Rodney Bay
Winya_wynah
Wed 18 Feb 2009 00:41
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A bit of a day in the Marina!
Arrived yesterday after a sleep stop SW Martinique,
about 5 miles off St Lucia we had a most amazing sight, there must have
been 60+ dolphins in a group, pod, leaping through the swell. The swell
was from the east and the pod was moving towards the east so each time they came
over a crest it was a wave of dolphins. They were on a mission and
not inclined to play in the bow wave, although we were doing dolphin
speed (7 knots according to our source). Not forgetting the dolphins who
did play in the bow wake the previous day! There was an earlier sighting
of our first whale or a gigantic dolphin to start the day!
In to Rodney Bay around another Pigeon Island and
all calmed down. We had just spoken to the marina dockmaster to get a slip
assignment and set up lines and fenders when another squall hit and we were
bobbing around getting a thorough shower, good to get the salt off but not good
for getting through the narrow channel into the lagoon. By the time we got
in all the dock staff were sheltering or drying off so no help on the
dock. Out of practice at driving
around in tight spaces in the wind so we got blown onto the catamaran in
the berth next door, oops, (they had just taken 17 days to cross the
Atlantic so didn't need us on their bow) Today 1st job was to find a
fibreglass man to repair the gelcoat!! Small patch no probs.
Daft thing was after clearing customs and checking
in at the marina office we had to move to another berth as our shore power
connection was wrong for the dock we were on!!! How annoying does it
get? The fact we had 2 dock staff waiting for lines on the second
attempt may suggest the rain had long gone.
Today at 8am we first had to find the 'fibre
glass man' spoke to Reanow he was busy so suggested we try Elvis, he hadn't been
seen in the yard yet so got another number from the office to try, John
called us back and agreed to look at the job in an hour, turned out he was busy
so got Kelly to do the work. In an English 'if you start now you will be
finished by lunchtime' sort of way we were happy the job was being done.
Nothing happened, eventually No1 saw Kelly coming out of the chandlers with
materials at 2pm wondering why we were looking so anxious. While
waiting for Reanow to meet us and tell us he was too busy we visited the 'engine
man' Egbert was not in yet so we left word about the gear shift problem
and someone was to come and see us on the dock. Matthew came to see
us just as we expected John! Where he came from I have no idea but when I
told him the problem it was a job for Roger!! Roger had called
Matthew in the first place evidently. We managed to find a job for Matthew
and off he went to find the sender we needed for the fuel gauge. Meanwhile
Roger came round and diagnosed the gear problem, but can he get the parts?
It's been a busy day on Winny, we now have a
fuel gauge we think works, Contents of the lazurette (locker under the
seat) all over the cockpit as the largest of our technicians got into it to
connect the new gauge. A promise of a fix for the gears tomorrow or
Monday. Alyson as usual has spent alot of time under the floor or bed
boards and the whole place was trashed for most of the day.
So who knows what tomorrow brings! Though we would
like to be on our way to Viges, where we have a reservation for a very special
birthday dinner on Thursday!!
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