You know you've been in Grenada to long when.........

You know you've been in Grenada to long when the ivy starts climbing your standing rigging. Lots of boats like this. Graveyard boats, boats that are going nowhere, but I can think of worse places to live. So we've been here three months and have another two until the end of the hurricane season. We have definitely fallen into a regular routine. Because we are 12 degrees off the equator the days are always pretty much the same length all year round. Sunset around 6:30pm and sunrise around 6:30am, 12 hours of sunlight every day of the year. We get asked all the time "What do you do all day?" Well here's a typical week. Firstly, we don't have a car so to go food shopping is not quite as simple as going to "de asda". From getting in the dinghy and driving to the dock then walking for 10 minutes in the scorcio sun to the bus stop. The bus is always a crazy experience. They are mini buses and often have 17 or 18 people on board. Then we have another 10 minute walk to the shops, do the shopping then return with lots of bags on a very crowded, hot bus. Walk back to load the dinghy, then unload all the bags from the dinghy to the boat. Most times we go food shopping there is always something else to do, visit a DIY shop, renew our visas, go to the chandlers. It's never just food shopping. So by the time we done this and had a rest, it is never below 35 degrees during the day, that amounts to about 12 hours a week.

Having a rest in the air conditioned DIY shop.

I sit on the PC for at least 12 hours a week. I do my blog, look for boat parts and talk to AI about boat systems and issues.

I run the water maker every alternate day for 2-3 hours. If you don't run it regularly the pre filters start smelling with decomposing wee beasties. This needs supervising as if the pressure gets to high it can damage the membranes. So this takes up about another 12 hours a week.

Then of course there is the unending list of things to fix on the boat. I could do this 7 days a week and still wouldn't run out of jobs. I spend about 4 days a week on boat jobs.

That comes to 7 days. Then of course there is the socialising. A few days a week we meet friends and other yotties for a happy hour or visit their boat or have people over to our boat. We get up at sunrise most days and so after a hot day running around we are generally in bed by 9pm.

Well deserved cocktails after a hard day fixing things.

We had a lovely day out on Joe and Vikki's boat Dolce with Wayne and Kerry from Metzi. Joe wanted to do a shakedown sail after replacing lots of lines and things. So we sailed around to BBC beach, only a few hours away. It was great sailing on someone else's boat and seeing how they do things.

Ladies who anchor - discussing their techniques

After a hard days anchoring

We went ashore for Rotis'

Met some other friends who invited us back to their boat for banana daquaris'

Then we went back to Prickly bay and danced the night away on Disco Dolce

Vicci trying to get a better bluetooth connection

Mandy went home for 10 days to Ben and Rosie's wedding leaving me on my own to continue with the unending boat jobs. 

Just before she left me to get in the taxi to the airport

I wasn't really on my own. 

Ben and Keelan had me over for a few delicious meals

Their mad dog Arthur really likes me.

I helped Ben re anchor while Keelin was at work

Doug and Julissa had me over for a meal as well as inviting me out for Julissa's birthday. We had a great night, 4 Americans trying to teach me how to speak English and me trying to teach them back. They really can't say aluminium. (Well Doug can coz he spent a while in Europe)

Our American friends, Doug, Julissa, Suzy and Sput

And before I knew it, Mandy was back and it was back to boat jobs. Our brand new rigging, 3 years old has failed and is need of some repair. So we moved around to Hog Island to get our spreaders removed and welded. It's very flat in hog so not so scary removing the spreaders. Still the boat looks a bit weird and the top of the mast does bend a bit.

And we finally got around to servicing our winches. They were not too bad considering we have never done it in 6 years. Lewmar winches are so well built, made to last and be taken apart to be cleaned and greased.

And of course because we are in Hog anchorage we have had quite a few visits to hog island.

Hog heaven

Local Hog party on the beach

Joe and I discussing boat systems with other yotties

Still have to pinch myself as to how wonderful this life is.