWdgXYIcaXrdxNSV7wMi-dnkz2MtV05CFMnWSSnJzt2FsTd4A71H5PLt4sTDs_pDzy1B7G7HfJwNtFybc3-MNET0E/s400/IMG_20151003_134721.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Cocoa fruit...looks like alien larvae!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTXeDmIWVo5LHuyS0ilEIDLQO_extR1Opaz8lwnTj_0Jak2L7157MMXzrTbiLeM7SzbpTMbAKj2iQZjrd9kBaJi-cltq6l2beLfw6Ju0rJReEN9qtmhpfA0E-k02uAhXto-jGGTmH9pM/s1600/IMG_20151003_134946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTXeDmIWVo5LHuyS0ilEIDLQO_extR1Opaz8lwnTj_0Jak2L7157MMXzrTbiLeM7SzbpTMbAKj2iQZjrd9kBaJi-cltq6l2beLfw6Ju0rJReEN9qtmhpfA0E-k02uAhXto-jGGTmH9pM/s400/IMG_20151003_134946.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I can't believe this is what chocolate comes from!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our new friend and volunteer guide was named Fitsroy, and he grew up on this beautiful land. He told us he is 50 years old, though he didn't look a day over 40. I guess there's a lot to say for what happiness and eating abundant fresh off the tree chemical-free fruits and vegetables can do for one's health. He has 8 brothers and 2 sisters, and he pointed out his mother's house and his grandma's house along the way. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZ4cqJ77xD8y_C1cKZKkrYgmSDvPRjRpFiDXjH0ij-AbdN01DD5hWM7UUUkfV_ZfZmyuNR8eEJM3sARpvbNF-IuDUXeYtANbppF5K2hilIzckrEo9zrupf-kIvXWunhNzJIR1E-XdcsA/s1600/12115419_10100864807600459_4679776289163072729_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZ4cqJ77xD8y_C1cKZKkrYgmSDvPRjRpFiDXjH0ij-AbdN01DD5hWM7UUUkfV_ZfZmyuNR8eEJM3sARpvbNF-IuDUXeYtANbppF5K2hilIzckrEo9zrupf-kIvXWunhNzJIR1E-XdcsA/s400/12115419_10100864807600459_4679776289163072729_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Fitsroy's mom's house: Photo by Jason Kuczek<br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He told us that the man we saw fishing for crayfish was one of his brothers. We also strolled past a few of his family members including his sister in law and cute little niece as they were walking up and we were walking down the road. He said that we should visit again, and next time we should bring some Irish potatoes, some flour, and some Maggi (packaged spices) and we could gather up fruits, vegetables, and crayfish and make a delicious stew together. That would be awesome! Jason got his phone number, and maybe when his wife, Cassie, comes down we can all visit Fitsroy and the Concord falls again.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6Qs0E67TfqDoIxMVh69kmAtjzMz9iYLzmbouTYMKyeALVRS_ytPzygsPHV0qLinKTxCo6rjODaxqonuYxYmFIVmyyG1mvNK4RUteb4E5qK3bAaP1Ofc5mh4eU-RogbJYStnvuxTwTQg/s1600/IMG_20151003_134136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6Qs0E67TfqDoIxMVh69kmAtjzMz9iYLzmbouTYMKyeALVRS_ytPzygsPHV0qLinKTxCo6rjODaxqonuYxYmFIVmyyG1mvNK4RUteb4E5qK3bAaP1Ofc5mh4eU-RogbJYStnvuxTwTQg/s400/IMG_20151003_134136.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Fitsroy & Skeeter</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once we got to the main road, a bus stopped for us within a few minutes. It must have been very good timing, because I don't think buses are that frequent on this part of the island. We were happy to get off our feet, since we had hiked about 6 or 7 miles in the hot sun. I had thought the bus ride was pretty enjoyable and uneventful, but Jason, a few rows back, had a different experience. There was a mother and a little girl sitting next to him, and the girl got sick 5 or 6 times. She puked on top of a guy's bag who was sitting in the row in front of them. He was reading his ebook, and when he realized what had happened he just scooted his bag forward a bit and went back to reading, as if it was no big deal. I guess these things happen, but I was surprised to hear that the mom didn't ask the driver to pull over or at least have the little girl puke out the window. I'm not sure what I would have done if my bag were puked on repeatedly. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOEj2VLolyVg0yVJC3wwL99BFyWVyL1CJ2LulOHQj-NCIpoD689JDMkDCexgm0MCE-5dYqgJHzP6iVPZmqRzLp2gSEE8f8GIquR5BJoh702d7x5vNJXCYc9IpSTRTmJxr8ssu5Km7zPaw/s1600/andall-associates-supermarket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOEj2VLolyVg0yVJC3wwL99BFyWVyL1CJ2LulOHQj-NCIpoD689JDMkDCexgm0MCE-5dYqgJHzP6iVPZmqRzLp2gSEE8f8GIquR5BJoh702d7x5vNJXCYc9IpSTRTmJxr8ssu5Km7zPaw/s400/andall-associates-supermarket.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Go up the stairs in the Supermarket to find the Creole Shack</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We were all hungry, so we decided to go to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Creole-Shack-Restaurant/325453957484039" target="_blank">Creole Shack</a>, a cafeteria style restaurant located upstairs from a grocery store across from the bus depot. We all much prefer local restaurants with local food and local people than the overpriced tourist places that typically have mediocre food and no locals dining there. The food at the Creole Shack is so full of flavor, and the place is so full of character. This was our second visit to the Creole Shack, and it did not disappoint. The food is delicious, local, and cheap. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm42_T3acAtzrXOhzEKVLYSxtvPWD8m_QMZrV5bhaStSO5ETA4CfROEe22GRuOOjSbJik4OSwE0T-BQIU5Lgy1RxNBZidzp1Y88h0xpfv2eQHv4wER_N10Z4stwv9CyEjbGxdaC3HqYHI/s1600/IMG_20150926_163834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm42_T3acAtzrXOhzEKVLYSxtvPWD8m_QMZrV5bhaStSO5ETA4CfROEe22GRuOOjSbJik4OSwE0T-BQIU5Lgy1RxNBZidzp1Y88h0xpfv2eQHv4wER_N10Z4stwv9CyEjbGxdaC3HqYHI/s400/IMG_20150926_163834.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Looking at the supermarket while eating</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XriRG-_p3jC7_e6c0iDBZVvG41MtsuxghzUB-dFc_WcH7Ao7GCMgnmswjzk95eK3U7s2N3OAMSe_38lIIdyeUzARDtzV7_SRogVqM4fDAw697eRc4Jcn37Co9I-t_KRHrGiaeU39d-M/s1600/IMG_20150926_163944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XriRG-_p3jC7_e6c0iDBZVvG41MtsuxghzUB-dFc_WcH7Ao7GCMgnmswjzk95eK3U7s2N3OAMSe_38lIIdyeUzARDtzV7_SRogVqM4fDAw697eRc4Jcn37Co9I-t_KRHrGiaeU39d-M/s400/IMG_20150926_163944.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Cafeteria style delicious local Grenadian food</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We got plantains, Grenadian rice, potato salad, and baked pork. </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, I was too hungry to remember to take a picture of my food, but if you want info on traditional Grenadian food and mouthwatering pictures, click </span><a href="https://tanrosie.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/grenada-food-report-part-i/" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">HERE.</a> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Creole Shack is always buzzing with people from all walks of life. Grenada is cool like that. You never feel out of place anywhere, because everyone seems to accept each other. At night this place is hopping too. In addition to being a place to eat it's a bar, a night club, and even a karaoke hot spot. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After eating, the tiredness kicked in. We checked our backpacks and grabbed a few groceries from the store downstairs and called it a day. A wonderful day. To finish it off, we enjoyed some locally made ice cream from the grocery store made by the local company, Sugar and Spice. Skeeter and I shared a nutmeg flavored ice cream, and Jason decided to try "power" flavor, whatever that means. From my Central American travel experiences, I knew that they probably had little wooden sticks at the register to eat your ice cream if you knew to ask for them. Luckily I was right, and we didn't need to stick our dirty hands or faces directly into the cup. The nutmeg was delicious. Click <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/nutmeg-ice-cream-grenada-195861" target="_blank">HERE</a> to learn how to make your own </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Grenadian Nutmeg Ice Cream!</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I had a taste of power, but decided it wasn't for me ;) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We said goodbye to Jason as we hopped on our respective buses, and on the ride back, Skeeter and I talked about our awesome unplanned day that turned out to be one of our best days in Grenada so far. We explored new territory, made new friends, hiked through beautiful landscapes, swam in a pristine natural waterfall pool, ate exotic fruits, learned more about Grenada, and finished the day off with delicious local food and ice cream. And we spent less than $12 US each the entire day. Who ever said adventures have to be expensive? </span></span></div>
Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com6Saint John, Grenada12.117208173460048 -61.7349243164062512.101683173460048 -61.75509431640625 12.132733173460048 -61.71475431640625tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-88018911935179023342015-09-04T19:11:00.000-04:002015-09-04T19:11:19.524-04:00A NEAR CAT-ASTROPHY<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yesterday started off pretty mundane. The only thing different about today was that Skeeter didn't have his
usual cup (or two) of coffee first thing in the morning, because we
didn't have any propane. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5iSDzQHiwmEcCVsCtoVcg77t57kODDgF5UY3n_Kp68GnaWcLscA8U8knZZh8L3LrNWM0KXr80qtaKGk9ThdXhWxtAXgEUV20XbDdSpsSmpFuqhFRudcWhT3j_vJ8Q1GvmkhJeU4zI3w/s1600/IMG_20150904_165652%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5iSDzQHiwmEcCVsCtoVcg77t57kODDgF5UY3n_Kp68GnaWcLscA8U8knZZh8L3LrNWM0KXr80qtaKGk9ThdXhWxtAXgEUV20XbDdSpsSmpFuqhFRudcWhT3j_vJ8Q1GvmkhJeU4zI3w/s400/IMG_20150904_165652%255B1%255D.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This guy NEEDS his coffee</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We locked up the boat, dinghied over to the marina, and went for a morning run. Afterwards, we picked up our recently filled propane tank from the marina and stopped back by the boat to drop it off. Then we headed out to Ace Hardware and Budget Marine to pick up some items needed for our ongoing boat projects. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNbCh4vd9dXbZnrihDaH6VDFn3Qki8-0BUrI9WX3XpZAYRMBN6pOJoAUK7XJw19zIBR6y2KVuJqbBsiWHkUsQYR3Sr_wignerrDdMW9ohskD8SrT9I9A91ol37bP1xMMH38hGhdkeVPc/s1600/IMG_20150823_135848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNbCh4vd9dXbZnrihDaH6VDFn3Qki8-0BUrI9WX3XpZAYRMBN6pOJoAUK7XJw19zIBR6y2KVuJqbBsiWHkUsQYR3Sr_wignerrDdMW9ohskD8SrT9I9A91ol37bP1xMMH38hGhdkeVPc/s400/IMG_20150823_135848.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Redoing the cockpit benches, one of our ongoing projects</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When we got back to the boat I looked for Momo, our 15lb orange feline fur baby, as I always do. First I checked in the forward head (bathroom), where he likes to lay on the floor during the hot day, because he gets a cool breeze coming up through the grated floor from the bilge. Not there. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXwfOREN-x4aIew_Kg4H_wn578hSwiavCX_eNRjtR8pBwXo3a1oVV-A2FdxcqNayqR1oXRy37qLXb3L718WmW2QedRwvZI41IgzZ8pr82nW-TgfwvhQrB5EH6WmGY9u_rfKnGCOvwdYo/s1600/IMG_20150815_115214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXwfOREN-x4aIew_Kg4H_wn578hSwiavCX_eNRjtR8pBwXo3a1oVV-A2FdxcqNayqR1oXRy37qLXb3L718WmW2QedRwvZI41IgzZ8pr82nW-TgfwvhQrB5EH6WmGY9u_rfKnGCOvwdYo/s400/IMG_20150815_115214.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Momo's favorite place to sleep on hot days</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Next, I checked back in our cabin in his second favorite place, next to our bed. Not there. Finally, I checked in the chain locker (all the way forward, where the anchor chain lives). Not there, either. After walking up and down the boat checking the obvious places three times, I told Skeeter that I couldn't find him. We figured he was hiding out in a more creative spot, as he had numerous times before. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxa6R-4zPg3U9zaZ_S8IZtgeaxGGTJ0pFG_jZqZa6P6c2GPuLzvwLX8ug-JGbZnBLy0AOd52M-Bls7JiA3LIj_8YyrO9UfQMAmKIz0ZOYU2jkqReTXCNLnBw6agnPOI3ehML541QAIqs/s1600/IMG_20150524_123510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxa6R-4zPg3U9zaZ_S8IZtgeaxGGTJ0pFG_jZqZa6P6c2GPuLzvwLX8ug-JGbZnBLy0AOd52M-Bls7JiA3LIj_8YyrO9UfQMAmKIz0ZOYU2jkqReTXCNLnBw6agnPOI3ehML541QAIqs/s400/IMG_20150524_123510.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once he got into the nook behind the couch cushion without moving the cushion</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-csIXH8cdw-Ec0bYGcHFrxHx0FftVfsFUi24aJI7yYHObv1GOo-VRO03IXMvjJ6T5GTAO5m3rOYlew2b1-oyGMCD1qRNFcCZ3BH7IDR-1e-zYeI91AgCui-nlgK8YIVEFNFZNNT8HCYE/s1600/IMG_20150626_091227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-csIXH8cdw-Ec0bYGcHFrxHx0FftVfsFUi24aJI7yYHObv1GOo-VRO03IXMvjJ6T5GTAO5m3rOYlew2b1-oyGMCD1qRNFcCZ3BH7IDR-1e-zYeI91AgCui-nlgK8YIVEFNFZNNT8HCYE/s400/IMG_20150626_091227.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Whenever he discovers a new hole he needs to check it out</span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We checked everywhere we thought he could possible be, calling out his name. "Momo! Momo!" We even tried to bribe him out of hiding with his favorite treats, Greenies. We opened every cabinet and closet, checked in the storage spaces behind the couch cushions, under the floor boards, in the engine room, and behind the stove. We even blindly reached into deep dark holes that we couldn't see into, which is something I'm normally way too squeamish to do. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8T7W0HXGY3oSUYwBM_Yx-yVz0VJpt1i8YVdeFvFWf_7KabQzDjTEKO4M6b_2XUhirkvOeIFb7yJT8TQ6EsTOirpUKi2JBdLcRMzAlp73c9Gjc5vj53NP_SQ-fGb87HcEUiBzmE-fD6oA/s1600/IMG_20150724_081107.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8T7W0HXGY3oSUYwBM_Yx-yVz0VJpt1i8YVdeFvFWf_7KabQzDjTEKO4M6b_2XUhirkvOeIFb7yJT8TQ6EsTOirpUKi2JBdLcRMzAlp73c9Gjc5vj53NP_SQ-fGb87HcEUiBzmE-fD6oA/s400/IMG_20150724_081107.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Last scare, we found him deep in the tiny cockpit nook</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We checked outside too, in the off chance that he sneaked out when we dropped off the propane tank...in the cockpit, on top of the bimini (cockpit shade cover), in the deep cubby holes in the cockpit (he was in there my last "where is Momo" panic attack), inside of the sail bags, along the rails, under the paddle boards... </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now I was losing my calm and starting to freak out a little bit. I remembered that a few weeks ago one of our smoke detectors went off and he came running to us to see what was going on, so I tried setting off the smoke alarm to draw him out. Nothing. By now we were both extremely worried, and I was on the brink of hysterics. He's nowhere to be found. We'd checked everywhere. How could a 15lb cat just disappear? </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUCfsQnwtpg-xRrevGBrCw51n6WnQxw39oilHv9LX3KuNmRobo_xOitKhtKVbZy0d6_F8EX2W5MWLb6eiWkaZrYvHIoZFKN9l3AGOhXWEOTO-4yv78FEONNwfQ_pxfCYb5GeEjmo5K6E/s1600/IMG_20150309_083030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUCfsQnwtpg-xRrevGBrCw51n6WnQxw39oilHv9LX3KuNmRobo_xOitKhtKVbZy0d6_F8EX2W5MWLb6eiWkaZrYvHIoZFKN9l3AGOhXWEOTO-4yv78FEONNwfQ_pxfCYb5GeEjmo5K6E/s400/IMG_20150309_083030.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">How could a cat this size just disappear?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_dhgmBzxAqp4S9FB7LJtInRpCNQ1L9TL1OCpdwH1azyhb3Ysd4NB3JGiFu6Br-Uf9L6Q7I7JoRXBCpt2RUGOj2DSIIuRrTLiXanMa-TBPMybY_ZvSgIO0Ylh2U-e3aThKcJGTUk7ios/s1600/NLK_7055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_dhgmBzxAqp4S9FB7LJtInRpCNQ1L9TL1OCpdwH1azyhb3Ysd4NB3JGiFu6Br-Uf9L6Q7I7JoRXBCpt2RUGOj2DSIIuRrTLiXanMa-TBPMybY_ZvSgIO0Ylh2U-e3aThKcJGTUk7ios/s400/NLK_7055.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Momo is a big boy</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oh shit... What if he sneaked outside when we stopped home to drop off the propane and he fell in the water? But he doesn't like being outside very much during the day because the sun is too hot. And he hasn't fallen overboard since we started cruising. But what if he got a little too close to the edge to see a fish flopping or tried to catch a bird and fell overboard? Probably not, he's too smart to have done that. Also, we have a thick rope hanging over the back of the boat to help him climb back aboard if he did fall in. But we hadn't made him do drills and climb up it to be sure he'd know how. What if he got swept down current and missed the rope? We didn't want to believe he'd fallen overboard, but it seemed to be the only explanation. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzcLm-QHAUnGBvjJZckMrP71ncBbc3xCN9xLma4p3J3oAKSBwAEvfCcqp93_m5u66cUgDdJUNK73iRBq4N5FeYrZkKwZY7zZRRW5BczT3uC5AIYHvzYz_S8nP9SrPrmR7In2t394wFTw/s1600/NLK_7075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzcLm-QHAUnGBvjJZckMrP71ncBbc3xCN9xLma4p3J3oAKSBwAEvfCcqp93_m5u66cUgDdJUNK73iRBq4N5FeYrZkKwZY7zZRRW5BczT3uC5AIYHvzYz_S8nP9SrPrmR7In2t394wFTw/s400/NLK_7075.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">He does like to hang over the edge to watch fish</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We got into the dinghy to motor around and look for him. Our first hope was that we'd find him aboard someone else's boat. Maybe if he couldn't get back aboard our boat he would have managed getting on someone else's. Like a crazy lady, I called out for him again and again between sobs. Even though we didn't want to imagine Momo could be there, we decided it would be smart to check along the down current coastline, about 250 meters away. If we found him, we were hoping to find a wet and tired meowing fur ball. It was impossible not to imagine our fur baby dead and bloated on the rocks, even though we tried to remain positive. Fortunately (or unfortunately, we didn't know yet) we didn't find him on the shoreline. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8F1HqBqyan0d2b14aOOB9FiZckqHaveUkh-X7YNsQItAEQPQXEPfRcgp08HVzfipooiQhiu1FkegXUjwFh0OhcSbCkrBvKVEd-2s9sds0T57cWQuM07UQc32FIasCV_r_4JG0cCV6N-M/s1600/IMG_20150904_180851%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8F1HqBqyan0d2b14aOOB9FiZckqHaveUkh-X7YNsQItAEQPQXEPfRcgp08HVzfipooiQhiu1FkegXUjwFh0OhcSbCkrBvKVEd-2s9sds0T57cWQuM07UQc32FIasCV_r_4JG0cCV6N-M/s400/IMG_20150904_180851%255B1%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The boats between us and the shoreline</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We zigzagged from the coastline toward our boat and asked our neighboring boats at anchor if they had seen anything. "Have you seen a big orange cat swimming by? We think he may have fallen overboard!" It seemed an odd question, but I wasn't about to let embarrassment stop us from finding him. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70tD5PornzVAlrfq4vydxUuBykrTFKYZQBvMYvLC7ZpiZLp6VG1YG-QQqkuUk5gCJ1dx3dnzng9xV9neL-BIKEG69vrMoHIcVEUxNDQwlyrc99rU1dxdXwoUf5-TNJjDBYNW1Yd8P3BE/s1600/Momo+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70tD5PornzVAlrfq4vydxUuBykrTFKYZQBvMYvLC7ZpiZLp6VG1YG-QQqkuUk5gCJ1dx3dnzng9xV9neL-BIKEG69vrMoHIcVEUxNDQwlyrc99rU1dxdXwoUf5-TNJjDBYNW1Yd8P3BE/s400/Momo+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">When he was new to boat life he did fall overboard</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWg_6VhGxaizjV7TOw3kIyHNEdNgOIhD3N1BKF4R93FJ3opt-0RENmlBH5Arw42ec-fASyHbP8QywRtHgR6tEpS29lyG73uBR9C1zLsYN1ngTBc5nIE2cj_WCrX59jEBm43anp_BBX9w/s1600/Momo+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWg_6VhGxaizjV7TOw3kIyHNEdNgOIhD3N1BKF4R93FJ3opt-0RENmlBH5Arw42ec-fASyHbP8QywRtHgR6tEpS29lyG73uBR9C1zLsYN1ngTBc5nIE2cj_WCrX59jEBm43anp_BBX9w/s400/Momo+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A very unhappy wet Momo</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There was a man on board the first boat we approached. He looked at us very confusedly when we asked the question. I noticed an Argentinian flag on his boat, so I asked him in Spanish. Okay, now he understood. Knowing Spanish has come in handy in the most unexpected times. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The next boat was a French woman. Luckily she understood English well enough, because I wasn't sure if my explanation would have been comprehensible with my limited French. She was very nice, and seemed very concerned. She said she'd call us on the VHF radio if she saw anything. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Next we approached a small sailboat with a German flag. We saw a dinghy there, so we knew someone was home. We called out, and a sleepy German man came up from down below. We felt bad for waking him up, but he was very nice about it. He said "Cats are very good swimmers, they hate the water!" and gave us hope that our Momo could still be alive if he fell in the water. He also agreed to let us know over the VHF if he saw anything.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were exhausted from the searching for him, mostly from the emotional drain. We were also probably pretty dehydrated from being out in the hot Grenadian sun, and also realized that we hadn't eaten anything yet, and it was already 2:30pm. But who could eat at a time like this? We headed back to the boat, heartbroken. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We couldn't help but search every nook and cranny again. I was balling, and told Skeeter to make a general announcement over the VHF radio to everyone in Prickly Bay to look out for Momo. Just before Skeeter's finger pressed the transmit button on the VHF radio, I opened a cabinet that I realized I hadn't yet checked. "I found him!," I exclaimed. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There he was, content as can be</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Skeeter came running over to see, and we both collapsed to the floor. A mix of emotions flooded both of us. Momo crawled out, stretched from his long nap, and looked at us like, "Hi guys. What's all the commotion about?" I was laughing and crying at the same time, and Skeeter was laughing and at the brink of tears. "How the hell did he manage to lock himself in there!?," I asked. "How did he manage to close the door?" </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Skeeter suddenly got a sheepish look on his face. Then he reluctantly confessed to me that he had been in that cabinet for a crescent wrench when we had stopped home earlier to drop off the propane. I had no idea Skeeter had already hooked up our propane bottle and been in there for a tool. If I had known, it would have been one of the first places I checked. Momo must have crawled in there while Skeeter was hooking up the propane bottle, put away the tool without looking, and locked Momo in there. I scolded both Momo and Skeeter while laughing and crying. "Bad boys! You're both grounded," I joked. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I can't believe Momo spent over 4 hours locked in that cabinet, completely content and as quiet as a church mouse. And worst of all, he didn't respond to our frantic calling of his name, the bribery of his favorite treat (Greenies), or even the smoke alarm. Bad kitty! And bad Skeeter! We spent the next hour cuddling with and petting our little turd-brain, as he purred happily. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The big lessons learned here today are, 1. Make sure Skeeter gets his coffee every morning, 2. If Momo is missing, retrace your footsteps to figure out where you may have locked him in, 3. Make sure you have looked literally everywhere before panicking, 4. Don't expect the little rascal to respond when you call out his name or offer treats when he's in his happy nook...he is a cat after all. </span></span></div>
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Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com8Prickly Bay, Grenada12.000176283780501 -61.76263213232425611.969112783780501 -61.802972632324256 12.031239783780501 -61.722291632324257tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-55117447952292524652015-08-27T20:00:00.000-04:002015-08-29T14:05:36.858-04:00SEVEN SISTERS WATERFALLS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We went on a wonderful group trip to the Seven Sisters Waterfalls,
1900 feet up the South East mountain of Grenada. Devon, a charismatic Grenadian man of many
talents, was our driver, guide, and “oil down” chef. I’ll explain more about the oil down
later. Thirteen adult cruisers plus a three
year old and a baby, along with a cooler and bags filled with our lunch
ingredients, packed into a red mini bus.
Devon first picked up the cruisers from Mount Hartman Bay, and then came
by Prickly Bay to get the remainder of us.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter keeping lunch from sliding around</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The van was packed full, and we were all amazed that this
vehicle would be able to conquer the steep mountainous roads of Grenada with
all of our weight in it. Just as we were
pulling out of Prickly Bay marina up the steep driveway, we heard a metallic clamor. Devon, who never shows signs of stress, and
seems to be prepared for anything, got out to see what had happened. We all looked at one another a little bit
worried, but shortly Devon climbed back into his right side drivers’ seat and
declared, “It was just the spare tire.”
And we carried on. We made a
short stop at a store so some cruisers could pick up some beer to add to the
cooler. It was very hot in the van in
the midday heat, but everyone seemed content, chatting away with friends old
and new. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The journey up the mountain was steep, windy, and
beautiful. Though these roads were main
roads for Grenada, you would never guess it because they seem far too narrow to
allow for traffic in both directions.
And often times there are steep mountain drop-offs, stray dogs in the
road, kids riding their bikes in the road, and many other obstacles to contend
with. They winded through small
villages, plantations, and jungle. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Having
previously studied the map, I realized that a two dimensional map could never
really give you an impression of what the roads would be like. Devon drove these roads with extreme skill,
passing other vehicles or allowing others to pass without putting our lives in
danger. He cheerfully chatted away with
the passengers in the front seat with him, telling them all about Grenada and
local culture. Having been a passenger
on many buses in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South East Asia,
I wouldn’t hesitate to say that Devon is one of the best drivers I have seen.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9O0d3ACzVAlwBgvZSgVLbcKBwmfz29hXTkmavLi89VcvHSqZeY0GGSPcRktDxIRVzYRcH6VdYf3eQ3PMdUv4yhj5ZdMSKR0I6VYH3N_36qOPPPjHGYbNRdCvL24QzXvGGAo2Blqme3c/s1600/Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9O0d3ACzVAlwBgvZSgVLbcKBwmfz29hXTkmavLi89VcvHSqZeY0GGSPcRktDxIRVzYRcH6VdYf3eQ3PMdUv4yhj5ZdMSKR0I6VYH3N_36qOPPPjHGYbNRdCvL24QzXvGGAo2Blqme3c/s640/Map.jpg" width="582" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The roads are much steeper and windier than they appear!</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After the long and scenic drive, Devon pulled into a narrow
muddy road. He stopped beside a small
house in the middle of the jungle and paid our entrance fees (5EC per person,
equivalent to about $2 US), since the waterfalls are on private property and
the landowner is kind enough to let us enjoy the natural beauty of the
falls. The landowner gave Devon 13
sticks, and we continued down to the end of the muddy road. We got out next to a hut made from bamboo and
palm fronds. We were each given a stick. Oh! They
were hiking sticks. I had never really
used a stick to hike and didn’t really think I would need it, but I grabbed one
anyway. Devon stayed behind to prepare
our “oil down” lunch. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7qK-XytaAcag_QGvIOfa8aQ7VxZ2pZ6TpBkYR4PIYjCl5dzF8i3vSiLbF5jTMZ-en8EuGkFRgrIc1Zs1BsDWbuH5EQXz4QIEv1NCE6A8qzBUtWlyCsXEfjUN0Nz2GmdeD3UBKBTJMSwM/s1600/Pile+of+sticks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7qK-XytaAcag_QGvIOfa8aQ7VxZ2pZ6TpBkYR4PIYjCl5dzF8i3vSiLbF5jTMZ-en8EuGkFRgrIc1Zs1BsDWbuH5EQXz4QIEv1NCE6A8qzBUtWlyCsXEfjUN0Nz2GmdeD3UBKBTJMSwM/s400/Pile+of+sticks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A family of five arrived in their rental car and joined our
group. They were wonderful people, and I
was pleased to find out that they were Spanish speakers (though quite fluent in
English as well). I go through a sort of
withdrawal if I don’t get to speak Spanish for a long time, and it had been
many months. I enjoyed chatting and
joking with them. Now there was a wide
range of ages and a few different nationalities represented in our group. We were American, Canadian, Norwegian, Dutch,
Grenadian, Peruvian, and Argentinian.
Diversity makes me happy. It just
makes things so much more fun and interesting. </span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXuldE2ZPLyO2LXdvurjOh1EALEO1ueYi0hjB4EbCsGsDUI9KTIh2IUcV97BVGH05EmKrXatF5tq7ILpvgDaOSgsEEksm772HX6C8_blt-iLXvuq6zlUEmdttd1VIwUoqe7YiNULVHeIw/s1600/IMG_20150827_131009.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXuldE2ZPLyO2LXdvurjOh1EALEO1ueYi0hjB4EbCsGsDUI9KTIh2IUcV97BVGH05EmKrXatF5tq7ILpvgDaOSgsEEksm772HX6C8_blt-iLXvuq6zlUEmdttd1VIwUoqe7YiNULVHeIw/s400/IMG_20150827_131009.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A really nice group of all ages & backgrounds</span></span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnYuwtObBR2ntlyi_zUHrUhF8Rx8pT3g524TbPyPLpONen4tTNZmY-1LbZGw_0oxZXf92TGFYh6iB6Qk9jndaM3Csmmw-sD0DyPfHxqKo0trkS7D1jSk6jeJbPJZacruEYAFfULfUyw0/s1600/IMG_20150827_132002.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnYuwtObBR2ntlyi_zUHrUhF8Rx8pT3g524TbPyPLpONen4tTNZmY-1LbZGw_0oxZXf92TGFYh6iB6Qk9jndaM3Csmmw-sD0DyPfHxqKo0trkS7D1jSk6jeJbPJZacruEYAFfULfUyw0/s400/IMG_20150827_132002.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our hiking group</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our hiking guide was an energetic little Grenadian man named
Kenny. Surprisingly, his footwear of
choice was slipper style flip flops. One
of the local women told us that he is hard of hearing, which helped us to
understand his mannerisms, why we struggled to understand what he was saying,
and that we should talk loudly and facing him if we have a question. He gestured for us to all come close, so we
gathered around closely. He pulled a
couple of leaves off a nearby tree and tore them, gesturing for us to smell
them. He did this various times throughout
the hike, showing us callaloo, nutmeg, turmeric, mahogany, and many other
local plants. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRs-fn7ZeP0eywPwgaY4XQweFSMifNl_xZFrtcDVX1OtWhkWZ-oTHJhT8_wvN3GjG-PPQbo8ByOuTIV2vzt1p74nDM6D2JND2l4MqSbTcPlYiNEhNp-gyHXyoB2hN1M0fhl6xUe03UjM/s1600/IMG_20150827_112937.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRs-fn7ZeP0eywPwgaY4XQweFSMifNl_xZFrtcDVX1OtWhkWZ-oTHJhT8_wvN3GjG-PPQbo8ByOuTIV2vzt1p74nDM6D2JND2l4MqSbTcPlYiNEhNp-gyHXyoB2hN1M0fhl6xUe03UjM/s400/IMG_20150827_112937.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kenny, our hiking guide</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88OHekxkHUsIo6MD-uYpYXzOIm6XsiwfOE1k1fHZAIIJh4UWbbXPE7qZfmttaxafVqlRY50pXFwp30PkbynnxY4la34E6u9ICfOttcwg0rfMWsm4RHP0p9ebewJlQEVVrTfImWoReu2o/s1600/IMG_20150827_115939.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88OHekxkHUsIo6MD-uYpYXzOIm6XsiwfOE1k1fHZAIIJh4UWbbXPE7qZfmttaxafVqlRY50pXFwp30PkbynnxY4la34E6u9ICfOttcwg0rfMWsm4RHP0p9ebewJlQEVVrTfImWoReu2o/s400/IMG_20150827_115939.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kenny showing us callaloo</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The hike was surprisingly steep and muddy, and now it made
complete sense why we were each given a stick.
Apparently the trail can be much worse, but we had come on a day that
was relatively dry for the Grenadian highlands.
We climbed up and down steep muddy hills, past impressive trees,
majestic bamboo, and abundant bromeliads. On the way down a set of steep mud steps
terraced out of the mountainside, we were shown to hold onto the wooden “handrails.” Seconds later, while someone was using one of
the wooden handrails for balance, it detached itself and went sliding down the
steep slope. Okay, I guess we shouldn’t
count on the rail too much! It was just
a wooden board held to another wooden board by one or two nails. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kvExFqzAYt2EOuRt82gaDCaCjAjRgvFLWEqj5DRE36fh4AdUnYTm6HlZFH9ugpf4oKsGOtOuLkeaFHqpz7SadnX27aTEVnvhDo3Js84yWWoqKsIE_mcZme7XnFM8dyWAl1KxYjHmTGk/s1600/IMG_20150827_132428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kvExFqzAYt2EOuRt82gaDCaCjAjRgvFLWEqj5DRE36fh4AdUnYTm6HlZFH9ugpf4oKsGOtOuLkeaFHqpz7SadnX27aTEVnvhDo3Js84yWWoqKsIE_mcZme7XnFM8dyWAl1KxYjHmTGk/s400/IMG_20150827_132428.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Muddy slippery path</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtgqNm1Y-2QdI8vKtt1WnsTJSxTgK7a30cMGESqYQ_cpolH7JJpcaRAyA0KcxDOOmFzJGMh3AqQCtC30Zh-zLCN5JSs6QdXrFTHcYKjqldhhZxOKCaxuh-DH88UXPFGc8uJtlGEzmFuc/s1600/IMG_20150827_113435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtgqNm1Y-2QdI8vKtt1WnsTJSxTgK7a30cMGESqYQ_cpolH7JJpcaRAyA0KcxDOOmFzJGMh3AqQCtC30Zh-zLCN5JSs6QdXrFTHcYKjqldhhZxOKCaxuh-DH88UXPFGc8uJtlGEzmFuc/s400/IMG_20150827_113435.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Don't trust the hand rails!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkLVID3hKGl91VZXxH-MvyiKRqS2WgWSn_t0MfDMu2eDl7bKkxx53Kc5YI5tZE8ycOeWpH0mRlc41C7FTaxI7i3Ao0j_nydKsanIJbviO64CAYFzIFvjMiWGF8ihiqyatzVedTHQ_L84/s1600/IMG_20150827_113742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkLVID3hKGl91VZXxH-MvyiKRqS2WgWSn_t0MfDMu2eDl7bKkxx53Kc5YI5tZE8ycOeWpH0mRlc41C7FTaxI7i3Ao0j_nydKsanIJbviO64CAYFzIFvjMiWGF8ihiqyatzVedTHQ_L84/s400/IMG_20150827_113742.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was a very steep and slippery path</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Skeeter and I wore our Vibram five-fingers, or “monkey feet,”
as my dad calls them. These are great
for hiking, and really give us an advantage to be able to grip slippery spots
with our toes, and to be able to comfortably tread right through water instead
of having to try to balance over wet slippery rocks. This allowed us the ability to lend a hand to
others who had less than ideal footwear and were struggling not to slip and
fall. Plus, it is kind of ingrained in
us to help out. It feels wrong not to
help. We’ve been working in the service
industry teaching scuba diving and crewing on boats for so long we are well
attuned to people’s needs and preventing accidents before they happen. It’s no fun for anyone if there is a medical
emergency. The parents in the group were
probably a little bit worried that their kids might get hurt, or heaven forbid,
slide down the mountainside. Our hiking
guide, Kenny, would run to the back of the pack and lend a hand whenever he
could. It did make me nervous, though,
the way he’d pick up the little kids and lift them over slippery rocks or mud
while wearing slipper flip flops. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBJs6Wyb5W3PTeTNrW4svzRRegvUJT4OuwQs94xuPgC_2J6ZNo1SIJsDbW4uCyzW548pJ3hucNV5oztGPrSsVPBS_j7tqvEGcSwz-x8RO4Ty661Fcbn2QMuG1xYkZEqietDRablX7X90/s1600/IMG_20150827_112841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBJs6Wyb5W3PTeTNrW4svzRRegvUJT4OuwQs94xuPgC_2J6ZNo1SIJsDbW4uCyzW548pJ3hucNV5oztGPrSsVPBS_j7tqvEGcSwz-x8RO4Ty661Fcbn2QMuG1xYkZEqietDRablX7X90/s400/IMG_20150827_112841.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kenny hikes this trail daily in flip flops</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We finally arrived at the breathtakingly beautiful
waterfalls. Although the distance of the
hike was not too far, it was strenuous.
It was much more steep and slippery than most of us had imagined. We felt we had earned our reward, and were
ready to go for a refreshing swim in the natural pool and wash the mud off of ourselves. The water was cool and crisp, but felt
amazing on our hot, sweaty skin. There was
a big waterfall emptying out into a swimming hole, and then a smaller waterfall
cascade into a lower pool. There was a
ledge in the upper pool that was shallow enough to stand on. As you approached the big waterfall, you
reached a shelf where the bottom dropped off and you could no longer stand. It was nice to swim over to the waterfall and
stick your head under it….though the thought did cross our minds that it would
really suck if a tree branch or a coconut were to be washed over and crack us in
the head. So needless to say, we didn’t
keep our heads under the force of the falling water for too long! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Edfwkj_0ehZIParfoSQunF2zx7WQJlg-jmbyLB__fdOasgU9R2awTlEOSD5uXuqCk5QoCAMqCs-n5oFTjkeAxnPA67TPv0LUL_tb30wX9Og4Rs9b76itw-xcGuIG33E9XTmhOQavEG0/s1600/IMG_20150827_120525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Edfwkj_0ehZIParfoSQunF2zx7WQJlg-jmbyLB__fdOasgU9R2awTlEOSD5uXuqCk5QoCAMqCs-n5oFTjkeAxnPA67TPv0LUL_tb30wX9Og4Rs9b76itw-xcGuIG33E9XTmhOQavEG0/s400/IMG_20150827_120525.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We can see the waterfall!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdoLZYv4MQSB_idYo0GYLuI1ShHFK9zd2JoC95pI6RcWno4yczp9mBxuKI32uaieYObsazAPEC6Esx3AEw6h00WznA0vXAzF38pOkCN44HvhscF1MuZjVmX237dPpWgFQElAt0D9BmUc/s1600/IMG_20150827_125451.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdoLZYv4MQSB_idYo0GYLuI1ShHFK9zd2JoC95pI6RcWno4yczp9mBxuKI32uaieYObsazAPEC6Esx3AEw6h00WznA0vXAzF38pOkCN44HvhscF1MuZjVmX237dPpWgFQElAt0D9BmUc/s400/IMG_20150827_125451.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter, Jen & Jody</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Tge8cT6L9tPQ-TaTltZ7S3lFdwSfchUGU_T-Um6RXio5bN4gWGIwwCfyoJUAPWfNsiruUDyB8KjMIE43eeMVrZMxxe6-0i2cDIr2qELiQWu1lgmJ8D2k1d8vQLDQ-IMFe8vMuzN-ceI/s1600/IMG_20150827_121010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Tge8cT6L9tPQ-TaTltZ7S3lFdwSfchUGU_T-Um6RXio5bN4gWGIwwCfyoJUAPWfNsiruUDyB8KjMIE43eeMVrZMxxe6-0i2cDIr2qELiQWu1lgmJ8D2k1d8vQLDQ-IMFe8vMuzN-ceI/s400/IMG_20150827_121010.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was well worth the hike</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkWz8K8mhwDJd45hdMcRD-PI0MQuCEp0KMgaOJ3uHFsj5mS6jS-DmO4ZeVCVDfJOpujveslHnX3thduFspa5MXBS_jD10fahWzO0LCDXtMiLjP3YEY5O85KOHSm7o46_aWObKBAtntjs/s1600/IMG_20150827_125426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkWz8K8mhwDJd45hdMcRD-PI0MQuCEp0KMgaOJ3uHFsj5mS6jS-DmO4ZeVCVDfJOpujveslHnX3thduFspa5MXBS_jD10fahWzO0LCDXtMiLjP3YEY5O85KOHSm7o46_aWObKBAtntjs/s400/IMG_20150827_125426.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now time for a swim!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Most of us enjoyed swimming around just in the big pool, but
a couple of brave guys decided to jump from the top of the second waterfall
into the lower pool. A couple of us ladies
decided to give it a try, but our intuition told us not to. We weren’t afraid of the jump, but when we
climbed over the rocks to the “jumping platform” and tried to step down onto
it, it was clear that it was a bad idea.
The starting point was covered with wet slippery moss, and on a sharp
angle. Had it been mossy but flat, or
angled but good grip, I have no doubt we would have done it. But the way it was, I was 90% sure that I
would slip before I even tried to jump, and I’d bounce my head and body off the
rocks numerous times before splashing into the pool. Absolutely NOT worth it. Especially when you don’t have insurance! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are more waterfalls further down the trail (7 in
total), but the majority of the group was perfectly content with the refreshing
swim and the two waterfalls we saw. I
think the dominant thought in most people’s minds was, “We haven’t broken
anything yet today. Let’s keep it that
way!” Plus, I couldn’t imagine how
difficult and nerve racking it would be to hike over the steep slippery parts
with a baby strapped on your back, or worrying about your little kids wandering
too close to the edge.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When we returned to the trail head we could smell the
delicious “oil down” lunch boiling on the wood fire. Devon had been working very hard while we
were gone. He explained the “oil down”
to us, and it’s many ingredients. It’s
called an “oil down” because of the natural oils that come from the coconut
milk. In a big pit over a wood fire, he combined
the ingredients: coconut milk, breadfruit, callaloo, carrots, dumplings, lots
of spices including turmeric and curry, and lots of meats including salt fish, pork,
chicken, and turkey. It all stewed
together and boiled over the fire for a long time to make it very flavorful.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzzTpBSZjZjn1_JsXOPuOXvBt2ip4DttOylNkc9GLGIVpec_RdKXiLsVsIqWtXjWt3E2RrvdIdrwd9cnn0Ii1VkK3SoGTNMr33jpyO6DNQXs4auJNF-kfmse4TyluROy05xQaH_AZLZw/s1600/IMG_20150827_132935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzzTpBSZjZjn1_JsXOPuOXvBt2ip4DttOylNkc9GLGIVpec_RdKXiLsVsIqWtXjWt3E2RrvdIdrwd9cnn0Ii1VkK3SoGTNMr33jpyO6DNQXs4auJNF-kfmse4TyluROy05xQaH_AZLZw/s400/IMG_20150827_132935.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What's that delicious smell!!!???</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKbYrZq-wwnO9uxg8eepnvudMJC2S_AeaAWD10CEO7WJGCBgaGn4acN4_MfL2v9XTFnYmizDVTu5A-ZDTbgDw_uqxTvCyulfp0I-Y9xq-6Ff-GN-mbpHTOVML_8oZclBEIT0g_WWUMYVE/s1600/IMG_20150827_134900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKbYrZq-wwnO9uxg8eepnvudMJC2S_AeaAWD10CEO7WJGCBgaGn4acN4_MfL2v9XTFnYmizDVTu5A-ZDTbgDw_uqxTvCyulfp0I-Y9xq-6Ff-GN-mbpHTOVML_8oZclBEIT0g_WWUMYVE/s400/IMG_20150827_134900.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Devon checking to see if it's ready</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO1KQScytYkxkz-DFLfI6M5PvyjppqGsShGVmmmkdFhoXqOzW3Z_KHkvHoHOHlKWRn7xJtxrH_8ujZsLpiWp7VDM45rb4UtuirzbMFqRpREdMhQiOOvIJOvyRY4PoDs0UTVGz474z1ro4/s1600/IMG_20150827_134947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO1KQScytYkxkz-DFLfI6M5PvyjppqGsShGVmmmkdFhoXqOzW3Z_KHkvHoHOHlKWRn7xJtxrH_8ujZsLpiWp7VDM45rb4UtuirzbMFqRpREdMhQiOOvIJOvyRY4PoDs0UTVGz474z1ro4/s320/IMG_20150827_134947.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's looking good! Who's hungry?</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While the oil down finished cooking we rehydrated and
chatted with one another, enjoying the atmosphere. It was an overcast day, and seemed to be threatening to rain all day, but it never did.
This was great though, because it helped keep the temperature more
comfortable. We were surrounded by lots
of plantation trees, including banana, papaya, pineapple, breadfruit, sugar
cane, </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">star fruit, and </span></span>French cashews, a very perfumy </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">fruit </span>that</span> looked like a reddish pear.
I tried this fruit for the first time, and it was very good. Near the seed was something that seemed
spider webby to me. I took one more
bite, and then realized that I had come within less than a millimeter of eating
a spider. Oops! Ha, ha!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7s-Y1OH9wS3kXqYxRJBsvLBupaAhK5R150gGj0ne2XF25XKEHb84W7-tGXqtEfaAIsxOutVpToK5ZYPVsCTizgsqfTyD8-QKqZPVHQ7-jTeK4Ww5Cn6F5-qvUx9zEhiE0PYwxC068QwQ/s1600/IMG_20150827_141329.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7s-Y1OH9wS3kXqYxRJBsvLBupaAhK5R150gGj0ne2XF25XKEHb84W7-tGXqtEfaAIsxOutVpToK5ZYPVsCTizgsqfTyD8-QKqZPVHQ7-jTeK4Ww5Cn6F5-qvUx9zEhiE0PYwxC068QwQ/s400/IMG_20150827_141329.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Socializing as the oil down finishes cooking</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbssNZmhcSZY0mvvUy-oAy-WwbuNn1JB0wFU5zqC16pIyrBqUE1an2d2NyOquAqhEszC1knIDvIowzc0ODAvK2WRcBK8o93auiVGSKv7ZLSX4NbCC1aff-6rZ_IcmhKtfcQrTQolfn_ek/s1600/inside-cashew.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbssNZmhcSZY0mvvUy-oAy-WwbuNn1JB0wFU5zqC16pIyrBqUE1an2d2NyOquAqhEszC1knIDvIowzc0ODAvK2WRcBK8o93auiVGSKv7ZLSX4NbCC1aff-6rZ_IcmhKtfcQrTQolfn_ek/s400/inside-cashew.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Inside a French Cashew</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzsI7qm7Ty-XN69208qXDoHrfXr4lPS3XPA7Inp0qDZoXGemJV9RzfIEJ-fJl_CyKBX7qmJrOHlTXyOgJNvNJzRt7dq85YXxQ7zLUmBvohfa5VYemun6CdquW_s_q2kzrlFI2TWJCGUg/s1600/IMG_20150827_140619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzsI7qm7Ty-XN69208qXDoHrfXr4lPS3XPA7Inp0qDZoXGemJV9RzfIEJ-fJl_CyKBX7qmJrOHlTXyOgJNvNJzRt7dq85YXxQ7zLUmBvohfa5VYemun6CdquW_s_q2kzrlFI2TWJCGUg/s400/IMG_20150827_140619.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The spider I almost ate</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtPz-1TOaXWLVW4lQgXaHzyExIatlbc9ZA1GLPESi9f8jE40ViI7YlqFDs7vgqn5WzrKDPwAVmYE01CcdjPajOQ2_3Knqr-Aaz66WlCGfmiX_qrtDQJAMUFuG2gP08ebrX7IyGZsgNRs/s400/Nutmeg_01.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Lee Coursey (Nutmeg Closeup Uploaded by Rojypala) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When the oil down was ready, Devon served up a heaping
portion to each of us. It was
delicious. It tasted similar to a Thai
or Indian coconut curry, but wasn’t spicy. I was surprised that I was able to polish off the
whole mound of deliciousness. Of course
I did have some help from my canine friend, who was eager to help all of us
with the meat left on the bones. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLR8f52oHI8JgRkeaJ1xFSFshyphenhyphenzAu0ut4cMmx6RDOBd0Skm_6f1jQgcurRNeChFkYnWFRU3KlTZR4iDrIR6A5_Me09L-dkqf1CavLq-6RzWda0m8NdmCDfU78TN1jyoh6fdxbPU12zMRk/s400/IMG_20150827_141335.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The callaloo and dumplings floating on top</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJd2hpz4-RZgTDNmquIPGooSINOfOq5NpiKP-cee7xpW3V7wQfPMoQI_CkXD1k87ehTF8LB3xStMFORAtZ9GTlrocDuM9GYPcRkPQ32M-j7xLJBHWPmU2dq9qIb958UU8YzA7mobOt2Q/s1600/IMG_20150827_141504.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJd2hpz4-RZgTDNmquIPGooSINOfOq5NpiKP-cee7xpW3V7wQfPMoQI_CkXD1k87ehTF8LB3xStMFORAtZ9GTlrocDuM9GYPcRkPQ32M-j7xLJBHWPmU2dq9qIb958UU8YzA7mobOt2Q/s400/IMG_20150827_141504.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Devon serves each of us a hefty helping</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXY2h6yf8YmsYn6QM8LlbgcPF5qRiJAVoCV6bmrJXLWJWdnYLYKi764iuhkLs0otRMNzF4fgiFkyA8twm8B9fXr1b8Ig48fR8XDoLRT9TSWYP4ZDoymNvuvinMj-Pgmjc0OzbPx9otHcU/s1600/IMG_20150827_142245.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXY2h6yf8YmsYn6QM8LlbgcPF5qRiJAVoCV6bmrJXLWJWdnYLYKi764iuhkLs0otRMNzF4fgiFkyA8twm8B9fXr1b8Ig48fR8XDoLRT9TSWYP4ZDoymNvuvinMj-Pgmjc0OzbPx9otHcU/s400/IMG_20150827_142245.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is some good stuff!</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our bellies full and content, we all piled back into the
mini bus and Devon took us back toward the L’Anse Aux Epines using a different
route. He wanted to get to show us as
much of his beautiful island as possible that day. He took the Annandale and Grand Etang route through
the middle of the mountains on the way there, and he took the Grenville and
Westerhall southeast coastal route back. </span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPb8VXJxmHZ8oozXoq3wQIP8uln6fmfjTdONXiydJVvn6z12LDv2q0qFzEV0wyX3_ABOm_D30K9jedwpPLF2_Lmn97Kdu4aX4-AkKJTgJzHIr8RWT1rPSOGh_TRfOth9moAFlILzMbncU/s1600/Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPb8VXJxmHZ8oozXoq3wQIP8uln6fmfjTdONXiydJVvn6z12LDv2q0qFzEV0wyX3_ABOm_D30K9jedwpPLF2_Lmn97Kdu4aX4-AkKJTgJzHIr8RWT1rPSOGh_TRfOth9moAFlILzMbncU/s400/Map.jpg" width="362" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The orange line indicates our path</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We passed by a funeral procession, and there were tons of people walking
down the road from the funeral home to the cemetery. Devon explained to us that Grenadians love attending
funerals because they love to dress up…very interesting cultural quirk. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Shortly before we reached Grenville, I
noticed Devon put his seat belt on.
Having spent lots of time in the Caribbean I was sure that this meant we
were approaching a police station. I was
right. Two uniformed women officers, in
their police skirts, were stopping cars and checking for seat belts in the front
seat. She scolded Devon because his
passenger was not seat-belted, say that he knows better, but did not issue a
citation and let us carry on. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFhjbIxWz2HdYVYQe1wauUIw5H1xUWLhLPz1Ai4NuHZbAA1rix3l9n4tTVQdQF9SbvgY388_8tEWKGiVjHo2IvkOJYhwX9ZWHmYLKqkqfFuzNPIM73dgsu60j1C8_0MuSpA5jciGB3JU/s1600/Police+woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFhjbIxWz2HdYVYQe1wauUIw5H1xUWLhLPz1Ai4NuHZbAA1rix3l9n4tTVQdQF9SbvgY388_8tEWKGiVjHo2IvkOJYhwX9ZWHmYLKqkqfFuzNPIM73dgsu60j1C8_0MuSpA5jciGB3JU/s400/Police+woman.jpg" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/62586117@N05/14297444964" target="_blank">Photo by Neil Moralee</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Devon pointed
out the big fish market and other places of interest to us. We talked about the extensive piles of
sargassum sea weed piled up all along the east coast, and how unpleasant and
unhealthy it is. It was very stinky, but
did not compare to the mountains of it was witnessed being piled up by
excavators on the beaches in St. Kitts. </span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjryHuyo4oKMvuYXwJ0Vdv1UDrvBydhUzWVOPnDkv1o3jTlcdBcXPSRkW8F7moB1AL5gnqs0jZFkqzSqL4od01kMk1YfNeOiOYmZ4ySA8LQeEREBoi1aqi8J_pdjDtnZPZ6EKUoU-ecpw/s1600/IMG_20150827_152912.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjryHuyo4oKMvuYXwJ0Vdv1UDrvBydhUzWVOPnDkv1o3jTlcdBcXPSRkW8F7moB1AL5gnqs0jZFkqzSqL4od01kMk1YfNeOiOYmZ4ySA8LQeEREBoi1aqi8J_pdjDtnZPZ6EKUoU-ecpw/s400/IMG_20150827_152912.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sargassum sea weed on the beach</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYEHv4oJWMyMjIw3LOVFqzW4-aji3RNyrO5icmWNl1tjVIxRVCBE7n9-YBXVPqkGsnJfwYggsZrpMiqdvros5SxBLlTndsm-Qq5tcXzp0AGmQTjuZlBANhm108TiYac5buz8GNDoR8A9E/s1600/IMG_20150827_154155.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYEHv4oJWMyMjIw3LOVFqzW4-aji3RNyrO5icmWNl1tjVIxRVCBE7n9-YBXVPqkGsnJfwYggsZrpMiqdvros5SxBLlTndsm-Qq5tcXzp0AGmQTjuZlBANhm108TiYac5buz8GNDoR8A9E/s400/IMG_20150827_154155.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Suddenly the bus started making a hissing noise. We pulled over on the side of the road next
to a little house in Grenville, where a lady was drying her laundry by
spreading it over the tops of her hedges.
The bus was overheating. I guess
our weight plus all of the weight of the delicious oil down lunch in our bellies
was too much for this little bus to take on these steep hills. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdoBGSWl0xj8VlNc9aNzv6yQDMSGDci5m241D8mKMNZ32mfiQKD8_CDryGo1d5GKdn-NlhaqE8z769MUCMEIGsnpOFhzSfo-epdm7wwfAsT50kGn_fR3bwhQDKuhE0T-KCV9z75ahnQ94/s1600/IMG_20150827_153829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdoBGSWl0xj8VlNc9aNzv6yQDMSGDci5m241D8mKMNZ32mfiQKD8_CDryGo1d5GKdn-NlhaqE8z769MUCMEIGsnpOFhzSfo-epdm7wwfAsT50kGn_fR3bwhQDKuhE0T-KCV9z75ahnQ94/s400/IMG_20150827_153829.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHCovaek7IRLSp68eIk3PZUzq1D1i4UwGAnnyUNEOtaTQ96GWXqlKfsCcfwOGL56-oqkt3Iu3WshHtTkFSZvW6opC3S8MCm2bJa8CWy4EY_kBTi7seLUnjZYhgzILLoCaxF9URkaelgY/s1600/IMG_20150827_153839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHCovaek7IRLSp68eIk3PZUzq1D1i4UwGAnnyUNEOtaTQ96GWXqlKfsCcfwOGL56-oqkt3Iu3WshHtTkFSZvW6opC3S8MCm2bJa8CWy4EY_kBTi7seLUnjZYhgzILLoCaxF9URkaelgY/s400/IMG_20150827_153839.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Devon did what he could to cool down the
engine by pouring water into the radiator, and then we all got back into the van and he
drove a bit slower and called his brother. Minutes later we pulled over again, and there
was his brother with a shiny bus. We all
piled out of bus #1 and into bus #2, and Devon hopped back into the driver’s seat. It was impressive how fast and smooth the
transition was. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The rest of the drive back to the marinas was smooth sailing.
Lots of heads were starting to bob as
people were starting to drift off into sleep.
It was a long but wonderful day of Grenadian nature and culture, delicious
food, and spending time with friends old and new. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were very happy we decided to join a group
tour, even though this usually isn’t our style or within our budget. The whole day only cost us $50 EC ($20 US) each,
plus tips for our wonderful guides. And
this included our lovely Grenadian oil down lunch! Most other places the lunch alone could cost
that much! Even though we enjoy being
independent travelers and doing things on our own, I would definitely consider
doing something like this again! </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
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<![endif]-->Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com4Grenada12.1165 -61.67899999999997411.6199715 -62.324446999999971 12.6130285 -61.033552999999976tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-17657314173674195552015-07-10T18:41:00.000-04:002015-08-05T11:27:20.789-04:00MONTSERRAT - THE VOLCANIC WONDER<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/lgcolor/montserratcolor.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/lgcolor/montserratcolor.gif" height="400" width="363" /></a></span></span> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our sail to Montserrat was wonderful! It was our first stress-free
sail.<span> </span>We were very excited to check out
this natural wonder, home to the Caribbean’s most active volcano.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jpn_T1yLw-DFLK3-m5CRwN2KmQgSeKhtGXsajbAob0rxw_HjwAq5tg4LH6II7te5iHUhQep85temM-C9Aru-RLu1ik0U-jE6CN2YqNJvBMEUd0umP8ZvQKFS6-khb7RO6Gk4iWDlvew/s1600/1024px-Soufri%25C3%25A8re_Hills_volcano_%2528Aerial_views%252C_Montserrat%252C_2007%2529_02.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jpn_T1yLw-DFLK3-m5CRwN2KmQgSeKhtGXsajbAob0rxw_HjwAq5tg4LH6II7te5iHUhQep85temM-C9Aru-RLu1ik0U-jE6CN2YqNJvBMEUd0umP8ZvQKFS6-khb7RO6Gk4iWDlvew/s400/1024px-Soufri%25C3%25A8re_Hills_volcano_%2528Aerial_views%252C_Montserrat%252C_2007%2529_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">By Godot13 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span></span> </span> </span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo5EhA2dyjJkkwlnQdJ6bMBCfWsVH_kIc2H09GLexEJ72R9CpSb0FfvG5ia7zRgbyYTsJ-wOHq8V4pt1wOT6yAUcis2s5psc4uppC8QuoPmmysl_N81IWwDMkfm-pIiOx-OoijAolCBk/s1600/NLK_7197.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo5EhA2dyjJkkwlnQdJ6bMBCfWsVH_kIc2H09GLexEJ72R9CpSb0FfvG5ia7zRgbyYTsJ-wOHq8V4pt1wOT6yAUcis2s5psc4uppC8QuoPmmysl_N81IWwDMkfm-pIiOx-OoijAolCBk/s400/NLK_7197.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Soufriere volcano on Montserrat</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We departed Nevis at 8am, hoisted our mizzen
sail for the first time, and sailed “jib and jigger,” meaning that we used our genoa
(forward sail) and mizzen (aft sail), but not the main.<span> </span> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhrpT7VoJCKI7pFww4zoI7mZgsZdtOwENtXrS0rMFmIbvgoguEyC0WRJSsMWg2qc0C6A9WEPukbEG-Yq4vO0ieTN8tHZEXZsABXg2Bxa_16fht4pmD6zKNc14whOMww5_ACun3PJ0RCY/s1600/IMG_20150710_092028.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhrpT7VoJCKI7pFww4zoI7mZgsZdtOwENtXrS0rMFmIbvgoguEyC0WRJSsMWg2qc0C6A9WEPukbEG-Yq4vO0ieTN8tHZEXZsABXg2Bxa_16fht4pmD6zKNc14whOMww5_ACun3PJ0RCY/s400/IMG_20150710_092028.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sailing "jib & jigger"</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This configuration beautifully balanced the
boat.<span> </span>We were actually able to relax,
since the boat practically steered itself.<span>
</span>We hardly had to touch the helm.<span>
</span> </span></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4-VHV0aRJenjsulb39C_52clOyDJvlHbx1yB85t18FnTDqQTp5mMf7JW6w_n3CyLtAgqiL4sgp8OVs6gujc5nOSdIUbzKT6O8u41tVULSogytNwoSgoc7QYPOXfJrEyqNjiVqTl5lLQ/s1600/IMG_20150710_091954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4-VHV0aRJenjsulb39C_52clOyDJvlHbx1yB85t18FnTDqQTp5mMf7JW6w_n3CyLtAgqiL4sgp8OVs6gujc5nOSdIUbzKT6O8u41tVULSogytNwoSgoc7QYPOXfJrEyqNjiVqTl5lLQ/s400/IMG_20150710_091954.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I wish sailing were always this easy!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> There was a lot of Saragassum seaweed along the way, but with a full keel, it is usually diverted to the sides and does not get caught in our propeller very easily. When we are under sail and the motor is off, we put the transmission in reverse so the propeller doesn't spin. This makes our chances of catching lots of seaweed less, and is better for our transmission. Underneath all of this seaweed is an entire thriving ecosystem. It would be quite possible to find baby sea turtles, mahi mahi, crab, shrimp, and lots of other creatures taking refuge under these floating islands.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRd8SWyereHV9Bj8Dw_uS9f5izJ9M7w2eVudMMlzIH02Q6wv7lowfzvs_5WFl5PLJDQPKszLeBIDBxkZgyAvo_J-bPkMwvb6_CBftbU8B3vhFUvVgN_lb133idHSBPhWhFdUbzp3F3HeA/s1600/IMG_20150708_125728.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRd8SWyereHV9Bj8Dw_uS9f5izJ9M7w2eVudMMlzIH02Q6wv7lowfzvs_5WFl5PLJDQPKszLeBIDBxkZgyAvo_J-bPkMwvb6_CBftbU8B3vhFUvVgN_lb133idHSBPhWhFdUbzp3F3HeA/s400/IMG_20150708_125728.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A huge patch of Saragassum seaweed</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our last couple of miles was directly into the wind, so we took in the
sails and motored the last bit.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNoUFIp5vaKmKy8V5kNAOz4slzUd2DeKh90jC7q22mSpQwgUUoNx1N9tVeXRV41mEvn6rYni6xBJgl65ufyGXQOhGM8Hw83-5NEFBrTc4TW15ewPHiK6D-Gi0WyaztmcCkAsuK3cD5h_Y/s1600/IMG_20150708_171617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNoUFIp5vaKmKy8V5kNAOz4slzUd2DeKh90jC7q22mSpQwgUUoNx1N9tVeXRV41mEvn6rYni6xBJgl65ufyGXQOhGM8Hw83-5NEFBrTc4TW15ewPHiK6D-Gi0WyaztmcCkAsuK3cD5h_Y/s400/IMG_20150708_171617.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Approaching Montserrat</span></span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuApc4nCEYy-rWHCjQtuqmnKV_hW3dFwDD8l6M2pvATC3oH6uUOsc064ffDdgrvU8uRowdwuEPTDEqLMWQBRTqTIUk6ehplJ9XtFi5Onm86qf07FpAWwAAznhUncRrXYPWrKxYj1GHEUg/s1600/IMG_20150709_114220.jpg"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuApc4nCEYy-rWHCjQtuqmnKV_hW3dFwDD8l6M2pvATC3oH6uUOsc064ffDdgrvU8uRowdwuEPTDEqLMWQBRTqTIUk6ehplJ9XtFi5Onm86qf07FpAWwAAznhUncRrXYPWrKxYj1GHEUg/s400/IMG_20150709_114220.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The anchorage in Montserrat was not very protected,
but it sure was pretty.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The choices of
where to anchor were very limited due to the bay being small, needing to leave
a path to the dock for the big ferry boats and huge cargo ships, the swirly changing
winds, the shallow coral reef, and the steep drop off.<span> </span>We needed to pick a spot that would allow for
us to swing in any direction without ending up aground, in the channel, or on
top of another boat.<span> </span>We had to let out a
lot of scope (amount of anchor chain in relation to the water depth) so we
would have good holding (7:1 scope is typically a good amount for overnight
stays, meaning if the water where you drop your anchor is 25 feet deep, you should
let out 7 times that amount of chain, or 25 x 7 = 175 feet).<span> </span>We are very happy to have bought our 65lb.
MANTUS anchor.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mantusanchors.com/images/pop-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://mantusanchors.com/images/pop-up.jpg" height="308" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We're so happy with our Mantus anchor!</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>It digs in very well and
has never dragged on us yet.<span> </span>Some may
say a 65lb anchor is overkill, since most people with our size boat usually
have a 40-50 pound anchor.<span> </span>But we
decided to get an over-sized anchor so we can sleep well at night and not worry
about dragging and ending up in a bad situation.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAaI3KxeLXgQwgATd1w8nX_mIPJNjvUsDjFl-CdE6DtNYt4D4S8ZNcunXVuCHCIISh_zuhhPWtsQ75uctFXc8XTZhuqUW8zIg_WsPBMKFd3vPDMrmnmkTN2WpIH63R36BTQJkr0MD3uI/s1600/IMG_20150708_160555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAaI3KxeLXgQwgATd1w8nX_mIPJNjvUsDjFl-CdE6DtNYt4D4S8ZNcunXVuCHCIISh_zuhhPWtsQ75uctFXc8XTZhuqUW8zIg_WsPBMKFd3vPDMrmnmkTN2WpIH63R36BTQJkr0MD3uI/s400/IMG_20150708_160555.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter and Momo setting the anchor</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately we didn’t sleep well at night, but that wasn’t
our anchor’s fault.<span> </span>The swells (waves)
came into the bay from a different direction than the wind, leaving us sitting
beam to the swell (sideways) and bobbing hard from side to side.<span> </span>We only stayed in Montserrat for 2 nights
though, so it was doable for that short period of time.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo5EhA2dyjJkkwlnQdJ6bMBCfWsVH_kIc2H09GLexEJ72R9CpSb0FfvG5ia7zRgbyYTsJ-wOHq8V4pt1wOT6yAUcis2s5psc4uppC8QuoPmmysl_N81IWwDMkfm-pIiOx-OoijAolCBk/s1600/NLK_7197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We didn’t even bother to put the dinghy motor back on the
dinghy.<span> </span>We had removed it for the trip
from Nevis – we learned the hard way that towing the dinghy and motor behind us
put unnecessary wear on the motor and we risked losing it to Davy Jones’
locker.<span> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpNN1p7fuz-Nv6nZOrS-Hz3l-q8LEMrVB9JvaZzn1NtxdZgVbb26UmrMohTDf14At2o-cakbg0P99vGXe63j0NwL2T-HG4rvfz_5BfHiNgpXCBrR1YASmE68jE1LbeCMNdHvNig1BnmU/s1600/IMG_20150709_184056.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpNN1p7fuz-Nv6nZOrS-Hz3l-q8LEMrVB9JvaZzn1NtxdZgVbb26UmrMohTDf14At2o-cakbg0P99vGXe63j0NwL2T-HG4rvfz_5BfHiNgpXCBrR1YASmE68jE1LbeCMNdHvNig1BnmU/s400/IMG_20150709_184056.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Its better to have no motor on our dinghy on passages</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We used our SUP (stand up paddleboard) paddles in
the dinghy and paddled ourselves to shore the next morning to check into customs
& immigration, which only cost us $35EC ($13 US), and they checked us in
and out at the same time.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGHSSv-lT0ND5a4GTTv9CyfYTMExAuTwMISm_YMFr3fjnLI6YmpkHEfkU0xdVBmTEMqQUoncW5J2PyBHng9eW8rBo1My2B2i3jx05s24gbEh33Lm7Z-KLr2oX0MUAc9qQ6F9PN2obwgU/s1600/IMG_20150709_165605.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGHSSv-lT0ND5a4GTTv9CyfYTMExAuTwMISm_YMFr3fjnLI6YmpkHEfkU0xdVBmTEMqQUoncW5J2PyBHng9eW8rBo1My2B2i3jx05s24gbEh33Lm7Z-KLr2oX0MUAc9qQ6F9PN2obwgU/s400/IMG_20150709_165605.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As we were walking out of the port area, we were approached
by a friendly guy.<span> </span>It ended up being Joe
Phillip, who we had read all about in our guide book.<span> </span>Chris Doyle described him as, “fearless,
entertaining, and knowledgeable.”<span> </span>He did
not disappoint.<span> </span>Even though we told him
we wouldn’t be able to do a tour this visit, he still was very generous with
his stories, his very well thought out island information pamphlet, and
pictures on his I-pad to accompany his stories.<span>
</span>As a former teacher, I was very impressed with his ability to make
everything he said intriguing through the use of visual aids and personal
stories.<span> </span>He was so charismatic and personable.<span> </span>We learned all about Montserrat, the
devastating volcanic eruptions, and how the land and the people were affected
by these events.<span> </span>We talked with him for
well over an hour.<span> </span>We were sad that our
budget didn’t allow for us to take a tour ($150), but both of us agreed that we
would like to save up and do a tour with the one and only Joe Phillip next time
we visited.<span> </span>And maybe we could get some
other people together to split the cost, since he could take 6 people on a tour
for the same price.<span> </span>We were convinced
that no one could be as dedicated to making his tour the absolute best, and no
one had the caliber of stories and first hand experiences as this man.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>I would highly recommend a tour with
Joe.<span> </span>He’s a popular guy, though, so you
should set it up in advance through his email: <a href="mailto:joephillip@live.com">joephillip@live.com</a>, phone:
1-664-492-1565, or by contacting him on VHF channel 08, call sign Avalon, when
you arrive in port.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/lgcolor/montserratcolor.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Because we are on a limited budget and we enjoy walking to
better absorb our surroundings, we decided to hoof it in the general direction
of the Volcano Observatory, 7 miles away.<span>
</span>We wandered along the main road through various quiet rural mountain
towns, and alongside windy lush green jungle between towns.<span> </span>The island was truly the most beautiful one
we had seen so far.<span> </span>The natural beauty
of the dramatic mountains, green foliage, bright flowering trees, and ocean
views was stunning. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTbP5kaINuPVYFDk-OBB04Syr24i2pZQmrpH0nXaO-B9kBXgFo2FXq6KOe4asLUDfDrCIenD5MjI0BAS7lvFuy02JCNkC0BfT7klWFfwYRxTTYadwODyrHlhsRLeu0CInK7D4i2bhFY0/s1600/IMG_20150709_114412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTbP5kaINuPVYFDk-OBB04Syr24i2pZQmrpH0nXaO-B9kBXgFo2FXq6KOe4asLUDfDrCIenD5MjI0BAS7lvFuy02JCNkC0BfT7klWFfwYRxTTYadwODyrHlhsRLeu0CInK7D4i2bhFY0/s400/IMG_20150709_114412.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYNg4n1KnUp528CMp-1fzFKehuVn2n9Pj_oIduUlxLHWvedanlfzqqz0-zWEw9ztsRCWBHd4E9SF24RopJydb3-dPI-G32DxaZyajzGnhzUBQrzpLbUHIlr22g5LAS_lBHdTE41Ixeyzg/s1600/IMG_20150709_122509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYNg4n1KnUp528CMp-1fzFKehuVn2n9Pj_oIduUlxLHWvedanlfzqqz0-zWEw9ztsRCWBHd4E9SF24RopJydb3-dPI-G32DxaZyajzGnhzUBQrzpLbUHIlr22g5LAS_lBHdTE41Ixeyzg/s400/IMG_20150709_122509.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeiemMJAIbrYefCs1rZENjnegFdrVF6LamODjydjhpu-E9forDh6izyKahb_jkhGx4fQrkeY1qpnmVfHFy9TE7CN-TGFmlayJP41-QKWxMcZTlnYTlPQpg44AA4s3m1AGWaHhj9pkjJIM/s1600/IMG_20150709_153239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeiemMJAIbrYefCs1rZENjnegFdrVF6LamODjydjhpu-E9forDh6izyKahb_jkhGx4fQrkeY1qpnmVfHFy9TE7CN-TGFmlayJP41-QKWxMcZTlnYTlPQpg44AA4s3m1AGWaHhj9pkjJIM/s400/IMG_20150709_153239.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">About 4 miles in it began raining, and a really nice woman
named Maritz pulled over and offered us a ride.<span>
</span>She was headed to the town of Salem, which was close to the volcano
observatory.<span> </span>She had been living on the
island for 30 years or so, and was there for all of the volcanic destruction
that began in 1995.<span> </span>Maritz had seen a
lot of changes in Montserrat, and said that the island was really suffering
since nearly two thirds of the population fled the island.<span> </span>The former bustling capital of Plymouth is gone;
even its tallest buildings are buried beneath tons and tons of pyroclastic
flows.<span> </span>What the island needs, she said,
is people; people to come back; people to invest here and strengthen the
economy.<span> </span>There are still plenty of safe
areas on this island paradise, physically unaffected by the volcano.<span> </span>How long Montserrat takes to bounce back will
depend on people.<span> </span>She sadly lost the
restaurant she owned to a fire back in December, so she said she’d be happy to
take us all the way up to the observatory because she had nothing else to
do.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglTjPFxSjb6BFUgSsbru6V49-AQ9ctSEDpg_WHA6Tf377VC4nevAsVz9lIHyjjfvHmBvH_FBKMoED-751Ydqg6B3OUhcBOxRlr3z7XxC0TlN-1HOC3x3KX1B7rU-LQRWm6SrcVEXNO940/s1600/IMG_20150709_125224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglTjPFxSjb6BFUgSsbru6V49-AQ9ctSEDpg_WHA6Tf377VC4nevAsVz9lIHyjjfvHmBvH_FBKMoED-751Ydqg6B3OUhcBOxRlr3z7XxC0TlN-1HOC3x3KX1B7rU-LQRWm6SrcVEXNO940/s400/IMG_20150709_125224.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The volcano observatory & research center</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZoaTJ-x40VC49cs-QempME8iDttKXJT4_mz6UxfnpARCrgNoJ__WGovBntFDFvM5-XYoKcq1yfsvXmI_Dz28fXJ7z64EhWgo2V5YK8YxcjI0B2t583iAx3Ma6knwmg_hT5NBFzno4po/s1600/IMG_20150709_135332.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZoaTJ-x40VC49cs-QempME8iDttKXJT4_mz6UxfnpARCrgNoJ__WGovBntFDFvM5-XYoKcq1yfsvXmI_Dz28fXJ7z64EhWgo2V5YK8YxcjI0B2t583iAx3Ma6knwmg_hT5NBFzno4po/s400/IMG_20150709_135332.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This helipad is regularly used by scientists studying the vocano</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPJ5f2WDU2aq9ADg81jgPc8xj_4zwekVuhqU49yYTx1-Ye6LtnxsPAm29Vybkadr-Knxwlani68G71Hj9DmU5W8AzA6Zrhq1vloHhcKqBHEHaV4DBznktIXUShyK6VJhlVw2hhYTqGAs/s1600/IMG_20150709_135514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPJ5f2WDU2aq9ADg81jgPc8xj_4zwekVuhqU49yYTx1-Ye6LtnxsPAm29Vybkadr-Knxwlani68G71Hj9DmU5W8AzA6Zrhq1vloHhcKqBHEHaV4DBznktIXUShyK6VJhlVw2hhYTqGAs/s400/IMG_20150709_135514.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Soufriere volcano in the distance</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the observatory we took in the impressive views, looked
at samples of rocks from the volcanoes and things recovered from the wreckage, then
watched an intriguing video about the Soufriere volcano.<span> </span>It is very different to the Hawaiian
volcanoes that people are most familiar with, due to the type of lava that
comes from it.<span> </span>Hawaiian volcanoes have
basalt lava, which is very fluid.<span> </span>The
Soufriere volcano in Montserrat has andesite lava, which is a million times
thicker than basalt.<span> </span>Instead of rivers
of glowing red lava pouring down a volcano, andesite based volcanoes have
explosive eruptions and pyroclastic flows.<span>
</span>A pyroclastic flow is basically a super hot and super fast landslide that
destroys everything in its path.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQZD0zY0lfiAsU52Fk05liRO-1mmxTjqE9cKHx0dXYewqmryjwF1LzwRJUxLWjlL3lINU2SLqerW_mzlTYh2zBvEGKu3jO8-EopSoyxaDy93m0vCwNnuNlE3N3Wj2clB66HYQ3_nDjsM/s1600/Volcanic_Debris_%25285809856144%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQZD0zY0lfiAsU52Fk05liRO-1mmxTjqE9cKHx0dXYewqmryjwF1LzwRJUxLWjlL3lINU2SLqerW_mzlTYh2zBvEGKu3jO8-EopSoyxaDy93m0vCwNnuNlE3N3Wj2clB66HYQ3_nDjsM/s400/Volcanic_Debris_%25285809856144%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"Volcanic Debris (5809856144)" by David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada - Volcanic DebrisUploaded by russavia. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Volcanic_Debris_(5809856144).jpg#/media/File:Volcanic_Debris_(5809856144).jpg</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was crazy to look across at the active volcano, seeing
steam rising up off of it.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was even crazier
to look down toward the former capital of Plymouth and see it completely
erased.<span> </span> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwDfEpDpTV5lwTAgSxSgCBnd_DSAOaHBf7czYqXKmKFdSNsCaKmHPC7gv_OezwZsv7S56aH4Mz9GDuCM34r2t-hWawsSu8KLOVkSn6p6BXatYSMbXVrDfZEpux8DWDx8FS1UyNaxovr0/s1600/800px-Montserrat_Golf_Course_%25285809291829%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwDfEpDpTV5lwTAgSxSgCBnd_DSAOaHBf7czYqXKmKFdSNsCaKmHPC7gv_OezwZsv7S56aH4Mz9GDuCM34r2t-hWawsSu8KLOVkSn6p6BXatYSMbXVrDfZEpux8DWDx8FS1UyNaxovr0/s400/800px-Montserrat_Golf_Course_%25285809291829%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"Montserrat Golf Course (5809291829)" by David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada - Montserrat Golf CourseUploaded by russavia. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Montserrat_Golf_Course_(5809291829).jpg#/media/File:Montserrat_Golf_Course_(5809291829).jpg</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The old airport was covered
too.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9X384fVifRwZZxXw_o4Zzdg906Gp3sHMv41V-F5hVY3acdDZjH8OjL61H2r_hol3X69coI09OdAqmnKmj-JR1w3CfiwOqqMjDGNbyGufGQtlhyaWkPdah8SF_oMlxwIleDLjOxN2-DcU/s1600/Montserrat_Exclusion_Zone_-_Old_Airport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9X384fVifRwZZxXw_o4Zzdg906Gp3sHMv41V-F5hVY3acdDZjH8OjL61H2r_hol3X69coI09OdAqmnKmj-JR1w3CfiwOqqMjDGNbyGufGQtlhyaWkPdah8SF_oMlxwIleDLjOxN2-DcU/s400/Montserrat_Exclusion_Zone_-_Old_Airport.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"Montserrat Exclusion Zone - Old Airport" by Pat Hawks - Own work. Via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Montserrat_Exclusion_Zone_-_Old_Airport.jpg#/media/File:Montserrat_Exclusion_Zone_-_Old_Airport.jpg</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Looking at before and after images
was bone chilling.<span> </span>The volcano itself had
changed shape and size dramatically over the years.<span> </span>The island grew and the bays shrunk.<span> </span>There is an extensive exclusion zone, decided
upon by some the world’s top volcano scientists who are constantly observing
and studying the volcano.<span> </span>There hasn’t been
any major activity since 2010 when the dome of the volcano collapsed, but more
activity is expected.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is impressive
to see how resilient the local people are who lived through the
devastation.<span> </span>Those people who lived in
the area that is now the exclusion zone were set up with emergency housing in
public buildings such as schools and churches, living in close quarters with no
privacy.<span> </span>Joe Phillip was one of the many
people who lost his home.<span> </span>He lived in a
high school classroom for 2 years before he was able to move to another place.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1K5NBF3i0anvo5J1b8ey2CJHz8biKyqU3dOsXkaUmFZuZeiOSwPaAL9t4EUoxeWgyrkXU4Go1lIZQ6NKfhRvMaNsBXrhleqcmnx_ZzFbMCU7qZkCNTvTXAxUBMPT9RjEHIbB4ZsWTO3Y/s1600/IMG_20150709_150537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1K5NBF3i0anvo5J1b8ey2CJHz8biKyqU3dOsXkaUmFZuZeiOSwPaAL9t4EUoxeWgyrkXU4Go1lIZQ6NKfhRvMaNsBXrhleqcmnx_ZzFbMCU7qZkCNTvTXAxUBMPT9RjEHIbB4ZsWTO3Y/s400/IMG_20150709_150537.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Many people lived in this high school after the big eruption</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After our visit to the observatory we walked back down the
mountain to Salem.<span> </span>We got lost on the
way, ending up in a little neighborhood called Hope.<span> </span>It was a very rural area with fruit trees and
goats everywhere.<span> </span>When we realized we
were going the wrong way, we turned back and were approached by a drunk
man.<span> </span>His name was Mickey.<span> </span>We stopped and talked to him for a half an
hour, discussing everything from the volcano to Jesus to good and evil to
different kinds of people.<span> </span>Before
continuing on our way, I asked if I could take a picture with him and his
goat-herder friend, David.<span> </span>And I asked
David if I could take a picture of his goat herd.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3LpbqPPs1BPuphBw4tXOLxQLRLlh40EOpv4jKroGg-Q1IVsB-nAUv_ci1uFXofACQmeN6FSwiKbrPm3T0bSQ29Nu3h5kB32KtOWh54Qtyv77zBl_OLsEaWUDhD1sSYJhm0c4UDrsaM4/s1600/IMG_20150709_143901.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3LpbqPPs1BPuphBw4tXOLxQLRLlh40EOpv4jKroGg-Q1IVsB-nAUv_ci1uFXofACQmeN6FSwiKbrPm3T0bSQ29Nu3h5kB32KtOWh54Qtyv77zBl_OLsEaWUDhD1sSYJhm0c4UDrsaM4/s400/IMG_20150709_143901.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">With our new friends Mickey and David in Montserrat</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgL89ZAPqiIYp-eJrmz0DglusvRPSGHGvv-NkGE8HTDaHB0ySESnAqpMMpRXoMC-wZsygz9Ijab_lfXCR0hGMlxnw9f_k1oIa9bW392YiXAx5cv1oiwfoo65Lhx0322Imk3Sd1oSgLOc/s1600/IMG_20150709_143826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgL89ZAPqiIYp-eJrmz0DglusvRPSGHGvv-NkGE8HTDaHB0ySESnAqpMMpRXoMC-wZsygz9Ijab_lfXCR0hGMlxnw9f_k1oIa9bW392YiXAx5cv1oiwfoo65Lhx0322Imk3Sd1oSgLOc/s400/IMG_20150709_143826.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">David's goat herd</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We walked for about 3 miles, then we decided to catch a bus
the rest of the way.<span> </span>Sometimes I wonder
how many miles we have hiked in these flip-flops so far…at least a hundred
miles, without a doubt.<span> </span>A few repairs
gluing the soles together, and a few shoe laces strung through when a strap
breaks, will get you countless miles out of a good pair of flip-flops!<span> </span>Thanks to my friend Jim, who repaired my flip
flops the first time by drilling two holes through the sole and stringing a
string through! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAn0qT_kJhdjK5wSUYHLpiiKNNlOOxAoaUn5zzEuL73Z3vYS4g5MmIMLBDlyGUo2-IyPjPnCoD7n3qwoKjzCdd4r4rzJa0WV-7L8cm3VVLQV7b5BAGEI_7aM5VOOeiSEQ7V1vA9lTiOA/s1600/IMG_20150515_184945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAn0qT_kJhdjK5wSUYHLpiiKNNlOOxAoaUn5zzEuL73Z3vYS4g5MmIMLBDlyGUo2-IyPjPnCoD7n3qwoKjzCdd4r4rzJa0WV-7L8cm3VVLQV7b5BAGEI_7aM5VOOeiSEQ7V1vA9lTiOA/s400/IMG_20150515_184945.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jim can fix anything. He's a genius!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was a wonderful day.<span>
</span>We met lots of locals, enjoyed the natural wonders of the island, and
learned tons about maybe the most interesting island in the Caribbean.<span> </span>We almost skipped Montserrat, what a bad
decision that would have been!<span> </span>It is
filled with resilient, kind-hearted people, is breathtakingly beautiful, and so
incredibly interesting with its volcanic past and present.<span> </span>We are very eager to return and experience it
in more depth.<span> </span>Montserrat, we love
you!<span> </span></span></span></div>
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Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com4Montserrat16.742498 -62.18736616.4992185 -62.5100895 16.9857775 -61.864642499999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-64917857850081831412015-07-06T21:42:00.000-04:002015-07-12T21:49:00.062-04:00NEVIS - SHORT BUT SWEET<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsYDdoNrKbMc_j4vBcvJ3gJKKcxx59DYYU6k4tDbIhdvHn0pD1MO_vlyAbf3QeCdCxlgYsE7VHNChyphenhyphen3jNr8Q7__a2zkUmzREhCcZI2PnZ07UWzowq9FDu-6dvkxMYBqBnYp4l2ddVJRw/s1600/Nevis_Aerial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsYDdoNrKbMc_j4vBcvJ3gJKKcxx59DYYU6k4tDbIhdvHn0pD1MO_vlyAbf3QeCdCxlgYsE7VHNChyphenhyphen3jNr8Q7__a2zkUmzREhCcZI2PnZ07UWzowq9FDu-6dvkxMYBqBnYp4l2ddVJRw/s400/Nevis_Aerial.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="licensetpl_attr"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by: Aaron Vos, via WikiCommons</span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We hesitated to come over here because the island was very round, and we didn't think it could possibly be a comfortable anchorage in the rough sea conditions that we were having. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/lgcolor/kncolor.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/lgcolor/kncolor.gif" height="400" width="363" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But we were wrong! Nevis was one of our most pleasant surprises so far! Christopher Columbus named the island after "Nuestra Senora de las nieves," meaning our Lady of the Snows. For short, Nevis. Nevis is a dramatically tall volcanic mountain that goes up into the clouds so high that you can often see clouds rolling down the sides of the mountain like snow. It has a ring of flatter land around the base of the mountain, making it kind of look like a sombrero from some angles. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsoG12_s_Z_QQTfDtglMXcW-eFYu8PNme5Lpm8BRevgSYt0Y9KivSqpbjXWwDmo1vCVQlOGp6X3Jis9zahFI1L9ha1R7XxERz-NPmj4dlom1YDXItASQVRfoT23r7dUK-kxbOOMGkGFc/s1600/IMG_20150704_134813.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsoG12_s_Z_QQTfDtglMXcW-eFYu8PNme5Lpm8BRevgSYt0Y9KivSqpbjXWwDmo1vCVQlOGp6X3Jis9zahFI1L9ha1R7XxERz-NPmj4dlom1YDXItASQVRfoT23r7dUK-kxbOOMGkGFc/s400/IMG_20150704_134813.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The moorings were laid out neatly in front of the miles long Pinney Beach, about a mile from town. The water was surprisingly calm, and the scenery was breathtaking. We took our dinghy over to the town dock (Charleston, the one and only port in Nevis) and checked in with customs and the port authority. Even though we had already check into the federation in St. Kitts, it was the norm to let customs know you were there, and to pay the mooring and environment fees with the port authority. Their offices were located in a cute stone building called the Cotton Ginnery. The island was the most charming place we had seen so far. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We each bought a Caribbean patte and a locally made fruit punch and took a stroll around exploring the town. The people were so incredibly nice, we were blown away. Walking down the street everyone would greet and smile. Most of the Caribbean says, "Good morning" and "Good afternoon," but the people of Nevis were very relaxed and would often just say, "Hi" or "Hello." We even passed a couple of teenage boys who looked like the cool kids in school and expected them to just walk by and ignore us, but instead they both flashed us genuinely kind smiles and said "hi." </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2u8sJ3Q0tfuHkqz3yPfTVR1w_0ZfRPWWsZS5b2G8wNcmTyBq-xLNTXW5NaGSCs0RgMAn7EowEexMgMKTeMfqHQeZWc5i6e8KzQpPE392NeEN0dl7f7o0DBdsEkUBrOtHdGoh8LXRXlYk/s1600/IMG_20150704_123044.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2u8sJ3Q0tfuHkqz3yPfTVR1w_0ZfRPWWsZS5b2G8wNcmTyBq-xLNTXW5NaGSCs0RgMAn7EowEexMgMKTeMfqHQeZWc5i6e8KzQpPE392NeEN0dl7f7o0DBdsEkUBrOtHdGoh8LXRXlYk/s400/IMG_20150704_123044.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A sign saying "No Noise"</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrc9wdhWIDzvRzc44cnSzUuOJQ7JwVTH9wmLfkjL6DiwzjFdaGzrZbIpGMKMHDmmlOL49co9nMrk1rTeDP3DQf6CO38Ly3udrfkiZCbEMYnB2OPheLMscoPfFsm1lGCWVlAzi-2gNwPg/s1600/IMG_20150704_123329.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrc9wdhWIDzvRzc44cnSzUuOJQ7JwVTH9wmLfkjL6DiwzjFdaGzrZbIpGMKMHDmmlOL49co9nMrk1rTeDP3DQf6CO38Ly3udrfkiZCbEMYnB2OPheLMscoPfFsm1lGCWVlAzi-2gNwPg/s400/IMG_20150704_123329.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The bright flashy fire engine</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The island had a surprising number of barber shops and beauty salons and quite a bit of diversity. English is the main language spoken in Nevis, since it was a former British colony, but we also heard quite a bit of Spanish and Patua. We stopped by the outdoor market and bought produce grown locally from a woman, her mother, and her little girl. They lived in Nevis, but were of Indian descent. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gKCsYOpSF85wUdi-J8ZMUd-gOzXGi1g90X-vxIHwvrtooYAJrZBcA58MOj5c80bnFyPoMJjSchUFVK78kC_3A8zHD7SdVKlrLDN1pqvDT6r6vHH56ZnlaKyJMdoPP0hnwKApOTSc1bA/s1600/A_table_with_vegetables_for_sale_outside_the_Market_in_Charlestown%252C_Nevis%252C_West_Indies%252C_up_against_a_cut-stone_wall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gKCsYOpSF85wUdi-J8ZMUd-gOzXGi1g90X-vxIHwvrtooYAJrZBcA58MOj5c80bnFyPoMJjSchUFVK78kC_3A8zHD7SdVKlrLDN1pqvDT6r6vHH56ZnlaKyJMdoPP0hnwKApOTSc1bA/s400/A_table_with_vegetables_for_sale_outside_the_Market_in_Charlestown%252C_Nevis%252C_West_Indies%252C_up_against_a_cut-stone_wall.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"A
table with vegetables for sale outside the Market in Charlestown,
Nevis, West Indies, up against a cut-stone wall" by Invertzoo - Own
work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">At night, we were shocked to see fireworks in the sky for the 4th of July! They appeared to be coming from Cockleshell Beach on St. Kitts, across the water. It was a lovely surprise. It must be to cater to the American tourists in St. Kitts.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJwRbFMjQVEl0AQ63Bofrt2ruSdcs9_rM9NXiwWMG1aVrmO0IT6dLb4uOipvoU4oaxFN6iHptHWwTVLxnzozWzYFtUk-_yMo0aWilu-Gohe_xzgEdmCa657KsFd0Vp98X8nT_UX39TKU/s1600/Fourth_of_July_Fireworks_%25283691489439%2529_%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJwRbFMjQVEl0AQ63Bofrt2ruSdcs9_rM9NXiwWMG1aVrmO0IT6dLb4uOipvoU4oaxFN6iHptHWwTVLxnzozWzYFtUk-_yMo0aWilu-Gohe_xzgEdmCa657KsFd0Vp98X8nT_UX39TKU/s400/Fourth_of_July_Fireworks_%25283691489439%2529_%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">4th of July fireworks in the Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis!</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The following day we got some exciting news...Skeeter's sister Amity gave birth to our niece, Lizelle! We are very excited and happy, and look forward to meeting the new member of our family! I made breakfast, one enormous pancake to split, and then we took a long exploratory walk along the beach. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The beach was beautiful. On one side we had the crystal clear and sparkling ocean and the rolling green hills of St. Kitts in the background, and on the other side we had the dramatically tall volcanic mountain and colorful flowering trees. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fishing boats & St. Kitts in the background</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We walked through the ultra ritzy Four Seasons Resort, hoping they would think we were guests and offer us some of their fresh squeezed ice cold lemonade or macaroons, but I guess it was obvious we weren't guests. I can't imagine why! For miles we walked along soft (but sometimes scorching hot!) sand and past many resorts that looked like they were once very nice but currently abandoned. We weren't sure if it was just for the low season, or maybe there was a zombie apocalypse there or something. It was strange to see some really expensive beach chairs and cushions just left out in the elements to be destroyed. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBJKaLUYPNmza78x8luzMPuJm5SxxDc0NT1KeGUQdpwYiJoQsANO26l3tVLKL3kCcYVQnf9NaodwusZKYOskJAoZqpQ8lxZaqP_IIMpKqA9SyBPAkwnVa-WC2KIuonMK1sYQtQi4V3L8/s1600/IMG_20150706_132944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBJKaLUYPNmza78x8luzMPuJm5SxxDc0NT1KeGUQdpwYiJoQsANO26l3tVLKL3kCcYVQnf9NaodwusZKYOskJAoZqpQ8lxZaqP_IIMpKqA9SyBPAkwnVa-WC2KIuonMK1sYQtQi4V3L8/s400/IMG_20150706_132944.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">During our walk we came across a friendly local man wearing an apron. I started chatting with him, and next thing we knew he was having us follow him back into a wooded area to a tented area to try his chicken and homemade barbeque sauce. I wasn't quite sure if he was trying to sell us his chicken or just have us try it, so I made sure to ask because we weren't carrying much of anything on us. Then he said, "I wouldn't charge you! No worries!" We were taken off guard by his kindness. He was just a genuinely nice guy. His name is Clifford, and he works for some charter boats that were about to bring guest to the beach. He just had some time to kill. He started piling about ten pieces of chicken on a plate for us to try, and I had to politely tell him that one piece each would be more than enough. It hadn't been long since we'd eaten but we did want to try it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We shared stories about times at sea while we enjoyed the chicken, and shared some good laughs. He had worked on the ferry boat for twenty-two years and loves the sea. He told us some crazy stories, including riding out hurricane Hugo in 1989 (a MAJOR one, went down in history) amongst other stories. Clifford also had us try his coconut-slaw, which I had never heard of. Basically, it's coleslaw using coconut shreds instead of cabbage. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm so glad we have made it a point to give everyone a chance rather than being those stereotypical rude tourists who run away or give the cold shoulder when a stranger approaches, assuming that they want to sell you something or are crazy. This openness has really helped us to meet some interesting people, connect with different cultures, and have some experiences that we could have easily missed out on. Plus, we have both been on the other side of things when we worked in the tourist industry and had to try to sell or promote something, and it's not fun to be treated with disdain. Besides, even if someone is trying to sell you something you don't have to buy it. And even if they are crazy it doesn't necessarily mean that they are dangerous. Experiences only come to those who are open to them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We finished off our 6 mile walk over sand and climbing over boulders with a refreshing swim in the crystal clear waters of Pinney's beach. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We dinghied back to the boat, and then spent the rest of the evening hanging out on deck with Momo. We watched pelicans and laughing gulls land on our bow and Momo slither on his belly in the hunting position to try to sneak up on them. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">They flew away just in time and flew in circles high above the water, dramatically diving in head first to catch one of the silversides shimmering in the water. Momo was also enthralled with watching schools of hundred of these silversides jump simultaneously when a bigger fish, usually a bar jack, was chasing after them. Shockingly he didn't end up falling in the water, even though we were sure that all of this excitement would inevitably end with a wet cat.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We finished off the wonderful day with a night sky filled with stars. There isn't much light pollution in Nevis, since it is a sparsely populated island. The bad weather was finally breaking, and we could make a move to our next destination, Montserrat. We were sad to leave Nevis and probably the calmest anchorage to date, but decided that it was one of our favorites and we would be back. </span></span></div>
Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com3Nevis, Saint Kitts and Nevis17.1553558 -62.57960259999998717.033975299999998 -62.740964099999985 17.2767363 -62.418241099999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-75967108853107067542015-07-03T20:59:00.000-04:002015-07-12T22:49:47.380-04:00ADVENTURES IN ST. KITTS<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were thrilled to get out of the rolly anchorage in Statia and head for St. Kitts. We decided to just motor, since we just wanted to get there as soon as possible so we could finally rest. We hadn't slept well in over a week. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Good-bye Statia!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Motoring to St. Kitts</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We had 5-6 foot seas, which is kind of big when you are heading into the wind and don't have a dodger (windshield), but doable. We made it to Basseterre in only 4 hours. The first 2 hours were in open ocean, and the second 2 hours were much more enjoyable, along St. Kitts' gorgeous coastline. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hello, St. Kitts!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Scenic St. Kitts, with Brimstone Fortress on the hill</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We anchored next to a ferry outside of Port Zante in Basseterre, and dinghied in to clear customs. The dinghy dock is in a very narrow and sketchy channel between the dock and the gigantic rocks that form a breakwater. Luckily, thanks to our cruising guide book, we knew to go very slow and grab onto the docked powerboats and walk our way along them to avoid tearing a hole in the bottom of our dinghy or destroying our prop. Some rocks were poking out of the water, and some were hiding just a few inches below the surface. One of the boats we pulled ourselves along was named, "Obama!" I wonder if our President knows he has a little fishing skiff named after him in St. Kitts?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Customs was located upstairs in the Port Zante marina building, and a young customs officer who was being trained by his superior took care of us. For the first time in our travels so far there was a question on the paperwork about number of pets on board. I just played the fool and skipped that section, hoping the officer wouldn't notice. He didn't. Phew! I'd rather not lie and say that we didn't have a pet on board, but at the same time I didn't want to cause any problems for ourselves and/or Momo. I had read about some countries having the policy of "humanely euthanizing" your pet if it didn't pass the medical examination or have its paperwork in order. What's humane about euthanizing a perfectly healthy and loved member of the family? Anyway, the process ended up being friendly and problem free. They didn't seem to be real hard asses there...the female officer was sleeping at her desk. It only cost us $30 EC ($12 US).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our next stop was Immigration and the Port Office, located in the cruise ship terminal. There was a cruise ship in, and all of the passengers had to show their ID's to get past the gate, but we were able to just walk in. It makes me wonder if we could sneak aboard the ship and enjoy their water slide and a nice free meal. Though I'm sure they have another layer of security before they actually step onto the ship itself. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When we entered the immigration office, the man who worked there said that the lady officer had just stepped out to use the restroom, then he continued chatting with his friend or family member on his cell phone. There was a gospel radio station playing in the background, and calendars from previous years decorating the walls. The immigration officer was very friendly and personable. Across the hallway was the port office, where we had to pay our $30 EC ($12 US) port fees. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We went across the street to Ram's Supermarket to stock up on a few items we were running out of. There were more employees in the store than customers, and one employee had her boyfriend hanging out behind her and harassing her as she stocked shelves, along with 2 other employees in the same aisle. The store was nice, organized, and friendly, though. You can pay in US dollars here, but they will give you change in EC's (Eastern Caribbean Dollars, $1 US = $2.7 EC)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We dinghied back to our boat and then weighed anchor and headed further south to a calmer anchorage called White House Bay. St. Kitts is really an up and coming island. There is a ton of construction south of Basseterre, all along the southwest peninsula. A huge mega yacht marina called "Christophe Harbour" is being constructed, along with numerous villas and entire neighborhoods that belong to the marina. There are also many elaborate resorts being constructed. However, for the mean time it is a dusty construction site with a small real estate office selling dock slips and villas.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were pleased at how calm the water was at White House Bay, though the wind was howling like crazy. It channeled through the valley and made the wind significantly stronger than it was anywhere else. But we were thrilled to be able to get a good night's sleep. FINALLY!!! And as an added bonus, Christophe Harbor was generous enough to offer free wifi that we managed to pick up from the boat so we could stay in touch with the world and most importantly, follow the WEATHER!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The next couple of days we caught up on sleep and relaxed. Skeeter baked delicious cinnamon rolls from scratch. They turned out great! It was nice to actually be able to do anything in the galley without feeling like you were risking your well being to do so. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter's homemade cinnamon rolls</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were very happy for some rain that came through, because the boat needed a good rinse. Salt water is very corrosive, and after cruising through rough seas the boat gets covered in it (as do we). Of course we are very limited on our fresh water supply, so we can't just grab a hose and rinse things off.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After a couple of days of much needed rest, we were ready to adventure! We found out that absolutely no public transportation runs through the southwest peninsula so we had limited choices: 1. Call a cab and pay $24 each way to get into town, 2. Walk almost 8 miles each way up and down mountains, 3. Hitchhike, 4. Don't go to town. We opted to try #3 - Hitchhiking. We dinghied almost a mile into Christophe Harbour's dinghy dock, walked a half mile across the construction grounds, and put our thumbs out next to the main road. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were surprised to see a rental car pull over for us. It was a young couple from London, visiting for a family wedding. The woman's family was from St. Kitt's, but this was her first visit to the island. They were super friendly. They were staying at the Marriott Resort, which was about half way to our destination (though we thought we were nearly there). They let us out at their intersection, and we decided to continue on foot. We ended up walking the rest of the way, because we kept thinking Basseterre would be just around the corner. That was a hot, dusty 4 miles. But we were incredibly grateful that it wasn't 8 miles! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As we got closer to Basseterre, the open dusty countryside turned into a more urban setting. We walked through a local neighborhood that obviously didn't see many foreigners. No one gave us a hard time at all. In fact, an elderly woman who just hobbled across the street with her cane went to the trouble to holler at us to tell us which side of the street we should walk on so we didn't hit the sidewalk dead ending into a construction pit.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When we made it to Basseterre we hunted down Mrs. Moore, the Johnny Cake lady. I had read about her on Trip Advisor, and really wanted to try one of her Johnny Cakes for lunch. With some luck and asking around, we finally found her. She has a stand just outside of the cruise ship port area where she has Johnny Cakes and pots filled with her local food cook up. Skeeter and I both ordered Johnny cakes with chicken, and locally made passion fruit juice. It was delicious, local, and cheap. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fresh made passion fruit juice & a Johnny cake with chicken</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mrs. Moore is a great lady. She said she has had her stand for something like 24 years. She also helps to keep some of the homeless and less fortunate people fed. When I went to pay she said $24 and I began to reach for $24 US thinking that was a fair price for such a delicious meal. Then she said, "Heavens no! EC, darling! I couldn't sleep at night if I charged you $24 US!" Wow. So that delicious lunch, including our drinks, was only $8 US. I definitely couldn't eat Johnny Cakes every day (they are pretty greasy), but boy was that a nice local experience and enjoyable after walking so many miles in the scorching sun.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mrs. Moore, the Johnny Cake lady</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Since we have been living in the Caribbean for a few years now and I'm used to be out in the sun, I don't always put on sunscreen (yes, shame on me). Usually my skin can handle it. But that day I was wearing a tank top and my skin was cooking, and we didn't have and sunscreen with us. We don't usually buy anything other than food (rarely outside of a grocery store or food cart) and almost never do we buy souvenirs. We are on a very tight budget and want our adventure to last. But I decided to suck it up and walk into the tourist shops to buy something to cover me up. I ended up settling for a neon pink St. Kitts t-shirt and hat for $20. St. Kitts is my favorite island, after all, so if I was going to have a cheesy souvenir t-shirt it might as well be from St. Kitts.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We walked to Independence Park and sat down on a bench, taking another rest from all that walking. It was fun watching the people go by, the birds hop around, and looking at the beautiful orange flamboyant tree and another enormous tree. There was a man carrying an ironing board, a school girl bouncing a ball, a boy dancing by himself in front of the massive tree, and a group of girls singing and dancing on a bench. I decided to stretch out on the bench for just a minute, and before I knew it I was sound asleep. When I awoke I managed to conjure up enough energy to continue on. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A beautiful Catholic school</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Independence Park in Basseterre</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On the way back we walked for the first mile or two, then put out our thumbs. A young local woman with a head scarf and numerous tattoos on her hands and arms pulled over for us. She was very quiet, but very kind. She ended up taking us farther than she had intended to go, out of sheer generosity. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We waited by the roadside again, hoping we could catch a ride before night fall. We still had another 4 miles to go, and those 4 miles were the most mountainous and dangerous to walk. A young surfer looking girl pulled over for us. She had 2 dogs in the back seat, and a whole mess of stuff in the front passenger seat. Skeeter got in back with the two big slobbering dogs, and I climbed into the front with her mess of stuff all over the seat and floor. She tried to gather it all up so I had room to sit. She was very talkative and cheerful, and said she was in her last semester at the Veterinary Medicine School. We didn't realize it until we were moving, but the girl was drunk as a skunk. She had not one but two "roadies," tall cups filled with ice and mixed drinks. Then I noticed a bottle of vodka at my feet. Who knows how many drinks she had already consumed. She was wildly swerving all over the road. Then she was trying to pick out music on her I-pod and Skeeter and I were both like, "what's on now is fine!" She was an interesting character. We learned all about her. Her Dad is an American and her Mom is English, but she grew up in Dubai and Venezuela. She has relatives in Montana. Her boyfriend works for some construction company on the island. Bla, bla, bla. Just drive straight, please!!! Then she started digging in her bag and swerving even more. Skeeter and I were both feeling like these 4 miles were going on forever. We just wanted to get out of her jeep alive and not end up driving off a cliff. She pulled out a glass pipe and asked us if we wanted to smoke pot with her. Luckily, when we turned down her offer, she put it back in her bag and didn't light up. When she got to the entrance to the marina we jumped out as quickly as we could. She offered to take us all the way in (it was still another half a mile or so to the docks), but we said "No, thank you." When she drove away Skeeter and I looked at each other and both said, "Holy shit" at the same time. We were laughing out of nervousness, but truly glad to have survived that crazy girl's reckless driving. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The next day we decided not to bother going back into town. We just hung out in White House Bay, where we were anchored. We went for a snorkel by some rocks that were protruding out of the water and found a ship wreck. The reef had a lot of algae growth, but we did still find lots of cool creatures including some beautiful tunicates, a balloon fish, and a stingray amongst others. We untangled some fishing line that was entangled in the reef to prevent damage to the corals and creatures, and in the process ended up seeing some cool little purple urchins and a ruby brittle star that had been tangled up in the line. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On Tuesday we decided to go back into town so we could see Brimstone Fortress, one of St. Kitts most famous historical sites. However, we didn't want to brave the many miles of walking in the scorching sun and having to take our chances hitchhiking again. We came up with another option. We took Salt Whistle into Basseterre and anchored next to the ferry and dinghied into Port Zante. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We jumped on the local bus at the bus terminal, just a couple of blocks north of the cruise ship terminal. A taxi driver tried to get us to take his cab, but we much prefer public transportation. He seemed surprised that we wanted to take the bus. I guess most tourists like the comfort of their own private vehicle, but not us. Buses are a way to observe and interact with the locals, learn their customs, and not to mention save a lot of money. The ride only cost us $7 EC ($2.50 US) for the two of us, where a taxi would have cost us $50 US. It's a real no-brainer. The bus driver did drive extremely fast and wild, but we just held on and enjoyed the ride. The driver, as well as everyone else on board, were all very pleasant and friendly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After saying, "Driver, stop here, please," we got off the bus and began our pleasant half a mile hike up the mountain to the entrance of the Brimstone Fortress. The road was surrounded by trees, including my favorite, the orange flamboyant tree. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2PqZGzMkaVspAZaBtMi7nx7ML42MgnKWPgozRkl9w8Mw7EzWbCnCJ_FXqOVOFL1HoNHlgMJ59mbAjZEDB6zhAAwqXYE2BsgIAopih3kDlDdEEfmL-IMxja5cnkcYpAkQ1bD_4c_2rAT4/s1600/IMG_20150701_113408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2PqZGzMkaVspAZaBtMi7nx7ML42MgnKWPgozRkl9w8Mw7EzWbCnCJ_FXqOVOFL1HoNHlgMJ59mbAjZEDB6zhAAwqXYE2BsgIAopih3kDlDdEEfmL-IMxja5cnkcYpAkQ1bD_4c_2rAT4/s320/IMG_20150701_113408.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A beautiful flamboyant tree</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And another wonderful surprise, we got to see lots of green vervet monkeys! Tourists who went by taxi would have surely missed them hiding in the trees. We were quiet so we wouldn't scare them away, and we got to see them eating fruit, playing, and swinging from branch to branch. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A green vervet monkey!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When we got to the entrance we paid our $10 US per person entry fee, which goes toward maintaining the impressive historical site. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The welcome booth to the national park</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We took in the spectacular views and took lots of pictures. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">St. Eustatius in the distance</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Next, we stopped by the local food shack for a lunch of some barbeque chicken, rice and peas, and locally made mauby juice. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mauby juice, a local juice made from tree bark</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While we were enjoying our lunch we made a friend. An 8 year old boy named Cassius, who's father worked there. He was keeping himself well entertained with his homemade top which he created himself out of a string, two plastic bottle caps, and a stem valve cap from a tire. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-HcSTAD3Do4Xl7m6ekaS45KaKawW1bsL1oZxnP71BV_cKcCY3rBsqB3s_W0_tXSP7CD9KcpLhpb4Z7OGNsfmDIwaPzXS1jk0QUtejfucEjHWVPRkCGwmLzo7c_PCNgpr4xb83yI7lIe8/s1600/IMG_20150701_131449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-HcSTAD3Do4Xl7m6ekaS45KaKawW1bsL1oZxnP71BV_cKcCY3rBsqB3s_W0_tXSP7CD9KcpLhpb4Z7OGNsfmDIwaPzXS1jk0QUtejfucEjHWVPRkCGwmLzo7c_PCNgpr4xb83yI7lIe8/s400/IMG_20150701_131449.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cassius, teaching us how to spin his top</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He ended up letting us spin his top, and then decided to walk around the entire Fortress with us for two solid hours. First, he took us to see the short informational video about Brimstone Fortress which he set up for us. During the video he quizzed us. After the video we walked around outside and he made us spin the top at various places, pick him up so he could see things better, race to the top of a hill, and hold his legs so he could walk on his hands.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQumwcx9tRZ_Skpv_3b86vcYnhvVqTfFwloM37o3kkjnFCg-adC79CwWv1RoMCKopMVGRP3w54N361YENBuYbQZBsncwRKLZWlbYA73-oX_3oCuYVGv3UCcAGmuJdGuJiO00kn0hIokG0/s1600/IMG_20150701_133848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQumwcx9tRZ_Skpv_3b86vcYnhvVqTfFwloM37o3kkjnFCg-adC79CwWv1RoMCKopMVGRP3w54N361YENBuYbQZBsncwRKLZWlbYA73-oX_3oCuYVGv3UCcAGmuJdGuJiO00kn0hIokG0/s400/IMG_20150701_133848.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0FTPHUv7Md8CvGdrHfF5O_F6a-N6l0SY2CdhGcT6CBaO-yGDFm4_67kEUp3Hd5KeqZ5eFtyhB54iXsj7wz0vdvKzyLi8kK9Q-oB0Q6fz-KKpikgI_LNJ1uEdcI0IkrTNX6QL_IbpVhcQ/s1600/IMG_20150701_134142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0FTPHUv7Md8CvGdrHfF5O_F6a-N6l0SY2CdhGcT6CBaO-yGDFm4_67kEUp3Hd5KeqZ5eFtyhB54iXsj7wz0vdvKzyLi8kK9Q-oB0Q6fz-KKpikgI_LNJ1uEdcI0IkrTNX6QL_IbpVhcQ/s400/IMG_20150701_134142.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cassius made each of us spin the top during the tour</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOHJg-CesWdBU2ijZHL2beH9TF53w15t64yA2K0j98CQITzXAlmud4oepVpKbzwQF_3UYdHYl2tovzjWCtnHnVV49iaMxMuXJ7BhzuhdbD_xQIIIHZdr47ZJ4T6ylv3KtZqOdix_FYto/s1600/IMG_20150701_135650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOHJg-CesWdBU2ijZHL2beH9TF53w15t64yA2K0j98CQITzXAlmud4oepVpKbzwQF_3UYdHYl2tovzjWCtnHnVV49iaMxMuXJ7BhzuhdbD_xQIIIHZdr47ZJ4T6ylv3KtZqOdix_FYto/s400/IMG_20150701_135650.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavzIv4rQZn6Y_3c_GPko3nNCtUp6MnkONMQPORRkw4zPq4MffsGpnpgjMe3UGJLVyOrZfp99_UXbHVe8rwF5w1QUNwhnQ-JOe3wHctsO2T3jGpx_-sN7ed-elWGyKGG3ZbSq_BHzaJPc/s1600/IMG_20150701_143932.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavzIv4rQZn6Y_3c_GPko3nNCtUp6MnkONMQPORRkw4zPq4MffsGpnpgjMe3UGJLVyOrZfp99_UXbHVe8rwF5w1QUNwhnQ-JOe3wHctsO2T3jGpx_-sN7ed-elWGyKGG3ZbSq_BHzaJPc/s400/IMG_20150701_143932.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This little guy sure did have a lot of energy!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We found some tiny kittens blocked in one of the fortress rooms with a piece of wood and we played with them for a little while. Hope they don't give me ring worm like the kittens in the Dominican Republic or the kittens in Thailand!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kittens, blocked into on of the exhibits</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After the tour we walked back down, hailed a bus, walked back to Port Zante, and dinghied back to Salt Whistle. Poor Momo was feeling sea sick because the bay in Basseterre was a rough one. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Poor sea sick Momo</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDl5c8HVp5yfkqsx6cCe22X_AIT8UK1Z2uTICw8zzIzWz7_cBr42C3BFu6CN84L1skqSxvxHo_iaIvrSiwhT-5ghj-UXf-Djyg5Eh-BMpiJoCREUIZ1gR3jl9JQVZ0Sto7uPYtCsdCLjk/s1600/IMG_20150630_175111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDl5c8HVp5yfkqsx6cCe22X_AIT8UK1Z2uTICw8zzIzWz7_cBr42C3BFu6CN84L1skqSxvxHo_iaIvrSiwhT-5ghj-UXf-Djyg5Eh-BMpiJoCREUIZ1gR3jl9JQVZ0Sto7uPYtCsdCLjk/s400/IMG_20150630_175111.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think he was journaling about his rough day</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKxKfPxtxOLKRX1b7q7813Eg8e_mmWzmODZZv7crpUDovPmC-aVJ1hwVs2PzjeV-xiqauXsxwZIGUz2G3-d4X6Ka91Hsuuc0TPivJj9mv7gtU-lx5FCTH8ZF7F1E_ilQVc4TqGiEaq0o/s1600/IMG_20150701_170155.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKxKfPxtxOLKRX1b7q7813Eg8e_mmWzmODZZv7crpUDovPmC-aVJ1hwVs2PzjeV-xiqauXsxwZIGUz2G3-d4X6Ka91Hsuuc0TPivJj9mv7gtU-lx5FCTH8ZF7F1E_ilQVc4TqGiEaq0o/s400/IMG_20150701_170155.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sailing back to White House Bay</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We ended up moving to the next bay south (Ballast Bay) the following day because conditions were worsening and Ballast Bay seemed slightly calmer. We went for a snorkel, and found the reef to be quite a bit healthier than in White House Bay. We saw an octopus, a juvenile trunk fish the size of a pea, a lettuce sea slug, and over 20 small lobster. Shame they weren't bigger...they could have been dinner! There was a conch graveyard, with hundreds and hundreds of empty conch shells. Must have been where the fishermen cleaned them and dumped the shells. We also found an abandoned fish trap with a blue tang trapped in it. It was down at about 25 feet, so we free dived down and tried to help the poor guy escape. It was terrible to watch him panic and slam himself into the sides of the cage opening more and more wounds. And it's not like anyone was going to eat him. We dived down about twenty times each, trying to guide him to the exit and even tried flipping the cage over different way to help him out. I was so sad that we couldn't help the poor fellow. I have a particularly soft spot for blue tang. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We have a juvenile blue tang that has traveled with us for almost 100 miles so far. Every time we see him, he's swimming around near our propeller. I don't really understand how he can stay with us when we're motoring or sailing long distances, and how he hasn't gotten sucked into the propeller, but I love the little guy. He's still yellow (they don't turn blue until they're older), but over the weeks we have watched him grow up and start to develop some blue outlines around his body. I wonder how many more miles he will stay with us!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The next morning I completed a little sewing project, a splash guard for the aft companionway. We didn't want to have a wet bed after a long passage again! </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Splash guard I made to prevent water from entering the cabin</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the afternoon we decided to explore the beaches on the southwest peninsula. We ended up walking over six miles. The first beach we checked out had an amazing amount of Saragassum seaweed piled up. There were workers on back hoes driving up and down the beach collecting the seaweed and piling it into mountains. I was just reading about the Caribbean Saragassum seaweed epidemic the previous day, and learned that not only it is stinky, but it is also toxic when it begins decomposing and releasing hydrogen sulfide gases. There were two crazy tourists, sunbathing between piles of it on the beach. We couldn't believe it!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Terrible smell of mountains of decaying Saragassum seaweed</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcZNCD4lv8yW78UJIDXxApUw2cuhWcM_ZHw0dwF65ELYh2riiZDU1CdoHgkTMc23Qf0yp3aLpNHo6I47fOgZ_ruGrZXOhAaTqAd9xvXAllzQzgVbOrFTcDr-9CTIsJJsMLAXr0RfcVkg/s1600/IMG_20150703_135151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcZNCD4lv8yW78UJIDXxApUw2cuhWcM_ZHw0dwF65ELYh2riiZDU1CdoHgkTMc23Qf0yp3aLpNHo6I47fOgZ_ruGrZXOhAaTqAd9xvXAllzQzgVbOrFTcDr-9CTIsJJsMLAXr0RfcVkg/s400/IMG_20150703_135151.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A backhoe hard at work gathering up the masses of seaweed</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We continued on to Cockleshell beach, the one we had read most about. It was definitely a touristy beach, with lots of cruise shippers, but still very beautiful and fun. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The most famous bar there, Reggae Bar, has all kinds of water sports, a swim platform, sand volleyball, and monkeys. Caged monkeys. With a sign that says they were orphans and they were taken in by Reggae bar because they couldn't survive in the wild on their own. Total bullshit. They would have been much better off in the wild instead of in small cages with people poking and prodding at them, and throwing trash and junk food in their cages. One of the monkeys had an injured tail. It was bald at the tip and bleeding. As the sun started to fall in the sky, when monkeys are very active in the wild, two of the monkeys started pacing back and forth in their cages and bobbing up and down. They were losing their minds. How I would have loved to sneak in at night and free these poor guys. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I went for a swim in the crystal clear waters and Skeeter relaxed on the beach. There was even a public outdoor shower in front of Reggae Bar, guarded by a goat. The goat was friendly and didn't protest when I came to rinse off. You can't imagine what a luxury a free shower is to a person who has been living on a boat with a limited water supply. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On the walk back a woman stopped to offer us a ride. We weren't even trying to hitchhike at that point. She said she had seen us at Cockleshell beach, and wow was that a long walk! We were nearly back to the marina so we thanked her and politely declined her offer. The people of St. Kitts are so incredible kind. Definitely the nicest people have met so far, overall. That's why St. Kitts is my favorite island so far! </span></span></div>
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Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com0Saint Kitts, Saint Kitts and Nevis17.3433796 -62.755904317.1008356 -63.0786278 17.585923599999997 -62.433180799999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-40938134388695936252015-06-25T21:36:00.000-04:002015-07-06T22:16:39.890-04:00OUR FIRST STORM - STATIA<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We left Saba bright and early, just after the sun peeked up over the horizon. Our plan was to sail to St. Kitts, arriving by around 6 that evening. Today was the day that we really learned that plans need to be flexible.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We motored away from the island of Saba to get away from the gusty winds. We decided to put out just our genoa since the wind was strong and the seas were rough. We got as close to the wind as Salt Whistle would allow us, but we couldn't get a straight heading for St. Kitts. Only minutes after putting our sail out, the motor died. Not this again!!! Thank goodness we had a sail out, because it would have gotten very scary if we ended up beam to the huge waves! At least having the sail meant some forward momentum and control of our steering. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Skeeter went down below to troubleshoot our problem. He decided to change the secondary fuel filter, since that was the only part of the fuel system he had not recently changed. Sure enough, that was our problem. After that filter change the engine ran nice and smooth.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is what the sky looked like ahead of us. Photo credit: Richard Freeman</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Up ahead in the distance, the sky turned an ominous shade of black. We decided to furl in the genoa and motor straight for St. Eustatius (Statia), the next closest island that marked the half way point in between Saba and St. Kitts. We did NOT want to get caught in this squall. Unfortunately, given our many problems and struggles in Saba, we did not have an up to date weather report. We just knew we were ready to get the hell out of there. So we didn't know what kind of storm we were getting ourselves into.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The front of what we thought to be "just a squall" hit us. 40 knots of wind with gusts of even more, then a painful wall of water. The raindrops felt like ice cold pins and needles stabbing into us. Oh, how we were wishing we had a dodger (windshield) so we didn't have to take the weather in the face like this. The waves got up to 10 foot (meaning 20 feet from trough to crest), and then the space in front of us went completely white. We couldn't see a thing, but could hear our hearts pounding over the sound of the howling wind, the splattering rain, and the breaking waves pummeling us in the face. We reduced speed to where we could still steer, but were not making forward progress. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The satellite image of the storm we went through, the day after</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we passed the front of the storm (which we later found out was a gale force tropical wave) and we had about 100 feet of visibility we saw a dense blanket of fog over the surface of the water, rising up from the cold rain hitting the warmer sea water. We had never seen this before, other than on "Pirates of the Caribbean." The rain was still coming down, and the waves were still crashing. We were literally shaking from the freezing cold rain, despite the fact that we were in the Caribbean in the summertime. You know you are freezing when 80 degree sea water being splashed on you feels like warm bath water. Our predicament was both scary and miserable. Some decent foul weather gear will definitely be something to add to our wishlist.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had a short break from the rain and sped up to make progress toward our revised destination, then a second squall (tropical wave) hit us. We were only about 4 miles out from Statia. We had been able to see the tall volcanic island since the first storm let up, but then the rain came down in sheets and it completely disappeared from our sight. So close, yet so far away. We had to ride the storm out without getting too close to the island. Trying to approach in almost zero visibility would have been ludicrous. We could have collided with any number of hazards. That last 4 miles took us 3 hours. It was the most miserable, freezing, and terrifying 3 hours for us so far as sailors.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No actual damage was done, though it did give us quite a scare. We thought we lost our dinghy motor cowling (though it obediently fell off right into the dinghy itself), and we thought we lost 3 of the 5 caps to our water jerry cans because the genoa sheet unscrewed them (though we found them in the gunnel).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Biggest lesson learned: NEVER HEAD OUT TO SEA WITHOUT AN UP TO DATE WEATHER REPORT!!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Equipment we need to get soon: Foul weather gear, a dodger, and a SSB (Single Side Band) Radio (auto pilot would be very nice, too!)</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCOLk7dLhlO2r6U7hLw4pAj2lQ0Od-GL12oDy7X18_aP676zFcPAXLWLLHwfXPa2LOZkyRbs91mj4F4MziiJ7SLKrNgegJRB3w3GGE-ZScQx2nwFtpfNSSMLYAa8TGVAYfzz9jTaEUM4/s1600/IMG_20150623_185506.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCOLk7dLhlO2r6U7hLw4pAj2lQ0Od-GL12oDy7X18_aP676zFcPAXLWLLHwfXPa2LOZkyRbs91mj4F4MziiJ7SLKrNgegJRB3w3GGE-ZScQx2nwFtpfNSSMLYAa8TGVAYfzz9jTaEUM4/s400/IMG_20150623_185506.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Statia is a beautiful island, but the one and only anchorage, in Oranjestad, was a miserable one with the current sea conditions. The wind and the swells were coming in from different directions, and we were beam to the swells. At times there were 2 foot swells in the anchorage, and we were rocking so hard from side to side that we were once again miserable and exhausted. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We made 5 different attempts at setting a stern anchor so we could sit facing the swells, but each and every time the anchor would drag from the excessive up and down motion of the swells and the swinging of the variable winds. We couldn't stand or walk around without getting beat up, bouncing off walls like balls in a pinball machine. We couldn't even put anything down because it would just go flying across the boat. Our bed was soaking wet from the horizontal rain and waves crashing in through the cockpit, past the drop board, and into our aft cabin. We had no choice but to (attempt) to sleep in the salon. The violent rocking from side to side and the many loud banging noises made it very hard to sleep. I ended up sleeping on the floor after the whole settee slid out with me on it.</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">..I didn't want to fall and crush Momo!</span></span> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Even Momo felt sea sick & wished he could get off the boat</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One major advantage of Statia over Saba was that the dinghy dock and access to land was close by. We tried to get our feet on solid ground as much as possible, and even took a nap on a park bench to try to make up for lost sleep aboard. It was such a relief to get off of the boat.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We made it up to Fort Oranje</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You could see the wind howling</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Watching Salt Whistle bob from side to side</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I tried unsuccessfully to hide the exhaustion from my face</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This cannon fired the first foreign salute recognizing the USA's independence in 1776</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Statia is a beautiful island with rich nature and history, but we did not get to enjoy it to its fullest due to our exhaustion and shattered morale. I wanted to take Skeeter hiking into the crater of the big volcano, called the Quill, but we barely had enough energy to even walk around town. We were exhausted and crabby and about to give up on the cruising life after an entire week of no sleep. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are desperately hoping our next crossing is uneventful, and that our next anchorage lets us get some much needed rest! </span></span></div>
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Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com0Oranjestad, Statia17.485514289638335 -62.97290056943893417.001234789638335 -63.618347569438932 17.969793789638334 -62.327453569438937tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-13214672231063973552015-06-22T12:22:00.000-04:002015-06-27T12:25:49.282-04:00SLEEPLESS IN SCENIC SABA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We checked out of the Capitanerie in Anse Marcel, St. Martin. We were pleasantly surprised that the huge fire that we saw burning down the mountain when we were in Tintamarre didn't reach the marina, though the smoke smell was quite overwhelming.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We motored out of Anse Marcel and raised our mainsail just outside of the bay. We unfurled our genoa too. Our initial course was directly downwind, so Skeeter rigged up a preventer so on our mainsail to avoid an accidental jibe, and we back-winded the genoa to sail wing on wing. This was our first real opportunity to sail on this cruising adventure, since our previous expeditions were all upwind. When we were clear of the point just south of Marigot, we jibbed and set a straight course for Saba.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was difficult to steer a straight course. We were headed pretty much southwest, so we had somewhat following seas, 4-6 foot waves, and 15-20 knots of wind. The boat really wanted to turn into the wind, so steering gave our arms a workout. There are definitely times we wish we could afford an autopilot or a wind vane steering system. Oh well, c'est la vie! Maybe after we make some more money.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Sahara dust was especially thick in the sky, so we lost sight of land quickly. We should have been able to see Saba early on, but couldn't until we were within 10 nautical miles. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What Saba would look like in the distance on a clear day</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> As soon as we got close to the island of Saba, the wind turned into crazy overpowering gusts. It would fluctuate between 0 and 50 knots of wind withing a matter of seconds! Trying to drop our sails was intense and very stressful. The furler got stuck. The powerful and uneven gusts were catching us and overpowering us. I had to carefully crawl out of the cockpit to unjam the furler and release the preventer that was holding the mainsail to one side. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Being out there on the deck in those unpredictable and powerful gusts and now no preventer attached to the boom put me into a panic about Skeeter accidentally jibbing and I completely lost my brain. I imagined the boom knocking me unconscious and overboard in the rough and wild conditions. I yelled at Skeeter to sheet in the main. He tried to argue with me, but I was extremely persistent so finally he obliged. I was wrong, but was too panicked to realize it. Although we are experienced mariners, we are still novice sailors. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We weren't really close to jibbing, but with the unpredictable gusts I thought we were. Now he couldn't turn into the wind safely, because the gusts were catching the sail, overpowering us, and pushing us over. When Skeeter shouted out (and he had to shout because the wind was so damn loud), "The wind's got me! I'm losing it, I'm losing it!" I somehow interpreted that as, "Oh shit, we're going over!" and in my wild panic I almost jumped over the side to abandon ship. It's amazing how stupid panic can make people. He finally managed to turn to face the wind so we could drop the mainsail. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When the sail was down we had control again, but the conditions were still surprisingly rough. With my heart still racing and my limbs shaking from adrenaline, I took the helm as Skeeter got ready to grab a mooring. We had the dinghy pulled up alongside like always when we're maneuvering, to prevent it from getting caught in the propeller. A strong gust of wind got under the dinghy and it was airborne. Then the wind caught a solar panel and it almost went flying. Yikes, what did we get ourselves into by coming to Saba??? </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The wind channeled around that corner in powerful gusts</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We tried to get some sleep after our extremely stressful day, but it was impossible. Those crazy gusts of wind and the ripping current going in the opposite direction of the wind made our boat swing all over the place. We'd spin around the mooring, and the mooring ball would bounce off the hull like Skeeter's college roommate who used to come home drunk and play the drums in the middle of the night. On top of that, the wind and current would hold us beam to the waves (sideways), making our boat bob like an pendulum swinging back and forth. Plus the wind would shift and we'd get whipped around and jerked like an abusive dog owner's pup. Things would fall, bang, rattle, and roll no matter how well we secured everything. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmwC9bVDrDWxOvFJndm40IX14foEcXQ7hmjytwnev76-zlmmkbKwjrOnt3jtwmmPKxyP-DpXYc0zhb8RwE1LXd23YBiyvOnWBdnbTWL5DM04ug825AARFxw87gJFrt1kkEpN3_o3JCoA/s1600/NLK_7161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmwC9bVDrDWxOvFJndm40IX14foEcXQ7hmjytwnev76-zlmmkbKwjrOnt3jtwmmPKxyP-DpXYc0zhb8RwE1LXd23YBiyvOnWBdnbTWL5DM04ug825AARFxw87gJFrt1kkEpN3_o3JCoA/s400/NLK_7161.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The boat swinging around and jerking</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We got bounced around like balls in a pinball machine. Simple things like walking, pulling your pants down to go to the bathroom, cooking, and not falling out of bed became Olympic-like challenges. This was our constant, exhausting reality while in Saba.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The dramatic rocky coast rising straight up out of the water</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Getting to shore was a bit of a nightmare, too. We were obliterated from the exhaustion of not sleeping and our exhausting waking moments, and we were starting to get extremely grouchy. We tried motoring around closer to Fort Bay, where you check in with customs and the only real place to get on land, but there were no moorings available and seas were even more scary rough there. We didn't want to drop anchor because it was extremely deep (50+ feet) and the waves would surely yank up all of our chain and our anchor in those nasty conditions. So we motored half way back around the island to Well's Bay where we started. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Looking at Ladder Bay from Well's Bay</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Winds were still blasting, and both the wind and waves change direction as soon as you round the corner. This is because the wind and waves wrap around the island. Around the corner you have to head into the wind and waves, and the island no longer blocks the waves. The waves are even taller there than in open ocean because of the wrap around effect. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Arial view of Saba.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Credit: "Saba World Wind" by NASA World Wind</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I was scared to get into our little 8ft 8hp dinghy to go check into customs. It was 2 torturous miles. I imagined our dinghy going airborne with us in it and we'd flip over and end up lost at sea. Saba is so remote that you could easily drift out to sea unnoticed. I cried and told Skeeter I didn't want to die. A little melodramatic, I know, but I was more tired than I had ever been in my entire life and I have a very vivid imagination. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He calmed me down, and I said I'd go if we brought a handheld VHF radio, smoke signals, an air horn, and a change of clothes in our dry bag. I really wish we had bought oars for our dinghy. All we had was a crappy emergency paddle that wouldn't even keep you from getting blown away in those conditions. Oh well, we hadn't had any dinghy problems lately so we should be fine, right? I put up our "Q" flag to acknowledge that we still needed to check into customs, changed into swim clothes, and readied our emergency bag.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Putting up our "Q" (Quarentine) flag</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Getting the dinghy ready</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We made it safely to shore, though it was scary. We were soaked from head to toe; there wasn't a dry spot on us. We tried to drip dry for a few minutes and were going to try to find a place to change but we were ushered into the customs & immigration office, still dripping wet. There was a puddle at my feet. The customs official surprisingly didn't say anything...I guess it wasn't the first time someone walked into his government office like that. We paid $20 for customs/immigration, found a bathroom to change our of our soaking wet clothes, and then went to the Marine Park office to paid our $12 mooring fee. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Saba Marine Park Office</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dahlia at the Marine Park was very nice and helpful, and even hooked us up with a ride up the mountain with her friend Lazlo, who was about to head up anyway. We drove up "the road" (Saba's only road) through the lowest town, "The Bottom," at almost 1000 feet elevation, and to Windward side at about 1500 feet. Skeeter rode in the back of the truck enjoying the steep scenic ride up and I rode in the cab with Lazlo, getting a lesson in Saba history and culture and he pointed out landmarks along the way. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter's view from the back of the truck</span></span> </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3cY_PtSd8K2Rg8mAm3-0ib3gZGGwVwEy6KFuY2mBwGwoDeF-h8RANLiOKK0z7fYNss32KJidLm6kABy-GP2RLpDmr5jaB3mEVUwm7GZSm8xxacSTms9ALSzNlvAvQM9D3Ik9KM7IPic/s1600/IMG_20150619_163105.jpg"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3cY_PtSd8K2Rg8mAm3-0ib3gZGGwVwEy6KFuY2mBwGwoDeF-h8RANLiOKK0z7fYNss32KJidLm6kABy-GP2RLpDmr5jaB3mEVUwm7GZSm8xxacSTms9ALSzNlvAvQM9D3Ik9KM7IPic/s400/IMG_20150619_163105.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A one-of-a-kind island</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We went to a restaurant called "Scout's Place" for lunch. It was our 5 year anniversary, so we treated ourselves to a meal out and an unbelievable view. We were surprised that what was a violent gusting wind at sea level was but a light breeze in town. After that tasty meal we were cheering up and coming out of our zombie hazes. We strolled around the little town of Windwardside, then decided to put out our thumbs and hitch down the mountain to The Bottom. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The view from Scout's Place, 1500 ft down to the sea</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A flatbed work truck with a lifting crane in the back stopped for us and told us to jump in the back. He said we could stand and hold onto the crane. It was the most exhilarating experience ever! Skeeter and I were both grinning from ear to ear. We both agreed that it even beat the time in the Philippines when we got to ride on the roof of the jeepny bus. It was like a roller coaster ride! The view was a thing of dreams and nightmares combined in one. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wikitravel.org/upload/en/thumb/2/2d/Saba_School_of_Medicine.jpg/800px-Saba_School_of_Medicine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://wikitravel.org/upload/en/thumb/2/2d/Saba_School_of_Medicine.jpg/800px-Saba_School_of_Medicine.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Looking down at The Bottom </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo credit: Simon Wong</span></span> </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wind was blowing through our hair while we looked over the edge of sheer cliffs dropping down 1500 feet to the sea, and looking down hundreds of feet to The Bottom, where the houses and people looked like ants.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv8ZOSrfhgvvHOBSemx3DU-3lO6-U2TPSFKfVcklqloi3YvckqdJ1eA5SzPsnjGDwZVrmiSHMazLUeJ0n8xGiPedCtoppKDxP6UDMkp66cy6f0MfrySa1jHNYZtNHRPhTsFn0PBDmWG3Q/s1600/IMG_20150619_160227.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv8ZOSrfhgvvHOBSemx3DU-3lO6-U2TPSFKfVcklqloi3YvckqdJ1eA5SzPsnjGDwZVrmiSHMazLUeJ0n8xGiPedCtoppKDxP6UDMkp66cy6f0MfrySa1jHNYZtNHRPhTsFn0PBDmWG3Q/s400/IMG_20150619_160227.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Goats roaming around town</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0c5Tvajq-10SZ7UE5Dz3zll64DwBUTKEoCYdJ2T1D69RSan-jw9VjyPl0-dOEvLXV7httJygmNfIhOqhY4tTeZ6oMFBO0UJwTTZZUCk_KE7pYT-LQiLF6qbajtG7GE8bgYkN8icM4Db8/s1600/IMG_20150619_154739.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0c5Tvajq-10SZ7UE5Dz3zll64DwBUTKEoCYdJ2T1D69RSan-jw9VjyPl0-dOEvLXV7httJygmNfIhOqhY4tTeZ6oMFBO0UJwTTZZUCk_KE7pYT-LQiLF6qbajtG7GE8bgYkN8icM4Db8/s400/IMG_20150619_154739.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A cute Saban church</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHX_9q-LkgIdKA5d4P9hn_-JDQg7RJwyONG-yxoZJFc9HFU4v9u3xBcA88mRwQLqkR72xmuFYOv8S-7pHpwmTyKuByY4WuOkClNaHqtehouZlw9JJJj5rvr0QzuWEgWHDSyhCE-U1u5s/s1600/IMG_20150619_155821.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHX_9q-LkgIdKA5d4P9hn_-JDQg7RJwyONG-yxoZJFc9HFU4v9u3xBcA88mRwQLqkR72xmuFYOv8S-7pHpwmTyKuByY4WuOkClNaHqtehouZlw9JJJj5rvr0QzuWEgWHDSyhCE-U1u5s/s400/IMG_20150619_155821.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter in front of the one and only Police Station</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We walked around The Bottom and enjoyed the postcard perfect town. The buildings mostly all painted white with green trim and red roofs. The streets were all clean and paved, surrounded by stone walls. Even though the island was experiencing a drought, it was still lush and green, with explosively colorful flowers. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6goYYaRNIgIjMSIlEMr8MgtCeAaxBR2ENNw7M8ovZnT4ACdjmVgWDwmToFgzGpWQokX4lKE6Z3sVsYfE23SI-_1oGjQwh-js9jjbqCc460511DybBMb1egAdXSrxgrYcrYmJNbk_Ochg/s1600/IMG_20150619_154019.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6goYYaRNIgIjMSIlEMr8MgtCeAaxBR2ENNw7M8ovZnT4ACdjmVgWDwmToFgzGpWQokX4lKE6Z3sVsYfE23SI-_1oGjQwh-js9jjbqCc460511DybBMb1egAdXSrxgrYcrYmJNbk_Ochg/s400/IMG_20150619_154019.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A street corner in Saba</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEkTMalQaocfM93ibxNxx9L5ei4sZtpn2geTn14GnQOuAlo-G7kXQEFG-YDo7K7V26Fkl90yA_h_JyeE1oLKou2UO04CQZD9EaS1gQY7lH8DkrXXNFWr4PKwvFINCAb10CXcTGCM2dRI/s1600/IMG_20150619_164412.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEkTMalQaocfM93ibxNxx9L5ei4sZtpn2geTn14GnQOuAlo-G7kXQEFG-YDo7K7V26Fkl90yA_h_JyeE1oLKou2UO04CQZD9EaS1gQY7lH8DkrXXNFWr4PKwvFINCAb10CXcTGCM2dRI/s400/IMG_20150619_164412.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter with a Flamboyant tree</span><span style="font-size: small;"> along "the road"</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After exploring, we picked up a few groceries (peanut butter chocolate Oreos for our anniversary dessert), and then decided to walk down "the road" from 1000 feet down to sea level. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYoMJTk05qKbtf7WQMik0vwPrzqPaV4E6rs4wXpeW7yULJpvoCI7L6UxB22UtdOtRWiH5oMYwU7Glz-oBvRfGZoq9WODfHfuIc8OcEpoCTO4hLHSwcjDSx0vih-PPCwfYVVTdJ3xqosc/s1600/IMG_20150619_163649.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYoMJTk05qKbtf7WQMik0vwPrzqPaV4E6rs4wXpeW7yULJpvoCI7L6UxB22UtdOtRWiH5oMYwU7Glz-oBvRfGZoq9WODfHfuIc8OcEpoCTO4hLHSwcjDSx0vih-PPCwfYVVTdJ3xqosc/s400/IMG_20150619_163649.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"The road</span><span style="font-size: small;">" going from The Bottom down to the water</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We changed back into our soaking wet clothes and got into our dinghy to head back to our miserably bobbing boat. We were almost out of the protected dinghy dock area when our motor died. We were about to get pulled out into the huge windy wavy seas, but I grabbed our emergency paddle and started paddling like a maniac and Skeeter tried to get the engine to start. My eyes started to fill with tears. The sun was almost setting and we could be lost at sea for our 5 year anniversary. Fantastic. We finally managed to get tied up to the dock again. Skeeter struggled with figuring out what was wrong with our motor (maybe salt water got into the fuel on our rough ride over?) and I just sat there thinking about our limited options. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkheAw3PoHe_cQCa1b0HRHTtEFLJAuMPgxv5utOAXoplqwkolDPJVJtz52Xf1QMCVz5P4Vuh-O6GmuAirLFvShHYwOIhkE_p8Q4WDT3TGEayTCf8jEZnpbYlpOqoksxW9ceKthnKajZI/s1600/Saba+dinghy+dock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkheAw3PoHe_cQCa1b0HRHTtEFLJAuMPgxv5utOAXoplqwkolDPJVJtz52Xf1QMCVz5P4Vuh-O6GmuAirLFvShHYwOIhkE_p8Q4WDT3TGEayTCf8jEZnpbYlpOqoksxW9ceKthnKajZI/s400/Saba+dinghy+dock.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fort Bay - we were almost in open water when our dinghy died</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Finally I caught the attention of a kind Saban who must have felt sorry for us. He offered his engine troubleshooting ideas to no avail, and then suckered two other guys who were working on their boat into giving us a tow back to our boat. I could tell the captain was not thrilled. It was a Friday evening and he was ready for the weekend, not wanting to tow some stupid sailors back to their boat half way around the island. But he did anyway. And I was extremely grateful. He warmed up to us by the end of the tow, especially after I gave him a generous thank you tip and told him he might have just saved our lives and that it was our 5 year anniversary. Thank goodness for those guys.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxjCe8E89UIfGQ4XxyvboA9rzn3s2XTLXdy_5ZrEz5srJ8lh9GnbvTVnhZ5gdv1v9I6EmK5OhkFJzetMxP-MBC4cfnro_6h7sZlGtj1QqY-bWoWkbJwmEkhGnb6KHVLuQH-S4GhtmC9g/s1600/IMG_20150619_173206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxjCe8E89UIfGQ4XxyvboA9rzn3s2XTLXdy_5ZrEz5srJ8lh9GnbvTVnhZ5gdv1v9I6EmK5OhkFJzetMxP-MBC4cfnro_6h7sZlGtj1QqY-bWoWkbJwmEkhGnb6KHVLuQH-S4GhtmC9g/s400/IMG_20150619_173206.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Getting towed back to Salt Whistle</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Trying to remain positive as we celebrate our anniversary with our Funny Pop "Champagne"</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately that night, and all other nights while on Saba, were sleepless ones. The next day we just vegged around, unable to move from exhaustion. It was very sad and disappointing, because we had wanted to hike Mt. Scenery, Saba's tallest point. But there was no way we had the steam to make it up that mountain in our state, and our dinghy wasn't working anyway so we couldn't even get to shore.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So many cool hikes on Saba - <span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo credit: Richie Diesterhef</span> </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The following day, Skeeter fixed the dinghy (there was an air leak in the fuel pump) and we went back ashore to clear out of customs. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxeV0vmk2xyvFdgeVvJ4MOrt7-rwFf_yDpoJH02gczWYF6JFfoeWuAqgV-xwqCwPpTczcSYJ-2wCbASBFKDeOKO7kkwM7n-VQ5iBwHs_Dwoca439Im5gNQElFmfhAcHcohAcBSBQi2rIs/s1600/NLK_7178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxeV0vmk2xyvFdgeVvJ4MOrt7-rwFf_yDpoJH02gczWYF6JFfoeWuAqgV-xwqCwPpTczcSYJ-2wCbASBFKDeOKO7kkwM7n-VQ5iBwHs_Dwoca439Im5gNQElFmfhAcHcohAcBSBQi2rIs/s400/NLK_7178.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter troubleshooting & fixing the dinghy</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We didn't bring much of anything with us except for our passports, since we just planned on checking out and then coming back to the boat. No dry clothes, no phone or camera, no water bottle. But alas, the customs agent just left and wouldn't be back for another 3 hours. No way were we going to go back to the boat. The ride over was long and treacherous. I was near tears again. I just wanted to collapse. It was a Sunday so the island was like a total ghost town. There wasn't even anywhere to sit down, since Fort Bay is a dusty dirty mining area. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I seriously considered just laying down to rest in the street. </span></span>I didn't know what to do. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Luckily, after many attempts, Skeeter managed to convince me to conjure up my remaining nuggets of energy and make the most of the 3 hours we had. So we bought water at the Dominican bar in Fort Bay, hiked 1000 feet up "the road" to The Bottom, and strolled around town. It was a real shame we didn't even have our phones to try to get internet to check the marine weather forecast, but nowhere had open wifi in Saba anyway and everything was closed because it was a Sunday anyway. Then we hiked down the path to the historic old customs house at Ladder Bay. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Looking up at the "ladder" and old customs house from the boat</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I thought my legs were going to give out from under me I was so drained, but they didn't. We walked back through The Bottom and down "the road" to Fort Bay in perfect time to check out of customs. The dinghy worked this time, and brought us safely (though very wet) back to our boat.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-jsGz4hhFfDJWpQKn9rgKM2LcSl3gQkb7xYVpN7DjLfs0EANE3OJZYowQw5OSz9Bqqg2uGOLK85_uuNooJsTx9a3aVZCKmIvGSG86xw2AnS6NdecGvUefhzPMJ-2HQajedHbAkxP9ds/s1600/NLK_7181.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-jsGz4hhFfDJWpQKn9rgKM2LcSl3gQkb7xYVpN7DjLfs0EANE3OJZYowQw5OSz9Bqqg2uGOLK85_uuNooJsTx9a3aVZCKmIvGSG86xw2AnS6NdecGvUefhzPMJ-2HQajedHbAkxP9ds/s400/NLK_7181.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We hadn't even been able to enjoy the beautiful underwater world that Saba offers due to lack of money to pay for diving (it's required to go with a dive shop), rough seas, lack of a working dinghy, and lack of energy. We whipped up our last bits of energy and went for a snorkel at Well's Bay. The underwater topography was stunning and dramatic, the corals healthy, and the fish were plentiful. We swam through a tunnel carved through the rocks, and free-dived down to get close to the fish and look under ledges. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/41/9b/7f/419b7f512f7ba7aad09bb6ac60748587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/41/9b/7f/419b7f512f7ba7aad09bb6ac60748587.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Well's Bay - Photo credit: <span class="irc_su" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Eveline de Vree</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKHztQ5dPXrqfYfrScLB-NFyim1zZlyIugHL50BShy16zKIlkSrMl2PMbMKLmfFFEq63Q1HIEiZd7AlIjlDZbe6DAHgOinlfdTXt2f9kSzID2B3a328Kyd579_jBl5DRD_vU7sBefmps/s1600/3959_aquaimages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKHztQ5dPXrqfYfrScLB-NFyim1zZlyIugHL50BShy16zKIlkSrMl2PMbMKLmfFFEq63Q1HIEiZd7AlIjlDZbe6DAHgOinlfdTXt2f9kSzID2B3a328Kyd579_jBl5DRD_vU7sBefmps/s400/3959_aquaimages.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We saw a turtle, a ray, and lots of fish</span></span> - <span class="mw-mmv-title">Clark Anderson/Aquaimages</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our free-diving skills are to the point that we can almost see just as much as we can scuba diving anyway. We just can't stay down <i>quite </i>as long ;) The only downfall of the experience was the abundant jellyfish, and my skin is highly sensitive to their stings. I could care less about the initial pain of the stings, as intense as it can be, it's the excruciating itching that I get for days afterwards that I cannot stand. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKHdNBWAQbDar_U8Bh-CjVkO8-Sf0Q4oQ4pxGrj0IcNt3qWRKBMqzFyEYW6oRVe7KsNWnRJWp-S3DExs6nPM_wSVYL8B3UtQ4pUkvPnwfmMHVxJJdgg1x0znx5wZjpujez9tRIC3XllU/s1600/NLK_7157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKHdNBWAQbDar_U8Bh-CjVkO8-Sf0Q4oQ4pxGrj0IcNt3qWRKBMqzFyEYW6oRVe7KsNWnRJWp-S3DExs6nPM_wSVYL8B3UtQ4pUkvPnwfmMHVxJJdgg1x0znx5wZjpujez9tRIC3XllU/s400/NLK_7157.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Current spun us beam to waves as the sun set on Saba</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Back at the boat we got tossed around as usual, and then had another sleepless night. At least we'd be leaving first thing in the morning! We couldn't wait to get to calmer waters. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbbaQDbQsbeHzNETExZITBa7tpDvYb38fxAazHE5JRHziFzHOVH9VlVp4V01tzjdvH1SnIPDJ2CV547xdQfyke950cqBI5TE78CablFU_JH91Mv58k8wC4xNv-ATNSw0t7_EyIYo5fO0/s1600/NLK_7152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbbaQDbQsbeHzNETExZITBa7tpDvYb38fxAazHE5JRHziFzHOVH9VlVp4V01tzjdvH1SnIPDJ2CV547xdQfyke950cqBI5TE78CablFU_JH91Mv58k8wC4xNv-ATNSw0t7_EyIYo5fO0/s400/NLK_7152.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Momo was scared of the powerful gusts of wind</span></span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Even Momo didn't like being on the boat in Saba. The gusts were too much for him. We didn't want him to get blown away (I think this was a legitimate concern, seeing how our dinghy literally flew), so we never let him outside without close supervision. He'd get scared of the wind and run back into the cockpit or inside anyway, and outside on deck is usually his favorite spot. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/60/79/82/607982d8758f5120a49c7d16e9eb3a64.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/60/79/82/607982d8758f5120a49c7d16e9eb3a64.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ferry goes between Saba & St. Martin</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If we could do it over we would never have brought Salt Whistle to Saba. Instead, we would take a ferry from St. Martin and visit for a day, or stay on land if we wanted to visit for a couple of days. Then we would have only positive things to say about Saba, and could enjoy it for the nature paradise that it is. It's just NOT a place for cruisers unless the seas are completely flat and there is no wind, in my very bruised and exhausted opinion.</span></span></div>
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<br />Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com0Saba, Caribbean Netherlands17.6354642 -63.2326762999999817.5749332 -63.313357299999979 17.695995200000002 -63.151995299999982tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-70490010611489745292015-06-18T17:29:00.000-04:002015-06-27T12:26:23.585-04:00EXPLORING ST. MARTIN AND ST. MAARTEN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We spent two productive but fun weeks in St. Martin. We arrived in Anse Marcel, on the French
side, arriving almost at midnight on June 3rd.
We anchored in front of the Radisson resort. It was a beautiful beach, with turtles swimming
all around our boat. The channel into
the marina is a very narrow one, so we decided to go in with our dinghy rather
than take Salt Whistle through the very tight passage. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-usNTHHUUalISA6ARCOhXwsM8m3s7TBQg8-iAvcQH7AxDckzLz2BN4-NG4HIBnuqYLF3BZQ7rRXAVHIs69sI1GZbIkh5sBale-NhJNK2iaD7UvwzIXdcteJVXlNreJZX2sVqB61y07zU/s1600/IMG_20150604_185812.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-usNTHHUUalISA6ARCOhXwsM8m3s7TBQg8-iAvcQH7AxDckzLz2BN4-NG4HIBnuqYLF3BZQ7rRXAVHIs69sI1GZbIkh5sBale-NhJNK2iaD7UvwzIXdcteJVXlNreJZX2sVqB61y07zU/s400/IMG_20150604_185812.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A sunset in Anse Marcel</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Customs and Immigration was such a breeze, we couldn’t
believe it. I first tried struggling in
French to communicate with the port master, but soon realized that his English
was far better than my French. He just
had us sit down at a computer and fill out a form & print it out. The most challenging part of it was using a
French keyboard with many of the number keys not working, and sorting through
the pull down menus to find the right option in French…and many times not in
alphabetical order. We then took the
printed paper to the port master’s desk and he stamped it and asked for 5
Euros. We didn’t have any Euros, so he
said, “Faive dolers americaine its okai, too.”
He didn’t even ask to see our passports, and we were never asked about
having pets aboard.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We stopped by “The Pad,” the <a href="http://www.gobroadreach.com/" target="_blank">Broadreach</a> Caribbean headquarters,
which is located in the Anse Marcel Marina.
I had worked for Broadreach in the summer of 2012, a outdoor education program where the kids travel around the Caribbean living aboard a catamaran and learn how to sail & scuba dive, the value of community and team work, how to live simply, study marine biology, do volunteer projects, and experience other cultures. I saw Motts, my old boss, and a couple of other Broadreach staff. It was neat to show
Skeeter my old base. Motts was super willing to help us with anything we needed, despite his million
other things going on with the program.
He gave us some marine store info, told us where we could find things we needed, and informed us that <a href="http://www.digicelgroup.com/" target="_blank">Digicel</a> has SIM cards that work throughout almost
all of the Caribbean. We ended up buying a SIM card in St. Martin so we
would have a phone if we needed it.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLKfHOIl-jw-rOEWSUJ2eucfpNoQsuBzIXTAdXrxm3iQvdV0lLGn8Hs5-ddlQsh9fmzCx6GTOnfhgIxRvnc8r16PPBRRm_lrNA8mnFL5s8qmTFQaC5KrlRsArHC9sGMBI8RrNXKjhpq8/s1600/IMG_20150605_175216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLKfHOIl-jw-rOEWSUJ2eucfpNoQsuBzIXTAdXrxm3iQvdV0lLGn8Hs5-ddlQsh9fmzCx6GTOnfhgIxRvnc8r16PPBRRm_lrNA8mnFL5s8qmTFQaC5KrlRsArHC9sGMBI8RrNXKjhpq8/s320/IMG_20150605_175216.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Grand Case, St. Martin</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our next anchorage was Grand Case, the next bay over from
Anse Marcel. We were very worried about
leaving our dinghy at the dinghy dock in town, since there were reports of a
lot of dinghy thefts there. When I
worked for Broadreach, we even got our dinghy stolen from that very dock. Skeeter and I locked our dinghy and disconnected the
kill switch and fuel line as a precaution.
We walked around the town, which was extremely quiet. It is low season, so I guess that’s why. We had dinner at the Broadreach favorite Lolo
(the name of the local Creole food joints) called "<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserReviews-g147351-d2046544-r144005937-Sky_s_the_Limit-Grand_Case_Saint_Martin_St_Maarten_St_Martin.html" target="_blank">Sky’s the Limit</a>." We both got Ribs food, which was
delicious. Ribs food is barbecue ribs
with a bunch of other sides including my favorite, plantains. We could smell it from our boat earlier,
since we were anchored downwind from the mouthwatering barbeque smells. It did not disappoint, and we sure didn’t go
hungry: great food, friendly service, and good prices. They give a 1-1 exchange rate for Euros &
Dollars, which works out in our favor.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ribs Food at Sky's the Limit</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQqfSnIHkt7uRoWTuuoM9UBJbZYnE0GfNIDoxuCCYEFq1u1DNqnUsnozLQMhFyTD8wzpuLHVZR5OPvYoEvue0Q5dTnrb6BxvvP-2GZ_Zvoj7KJOBXaMlSYuAngvau6AqCoPEt0CSL-YM/s1600/IMG_20150605_170032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQqfSnIHkt7uRoWTuuoM9UBJbZYnE0GfNIDoxuCCYEFq1u1DNqnUsnozLQMhFyTD8wzpuLHVZR5OPvYoEvue0Q5dTnrb6BxvvP-2GZ_Zvoj7KJOBXaMlSYuAngvau6AqCoPEt0CSL-YM/s400/IMG_20150605_170032.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We got to sit in Lover's Lane (as the owner calls it)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We spent the majority of our time anchored out in Marigot,
the capital of the French side. The
anchorage there had a lot of boats, kind of like Long Bay in St. Thomas, but
there was plenty of space. There were some
liveaboard locals, some charter boats, and some cruisers. It was a great base for us, since we had easy
access to grocery stores and the public bus.
During the day there were lots of boats waking us, as well as numerous
rhino tours and jet ski tours. We had read
a lot of things about dinghy theft in Marigot too, so we were worried about
it. For the first few days we were
there, we decided to pay the $5/day fee to use the secure dinghy dock in <a href="http://www.marinafortlouis.com/" target="_blank">Fort Louis Marina</a>. But after we got a feel for
the town and safety, we decided to just use the public dinghy dock by the
market square. We didn’t have any
problems, but of course we locked our dinghy every time.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Marigot Market stalls</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tile art at the Marigot Market</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On Wednesdays and Saturdays there is a big market in Marigot
with fruits and vegetables, spices, and also souvenir type items. Since we are on a very tight budget we do not go out for meals except for on very rare occasions, but we enjoy local cuisine by finding local items at markets and grocery stores (we much preferred Super U to Simply Market) and preparing them ourselves. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our French fromage feast in Salt Whistle's cockpit</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ingredients for our boat-made French inspired meal</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We bought a juicy delicious mango, a perfect
avocado, some tasty plantains, turmeric root, spices, and homemade passion fruit
sorbet at the Marigot Market. A Frenchman selling timeshares
for the Westin stopped us to talk. He thought
we were French, and when he found out we are American he said, “I cannot
believe it. But you are not wearing
socks with your sandals!” Apparently,
most American tourists that he sees wear socks with their sandals. It was a good laugh.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Home made passion fruit sorbet</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our purchases at the Marigot Market</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our delicious breakfast/lunch of French chocolate filled bread from Super U</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Enjoying French juice that looks like fabric softener</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g147346-s303/St-Maarten-St-Martin:Caribbean:Public.Transportation.html" target="_blank">public buses</a> in St. Martin are sort of like the guaguas
in the Dominican Republic, a cross between a van and a bus. They are super easy to use and cheap,
too. Depending on how far you go, they
cost $1-2. You can jump on a bus at the
bus terminal, or flag one down anywhere on its route. When you get on, you should make sure you say
“Bonjour” if you are on the French side, or “Good morning” or “Good afternoon”
if you are on the Dutch side. St. Martin’s
main roads pretty much follow the coast of the island. When you see your stop you just shout out, “Stop,
please,” pay the driver, and step off. We are all about public transportation. Not only is it a budget friendly way to get around, but you get to see the country and interact with the locals, too!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We used the bus to get to Cole Bay, the industrial area
where all of the marine stores are located.
We visited <a href="http://www.budgetmarine.com/" target="_blank">Budget Marine</a> (which is HUGE compared to the one in St.
Thomas…kinda felt like a very expensive Candy Land for boaters), <a href="http://www.islandwaterworld.com/page.cfm/stores.html" target="_blank">Island WaterWorld</a>, <a href="http://www.fkg-marine-rigging.com/" target="_blank">FKG rigging</a>, and <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CD0QFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mapsxm.com%2Fmarine-couture&ei=vL6NVc7_BIna-QGc36uYDA&usg=AFQjCNGIbD3Lzdo5BjBT9sjmqtUSqpDipQ&sig2=7I-MQU6rcGH4x7KJjh3z8w&bvm=bv.96783405,d.cWw" target="_blank">Marine Couture</a> (a marine fabric & upholstery store). We picked up a couple of flags at Budget
Marine (quarantine flag, French courtesy flag, and Curacao courtesy flag), some
fuel hose, and “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0944428975/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0944428738&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1SMW2V6HGNJ8AC9WJW03" target="_blank">The Cruising Guide to the Leeward Islands</a>” and “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sailors-Guide-Windward-Islands/dp/0944428991/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1435352895&sr=1-2&keywords=The+Cruising+Guide+to+the+windward+Islands" target="_blank">The Sailor's Guide to the Windward Islands</a>” by Chris Doyle. Those books are full of really great information, and a real life saver
when you don’t have internet to look things up about different places. At Island Water World we bought some diapers
(not for us to poop in, but to soak up oil), and a new fuel gauge sender. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marine Couture was an interesting experience...it was more of a sewing factory than a store. The French ladies that worked there were very kind. One took a break from her sewing machine to let us look through four huge <a href="http://www.sunbrella.com/en_us/" target="_blank">Sunbrella</a> fabric sample books. We got some ideas for redoing our upholstery, but decided we couldn't afford buying the fabric yet. It was very nice to see the choices in person rather than a picture on a website, though, since it's hard to really know what the texture and colors are like.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nJQRHBdClPTw0eH0f8Tv7bUKfuc_kzv84J9zzWXhLOtfMVUP7xuBhg-8_b_qizNd1EYVwtwi4o4hA_1xr6Gr9y4PEZIRa9rO8845w9zw82lC4euMQLElVCvvZLDfPi2rlEA5t8Mnra8/s1600/IMG_20150611_144151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nJQRHBdClPTw0eH0f8Tv7bUKfuc_kzv84J9zzWXhLOtfMVUP7xuBhg-8_b_qizNd1EYVwtwi4o4hA_1xr6Gr9y4PEZIRa9rO8845w9zw82lC4euMQLElVCvvZLDfPi2rlEA5t8Mnra8/s200/IMG_20150611_144151.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KgEednchfn6NeaNSTqiN7R8NICFl-v5736V3azy1unNjgrI0gqWFoaHvFgQ_EklftOUkXx-EnESYc2k8g6lwy54ULje4Qhz8VTSFDB2ChzGgJy7ZHx7RN0riPHSqWspUBaDFQN1u9P4/s1600/IMG_20150611_144252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KgEednchfn6NeaNSTqiN7R8NICFl-v5736V3azy1unNjgrI0gqWFoaHvFgQ_EklftOUkXx-EnESYc2k8g6lwy54ULje4Qhz8VTSFDB2ChzGgJy7ZHx7RN0riPHSqWspUBaDFQN1u9P4/s200/IMG_20150611_144252.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJdMbRuQxKPQOGPME98mUPt1pztbh9iD1Vi_3xR6cVQczs_UriAlDcmwGcUHqiORDe3ror2UoOGpK0Mg1wyxDpOvm531TS3xjL5Li8cYi6D9XGE2M_c67PHahxcSxUWc26pWs9NzjBCz8/s1600/IMG_20150611_143529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJdMbRuQxKPQOGPME98mUPt1pztbh9iD1Vi_3xR6cVQczs_UriAlDcmwGcUHqiORDe3ror2UoOGpK0Mg1wyxDpOvm531TS3xjL5Li8cYi6D9XGE2M_c67PHahxcSxUWc26pWs9NzjBCz8/s200/IMG_20150611_143529.jpg" width="150" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While we were in St. Martin our boat projects that we
completed were: changing the deck fitting on the starboard fuel tank (a
previous owner jammed a wooden plug into it instead of repairing the fuel line),
cleaning the port fuel tank and installing a fuel gauge sender, fixing the
starboard fuel gauge sender, installing our watermaker, and replacing the port intermediate shroud on our
mizzen mast. Skeeter got the pleasure of
doing all of the fuel tank and watermaker work, and I got the pleasure of ascending the mizzen
mast in the rocky anchorage twice: the first time to take down the old broken
shroud, and the second time to put the new one up. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFlQ9qS_055g6_48NQnK4gS4rIiXhUOLDVI3VNcT4OPi_r4IK6PAvIMEdfAX3gYaBkOumUXPgZmTw-3jHFuEm1PMT8-51uKsaoVbD-e6FYxZYPAMPtq-QA3bWI5emz4UjmB-8Upoquwc/s1600/IMG_20150606_142813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFlQ9qS_055g6_48NQnK4gS4rIiXhUOLDVI3VNcT4OPi_r4IK6PAvIMEdfAX3gYaBkOumUXPgZmTw-3jHFuEm1PMT8-51uKsaoVbD-e6FYxZYPAMPtq-QA3bWI5emz4UjmB-8Upoquwc/s400/IMG_20150606_142813.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now we can make 1.5 gallons drinking water per hour!</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBFQrw5QzLkDf9POZbX-F26xudSkN7m2K9Y_c-s8GmmZUId2G69bwJCAReBx031kwaCEPA1gM2h64to0Nqrb7EUX0bUyfWWWPjmCAaBilajRDwUzjIxDYceCxrA-jv92B3h2GCoLESHM/s1600/IMG_20150612_114448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBFQrw5QzLkDf9POZbX-F26xudSkN7m2K9Y_c-s8GmmZUId2G69bwJCAReBx031kwaCEPA1gM2h64to0Nqrb7EUX0bUyfWWWPjmCAaBilajRDwUzjIxDYceCxrA-jv92B3h2GCoLESHM/s400/IMG_20150612_114448.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Filthy fuel tank! We had no idea it was THIS bad!!! No wonder...</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtvGvL6zU1hq0_bHQxuHM7sZeP2J5q9_6w-_X4KgOAh0bDjpdtVMUbqVjnqMUiXYQdfxUJIlN3lwfPENF5nxmKDxnEudbljpcvNAELNBjQlJDhLGWEtUshScgBD6hCxLYltTNVNWhmxM/s1600/IMG_20150612_161304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtvGvL6zU1hq0_bHQxuHM7sZeP2J5q9_6w-_X4KgOAh0bDjpdtVMUbqVjnqMUiXYQdfxUJIlN3lwfPENF5nxmKDxnEudbljpcvNAELNBjQlJDhLGWEtUshScgBD6hCxLYltTNVNWhmxM/s400/IMG_20150612_161304.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter cleaned out all the scum & JB welded the corrosion</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One day we took the bus to Philipsburg to walk around town,
and so I could show Skeeter where I used to live and work when I worked as a
dive instructor at <a href="http://www.divestmaarten.com/" target="_blank">Dive Safaris</a> on the Dutch side. That was ten years ago, so a lot had changed:
lots of new docks, more boats, some new stores and restaurants, and some old
places torn down. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We walked by the <a href="http://www.airportadventuresxm.com/" target="_blank">Airport Adventures</a> Boat hoping to catch Whitney, my former boss at Dive Safaris. Unfortunately, we missed her, but we saw her Airport Tours boat that takes people snorkeling and watching airplanes land over their heads from the boat at Maho Beach. I'm so happy for her and her new company...what a creative and awesome idea! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> We also saw the <a href="http://sailingsxm.com/html/" target="_blank">GoldenEagle catamarans</a>, which belong to the same company I worked for in St.
Thomas. They are the sister ships to the
<a href="http://www.cruiseshipexcursions.com/castawaygirl.html" target="_blank">Castaway Girl</a> boats that I crewed on. Down the beach we
saw a snorkeling class for locals, which was really cool, and seemed to be
quite a popular thing. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEH4_xaqWEKmBOIL8QYPbzh8ZI4QtzesHy1WgjlzpZfHUuOEHa2hBX3mTA5_4Su1b8tYCEO3P4mIRhcXGJSFrPrRW-h3_bmddE06doVx8IIk0tNnBlHLqqHKof-iOaB_tovkNIP8B-0_0/s1600/IMG_20150614_111142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEH4_xaqWEKmBOIL8QYPbzh8ZI4QtzesHy1WgjlzpZfHUuOEHa2hBX3mTA5_4Su1b8tYCEO3P4mIRhcXGJSFrPrRW-h3_bmddE06doVx8IIk0tNnBlHLqqHKof-iOaB_tovkNIP8B-0_0/s400/IMG_20150614_111142.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Golden Eagle Catamarans in St. Maarten</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi6WKftDzScP9F8h0cJncerfcoDIXyKaJSKm7GJ__1T00JdGhMsCdXL8qzddbBaSrU79xf6sO9RA42wuwKjJXZyTSqMZAkrYnsNGRiYCca2L2UBfEhu7HW_MGm4CpMhqQ6n9fJU7AEJu8/s1600/IMG_20150311_172138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi6WKftDzScP9F8h0cJncerfcoDIXyKaJSKm7GJ__1T00JdGhMsCdXL8qzddbBaSrU79xf6sO9RA42wuwKjJXZyTSqMZAkrYnsNGRiYCca2L2UBfEhu7HW_MGm4CpMhqQ6n9fJU7AEJu8/s400/IMG_20150311_172138.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Castaway Girl 3, one of the catamarans I crewed on in St. Thomas</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ91aBta5183W_-Ywzf5Aj_p3MEeu8yuvIjYQa8Lo0nq7VFw-HKb0kJmC3tueXnhEJ1f-x0mCoCAP620_NJJ91PXRNoLdoD68FwTwcjB5K7lPbFuXnrLCDCdCzba3yUd5kY0VmoK7yvfc/s1600/IMG_20150614_111223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ91aBta5183W_-Ywzf5Aj_p3MEeu8yuvIjYQa8Lo0nq7VFw-HKb0kJmC3tueXnhEJ1f-x0mCoCAP620_NJJ91PXRNoLdoD68FwTwcjB5K7lPbFuXnrLCDCdCzba3yUd5kY0VmoK7yvfc/s400/IMG_20150614_111223.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Philipsburg, St. Maarten - I lived here in 2005</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Locals' snorkel lessons</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2HkYnvPPx9QaXDcJAz2F5U07pirTdvpoant_vxjYhHCm6xw5VOq95h9nWb6pi9Y1K2AA__tdEEvRWaddfArluZ9GRie_qqs-JhpQDd24-AVMoR0d7-h_NBrVUUpu8IXsFbqiynoi9P8/s1600/IMG_20150614_122242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2HkYnvPPx9QaXDcJAz2F5U07pirTdvpoant_vxjYhHCm6xw5VOq95h9nWb6pi9Y1K2AA__tdEEvRWaddfArluZ9GRie_qqs-JhpQDd24-AVMoR0d7-h_NBrVUUpu8IXsFbqiynoi9P8/s400/IMG_20150614_122242.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Memories...used to hang out here with my Dive Safaris friends 10 year ago</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Skeeter suggested
I get a $5 outfit that was hanging in the window at a store on Back Street. I really liked it too, and hey, you can’t
beat $5. It was made in India, a blouse
and “magic pants.” The pants are really
light and airy, and before you put them on they don’t look like pants at all. First you tie the back side on, pass the
fabric through your legs, then you tie the front side on. Ouala.
Magic pants. I don’t know why,
but I am drawn to things from India. I
just love the style, and I love the culture.
The owner of the store was from India, too. St. Martin is such a diverse place. You can hear so many languages around you at
once, and the locals have heritage from all over the world. I love listening to other languages, so I
really enjoyed myself in St. Martin. We
heard French, Dutch, English, Spanish, and Patua, amongst others. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Magic pants! Windy evening in Marigot harbor.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were about to jump a bus back to Marigot when we spontaneously
decided to jump on a bus to Maho instead.
The Haitian bus driver was really nice, and helped us know exactly where
we should get off to go to the famous beach where airplanes land right over
your head. I had brought a sarong, so we
sat down on it on the beach. We came at
just the right time. It was around 3:30 pm,
and planes were landing every five minutes or so. The first one appeared in the distance as a
little spec. And then it got closer and
closer. It looked like it was too low,
and going to hit us! It whooshed right
over our heads, creating a huge gust of wind.
Skeeter LOVED it. He was grinning
from ear to ear. He was like a little
kid. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The planes really look like they are going to land on your head</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Amy & Skeeter at Maho Beach, St. Maarten</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9O_TYANXxsgfaMPFjGodT-MjH-1dPo5F-Qe0DDY679M6qzhqZ-Iilc5fEmQqV0jfjv5qYMzqWFt0NlvtJA7P53hYhhyphenhyphenHGFMauhtJ3I4bnPu30eV4dCTP8pkfDnxTP07B3KkL3vj4pl8/s1600/IMG_20150614_144906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9O_TYANXxsgfaMPFjGodT-MjH-1dPo5F-Qe0DDY679M6qzhqZ-Iilc5fEmQqV0jfjv5qYMzqWFt0NlvtJA7P53hYhhyphenhyphenHGFMauhtJ3I4bnPu30eV4dCTP8pkfDnxTP07B3KkL3vj4pl8/s400/IMG_20150614_144906.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Propeller plane landing over Skeeter</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HB6mAgWxCexy_b52PxI4pMZrop8sqv-ehf2L6iUWnWyDnW53Z8WOW1GHx-kje_vnzhaU8JyzTmIWoK3OZvzyq_ypRbdf9yUeYOeTzry3yaVli4x8WSp5oomO5C1kyfbmP8BMrZ3BsLY/s1600/IMG_20150614_145738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HB6mAgWxCexy_b52PxI4pMZrop8sqv-ehf2L6iUWnWyDnW53Z8WOW1GHx-kje_vnzhaU8JyzTmIWoK3OZvzyq_ypRbdf9yUeYOeTzry3yaVli4x8WSp5oomO5C1kyfbmP8BMrZ3BsLY/s400/IMG_20150614_145738.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter loves this!</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When the planes lined up on the run
way to take off, he loved it too.
Suddenly the engines revved up and before you knew it a massive gust of
wind blasted sand in your face and you had to hold onto your hat and sunglasses
so they wouldn’t get ripped off your head and fly into the sea behind you. I was a bigger fan of the landing planes than
the ones taking off. I’d drape the
sarong over my head and in front of my face because I was not quite as fond of the
sand blasting as Skeeter was. The sand
was stuck all over me, and many hours later Skeeter was still trying to help me
brush it off. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHc-lxmhWsJ3YTfU1W71E_fb0O2bC3vIZgH_-TToUIxTKtilsD9ROgBjE3I2mOjFbGS9Wm8dfdRXR5f7RxVjsCvUlrU8mI-aiLkED6TdMjIyXSNcto0bprsqfXEp4ktahVccWcsGVUyPQ/s1600/IMG_20150614_171707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvpifBxORt34jKL-ie9Po0C4jNVWX1tKJepcQ5U7EddA1lDW4kn2UIy_yWIbD5eXXp2QlrQHtzSOkTK_6Xzsczelo8c3rdQs0cfCKrsD34v7IAY_YNTC-kRJ66NTeXoJnceoHEaQQIQw/s1600/IMG_20150614_152052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvpifBxORt34jKL-ie9Po0C4jNVWX1tKJepcQ5U7EddA1lDW4kn2UIy_yWIbD5eXXp2QlrQHtzSOkTK_6Xzsczelo8c3rdQs0cfCKrsD34v7IAY_YNTC-kRJ66NTeXoJnceoHEaQQIQw/s400/IMG_20150614_152052.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But this is a major tourist attraction anyway...</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We decided to spend our last nights in Tintamarre, an island
off the north coast of St. Martin. On
the way there we stopped at the beautiful Creole Rock so Skeeter could change
our fuel filter. We couldn’t resist urge
to jump in, so we did some snorkeling and free diving around that picturesque
rock. There were tons of Rhino tour
people there at first in their little modified dinghies, but then they left and
we had the whole place to ourselves.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Creole Rock, just outside of Grand Case, St. Martin</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tintamarre was absolutely stunning. The contrast of the orange and brown rocks,
the pristine beige sand, and the azure waters was unlike any vision of paradise
I had ever even imagined. We were
surrounded by green sea turtles, popping their heads up for a breath of
air. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Beautiful Tintamarre, just off the northeast coast of St. Martin.</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of our favorite places</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We snorkeled around the bay, and
took our dinghy over to the tug boat wreck around the corner and went free diving
on it. The water was clear, and the
wreck was teaming with fish. It was just
before sunset, so the creole wrasse were pairing up and getting ready to
perform their nightly spawning ritual. It
was the best creole wrasse spawning we’d ever seen. You could see the males chasing around their
chosen mate, rising up off the bottom, swirling around one another, and finally
the female releasing her eggs high up in the water column. The females were easily distinguishable
because they were smaller, and blue and black.
The males were larger in size, and in addition to their blue and black
coloration they have splashes of purple and yellow near their tales. And while spawning the males’ mouths turn
totally white. I’d never seen that
before!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During the day there were lots of charter boats at
Tintamarre, but at night we had the island to ourselves, save one other boat on
the opposite side of the bay and a couple of goats, birds, crabs, and lizards that
call the island their home. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">At night, a swell invaded the bay 90 degrees to the wind. Our boat was rolling from side to side, and I
could not sleep. I decided to try
sleeping outside where there was a fresh breeze. Just as I got my pillow and blanket out there
it started to drizzle. I didn’t have my
contact lenses in, but I could swear I saw a huge fire across the way on the
mountain in St. Martin. I grabbed my
glasses and woke Skeeter up. Sure enough,
the entire mountain side was ablaze! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The giant fire blazing on the mountainside in St. Martin</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I
was worried about the Broadreach pad and the Anse Marcel Marina, which are just
on the other side of that hill, downwind.
The fire blazed for more two days before they were able to get it under
control, but fortunately the pad and the marina were fine. The mountain side was mostly bare, with the
exception of the landfill. The smell of
smoke was really strong in that whole Anse Marcel bay, though.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We had a great time in St. Martin and St. Maarten, but
decided it was time to head out and continue on our way. In the morning of Thursday, June 18<sup>th</sup>
we set sail for our next island, the Dutch island of Saba.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Favorites in St. Martin: Maho Beach, Tintamarre, & Marigot Market </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com2Saint Martin18.08255 -63.05225100000001217.961797 -63.213612500000011 18.203303000000002 -62.890889500000014tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-8926780986970407192015-06-04T02:30:00.000-04:002015-06-12T20:57:34.606-04:00AN IMPULSIVE SAIL TO ST MARTIN<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcku-mvso_0JMNByh3ru0ULTj2jWbqZAkDNS8-BQDNBihyphenhyphenp4W0giCjFhUx3CwZT5hzyVn1NUEx-YV4T7Her3ns5mRb-q1Dq_OYCrIX0h-h3u7sYcOM5OkoRlQqr_I5n4dO63HmkeH83yI/s1600/IMG_20150603_184336.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcku-mvso_0JMNByh3ru0ULTj2jWbqZAkDNS8-BQDNBihyphenhyphenp4W0giCjFhUx3CwZT5hzyVn1NUEx-YV4T7Her3ns5mRb-q1Dq_OYCrIX0h-h3u7sYcOM5OkoRlQqr_I5n4dO63HmkeH83yI/s640/IMG_20150603_184336.jpg" width="640"></a> <br>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We had a really nice going away/late Christmas party dinner at Sapphire Bar & Grill with our friends from Aqua Action Dive Center Sunday evening, June 1st. We were lucky to have worked with and become like family with such a wonderful group of people. I hope they can come visit us some time and go sailing on Salt Whistle with us! We will miss them! Thank you for everything Sam & Diane, Jim, Lisa, Sue & Randy, Rick & Deb, Bill & Summer, & Malakai! We hope to see you again!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We said goodbye to St. Thomas on Tuesday, June 2nd and headed over to Great Cruz Bay, St. John to meet our friends Cassie & Jason for dinner. It was nice to get to see them one last time before heading out. We all worked together at Cruz Bay Watersports in St. John, and still kept in touch after we moved across the pond to St. Thomas. They are divers and sailors with adventurous spirits, so chances are good we will see them again! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our plan was to head to the BVI (British Virgin Islands) the next morning, and check in at Gun Creek, Virgin Gorda. There we would wait for our weather window to sail to St. Martin. </span></span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We woke up bright and early, and were motoring out of Great Cruz Bay by 6:30am on Wednesday, June 3rd. Skeeter did not sleep well at all, since it had rained that night and water was dripping on him all night long. It was a beautiful morning, though, and without the rain there wouldn't have been a gorgeous rainbow. </span></span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGSsBPtrCi3TCRUx8fkFiAGfnHsZhapna5252aM4gbbxPFhVwXKh005g0HgcdRkBnyyUEKUaVMQxe4zNVg9aaYGLI3ifJqdJnN4xzKxTYGKU34PmgxK4ujRVc7Y-LfL8s5cEFoPfwQBY/s1600/IMG_20150603_064255%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGSsBPtrCi3TCRUx8fkFiAGfnHsZhapna5252aM4gbbxPFhVwXKh005g0HgcdRkBnyyUEKUaVMQxe4zNVg9aaYGLI3ifJqdJnN4xzKxTYGKU34PmgxK4ujRVc7Y-LfL8s5cEFoPfwQBY/s320/IMG_20150603_064255%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great way to start the day! Double rainbow!!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The seas were very calm, and even motoring directly into the wind was comfortable. Having this kind of sea conditions is rare, and not to be taken for granted.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3vQQ7RdEXSYOm8ncery0KN2UtUKjt-S_UapuSBvDFJOLnnPkHE-k2PxV_V0MwWq38mbVIka0e8jGFpFajvNg5_RPzfTATAZ0-nntNLoo8Nw3yfWv4iGFsWEhX-AFNG65fojhfIfwSKDk/s1600/IMG_20150603_073134.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3vQQ7RdEXSYOm8ncery0KN2UtUKjt-S_UapuSBvDFJOLnnPkHE-k2PxV_V0MwWq38mbVIka0e8jGFpFajvNg5_RPzfTATAZ0-nntNLoo8Nw3yfWv4iGFsWEhX-AFNG65fojhfIfwSKDk/s1600/IMG_20150603_073134.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bye-bye St. Thomas & St. John</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As we were approaching Ram Head on the southeast corner of St. Thomas, a crazy idea occurred to us. Maybe we should just keep going?! Why bother going northeast to Virgin Gorda, dealing with the expensive customs/immigration fees, and possibly having to wait a long long time for our next weather window? We had already spent time in the BVI, both working and visiting. The seas were extremely calm and supposed to pick up the next day. This WAS our weather window! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ram Head, St. John, USVI</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Did we have enough fuel? We did a conservative calculation of how much fuel we would need to make it to St. Martin, and realized we should have more than enough. As we motored along the south shores of the British Virgin Islands we contemplated whether or not it was crazy to just go for it. By the time we were south of Ginger Island, our decision was made. We were gonna do it! Skeeter was still barely in range of the AT&T towers, so we decided to send a quick email out to the family with our float plan so someone knew where we were in the unlikely chance that we had an emergency out at sea.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving the Virgin Islands</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're going for it! Heading out to open ocean...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were towing our dinghy behind us and decided not to raise it onto the deck - it was calm enough. That is a decision that in retrospect, we regret. It just seemed like too much of a hassle at the time. We initially calculated that we would have to motor through the night to get there, so we decided to take turns at the helm so the other could rest. We did hourly shifts. Prior to our shift we did space checks and entries into the logbook. We checked the bilge, the engine, and the propeller shaft. We also checked on Momo if he was down below, and made sure that nothing had fallen. In our logbook we recorded the time, our GPS coordinates, our compass heading, RPM, speed, & sea/weather conditions. Seas were as calm as 1 foot, and we never saw any waves bigger than 4 feet. </span></span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skeeter just finished his space checks & log book entry</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When we were just over a third of the way, about 7 hours into our voyage, our engine starting choking and finally died. Skeeter was at the helm, and I had fallen asleep. I suddenly awoke to the sound of the engine dying and Skeeter saying, "Oh shit!" We were dead in the water, almost completely out of sight of land. Skeeter went down below to troubleshoot the problem, and I stayed on deck, trying to make sure the dinghy line didn't get wrapped under the keel or in the propeller. Skeeter came back up, reporting that our fuel was bad. The fuel filter was clogged with all kinds of particles. Although we had enough fuel, we didn't account for the motion of the ocean stirring up the decades of crap that had settled to the bottom of our fuel tank. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were lucky to have such calm seas, because without an engine we were turning beam to the swell (sideways to the waves), getting tossed from side to side. Thank goodness the waves were only about 3 foot tall! Skeeter went down below and changed the fuel filter. Luckily we have a dozen spare fuel filters. Then he switched us over to the starboard tank. Luckily we have 2 fuel tanks. The starboard fuel tank was spotless, since the previous owners didn't ever use it. We crossed our fingers and tried to start the engine again. RPM's dropped once again, and the engine kept dying. Skeeter figured out that we had air in the system and he bled the air out. We hoped and prayed that there was enough fuel in the starboard tank to get us to St. Martin. We didn't want to use the contaminated fuel and have to be dead in the water to change fuel filters every hour. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Things seemed to be going pretty well for the next couple of hours. We were completely out of sight of land by now. We had some boobies (sea birds) following along with us, playing in the air current our boat was making and diving down into the water to catch fish. There were massive floating islands of sarragassum sea weed, and we contemplated what sea creatures were living below them. Baby sea turtles? Dorado? We were careful to navigate around the seaweed, though, since we didn't want to chance fouling our propeller. </span> </span></span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A huge floating island of Saragassum seaweed</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">At first Momo was reluctant to come outside, but once he realized he was safe in the cockpit, he relaxed. We put his harness on him to help him feel safer, and when he started getting too comfortable (trying to go exploring outside of the cockpit) we put his leash on him too. We decided against his life jacket, since he still isn't used to it. He gets too stressed, and we wouldn't want to chance him freaking out and doing flip flops while underway.</span></span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Momo was reluctant to come outside at first, but he needed the fresh air</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Momo wedged in the corner, taking a nap in the cockpit</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> We navigated by the clouds (a surprisingly reliable method if winds are light), having fun coming up with what our navigational aid resembled: A giant sea horse pulling a sleigh, a witch's face, a dancing bear, a bucking bronco, a turtle, a sleeping cat, etc. </span></span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Navigating toward the bucking bronco cloud</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We only saw three other boats when we were in the middle of nowhere - two oil tankers and a cargo ship. They were massive. And one of them was on track to cross our path when our engine started misbehaving again. I did not want to be dead in the water with a oil tanker coming straight for us. Luckily the engine held out until the tanker passed. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were about 45 nautical miles away from St. Martin when we first spotted the Dutch island of Saba. It is an impressive steep mountain, jutting straight out of the ocean past the clouds. It was reassuring to see land on the horizon, given our fuel problems. </span></span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We couldn't see St. Martin until just before sunset, about 33 nautical miles out. It has big mountains, but not as tall as Saba. We had a beautiful sunset, but the idea of the upcoming darkness was more unnerving than it should have been, since the engine's reliability was questionable. </span></span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful sunset behind us</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Would our engine make it with the fuel we had? We didn't want to be bobbing around in the middle of nowhere in the dark. And what if seas increased? Or what if we were in the path of a big tanker who wasn't paying attention to what was in front of him? I had heard stories about big ships finding pieces of sailboat attached to their ship days later when arriving at their dock. We'd be so small compared to them that they wouldn't even notice if they pulverized us! At least we had sails, so we didn't have to be completely immobile. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Why, even after we switched tanks and changed the filter was the engine still losing RPM? Skeeter deduced that the fuel in our starboard tank was kind of old, and our engine was probably struggling to get the compression ratio. Maybe? There also might have been a small air leak from the previous filter change.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After the sun went down it was far from dark. It was somewhat overcast, so we couldn't see too many stars. But we had a practically full moon, and it was lighting up the sky nicely, reflecting off of the clouds. Once it got a bit darker and we were closer to our destination, we were able to navigate by the red lights up on the mountains of St. Martin, which were markers for the incoming airplanes. Even though we could clearly see St. Martin, we still had a few more hours to go. We finally pulled into Anse Marcel and dropped our anchor at 11:30 at night. It was nice to have a detailed GPS map when navigating in the dark. Depth perception is difficult at night, so navigating by sight at night is not an option. Plus trying to guess water depth in a place you're not familiar with is simply not a good idea. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So we made it, safe and sound! A few scares, but we are here in St. Martin! Our cruising life has officially begun! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SUMMARY: 17 hours (630-2330), 110 nautical miles (126 miles), 2200 RPM, 6-7kts </span></span></div>
Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-70703151118874071692015-06-01T22:00:00.000-04:002015-06-07T21:48:31.701-04:00WE MADE A SAIL PACK!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvS8Xh2Aj5kckEsVvGA35HBIRkDCpq1T1NnblKHDeyrpjVokU454IP5bx6SzaAL-eRh81_OgJsIw_PhOnb3MJQvPrFMWx3j75mC5z8_qMW6alWq-Ym-NB7LumG8p8I1aCwAmZdRhrEWVg/s1600/IMG_20150601_171148.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We really wanted to make a sail pack to protect our beautiful new (used) mainsail we just got in the mail from <a href="http://baconsails.com/" target="_blank">Bacon Sails</a> in Annapolis, Maryland. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The old sail cover was extremely thread barren, and the hardware on it was mostly broken or corroded.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new Bacon mainsail</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sewing big things on a boat is not an easy task. We had no idea just how extremely
challenging it would be until we grabbed our gigantic 46" wide roll of
forest green Sunbrella fabric from the forward cabin and began to attempt to unroll it to
take measurements for our sail pack project. How do you even unroll
something so big in such a small space? And measure and cut it!?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We started by taking the measurements of our sail, following the generously
free online Sailrite video. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our main boom is about 16 feet long, and the
tallest part of the sail when dropped is still almost 5 feet higher than the boom. So that meant that our roll of fabric was not quite wide enough to
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65iFDX4iOF7BN_BMQhxdenOzqUErKxDKIm1dbsr1hHfeUZnxTCCvXQO880E1pPpcHhvxsBFzZRWAg82sXQQHxSK5lXpNXlgyqVgeg9jYCPpDLW41TA1b9wOsTdTbA1SKSu6sKPgvgYwM/s1600/IMG_20150529_160142.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65iFDX4iOF7BN_BMQhxdenOzqUErKxDKIm1dbsr1hHfeUZnxTCCvXQO880E1pPpcHhvxsBFzZRWAg82sXQQHxSK5lXpNXlgyqVgeg9jYCPpDLW41TA1b9wOsTdTbA1SKSu6sKPgvgYwM/s320/IMG_20150529_160142.jpg" width="68" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Skeeter and I attempted to unroll the 46" Sunbrella fabric in our
boat's tiny interior. A mixture of comedy and aggravation ensued. I
was holding the huge and heavy roll of fabric in the forward cabin, while
Skeeter unrolled it through the salon and into the hallway by the
workbench. Keep in mind, the passageways inside our boat zig and zag,
measuring an average of 1.5 - 2 feet in width. Laying the fabric down
flat on the floor to measure and cut was NOT an option. So we held the
fabric up perpendicular to the floor, and measured the best we could.
Then we attempted to draw a straight line on the fabric with a soapstone pencil
and cut it to length with a hot knife we bought at Home Depot. We did
this twice, once for each side. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then we had to add an additional strip of fabric to it, so the sail pack
would be tall enough to cover the highest point of our sail when dropped, the
head. We measured the amount we'd have to attach to the main piece, made
little marks along the length of the fabric at that distance. We used the
fold-down salon table to lay the fabric on to connect the marks by drawing our
line. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we cut the fabric, a foot and
a half at a time, with the hot knife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
placed a piece of scrap metal underneath it so we didn’t burn the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRvUcPv_4-YhOWuq5MpEUCZWoPxZGaimdnZkNijgJ-ymaHLnHMOeG1pWWYrknSLRbYU3pX4lJoCmmPakhAVlQzKryO8zofiYc5nELUZ94klt7R0ACDdOZsPJsKPR1-urHvpYBqY5cgOs/s1600/IMG_20150529_155023.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRvUcPv_4-YhOWuq5MpEUCZWoPxZGaimdnZkNijgJ-ymaHLnHMOeG1pWWYrknSLRbYU3pX4lJoCmmPakhAVlQzKryO8zofiYc5nELUZ94klt7R0ACDdOZsPJsKPR1-urHvpYBqY5cgOs/s320/IMG_20150529_155023.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buried in fabric, making the first stitches</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC37vM4CkkH8-pWfEIeFVf0LvqjR0CVYJCqzVoPB4clhwdy_c6X_SV0iISVOGNqb64krpsCkS1DQ30B5ymtny0cfmWLOhABUKNvtYGBe8s35tAnjnyGHyACZKC9JswJaUlwfxhhmxXp1o/s1600/IMG_20150529_155012.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC37vM4CkkH8-pWfEIeFVf0LvqjR0CVYJCqzVoPB4clhwdy_c6X_SV0iISVOGNqb64krpsCkS1DQ30B5ymtny0cfmWLOhABUKNvtYGBe8s35tAnjnyGHyACZKC9JswJaUlwfxhhmxXp1o/s320/IMG_20150529_155012.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sewing the fabric pieces together</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span>Then it was time to join the two pieces of fabric so the
sail pack would be tall enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
straight pinned it together and then I sat down at the sewing machine with
fabric piled up on top of me (and it was over 90 degrees and stuffy in the
boat) and sewed the two long pieces together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I only stabbed myself with pins a few times, but it was enough to
motivate me to find a less painful method.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I used staples for part of the project, and eventually worked up the
confidence to just crease a fold with a putty knife and hold it in place while
sending it through the machine. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Next was the hilariously impossible part: trying to draw a
straight angled line from the tallest part of the sail pack (the head of the
sail) down to the skinniest part of the sail bag (near the clew). Drawing a
straight line seemed impossible in our allotted space, so we decided to try to
crease the fabric and draw a line along the crease. We then attempted to
strike a straight line down the length of the fabric by closing one corner of
the fabric in the head (bathroom) door to hold it in place while one of us
stood on the opposite end holding it as tight as possible without pulling it
out of the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trying to draw a
straight line along a not so straight crease on fabric that was floating in
mid-air was a daunting task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But somehow
we managed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we cut along our
supposedly straight line with our hot knife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course, everything I mentioned had to be done twice, since the sail pack has to have two sides.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QzvB-SGRF1Jpk029ze7rXTj7-oWtuSSlY5OLuS2WxD-lgZId5rdXxWPHCP4etmGnMMr2J3WggcX_yvkjXzdXMEcV6fD6WZqfGX7Cv88xD_2q7am3jejI5jAztjlCn7p_ehJ30S5c83I/s1600/IMG_20150530_115216.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QzvB-SGRF1Jpk029ze7rXTj7-oWtuSSlY5OLuS2WxD-lgZId5rdXxWPHCP4etmGnMMr2J3WggcX_yvkjXzdXMEcV6fD6WZqfGX7Cv88xD_2q7am3jejI5jAztjlCn7p_ehJ30S5c83I/s320/IMG_20150530_115216.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Measuring and marking using a square</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVPmMOcoU6Tw9FIzFHeIRVlhLv28An8xEQ6slTYomGDp7RrfO2FNMBupeVZ9pcQzamz6VQrMKEqOv1sQU3aVFPUKneNuxA6jd6VE_4L3FYt0xAYs_XD0BmPtnoXoLi-8hbrOQVi922s0/s1600/IMG_20150530_115206.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVPmMOcoU6Tw9FIzFHeIRVlhLv28An8xEQ6slTYomGDp7RrfO2FNMBupeVZ9pcQzamz6VQrMKEqOv1sQU3aVFPUKneNuxA6jd6VE_4L3FYt0xAYs_XD0BmPtnoXoLi-8hbrOQVi922s0/s320/IMG_20150530_115206.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Connecting the marks with a "straight" line</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Just the measuring, marking and cutting of our starting
pieces took an entire day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entire
process took us 4 days from start to finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We couldn’t have done it without the Sailrite instructional video.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so grateful for their help, but I will
admit to being jealous of Angela from Sailrite, who had a huge work space, a
gigantic table, proper tools, and an endless supply of basting tape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would be lying if I said I didn’t get angry
and swear at her through the video a few times because she had it
so easy with the logistics at the Sailrite sail loft.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5D1xchfI8g12fSQeWq2GDLL3J9GxLGPV2xVXLABe-2bF4e4bo9rL4LsoUC9F9IToZWUCKczapGqzfP8DnBH6hx7drlN9mnn7mfoltFbmDCLAeM2WOExEbO4_hw8XmwjIXJvswt0M4Ukw/s1600/IMG_20150530_120355.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5D1xchfI8g12fSQeWq2GDLL3J9GxLGPV2xVXLABe-2bF4e4bo9rL4LsoUC9F9IToZWUCKczapGqzfP8DnBH6hx7drlN9mnn7mfoltFbmDCLAeM2WOExEbO4_hw8XmwjIXJvswt0M4Ukw/s320/IMG_20150530_120355.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Refilling the bobbin was my favorite </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wHZzM3uw14QmY2W8I2k60bQN8lWlqjyeY3EnqLxveKedayQbWg3FmklIbLsSdGIKQnNOqlugtbq8eBrNx8H2fPQ2SJWwpZD4xjdiYHpAUyHSJyI4NvYAMfSQoxEQ8LVhzp9zAaLp8xw/s1600/IMG_20150530_115913.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wHZzM3uw14QmY2W8I2k60bQN8lWlqjyeY3EnqLxveKedayQbWg3FmklIbLsSdGIKQnNOqlugtbq8eBrNx8H2fPQ2SJWwpZD4xjdiYHpAUyHSJyI4NvYAMfSQoxEQ8LVhzp9zAaLp8xw/s320/IMG_20150530_115913.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hemming the edges</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wHZzM3uw14QmY2W8I2k60bQN8lWlqjyeY3EnqLxveKedayQbWg3FmklIbLsSdGIKQnNOqlugtbq8eBrNx8H2fPQ2SJWwpZD4xjdiYHpAUyHSJyI4NvYAMfSQoxEQ8LVhzp9zAaLp8xw/s1600/IMG_20150530_115913.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></a></span> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFc1mSOU37KbTcojPw3kBykz4c1pHxYGhHTlzR9EinaGndTi-aD5Gffel7b4y-hQRs2os2mHU9FkeQVZ3VXtkZCJNPUpiPng9S3B2_oMuXLrGSIysfGHWqwT5zQFgLgEE4fJ4HKgAIsY/s1600/IMG_20150530_134856.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFc1mSOU37KbTcojPw3kBykz4c1pHxYGhHTlzR9EinaGndTi-aD5Gffel7b4y-hQRs2os2mHU9FkeQVZ3VXtkZCJNPUpiPng9S3B2_oMuXLrGSIysfGHWqwT5zQFgLgEE4fJ4HKgAIsY/s320/IMG_20150530_134856.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using a putty knife to crease the fabric before each hem</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk360-FYIilomwPBfSdWabBAyJxPNNodsMvSbLwhHNNkOdMK61a-9fLyoygQfwsJbb_H1aoBSQRCh9NggcObzcpu6KYYL7sTU1wlP3GQpF8eFnJQajpQxQOdNaxk01397W-VGrxs2uG8/s1600/IMG_20150531_110845.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk360-FYIilomwPBfSdWabBAyJxPNNodsMvSbLwhHNNkOdMK61a-9fLyoygQfwsJbb_H1aoBSQRCh9NggcObzcpu6KYYL7sTU1wlP3GQpF8eFnJQajpQxQOdNaxk01397W-VGrxs2uG8/s320/IMG_20150531_110845.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The webbing goes over the boom but under the sail. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPpt2Dsuw3-mSCrXYR7dfXInru2zftwu93cFo4W61Hjai0OlSx7Mjt3-wsv_UVILn48B2JD106js8XIH0FvciwpyROPXp5rCZrtnQL1CkBt6cYGc2JIjrz2RBjDndlU3O4KdmZN5lnB7M/s1600/IMG_20150531_110911.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPpt2Dsuw3-mSCrXYR7dfXInru2zftwu93cFo4W61Hjai0OlSx7Mjt3-wsv_UVILn48B2JD106js8XIH0FvciwpyROPXp5rCZrtnQL1CkBt6cYGc2JIjrz2RBjDndlU3O4KdmZN5lnB7M/s320/IMG_20150531_110911.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I attached each piece of webbing with a box stitch to both sides</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0Rg5MQL9ROtL0QB5pqtZmdHc-5xSKD8rm8VpIrgILaU6P-e3aWuJsihKNN6P1GRrez5dUj-hyYjJe8BmeqPYmG_RdCw4ViwCN2Yul_avBEyc3PWD20ZsIFtINv0UeDQrlSJShiDmg-E/s1600/IMG_20150531_130809.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0Rg5MQL9ROtL0QB5pqtZmdHc-5xSKD8rm8VpIrgILaU6P-e3aWuJsihKNN6P1GRrez5dUj-hyYjJe8BmeqPYmG_RdCw4ViwCN2Yul_avBEyc3PWD20ZsIFtINv0UeDQrlSJShiDmg-E/s320/IMG_20150531_130809.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skeeter cutting the bolt rope to size with the hot knife</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Aoi3xI3UCYWauUGQkoxuLsYbcmdWMTO7TBT2qIntkpIYFOChcfOyW4DcmkZL5RpnAwjrsWLRrHIYhPCdwYFTEYtpq797gNftVlBO5qyveGqJnOtdyB9U6z4tdEVjVsDdhgNJeElUXOs/s1600/IMG_20150601_131723.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Aoi3xI3UCYWauUGQkoxuLsYbcmdWMTO7TBT2qIntkpIYFOChcfOyW4DcmkZL5RpnAwjrsWLRrHIYhPCdwYFTEYtpq797gNftVlBO5qyveGqJnOtdyB9U6z4tdEVjVsDdhgNJeElUXOs/s320/IMG_20150601_131723.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sail pack, attached to the boom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My sewing skills improved greatly through this project, and
by the end I was extremely happy how it turned out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mastered the back stitch, sewing a straight
line without any pins or basting tape, and the box stitch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The finished edges were perfectly straight,
by some miracle, and you would never know how insane a process we went through
to make it by just looking at the finished product.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
sail bag fit over our sail absolutely perfectly, and I even hand stitched bolt
rope onto the webbing that connects both sides to hold the bag to the boom,
since we have a loose footed sail. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_T0qmpsQbkjCvkUkcrw7h8KIXu9BwRmJYKZtElVQO_W_aj9jvfdMqdAoL9_XNAWMAhCfIw1I_JFD6-0e7ZCdYF1s-rO_j4BlCvyAwF6F4FAYRzWATIq0YegRCENz1IfeGOD4Kef5uAA/s1600/IMG_20150601_131734.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_T0qmpsQbkjCvkUkcrw7h8KIXu9BwRmJYKZtElVQO_W_aj9jvfdMqdAoL9_XNAWMAhCfIw1I_JFD6-0e7ZCdYF1s-rO_j4BlCvyAwF6F4FAYRzWATIq0YegRCENz1IfeGOD4Kef5uAA/s320/IMG_20150601_131734.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_T0qmpsQbkjCvkUkcrw7h8KIXu9BwRmJYKZtElVQO_W_aj9jvfdMqdAoL9_XNAWMAhCfIw1I_JFD6-0e7ZCdYF1s-rO_j4BlCvyAwF6F4FAYRzWATIq0YegRCENz1IfeGOD4Kef5uAA/s1600/IMG_20150601_131734.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisdD5sPWGpfH8YEt4KX2z4K11fWF4Mf-IgwR1lh5iVuQvhoPndUY04Q7xLMEXqG8l3bs2MiAgg5Dlq2UbwiqoISvdBjA30aWyrXj-i-d4nOFjJWaJPTR3nSQgMl0xiQgj2HnL2zjt31k/s1600/IMG_20150601_131750.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisdD5sPWGpfH8YEt4KX2z4K11fWF4Mf-IgwR1lh5iVuQvhoPndUY04Q7xLMEXqG8l3bs2MiAgg5Dlq2UbwiqoISvdBjA30aWyrXj-i-d4nOFjJWaJPTR3nSQgMl0xiQgj2HnL2zjt31k/s320/IMG_20150601_131750.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We made lazy jacks, and I got to ascend the mast (my first
time!) and install a pulley block on each side to attach the lazy jacks to the
mast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just so you know, Skeeter didn’t
make me go up there, I volunteered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had never been up the mast before and I was eager to try it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We bought an ATN mast climber, which is a
system consisting of a harness, foot loops, and two ascenders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One ascender is attached to the feet loops
and the other to the harness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You just
shimmy your way up the halyard bit by bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>First you stand in the foot loops and slide the harness ascender up,
then lay back on the harness ascender and slide the foot loop ascender up,
and so on. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Skeeter also had a safety
line attached to my harness; just in case anything went wrong he would still
have me.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpAoFaM505-N-glSaghFsRUYtdJxL-Qy1sxg5I8FHMel9I1kguRDjvoN8dNF9jGjtR33VIk_mhzuTF3b2PoyXbSkMe__h6ng0MXWNnAmSlW01EyWeRC5zHlSVsKFZ_K35kCh5uzuE6BA/s1600/IMG_20150601_170925.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpAoFaM505-N-glSaghFsRUYtdJxL-Qy1sxg5I8FHMel9I1kguRDjvoN8dNF9jGjtR33VIk_mhzuTF3b2PoyXbSkMe__h6ng0MXWNnAmSlW01EyWeRC5zHlSVsKFZ_K35kCh5uzuE6BA/s320/IMG_20150601_170925.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of Secret Harbour from up the mast</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB61rNXBWUC7IQXMJLLMk8BXOnRsY1SPul_vJAip6f94zZHOrFX_b7TVYmvFBvvImsgZggvD2L_lAGxcHwulPCgxTf1Gd9WU6B7WXwxoJ593QrXBqkU3wvBl_xH1BVVHnSFvNNKbxPg_k/s1600/IMG_20150601_153919.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB61rNXBWUC7IQXMJLLMk8BXOnRsY1SPul_vJAip6f94zZHOrFX_b7TVYmvFBvvImsgZggvD2L_lAGxcHwulPCgxTf1Gd9WU6B7WXwxoJ593QrXBqkU3wvBl_xH1BVVHnSFvNNKbxPg_k/s320/IMG_20150601_153919.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clinging to the mast like a koala bear</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was a little bit wavy in Secret Harbour, so every little
wave was greatly amplified at my altitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was like a pendulum on a clock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If I didn’t cling to the mast like a koala bear, I would find myself
swinging and spinning, bouncing off the shrouds, the mast, and the spreaders. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That only happened a couple of times!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tied a line around the mast and my waist to
have better control and prevent myself from swinging around. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmywS_xfPO3cJdcf62u80WWXu-xpzlUx4UbLrPiVgiId-DRCLDjrqaQZn54CDLlzvvPMfyNxwQhSHbQuXZnUivjrxX6m0-9rj6eFplB8uvPqT3lSUO7L9VQ-4YnS8KjQuf-bmbldDXnmM/s1600/IMG_20150601_153924.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmywS_xfPO3cJdcf62u80WWXu-xpzlUx4UbLrPiVgiId-DRCLDjrqaQZn54CDLlzvvPMfyNxwQhSHbQuXZnUivjrxX6m0-9rj6eFplB8uvPqT3lSUO7L9VQ-4YnS8KjQuf-bmbldDXnmM/s320/IMG_20150601_153924.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tool bag being sent up to me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqze3du4CBNDI7iH43GH4oOyu9_MCe8xpyA0QyeI-l2niy33dhaoIRCz9r0KXL6gdv4kfx7nhMOd5l7TpdKs8iVE3OluEpUh3Q54zHM4QRh3vEzHZ2xhakzKM-SLE3zDJT2_4aaYKv94w/s1600/IMG_20150601_163657.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqze3du4CBNDI7iH43GH4oOyu9_MCe8xpyA0QyeI-l2niy33dhaoIRCz9r0KXL6gdv4kfx7nhMOd5l7TpdKs8iVE3OluEpUh3Q54zHM4QRh3vEzHZ2xhakzKM-SLE3zDJT2_4aaYKv94w/s320/IMG_20150601_163657.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drilling holes with the corded power drill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span>Skeeter sent the tools up to me on the other halyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our cordless drill wasn’t quite strong enough
to drill into the mast, so he had to get a long extension cord and send me the
corded drill, which he hooked up to our generator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I marked 4 holes on each side of the mast for
the pulley blocks and drilled the holes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Trying to drill straight and precise holes into a thick metal mast while
being swung around at altitude is not easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Especially when you need both hands on the drill and you don’t have any
hands left to stabilize yourself!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I
managed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I put the drill into the
suspended tool bag and switched it out for the rivet gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtV5Biah3vJPkvB9QPoaZW9ecmDjPpIUiew-yYS2aHVTq_OT3jeIduvfbZcyHvT_dMpQ14SQ0vigG97WHRr24MW04abieV_zirGiQCODNua-NV7Rwgwe-ajO3h9JUT5lNQH3iZHGDEzb4/s1600/IMG_20150601_171059.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtV5Biah3vJPkvB9QPoaZW9ecmDjPpIUiew-yYS2aHVTq_OT3jeIduvfbZcyHvT_dMpQ14SQ0vigG97WHRr24MW04abieV_zirGiQCODNua-NV7Rwgwe-ajO3h9JUT5lNQH3iZHGDEzb4/s320/IMG_20150601_171059.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pulley blocks riveted to mast</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXRgzgQ5GlNpmV7IWTYD8WSiRCaySx9OjRgg9-7fqFcscXUswomaq-C3O82n-egY8HN5VO7bbsgsZXM6z1P8jFLXeHeuncfedaVGxnkjAslY-t17gJk277hipKZLlbqMIMAJVlyzcJO8/s1600/IMG_20150601_171052.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXRgzgQ5GlNpmV7IWTYD8WSiRCaySx9OjRgg9-7fqFcscXUswomaq-C3O82n-egY8HN5VO7bbsgsZXM6z1P8jFLXeHeuncfedaVGxnkjAslY-t17gJk277hipKZLlbqMIMAJVlyzcJO8/s320/IMG_20150601_171052.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I’d never used a rivet gun before (let alone aloft), but
Skeeter called out directions to me from below and I figured it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All in all, I was up there for almost two
hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I thought I would be scared up
there, but I wasn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really liked
it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The view was incredible, and I felt
very safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was only scary when I was
getting swung around out of control.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXXpl2A-XBLnJosrPHsaAg9nqSH3MFYYvPbtopOsonCnikye3MrkTnplwLS6nFSPma5vQOxbIVsfIBybStDkaRigqgxLgOmObwSSSaoiI4O7p_XwH-lrDlS-ko5qzMJlxLmoBtb9oP2A/s1600/IMG_20150601_170819.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXXpl2A-XBLnJosrPHsaAg9nqSH3MFYYvPbtopOsonCnikye3MrkTnplwLS6nFSPma5vQOxbIVsfIBybStDkaRigqgxLgOmObwSSSaoiI4O7p_XwH-lrDlS-ko5qzMJlxLmoBtb9oP2A/s320/IMG_20150601_170819.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panaramic view of Secret Harbour from aloft</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrX3oieICmW0cVFTI6SdvFYKken9qwBJj96japwbodSoqiyyRVbFLOo7r26Queu6gySf4-OLL8s9kLHRr9xvADpIj8Y86FInFesofvk3u0FxsL7X1TkdLdVtHzFqvoQ1R33r4CyrOBIZc/s1600/IMG_20150601_171223.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrX3oieICmW0cVFTI6SdvFYKken9qwBJj96japwbodSoqiyyRVbFLOo7r26Queu6gySf4-OLL8s9kLHRr9xvADpIj8Y86FInFesofvk3u0FxsL7X1TkdLdVtHzFqvoQ1R33r4CyrOBIZc/s320/IMG_20150601_171223.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie from way up high</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPgqXUMxJLxk8yl-_kvt_5C_p5Nylmt5BTYXgy68dLoJk3P9ytokPufKhOgJpdhGSlb-QXP2Fe5wJSWEGjIW4eTAg2bOuFJGPLb1cfqZN_cD2GNTiDWMlq2pC5eC1YBgdC_Oca8gleLg/s320/IMG_20150601_170757.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a long way down!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvn9mh5eou21A4JX8w6Gv727eLEXJNQKUBMEI50djt7_UrpZdAVevyfb_3B2G1yYEdNtpPUaoevZjhKOUJdQFKo-62WI0z-zhGXcSGFambgFGVUSOsx9UUAVcCcAYRWdkjtkqpDvxeUk/s1600/IMG_20150601_171022.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvn9mh5eou21A4JX8w6Gv727eLEXJNQKUBMEI50djt7_UrpZdAVevyfb_3B2G1yYEdNtpPUaoevZjhKOUJdQFKo-62WI0z-zhGXcSGFambgFGVUSOsx9UUAVcCcAYRWdkjtkqpDvxeUk/s320/IMG_20150601_171022.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down onto the forward deck</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7lc9xgkfhwNCPbiUTBVZP4cuB6FgASxbGWrSgRIakZIlEq_coiGWwmlVfB3V6uy4wpRHUL9K4SnlmEyEMdGRYykDlzeUYfbfhvtrCWp-05gtMkChxixopaDlGEpyxKKscYqSx-ss7WNI/s1600/IMG_20150601_181322.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7lc9xgkfhwNCPbiUTBVZP4cuB6FgASxbGWrSgRIakZIlEq_coiGWwmlVfB3V6uy4wpRHUL9K4SnlmEyEMdGRYykDlzeUYfbfhvtrCWp-05gtMkChxixopaDlGEpyxKKscYqSx-ss7WNI/s320/IMG_20150601_181322.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skeeter working on the lazy jack lines</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXCig3b0DZ036WyNFe0-bvoGlFy_tvIwYB-8MK0Q4oM_Z65n6pMQltfyLJcbKfIo5krOTJBQ4eNR_p9nhsq0u7C7BBSVXmigsS-O3829Y3iHVZczPp2c7NDBgWR6jgokjIZuabN1Y2pg/s1600/IMG_20150601_183113.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXCig3b0DZ036WyNFe0-bvoGlFy_tvIwYB-8MK0Q4oM_Z65n6pMQltfyLJcbKfIo5krOTJBQ4eNR_p9nhsq0u7C7BBSVXmigsS-O3829Y3iHVZczPp2c7NDBgWR6jgokjIZuabN1Y2pg/s320/IMG_20150601_183113.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amy & Momo resting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Skeeter
completed the lazy jacks while Momo and I rested. Going up and down
that mast was kind of exhausting, and I know I will be sore for days.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skeeter finished the lazy jack lines!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sail pack project complete!</td></tr>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our sail bag and lazy jacks are complete, and they look
great!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of work and at times a lot
of frustration, but it was well worth it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now we can protect our new (used) mainsail properly, and we can put up
our mainsail without hesitation because dropping it will be a cinch!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It should just fall into the bag with the
guidance of the lazy jacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without lazy
jacks, the sail can be a real pain in the butt, especially in high winds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trying to flake a big sail in rough seas and
high winds is not fun, but now we won’t need to worry about that!</span></div>
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Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-56481883961808580302015-05-16T12:00:00.000-04:002015-05-16T12:01:01.949-04:00WATER CONSERVATION - MAKING IT LAST!<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now that we can’t just grab the hose and fill up our water
tanks like we used to on the dock, we have to be very conservative with our
water usage. Water is a precious commodity when you live on a boat. We have devised a few
systems to help us make our water supply last. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRxE7nqySOVnrLNZe_iN5ykk2iTBEqTS4WLkLjpryH_Ahv2sXm5qf9zMB3jfWehsw9WI90YjtqAnveSHQ0pzjOpu3LpfLIIsoGIEdPnEEd1998HCQWWtldzr4eeENWQ62pX2Tl9leH34/s1600/IMG_20150504_173654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRxE7nqySOVnrLNZe_iN5ykk2iTBEqTS4WLkLjpryH_Ahv2sXm5qf9zMB3jfWehsw9WI90YjtqAnveSHQ0pzjOpu3LpfLIIsoGIEdPnEEd1998HCQWWtldzr4eeENWQ62pX2Tl9leH34/s400/IMG_20150504_173654.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">5 x 5 gallon water jerry cans on deck</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We have a 2 bucket system for our dishes on the aft
deck. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bucket #1 is full of salt water,
and can be changed as many times as we want.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dishes are put in there to soak.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then
we wash them with soap and a sponge, and rinse off the excess soap.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDdTfi1RZ96TSQlGb2kbNw1iU9PZeugDAuSGOSQgDPF_Shq9xISs1KP7nL9JCxFQrxeyEfexgbGlZOHKrnhGQpuwimj0BPFWFgp59mmEX7FZs5zW_ReyvsTHzECskTLumgucIUN3GM_A/s1600/IMG_20150515_092357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDdTfi1RZ96TSQlGb2kbNw1iU9PZeugDAuSGOSQgDPF_Shq9xISs1KP7nL9JCxFQrxeyEfexgbGlZOHKrnhGQpuwimj0BPFWFgp59mmEX7FZs5zW_ReyvsTHzECskTLumgucIUN3GM_A/s400/IMG_20150515_092357.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bucket #1 - Sea water. For soaking and washing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bucket #2 has about 2 inches of fresh water
and a splash of bleach for the final sanitizing rinse. We make our own bleach using pool shock. Liquid bleach can expire and lose it's sanitizing abilities quickly. We can make just the amounts we need on demand using the powder shock, and it won't degrade quickly. One bottle of shock can make tons of bleach! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekRyojQR6zEo5DkSvBeOUzUPNPTC4F3qgZycQbtJ1BRLQ_fjW6zn0qoLIyk9JYOd5EdlPf79FyehAvsDf9xjYC4GJPcyCT-z7jeHZXvqOZlTby9sxPm3r0BaxS8lV-G1RDq6-pLxt1fs/s1600/IMG_20150515_092503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekRyojQR6zEo5DkSvBeOUzUPNPTC4F3qgZycQbtJ1BRLQ_fjW6zn0qoLIyk9JYOd5EdlPf79FyehAvsDf9xjYC4GJPcyCT-z7jeHZXvqOZlTby9sxPm3r0BaxS8lV-G1RDq6-pLxt1fs/s400/IMG_20150515_092503.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bucket #2 - Fresh water with bleach. For final sanitizing rinse.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJidq06zVzxjBuQQvaG5-2JLVxC7AkLaVXLqsDmVVtyOBhvkdiGQK30uqLVr-U-CBkQGhz6ZH_B-d3USPuqSGx1JWjAIP4l1WtO6Lf31EWDZSwKWbiGOMLj4fUjnCiT82ybeY3_Sqt3s/s1600/IMG_20150515_093504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJidq06zVzxjBuQQvaG5-2JLVxC7AkLaVXLqsDmVVtyOBhvkdiGQK30uqLVr-U-CBkQGhz6ZH_B-d3USPuqSGx1JWjAIP4l1WtO6Lf31EWDZSwKWbiGOMLj4fUjnCiT82ybeY3_Sqt3s/s400/IMG_20150515_093504.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">If it's not too windy, the dishes can dry on deck.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We wash our metal pots and pans and silverware fresh water so they don't rust, but we use minimal amounts by wiping them out with a rag before the food crusts onto them prior to washing them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Showers are done differently, too. We have a mesh tote bag on deck with our
shampoo, conditioner, and loofah. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUVxgNG3jFWnTyfMSk3HTIdMs-WJcm-hH-I__EShcETAApeO9j-mw39OL95HPuBnwNRDo4vaIaPG58OCS33YIx11HAYG_839Dc5RnhO4l1glZI5zNTBQZk-oebNkadJBUWston2R_8oEg/s1600/IMG_20150515_092514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUVxgNG3jFWnTyfMSk3HTIdMs-WJcm-hH-I__EShcETAApeO9j-mw39OL95HPuBnwNRDo4vaIaPG58OCS33YIx11HAYG_839Dc5RnhO4l1glZI5zNTBQZk-oebNkadJBUWston2R_8oEg/s400/IMG_20150515_092514.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our outdoor shower caddy</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We
hang it over the back of the boat by the swim ladder when it’s shower
time. We shampoo and rinse in the ocean,
and then follow that up with conditioner and rinse in the water. We climb aboard to soap up with the loofah,
and then jump back in to rinse. The
final stage is a few seconds of fresh water using the shower attachment on the
back deck to rinse off the salt water.
It’s surprising how clean you can feel after an ocean shower like this,
and how much water you can save!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We have a watermaker that can make 1.5 gallons of water an hour. We're still waiting on a few parts so Skeeter can install it, but they should be here soon. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXk_bDXqIPINvhSttfWxD1QpzldU1ShhEWivQtN-znEmzxW8wKXzy78vMhTDK7RZ9pLZY7A6S2cDG5ySkcsp-_lYZ_zRLrJuUloMd74tQ0g38VoUqA0dedF5t7sTtI1ftrQjfmmusi3Ow/s1600/IMG_20150514_151156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXk_bDXqIPINvhSttfWxD1QpzldU1ShhEWivQtN-znEmzxW8wKXzy78vMhTDK7RZ9pLZY7A6S2cDG5ySkcsp-_lYZ_zRLrJuUloMd74tQ0g38VoUqA0dedF5t7sTtI1ftrQjfmmusi3Ow/s400/IMG_20150514_151156.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our PUR Powersurvivor 40E watermaker</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We probably only use about 3 gallons of water per day between the three of us (Skeeter, Amy & Momo), so this watermaker should sustain us very well. That way we don't have to go to a dock or shore for water or lug heavy jerry cans back and forth. This will be much more convenient for us, and we won't have to spend money on fresh water. Also, we will know that the water we make is safe to drink, whereas in some ports you could potentially get sick from the water you buy.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">How many gallons of water per day do you use? What are some of your tricks for conserving water?</span></div>
Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com1St. Thomas 00802, USVI18.308899579147372 -64.83375549316418.278750579147371 -64.874095993164 18.339048579147374 -64.793414993164tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-11451082439337606542015-05-14T21:30:00.002-04:002015-05-16T11:24:21.848-04:00ON TO CHRISTMAS COVE<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuDn87yTcBOyrYHEOQTtqXoqFXQzwbEN4CbU7H20agphW1QGi4UorkTtk2DrearKoBW672FRE1FrxUd2bRhsMuS0zzETGuao7fmJ2FNdburWCCV4XcPHOF26RsJWaOsB1f9bBxgTr6iA/s1600/11013150_10155501973825065_1784759009096790332_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuDn87yTcBOyrYHEOQTtqXoqFXQzwbEN4CbU7H20agphW1QGi4UorkTtk2DrearKoBW672FRE1FrxUd2bRhsMuS0zzETGuao7fmJ2FNdburWCCV4XcPHOF26RsJWaOsB1f9bBxgTr6iA/s640/11013150_10155501973825065_1784759009096790332_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We motored slowly over to Christmas Cove in the evening
(this time in forward gear), since we couldn’t tolerate another sleepless
night in Secret Harbour.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-am75mXNNz1hx-kCV3KAjMZhcs2iPDHxpCRtgtwRkpj-ohCAU6QPo5MV_aipmQQ0gE9LHQZ6zb53gXaqPhKU8BAzuSmRohzP3VMQ_il3N7iWfsv0lyRhPPYXO-9Ur-Wi-X_HBO6eQ40/s1600/Great+St+James.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-am75mXNNz1hx-kCV3KAjMZhcs2iPDHxpCRtgtwRkpj-ohCAU6QPo5MV_aipmQQ0gE9LHQZ6zb53gXaqPhKU8BAzuSmRohzP3VMQ_il3N7iWfsv0lyRhPPYXO-9Ur-Wi-X_HBO6eQ40/s640/Great+St+James.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We anchored for the first time
with our new 65 lb MANTUS anchor and all chain rode on the outer edge of the
anchorage in sea grass.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I dived down to
make sure the anchor set properly.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once
again we woke up quite a few times in the night with the paranoia of dragging
anchor.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It ended up holding quite well,
and so far we are very pleased with our <a href="http://www.mantusanchors.com/" target="_blank">MANTUS</a>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaCpt5teUHO_QcG4VKniDXhjI9ueWRBU2X44leLbPhyphenhyphenW0UCFs8diYjdCKubzkGRh8UlNdAP9He670N0gzEUCTjA6v8iVvPnl1tyoS1EUUXr5PgaitqJeNJqb2q_yJt3fAJ5J5J9kU9Ig/s1600/IMG_20150514_164643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaCpt5teUHO_QcG4VKniDXhjI9ueWRBU2X44leLbPhyphenhyphenW0UCFs8diYjdCKubzkGRh8UlNdAP9He670N0gzEUCTjA6v8iVvPnl1tyoS1EUUXr5PgaitqJeNJqb2q_yJt3fAJ5J5J9kU9Ig/s400/IMG_20150514_164643.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our Mantus anchor</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A mooring became available in the morning when another boat left, so we
raised our anchor and motored over to tie up to the mooring.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I dove down to check its integrity and swam a
safety line down for extra security just in case.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Skeeter worked on fine tuning our alignment again after
installing the new propeller. He also
wired in the GPS and AIS. When we are
near a land based AIS station you can see our location on <a href="http://www.marinetraffic.com/">www.marinetraffic.com</a>! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YYvmBrB-qn8Ea9tFhNbBAe9vV_25fBO2jiKJ8pj9zhTqIVBa2U1OrL2JPoETjAdfilpTL7Y8x0c_ghh8RIWp4Nh6WWY7dvwPp7gpCgBA4gNpzmh0Hil2L9C198CUnnA6uZWLwqw6H_I/s1600/11011076_10155505559680065_6275491430017605662_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YYvmBrB-qn8Ea9tFhNbBAe9vV_25fBO2jiKJ8pj9zhTqIVBa2U1OrL2JPoETjAdfilpTL7Y8x0c_ghh8RIWp4Nh6WWY7dvwPp7gpCgBA4gNpzmh0Hil2L9C198CUnnA6uZWLwqw6H_I/s400/11011076_10155505559680065_6275491430017605662_n.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">www.marinetraffic.com</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I spent a whole day online and on the phone
trying to find new (actually used, but new to us…and in very good condition)
sails. I had previously thought I could
use my newly acquired sewing skills to patch up the tear we found in the mizzen
sail, but the closer we looked the more tears, holes, and weak spots we
found. It was kind of like swiss cheese. The main sail was also in pretty poor
condition, and we just didn’t feel comfortable having a major sail catastrophe
while mid ocean. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWFrm2Bnfs7RmTxACPL-pJ8_UmYO29uE9497pCcqb4axTHk2rL2egD4QYOTEGx8_Mr5s56VclAoPFsZWkV6lhK0KGrXEQPWfpOZP-FcMBPtqinybcPlPIaQylVhL01bx-8ZayQkguGCc/s1600/11216090_10155484327000573_1595191282_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWFrm2Bnfs7RmTxACPL-pJ8_UmYO29uE9497pCcqb4axTHk2rL2egD4QYOTEGx8_Mr5s56VclAoPFsZWkV6lhK0KGrXEQPWfpOZP-FcMBPtqinybcPlPIaQylVhL01bx-8ZayQkguGCc/s400/11216090_10155484327000573_1595191282_n.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_6CMRYrQP8IGFpLThvqx5ULvRDhK1S25SieyIaRA75fYVQQd1rpmonJwaZ6icqd4lf_Nhey7GaodSPD4AsvDHH8-s__Kt_UBpkVTcurLwaCFt4pwduBhHywexFQIZVaU4cqfidSJc24/s1600/11198500_10155484327910573_927924974_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_6CMRYrQP8IGFpLThvqx5ULvRDhK1S25SieyIaRA75fYVQQd1rpmonJwaZ6icqd4lf_Nhey7GaodSPD4AsvDHH8-s__Kt_UBpkVTcurLwaCFt4pwduBhHywexFQIZVaU4cqfidSJc24/s400/11198500_10155484327910573_927924974_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just the thought of
trying to take the sails down for repair while exposed to wind and waves was
daunting, because I imagined the wind catching the sails and tearing them to
shreds and maybe tossing one of us overboard.
Not to mention, how the hell was I going to find the space to sew a
gigantic sail on our small cluttered deck?
It would be a disaster! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After
much searching I found used sails through <a href="http://www.baconsails.com/" target="_blank">Bacon Sails</a> in Annapolis that were
the proper type and weight of sailcloth, as well as the right dimensions for
our masts and booms. They said they could
change out the hardware for us to match our rigging, too. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaDC-5mk7Pq3FwVfQxicvMkoooMdVSRG1aRSdmtFadEBzwEK7aCKlXAcoifDZJgLKYJc9d4iGkyuA4t4fU75suJTEMLGaVfEX_DCTbbe5VUDhpfgVY2MyWXakHAFPaYwb0GRFUCx9yIE/s1600/11216078_10155512300245573_652372109_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaDC-5mk7Pq3FwVfQxicvMkoooMdVSRG1aRSdmtFadEBzwEK7aCKlXAcoifDZJgLKYJc9d4iGkyuA4t4fU75suJTEMLGaVfEX_DCTbbe5VUDhpfgVY2MyWXakHAFPaYwb0GRFUCx9yIE/s400/11216078_10155512300245573_652372109_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our Isomat mast requires 15/16" flat slides, <br />which is an uncommon size hardware</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It ended up being very affordable, and they
said they could have them to us in two weeks.
I’m excited to get them and have good sails!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We inflated our <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?B=453174&U=877155&M=45686&urllink=" target="_blank">Tower I-SUPs</a> (Inflatable Stand-up Paddleboards) and have been getting in some fun and
exercise paddle boarding around the cove. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpxNEZd1D7iR1vY2npH-jbgm1eYzhhMPoqH-fjL7bfhDdDuimnDAkev-KXH4WCpDHitw5hFT0CqRCCd6qqH1m-TxQszCyYH17CeB7PM-onvA17SygxS878VUL3QX0WismnrJ3b_kHa6I/s1600/IMG_20150515_090845-EFFECTS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpxNEZd1D7iR1vY2npH-jbgm1eYzhhMPoqH-fjL7bfhDdDuimnDAkev-KXH4WCpDHitw5hFT0CqRCCd6qqH1m-TxQszCyYH17CeB7PM-onvA17SygxS878VUL3QX0WismnrJ3b_kHa6I/s400/IMG_20150515_090845-EFFECTS.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter on his Inflatable Paddleboard</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The swimming and snorkeling are really nice here too. Lots of green sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, and tons of reef fish. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDwJ_HOmY4eGqyUe8nb06CBLk6haJa1iMB40y1nrl6-DZMkXuMOQYDdIM-iwIZksXQFjRe147gcActUdQ_ecZBSdCyLDVg44VRhS8cpgfmiBY5s1tLhq5X516XNy319K2vAsCsHJctzk/s1600/10390937_10154170835940573_1450943509534547746_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDwJ_HOmY4eGqyUe8nb06CBLk6haJa1iMB40y1nrl6-DZMkXuMOQYDdIM-iwIZksXQFjRe147gcActUdQ_ecZBSdCyLDVg44VRhS8cpgfmiBY5s1tLhq5X516XNy319K2vAsCsHJctzk/s400/10390937_10154170835940573_1450943509534547746_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our friends Brittnie, Mike, and Amarna on <a href="http://www.svargo.org/about.html" target="_blank">S/V Argo</a> are moored right next to us, so we’ve had some fun times hanging out with
them, too. A couple of dinners together,
swimming, and paddle boarding. We hope
to sail together down island too, if our plans end up lining up. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQih3RPHQGY1EetOaFpQiFwJUjgJFpIM-8oMnGyNVimorYZNCajGhYqCTrAU30lY0StFBXmH39f8S-P4lIXdh09MUcGlXW9tQoTBX-raD4-MwpLCzeZikLncsPhYhM_rubJ-gInoQSvI/s1600/11258640_10155520609075573_1654103050_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQih3RPHQGY1EetOaFpQiFwJUjgJFpIM-8oMnGyNVimorYZNCajGhYqCTrAU30lY0StFBXmH39f8S-P4lIXdh09MUcGlXW9tQoTBX-raD4-MwpLCzeZikLncsPhYhM_rubJ-gInoQSvI/s320/11258640_10155520609075573_1654103050_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our friends, S/V Argo</span></td></tr>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There are now three Whitby 42’s in Christmas Cove: Salt
Whistle, Mary Christine, and Lunacy. We
had dinner aboard <a href="http://www.wherethecoconutsgrow.com/" target="_blank">S/V Mary Christine</a> with owners Jody & Peter, and Steve
from Lunacy. It was great to meet them
and talk about Whitbys and cruising the Caribbean.
That was the first Whitby we’d been on other than our own, and it was
very interesting to see the similarities and differences. Their boat is no doubt nicer than ours (yes,
I admit to having boat envy), but it was good to get some ideas. The previous owners of S/V Mary Christine
were woodworkers by trade, so the wood work on that boat is impeccable. They were also liveaboard cruisers who took
excellent care of the boat. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhac3Zqk2yEZ5Jyr04ncYMBjZH6q7lMdmaqumolKh6wRbg84qK93PfcfA1MS4btt67dcjmayGwl_ICtrDG1vLJZgqT2mKzCGuh5DOVmQsLrkhZj0VUPsbLY8A7_MKW3-TxG86uh2_Jl3II/s1600/IMG_20150515_083018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhac3Zqk2yEZ5Jyr04ncYMBjZH6q7lMdmaqumolKh6wRbg84qK93PfcfA1MS4btt67dcjmayGwl_ICtrDG1vLJZgqT2mKzCGuh5DOVmQsLrkhZj0VUPsbLY8A7_MKW3-TxG86uh2_Jl3II/s400/IMG_20150515_083018.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">S/V Mary Christine, another Whitby 42</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The previous
owner of Salt Whistle hadn’t lived aboard, and had seemingly neglected it for the
10 years previous to us purchasing it.
Ours was a project boat when we bought it, while theirs was already nice
and good to go. So I shouldn’t compare,
but it’s difficult not to be jealous. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKz74xbV2GbcR7TKt2VqcuiDCwOJv4wooSw3m_l3Oh8Tn09Rh9VqhguRzMi7I6nDLNx_uTUElTLtqv6X1_UFu_UwXFpomMc3zD8abehyVcoPE3AW55jJBDc8o9le9TlNskJb4dSanUro/s1600/11271990_10155521161620573_1907517067_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKz74xbV2GbcR7TKt2VqcuiDCwOJv4wooSw3m_l3Oh8Tn09Rh9VqhguRzMi7I6nDLNx_uTUElTLtqv6X1_UFu_UwXFpomMc3zD8abehyVcoPE3AW55jJBDc8o9le9TlNskJb4dSanUro/s400/11271990_10155521161620573_1907517067_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">S/V Salt Whistle in Christmas Cove</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We heard the nicest thing today. The captain of a charter sailboat who must have known S/V Salt Whistle previously was motoring by, leaving Christmas cove. He waved and said, "Nice job with the boat. She's lookin' good!" It really made us feel good that our hard work showed.</span><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com0Great Saint James, St. Thomas 0080218.3 -64.816667-11.307007500000001 -106.125261 47.907007500000006 -23.508072999999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-22945445092930873792015-05-06T16:15:00.000-04:002015-05-14T16:34:50.016-04:00TWO ROLLY NIGHTS IN SECRET HARBOUR<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBWg_u4f5Nxbvt_ksWRZgXqybSC5KZz3ysUUE_ss7SBiVecokiWpw4uaVepW8QDhOolmEkq3kqnQISYcl6sozVYi8CTGwnW5IqFa2TwFEmuH-Gc1msmLue-JXNwv3ODLIsO2_4I1vbrY/s1600/6194_439161222810811_1558835038_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBWg_u4f5Nxbvt_ksWRZgXqybSC5KZz3ysUUE_ss7SBiVecokiWpw4uaVepW8QDhOolmEkq3kqnQISYcl6sozVYi8CTGwnW5IqFa2TwFEmuH-Gc1msmLue-JXNwv3ODLIsO2_4I1vbrY/s400/6194_439161222810811_1558835038_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Secret Harbour</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We were lucky to be able to borrow a mooring belonging to
the dive shop, since S/V Jester, a charter sailboat, was in the boat yard for
some maintenance and repairs.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was
quite rolly in there, but still a much needed improvement from Compass Point
Marina.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There was abundant fresh air,
beautiful views, and it was finally enjoyable to be outside. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmMdewRmNPxpurP3wGLDI_ecoAn4-83kZ013vULAFuj0bI9uWyV1KT4AAuXNwhegGjDaDjDOxtOCm5f-A_nL9QQiVjYneuXf69tsI9WsPFq3m2i3gOMI5lntlgZt354n8pix-ZhRTvoA/s1600/IMG_20150504_173654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmMdewRmNPxpurP3wGLDI_ecoAn4-83kZ013vULAFuj0bI9uWyV1KT4AAuXNwhegGjDaDjDOxtOCm5f-A_nL9QQiVjYneuXf69tsI9WsPFq3m2i3gOMI5lntlgZt354n8pix-ZhRTvoA/s400/IMG_20150504_173654.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Open hatches for a fresh breeze</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We were able to keep the boat wide open, with
fresh air blowing through.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">No air
conditioner needed!</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It got cool enough
at night that we put on pants and hoodies! </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We had our dinner outside in the cockpit, and
enjoyed looking at the stars.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We both had a TERRIBLE night’s sleep, due to the
rolling. Also, we were on high alert,
paranoid about every sound we heard, imagining our boat breaking free of the
mooring and crashing into the rocks. Skeeter
did dive down to check the mooring right after we tied up, but never the less
we were still paranoid. We both got up
numerous times to walk around outside and check on everything. Plus, the boat was rolling side to side so
much that things were falling and slamming.
You’d be surprised how many different sounds you hear when you don’t
have the white noise of an air conditioner and your boat is bobbing around in
the water and blowing around in the wind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next morning we were exhausted, but still so happy to be
out of the marina. I installed a hook on
the head (bathroom) door so it wouldn't slam open and closed. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghg-imfuuhra1NiFZ8rTBCY92K6D67m83DOGMBunOQHKbjcJp489YzcGCATeERHlBtMQeLKpWqop9nIxCEtxY9AXiRB0n_Nr_rbJxExrpEgMvDhq8uOI1Pbr-BpZPaGjlpWAbMe0W4rj4/s1600/11267271_10155520360285573_424270021_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghg-imfuuhra1NiFZ8rTBCY92K6D67m83DOGMBunOQHKbjcJp489YzcGCATeERHlBtMQeLKpWqop9nIxCEtxY9AXiRB0n_Nr_rbJxExrpEgMvDhq8uOI1Pbr-BpZPaGjlpWAbMe0W4rj4/s400/11267271_10155520360285573_424270021_n.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The hook I installed to prevent door from slamming open & shut</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I borrowed a tank from the dive shop to
scrape the two years’ worth of scum from the hull, and covered myself with a
long wetsuit and double hoods to protect myself from the stingy hydroids I’d
scrape loose and the tiny pincers of the shrimp who’s under the hull ecosystem
I was about to destroy. I didn't want a repeat of the time I got a full body rash from hydroids after swimming through saragassum sea weed!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLU1mMo4IE3rOjSAcQBDKeHmgpUqvqb4Kvc80PQ4UdkWoAr1wH0qnWcjbyJyi-phztiEoqMKW5ch1FiMpAY5mjy1NyZKWNs_pcLOjL-SJgV_VVJQMIxocXJZaLvCT0PJ61k5zZ-gLXrIA/s1600/10728591_10154727614035573_831468693_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLU1mMo4IE3rOjSAcQBDKeHmgpUqvqb4Kvc80PQ4UdkWoAr1wH0qnWcjbyJyi-phztiEoqMKW5ch1FiMpAY5mjy1NyZKWNs_pcLOjL-SJgV_VVJQMIxocXJZaLvCT0PJ61k5zZ-gLXrIA/s400/10728591_10154727614035573_831468693_n.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I learned my lesson last time!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It took me about
an hour and a half to scrape the entire hull, which was actually much less than I had imagined. Our bottom paint was doing its job,
preventing excessive growth. That was
great news! And I had minimal stings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nQb2W9u3-B2u_UcR-2OQPJdWFTrxRWNhzkO1NWb8f19FcM1tVmTdsiOB4iAGFCsXbKXpRDA-4-hc5JUws0RtHGhyphenhyphenp1-sROLSMISRgQgjfCqf5sbu2yWXempZiCuP_ruPG_PeC1JyZsE/s1600/11261471_10155520389600573_537325435_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nQb2W9u3-B2u_UcR-2OQPJdWFTrxRWNhzkO1NWb8f19FcM1tVmTdsiOB4iAGFCsXbKXpRDA-4-hc5JUws0RtHGhyphenhyphenp1-sROLSMISRgQgjfCqf5sbu2yWXempZiCuP_ruPG_PeC1JyZsE/s400/11261471_10155520389600573_537325435_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our water-maker, compliments of Captain Ryan from S/V Sandy Shores</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next couple of days Skeeter tested our water-maker (couldn’t try it out in the nasty marina water!) and changed over our propeller.
He struggled for hours trying to remove
the propeller with a gear puller. Bruce
at the Independent Boat Yard Machine Shop was kind enough to lend Skeeter his
prop puller, the right tool for removing a propeller. With the right tool it came right off. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBNgT7JZwkgpOgPTrGQ8rbMok85QETDyBwwEmmflpD8dzQxII-ffGQlhnq6TWkq4CS_weqAih2AimtAxq886cCGhsIHS_ovAVmqOIs1KL-81HWSlVGeSt1-plSKsbhT6QI8LM1SeuhMA/s1600/11262933_10155520387640573_1835823348_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBNgT7JZwkgpOgPTrGQ8rbMok85QETDyBwwEmmflpD8dzQxII-ffGQlhnq6TWkq4CS_weqAih2AimtAxq886cCGhsIHS_ovAVmqOIs1KL-81HWSlVGeSt1-plSKsbhT6QI8LM1SeuhMA/s1600/11262933_10155520387640573_1835823348_n.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Skeeter with the old propeller</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Putting the new one on was more of a
challenge than expected. It was slightly
bigger than the old one, so he ended up having to remove the flexible coupling
on the shaft to make it fit. Luckily that
is an optional part that doesn’t void our warranty. Then he had to realign the engine again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">While Skeeter was doing all of that I was busy waxing the
deck and sewing a helm cover to protect our gauges and electronics from sun,
salt, and thieves. It was a real
challenge trying to work with a gigantic roll of fabric on-board with very limited space, especially with the boat rocking and rolling. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOVg4LvXhLAA2Za49OjmUG4d-kbTll78y7EAXzQjX579gs33GwzZuATtxRvUXozucPMYKikxUkv5X0L0Ofv2pdGjFyeOqVKmOm6zoH0vMOHhY4GNgTAq-RPoDt1DMW-VUL2DYX6QqGUA/s1600/11261452_10155520478760573_1108150595_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOVg4LvXhLAA2Za49OjmUG4d-kbTll78y7EAXzQjX579gs33GwzZuATtxRvUXozucPMYKikxUkv5X0L0Ofv2pdGjFyeOqVKmOm6zoH0vMOHhY4GNgTAq-RPoDt1DMW-VUL2DYX6QqGUA/s320/11261452_10155520478760573_1108150595_n.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our helm station without the cover</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqSdeHxAC3VvnAlxbFtV1FYKtHE91E8StC1nDEzxBv3XHIHEPZhXM4PlsoO3NbcTjvmGsTs1AmeY4pQocK4cgocg-ixG7oXRi5O0-G_s8_inTTo3CNylucd-09KIxcHvarVwYwC-L9Yw/s1600/11256530_10155520479465573_368665263_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqSdeHxAC3VvnAlxbFtV1FYKtHE91E8StC1nDEzxBv3XHIHEPZhXM4PlsoO3NbcTjvmGsTs1AmeY4pQocK4cgocg-ixG7oXRi5O0-G_s8_inTTo3CNylucd-09KIxcHvarVwYwC-L9Yw/s320/11256530_10155520479465573_368665263_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Momo chillin' outside</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mid project I had a panic attack because I heard Momo jingle
and went to check on him and couldn’t find him anywhere. I looked around every nook and cranny on the
boat three times and called out his name over and over before banging on the
hull to call Skeeter up from underwater while he was changing the prop. I was in full on panic and ready to cry
saying, “He’s not on-board, he’s not on-board!” over and over. I had him swim around the boat to check the
water for Momo. Skeeter climbed aboard
and I jumped in the dinghy to search the surrounding water when Skeeter yelled
out to me, “I found him…little bastard!”
Momo managed to cram himself into a tiny hole in the cockpit that I didn’t
even realize existed until then. How the
heck did he squeeze into that hole??? We
were so relieved to have found him.
Little bastard, I wish he would learn to answer when I call out for
him! A meow or something! Is that too much to ask? I guess so... He is a cat, after all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPG57IDsr-4ZY-Vv7aFr2eKJ6PiAHBU1vlQKVGdyH3DjQmXldWyYheH9saLlSycC_9AvCo6ZrZoGi7vIMGgZRdX3USFV4HOUbuvJrP1Cj7e2pVWMaSVEpcYwlluW4BSh75ARWJWBkhqzg/s1600/11256426_10155520467965573_1666480536_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPG57IDsr-4ZY-Vv7aFr2eKJ6PiAHBU1vlQKVGdyH3DjQmXldWyYheH9saLlSycC_9AvCo6ZrZoGi7vIMGgZRdX3USFV4HOUbuvJrP1Cj7e2pVWMaSVEpcYwlluW4BSh75ARWJWBkhqzg/s400/11256426_10155520467965573_1666480536_n.jpg" width="300" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkIrq3-dfIgo2y7kgQ1Aaap9pSqQao_5kuQ-ChXhyphenhyphenWHmhE6LVIXqNL9lO69FVgTZYXbtq07dNB2aTn3Fj4eJNYsjkuz735cf3NG2PZzSb9FrOfC4IPwg3S2Cw3beTmqEHzt4TtheI2sc/s1600/11121023_10155520467325573_631202265_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkIrq3-dfIgo2y7kgQ1Aaap9pSqQao_5kuQ-ChXhyphenhyphenWHmhE6LVIXqNL9lO69FVgTZYXbtq07dNB2aTn3Fj4eJNYsjkuz735cf3NG2PZzSb9FrOfC4IPwg3S2Cw3beTmqEHzt4TtheI2sc/s400/11121023_10155520467325573_631202265_n.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a lot of frustration and an appropriate amount of
swearing, I completed the sewing project successfully. I’m member of a Facebook group called Sewing
on Boats (S.O.B. for short)…I can now see why they call it that! Sewing on a moving sailboat is no easy task! I’m sure it didn’t help that we had not been
sleeping very well in the unpleasant conditions in Secret Harbour. Maybe that’s why we were the only liveaboard
boat in the harbor!</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com0St. Thomas 00802, USVI18.317822028482521 -64.85319614410418.314053528482521 -64.858238644104 18.32159052848252 -64.848153644104tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501612974151293583.post-79420192786276223732015-05-04T20:00:00.000-04:002015-05-16T11:04:33.107-04:00FINALLY OFF THE DOCK!!!<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We finally moved off the dock and out of Compass Point Marina! What a relief! The good thing about that marina was that it was a safe place to be for hurricane season, tucked into the mangroves. And it provided us with a land base for easily going back and forth to get supplies and boat parts. But we were more than ready to get out! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">At Compass Point, people just push their derelict boats into the mangroves</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBTtCrdmOSPGYhDzRIMclna20yfzx7b77VTfMO5w1H2UjZ3Iwbe9wmnlaRgxZdgRyV6twe85lZaRUR1avZLEdWjcDXC7D15BylXg4cvCjTJ1WM3PS9rSbtg7MsJLzQOTr1KJ7QaEfs9c/s1600/11118761_10155371533165573_294851627_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBTtCrdmOSPGYhDzRIMclna20yfzx7b77VTfMO5w1H2UjZ3Iwbe9wmnlaRgxZdgRyV6twe85lZaRUR1avZLEdWjcDXC7D15BylXg4cvCjTJ1WM3PS9rSbtg7MsJLzQOTr1KJ7QaEfs9c/s400/11118761_10155371533165573_294851627_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rats & roaches love to play on this work platform</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYZtq-3jdf12BBOnGhNOjKgwAQMXMKxu6k8pkndAjYQpfjMP74-H-6FzlbVQXuFrUvZm3VeiG0-ELLqwsLWgxZ2dbfYnTgHbFuWATyJtJCLjHXAboz9PeU_vfVbGZn_Tgwac9tdHeth0/s400/P4295002.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The view of Compass Point Marina from the top of our mast</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Other than those benefits, that marina was expensive and nasty. A couple of cleats and a few pieces of wood to tie up to cost about the same as a month's rent. And there weren't even facilities there such as restrooms, showers, or laundry. The water there was the most polluted of all
US waters, and it was hot and muggy with no breeze. It was loaded with
mosquitoes and sand flies. At around 5pm every day (bug-o-clock) we’d
rush inside and close up the boat to avoid getting eaten alive. We HAD to run the air conditioner in our
cabin to avoid suffocating. We got a couple undesirable 6 legged creatures on board (roaches!), and a boat down the dock from us got a four-legged creature on their boat (a rat)! There were also lots of creepy two legged critters (alcoholic burnouts) in the vicinity.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oUKlW1py1NARPEubKSysswPFr2gaOcPhSyWGJ7GdxyPUJFyaFv3FdkzJtd-M852rG1kFKB8oIabkstNGhXjMF7JkResh-EcGugnbkwM-FppgWe3OM4JqkvXf_RuGmIRyX6V-maZcP7s/s1600/Capture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oUKlW1py1NARPEubKSysswPFr2gaOcPhSyWGJ7GdxyPUJFyaFv3FdkzJtd-M852rG1kFKB8oIabkstNGhXjMF7JkResh-EcGugnbkwM-FppgWe3OM4JqkvXf_RuGmIRyX6V-maZcP7s/s320/Capture.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mangrove Lagoon to Secret Harbour</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Salt Whistle departing Compass Point Marina</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Underway from Benner Bay to Secret Harbour</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Although this move was less than a mile in distance, it felt like a different world. We moved from stinky swamp land to island paradise. Our new temporary home was Secret Harbour,
right in front of Aqua Action Dive Center (our former employer and our good
friends). We tried to secure everything
so it wouldn't fall or slide around, but inevitably we learned that some things
needed to be secured better. It’s a real
challenge…imagine your home was tossed 20 degrees from side to side and
everything that would fall or slide! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Happy to have arrived safely to Secret Harbour</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBaDs8etdqcewEUJ8epGwcXSru8MDVRcBx_80bYwxXYihhyphenhyphen6jEuUaYVrvBbnGOJYY9xrb_FdQCjtALoZL_hLwDyCesqHzhDP3pSxRIRUvjrPdrY9zSvj8O6QyijPJckRzBB1DFndVa08/s320/IMG_20150504_173654.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now we can keep the boat open and let the breeze blow through</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LqNMYl-w_ORnUB9d5HQ_rXuITpu9zajiPHCUzcApH2nCEKFPvRsktnBCv0qI75q2otEoSF2rV099TtlMaewaK91Q2yMU3qRkcMLl1HHhPcpO6QMXTz3XmWgdlQFRtTH96xqeoaeLWgk/s320/IMG_20150504_182854.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Skeeter and Momo, happy to get to spend an evening outside</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our friend Jake from S/V Pura Vida followed us in our dinghy
just in case, since this was the first time our boat actually moved since
Skeeter installed our new engine. It was
the first time in a year and a half that S/V Salt Whistle was moving under her
own power. The old engine used to move
counterclockwise when running forward, and the new engine moves clockwise when
running forward….so we had to run the engine in reverse until we could get to
clean water so Skeeter could change the propeller. He switched the transmission cables so when you move the throttle at the helm station forward we'd go forward, but the engine was actually running in reverse. So we had to drive it slow and easy so we wouldn't hurt the transmission. It was rougher than we had anticipated, but we still made it over successfully with no problems! </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">How the Caribbean should be</span></td></tr>
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Señorita Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14062013970213610527noreply@blogger.com4East End, St. Thomas 00802, USVI18.317373879896916 -64.85366821289062518.302299379896915 -64.873838212890618 18.332448379896917 -64.833498212890632