Aus Europe Aus then back to Guatemala
Five Islands
John & Sue
Mon 9 Mar 2015 15:49
| Ok, so this is very overdue and I can't say it is due to being overly busy. We returned to Australia in August and John spent most of the time with his Dad in Blackall. Kev had moved into Maclean Place (Aged Care) in May but the family home still had not sold so we were able to stay there. At the beginning of September Mum and I flew to England and spent 4 weeks travelling from there across Europe (Trafalgar Coach) to end up in Villa De Tirano in the far north of Italy for 6 days. Mum wanted to investigate some family history from this region. This is on my Dad's side of the family. We met up with my sister Tanya and her husband Mark for a few days here. Good fun and beautiful area and Mum unearthed a couple more names to the 'Resta' family tree. Upon returning to Australia our youngest daughter Ashton telephoned us with the 'are you sitting down' commencing statement and informed us that she and her partner Matt are expecting a baby in April 2015. Wonderful news but we must admit we didn't see it coming. That changed our cruising agenda for the 2014/2015 season and we now plan on flying home in early April to be there for the birth of our first grandchild. Peta and Ashton shouted us a night at the Stamford Plaza before we flew out. It was gorgeous and being on the banks of the Brisbane River had spectacular views especially the Storey Bridge and it's changing light show. We arrived back in Guatemala at the beginning of November and instead of moving back onto the boat on the hardstand we moved into one of RAM Marinas apartments (caseta). Our original thoughts it would be 3-4 nights, it ended up being 9 weeks! The plan for this season was to fit 2 new 3YM30 Yanmar engines, put at least 10 hrs on them, then head to Belize/Roatan then back into Guatemala. Now why did we think that everything would go like clockwork. The engines and Gori propellers had arrived and were waiting for us. Work commenced 10 days after our return. The old engines were removed (manhandled out of the engine bays, up the salon stairs into the cockpit onto the deck where they were tied onto the bucket of the backhoe and lowered to the ground). Old Shibara 18hp diesel engines Chilo and Hector lifting engine out Engine bays painted but beds needed to be extended later. The new engines were put into the engine bays the same way. New Yanmars ready to be installed Lifting the Port engine onto the deck via the backhoe bucket Lifting the engine into the cockpit John supervising the engine lift down the salon stairs (there are 4 guys doing this in a very small space). Getting it into the bathroom was not easy as the door frame had to be removed and that left about one millimetre either side. Everyone was happy when it was finally in the engine bay. As work progressed it was necessary to lift the engines in and out of the bays. To summarise the 4 months it took to get Five Islands back in the water and moving smoothly it is probably easier to list the activity and delays:
Other projects that we worked on during this period were:
This is a reef viewing boat that was parked next to us so that they could grind her deck and bottom. Guess where the rust stains on our deck came from. Stuff to keep me occupied We continue to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. This season so far has been the same with wonderful people coming into our lives, but also leaving so quickly. The Kamaloha crew (Charlie, Maureen, Brendan, Beth & Cariba) arrived shortly after us, but only stayed long enough to get their boat in the water, provisioned and head out. They are taking their boat home to the north of the US. Lots of fun times with Annie and Liam, our Sydney mates from Gone with the Wind including Thanksgiving and Christmas. Annie and John - Thanksgiving Casa Perico lunch with Liam & Annie (good Swiss food) Dinghy ride out of the little inlet to Casa Perico Christmas morning on Gone with the Wind for bubbles, prawns and cocktail sauce (yum) Liam making friends at 'Chiqui's' dock Launcha ride to Christmas lunch - Gary from 'Kangaroo los Mexicanos' Restaurant with Bill and Jean from 'Out of the Bag' (more Aussies, well Jean is a New Zealander but we count them over here). Molly and her new Barbie and singing Christmas carols on the way home from Christmas lunch Scott and Tracey and their 2 children from 'Yollata' have been a constant source of good old aussie companionship. It's so good to have kids around and Will and Molly are an exceptional source of cuddles. Trace & Scot have been wonderful with their kind supporting words and positive thoughts. These guys have now taken on the role of Marina Managers at Nana Juana Marina and Resort. A big job but what a wonderful experience for them and the kids (already more fluent in Spanish than i am). Jens and Danni 'Arwen' returned to the Rio just before Christmas and it was like seeing our family again. We miss these guys and only had a month or so with them before they headed out to Belize. We are hoping we will catch up with them again before we depart for Australia. Christmas in the Caseta Everyone had the Christmas spirit The boat 'Parade of Lights' on Christmas Eve Milling around getting ready to head out The winning boat 'Grace' (Mike) John remembering his selling skills at the monthly Swap & Sell market (we had lots of spare parts for the old engine we needed to get rid of). We ultimately sold most of it including both the old engines which are now being used as generators - where they should have been all their life. John opening a fresh coconut so that we could grate it to make rum balls. I couldn't buy any desiccated coconut. They tasted good. On Christmas Eve the owner of one of the smaller marinas (El Rellano) sponsors a party for the local kids. He supplies the food, gifts, prizes for the games etc but asks for volunteers to help out on the day. I went and thoroughly enjoyed it. Kids are kids no matter where they live or what language they speak. Joanna supervising the skipping rope competition Lined up and ready to go in the sack race (the only grass is what you see in the photo, the rest of the course was dirt and cement, but no major injuries were incurred) Angie (a pom from 'Blue') had organised pass the parcel. These kids had never seen this game before and didn't quite get the notion of passing it on if the music was still going. Most just wanted to rip the paper off or help their friend next door to get some paper off. Food time - Hot dog and crisps (potato chips) Americana style Next came the 'Pinyata'. I spent the whole time pulling small children out of the 'hit' zone. Again no major injuries but 1 or 2 close calls The best thing is when the 'Pinyata' falls down so you can run in and pull it to pieces to collect the lollies - the bigger you are the more lollies and sharing is not a well understood concept. Cruiser Santa Pam attempting to control the eager hordes of kids lining up to see Santa Christmas tree in El Rellano village We have seen lots of 'Guatemalan' methods of work (usually carried out by a machine in Australia). This is another example. These guys are putting up coloured lights for New Year. How many Guatemalans does it take to change a light bulb - 5. 2 on the ladder, 1 holding the ladder and 2 holding the scaffold that the ladder is standing on. We have also seen the Guatemalan pole driver where 3 guys shimmy up a pole that has been sharpened in to a point then manouvoured into an up right position in the water. They have a small platform (3 planks nailed together at the top of the pole). They stand on the boards around the pole then with the pole driver (a larger version of a fence pole driver and lift and bash down in unison. They lift and drive for 10 then rest for 10 then repeat for days on end until the pole is secure in the mud and a boat shed cover can be built with them so that the multi $ power boat can be parked. The other one is the Guatemalan dredge. This is a process for deepening an area in the water, usually so that boats can enter the area. There is a team of guys (4 or 5) who initially stand in the water and shovel the mud into a launcha. When it gets full on the side they are shovelling into, one person gets in the launcha and shovels the mud to the other side of the boat so that the others can then continue to shovel. (I wondered why they didn't just turn the launcha around?). So after the launcha is full they take the mud somewhere where i am sure it is shovelled out and then brought back for the next load of mud. In this particular excavation they were actually going under water to dig/shovel and then bring that shovel load to the surface before putting it into the launcha. I'm not sure that this is a highly efficient use of people power but i suppose these guys have a job to earn money to support their families. We instigated the Sunday night BBQ potluck dinners at RAM. A bag of charcoal (started with cooking oil soaked paper towel - thanks Chiqui for the tip), bring your own meat for the BBQ and a plate to share. Lots of people over the 4 months we were based at RAM. Our dear friends Eli and Mala, 'Iguana Dance', returned at the beginning of January along with the 2 adventure dogs Chispa and Coqui. So nice to have good friends around for awhile. Chuck 'Windancer' plays the Sax beside the BBQ Jan (pink) and David behind - our flat mates for a couple of months (M/V Odyssea). Anna 'Windancer' in blue Eli (left) and Jens drinking and thinking Scott, Tracey and Mala having a good time. Mala holding Coqui while Molly gives her a treat. Tracey watches on. Moll isn't too sure of dogs so this was part of the getting more comfortable stage. John, on the other hand, is very comfortable with the adventure dogs and Chispa loves a pat Molly happy to pat Chispa. The kids would come over to 'Iguana Dance' in the afternoons and take Eli and the dogs for a walk. The blokes around the Barbie drinking beer. The girls were over to one side drinking wine. How typical for an Australia Day celebration. From front: Jens, John, Scott, Bill and Arne (4 Aussies and a German). Yes we had Americans, Poms, New Zealanders and Germans help us Aussies celebrate Wil and his new 'Bubble Maker'. Daniel (Spanish) offered to take us up Lake Isabal on 'Jodi M' a 42' Grand Banks motor trawler. Rainy day turned into a lovely day out of the Marina for us. Lake Isabal, Rio Dulce Daniel and Nokia, another pampered pooch we love. We seem to have set off the dock lines on a lot of boats again this season. It was time to say bye to Mala, Eli, Chispa and Coquie We even got a paw wave goodbye. Hope to see you in Belize soon. A good view of the extended transoms of the 38' Manta Catamaran. She is now a 40' Cat. Mark and Michelle on 'Reach' had the initial extensions done to Marks specs last season. Goodbye RAM. Next blog we will be out of here!!!! |