Heidi writes:
We're feeling some guilty that we haven't posted in so long. No excuse, really, except cruising makes you lazy.
We've been in Grenada since the first of July, after swiftly sailing from the British Virgin Islands to St. Martin, St. Barts, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, and finally the south coast of Grenada. When Bill was due to travel home to NH for Shellen and Adam's wedding party, we moved Act III into a marina in Clarks Court Bay, where I would have help and company if any harsh weather came through.
The harsh weather came in the form of two family deaths in one day, within an hour of each other, while Bill was still in NH. Heidi's father succumbed to prostate cancer, and Bill's son, Matt, got a sudden infection his body could not resist. I flew home to join the family as we celebrated Matt's life and mourned his death. Matt chose a time to die when his family was already gathered, so we were able to support each other.
We intend to stay in the Grenada vicinity (below 12 degrees latitude) through hurricane season...until October or early November. We have plenty of boat work while we're stationary: varnishing, canvas and sail repair especially. I'm excited to have a new Sailrite heavy duty sewing machine.
Some highlights of the recent months:
We awoke at 3 am. to leave St. Barts for Antigua. I got up early to make coffee, and stumbled into our cabin to wake Bill. His first words: Do you smell fish? Well, I replied, we're on the ocean and surrounded by fish. Bill said that didn't make sense. I allowed that it smelled a little fishy, but not in the cockpit. Bill crawled out of our bed and my headlamp spotted something long and white on the sheet. A squid had leaped high enough to come through the hatch over our head. Bill remembered he felt "rain drops" and automatically closed the hatch in the night, then slept on a warm wet spot. Yuck. At least it didn't ink our sheets.
In St. Martin and Martinique we gorged ourselves on French cheese and pastries. We don't find good bread on most islands. I should bake our own, but the oven heats unevenly and I'm loathe to use so much propane to bake.
We spent several days in a sweet anchorage in Antigua, no other boats and fast, free internet. We deserved a rest after a rough sail from St. Barts, going through several heavy squalls and rough seas. Act III behaved perfectly, but I get seasick when conditions are rough, so I'm not much help to Bill. He is amazing when the going gets tough, scrambling forward to untangle sheets or re-secure an anchor that bounced loose. We diligently wear out lifevests and clip into jackklines at night or when the weather is sketchy.
This marina is friendly and convenient. We have excellent internet connection, making it easy to call on Skype, and I take a shopping bus once a week to the local IGA (with shopper discount cards, even), hardware or marine supply store. Cruisers are social people and there's weekly movie night, dominoes, language lessons, beach bar, burger night, and this week, a Drag Queen contest for the fellas. (shhh: Bill doesn't yet know I'm planning to wrap him in my sarong.) Unfortunately, the biggest celebration on the island, Carnival, took place during the time we were in the states.
Thank you, dear readers, for you patience. It's always great to hear from you, even if it's to scold us. We'll try for more frequent, shorter posts.
Bill writes:
Thank goodness for Heidi's good memory. As I read the above account, I know that it is accurate, but if I had had to remember each passage, it would have been a jumbled tale.
The family deaths were hard, but the feelings of sadness and loss were balanced by amazing warmth and love. Family and friends cried, laughed, hugged, swore, planned, ate, drank, and enjoyed each other and the world. It was especially wonderful to see how our granddaughter Fionna and grandson Lorenzo had matured so beautifully. Fionna just ran her first one-mile race, and finished ahead of many of the adults: not bad for a six-year-old. Lorenzo, two-and-a-half, is about to start pre-school. His mom and dad have been talking about how he seems to be ready for all kinds of "big boy" activities. Lorenzo agreed enthusiastically, announcing that he thinks he is ready to drive. Our newest granddaughter Sare, amazed us all with her sweet, alert personality. Is there anything more comforting than holding a seven-week-old baby? http://picasaweb.google.com/bilral/FamilyAndFriendsTheBest#
Heidi did an amazing job preparing the boat to be unattended: pickled the watermaker, closed all through-hulls, emptied the fridge, cleaned, removed the sunshade, prepared extra lines in case of storm, etc. How did I get such a great woman? Guess I hit the sailors' jackpot. When we returned, ACT III didn't have a hair out of place. Even more impressive, no foul odors. She feels like home.
These past weeks have made us realize how much we miss our family and friends. We're seriously considering sailing back to our home-port next summer before hurricane season. Meanwhile we are happy and healthy. Heidi will have to catch me if she expects to get me wrapped in her sarong. I'm looking forward to the cricket match this Saturday. Last time I was high scorer, ensuring a free beer for me and a victory for our team, "The Rest of the World" against "The Brits". As our son Ben says, "The Brits have been trying that "Brits against the rest of the world" thing for a long time; haven't they learned it doesn't work?" Of course in our cricket game, we used a tennis ball, and the Brits were friendly, funny, helpful coaches to the team they opposed. http://picasaweb.google.com/heidiberger2/GrenadaCricketMatchBritsVsTheRestOfTheWorld#
Fair winds everyone.
http://picasaweb.google.com/heidiberger2
