Thwarted Passage and Much Rain

The 6th was busy. Besides tracking down and testing a “cruising ‘chute,” or large foresail, that we were looking at purchasing, we had to prepare for our passage to Trinidad. We planned on leaving shortly after dinner and sailing through the night, arriving in the morning. But whether we be mice or men, our plans go oft awry.

The problems started when we had to trek down a road erroneously called “Dusty Highway” to retrieve the cruising ‘chute. Mud, potholes, and one lane all contradicted the thoroughfare’s name. After a half-mile or so for this, we located the sail loft, ironically in the basement of a warehouse that was half-destroyed by the hurricane in September. We stepped over fallen girders and azure shards of SKYY vodka bottles, past a couple of burning heaps of brush and trash, got the sail, and took turns hefting it on the walk back.

Time was tight, so we quickly readied the boat and headed downwind out of the harbor in order to give the sail a trial. Unfurled and filled by the breeze, the sail proved to be a 60′ x 43′ x 46’ Canadian flag, albeit with some blue stains and small holes in the fabric. It carried the boat along well, and probably would have come in handy in some anti-American areas, but it was too expensive for its condition and we decided against buying it. We hurried back into the harbor and, anchoring on the edge of the fleet lying there, had a fast but good dinner of hamburgers on the grill and potato salad. With the last vestiges of light, we weighed anchor yet again and headed south for Trinidad.

Out of the lee of the island, though, the winds picked up to 20-25 knots and a few waves leapt over the rail and got us in the cockpit. When we decided to roll in the jib, we found it unusually difficult, and then observed that the forestay(a metal cable that helps hold up the mast) was far slacker than was good for the integrity of our rig. Only one hour out of Grenada, we decided to turn back in light of the conditions and the possibility of more severe damage. We managed to anchor in deep darkness and had some warm beer and rum punch to relax our nerves after an uncomfortable few hours.

We spent the 7th relaxing inside due to bad weather, although we managed to sit outside for a breakfast of pancakes. The relative cool temperatures also allowed us to make some grilled cheese sandwiches and soup for lunch. Toward the evening, we hauled Dad up the mast to see if there was any damage from the night before, and seeing none, did our best to fix the problem at the bottom of the sail. We’re hoping that it was a freak accident with fouled ropes, but we’re monitoring it closely. Working outside in the rain and wind having soaked and chilled us, we soaped up and dove into the water, which felt like a warm bathtub. It was a peculiarly agreeable sensation, the rain and wind lashing coldly above the water, while from the chin down we were submerged in a warm calm.

We decided to try the Barking Barracuda for dinner, but somehow contrived to miss the bus from the boatyard and went instead to a pizza place right by the marina. This proved to be a fine choice, and we enjoyed a filling meal out of the rain before heading back to the boat. Since our parents were due to leave on the 9th, the 8th was spent tidying up, packing, and taking care of some last-minute maintenance and repairs. In the evening, we took in some American football with dinner at the nearby Bananas bar, followed by a slow dinghy ride back to the boat in a driving rain.

We dropped our parents off at their taxi early on the morning of the 9th, sadly bringing to an end an era of fixed boat systems, wonderful meals, and great company. Exploring the Grenadines and Grenada with them was a real treat, and we’re already looking forward to seeing them again.

Aaron and I spent the rest of the day napping, swimming, and reading before heading over to Bananas for another round of American football. Between games, we buzzed back to the boat for a dinner of kabobs and rice, and then stayed after the football ended to schmooz with students from the American medical school on Grenada. We offered to take some of them sailing the next day, and they were enthusiastic enough to skip class despite it being the first day of the new term.

Even without much wind, we still had a good time taking Arjun, Tanzid, Paul, and Joan out a little ways before dropping anchor again in the harbor, spending the evening swimming and chatting. This evening, Aaron and I will again try to make the passage down to Trinidad, despite weather reports of some rain and swelling seas. We hope that an uncomfortable night will be rewarded with cheap goods and services in Trinidad, where we’ll haul the boat and make some much-needed repairs before heading north to the Virgin Islands.

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