So, after Christine left, I got to work:
| Tensioned the rigging with the help of "Footprint", another Gemini cat - thanks Kyle and Maryanne! |
| Put in backing plates for our dinghy davits for more support, and straightened them - thanks Andy! |
| Got the steering wheel off (it was frozen on and required gear pulling and torching) - thanks Andy! |
| Took the fridge out to access the steering cables and diagnose the helm problem and ordered parts |
| Took the new dinghy to Explorer Island, flipped it over and scrubbed it down all over |
| Cleaned the carburetor on the dinghy (and learned a lesson about not using carb cleaner on rubber) |
| Got a slow leak fixed in the dinghy (it was just a loose valve) - thanks Andrew! |
| Installed a "pad eye" in the cockpit to clip our harnesses to when sailing at night and bad weather |
St. Martin plug: There is such a community here. People wave and smile, help each other out, and you get to know everybody, it seems, in a short time. I couldn't have done half the things without all the help. It will be really hard to leave - even for a short time.
Well, the Heineken Regatta was great. Racing during the days and parties at night. I went with Terry and Alaina on "Natural Magic" and Andrew to watch the racing. We were right up close to the action near the first marker. It was the first time I ever saw sailboat racing. Some were on a port tack, some on a starboard tack - all trying to round the marker at the same time. Boats colliding and bouncing off each other, a spinnaker going in the water, etc. Very fun! The last night Terry, Alaina, Andrew, Karin, and I went to the beach party and watched the Wailers (you know, Bob Marley's band).
Eventually, the steering cables and helm that I
ordered arrived. Seems it was sitting in the post office for 10 days
(the post office here sucks!). It came just in time as Andrew and
Karin wanted to go to Anguilla for the annual Moon Splash event. We
put the cables and helm in, and on day two Gypsy Cat had steering!!!!!!!!!!
Christine arrived just in time and off we went to Anguilla. By the way
Christine brought back a lot of goodies, including three cameras, so now I
can start posting pictures again! Here is the first one - Cove Bay, Anguilla:
Funny thing is, is that the Moon Splash was a bust. There was only one
boat anchored there in Rendezvous Bay, and no one on the beach. But we
had a great time, anyway, and stayed for a few days.
We even put in a new anchor light.
We missed our bridge opening
when we came back to St. Martin, so we went to Happy Bay
while we waited for the next opening. And so, our weekend ended.
Ok, so back in St. Martin and it is Gypsy Cat's
birthday!!!! So, we are giving her the best present we can - a full
makeover. Yep, she's out of the water now, and we have a huge list of
things to do for her. Before pressure wash:
during:
and after:
I figure it will take 10-14 days to finish all that we have planned.
| January 08 |
January 09
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