Classics Race Week in Antigua

While waiting for our new mainsail, we watched some more of the classic sailing boat races. We also got to see one of the most innovative sailboats ever made, Maltese Falcon, under sail. The design consists of free standing masts and computer controlled furling and sail setting. Quite impressive. You too can charter for a week for only 400,000 Euros.
The pictures are here.

Watching the Races in Antigua

We launched Wildcat in Sint Maarten in January and set sail for Antigua after a couple of weeks. We tore both our mainsail and broke the mainsail halyard on the trip. Not to be upstaged by our boat's problem, Pam developed thyroiditis and had to fly back to the Florida for a couple of weeks to sort that problem out. We returned to the boat two weeks ago and Pam seems to be recovering just fine. We have a new mainsail being delivered here so it is time to catch up on boat projects. The Classic Yacht Sailing Races are this week. We have posted some pictures of the single handed race yesterday. Today it is too windy for us to venture out (25knots and gusty). We will try to catch some of the action tomorrow.

Still In Virgins

We have been in the Virgins for a while now and are getting ready to head back to Saint Martin. Waiting on Weather of course. Our increased solar power has essentially solved our power consumption problems. It is so liberating. Got a chance to edit and upload some pictures of Anegada from our visit in February.

We visited Saint Croix a few weekends ago. Not impressed with Christiansted's anchorage so only stayed one night, but was really impressed with Buck Islands.We posted some pictures here.

CheetahII has just arrived from the States via the Thorny Patch and we will get together tomorrow. Haven't seen them in a couple of years.

We now have His and Hers kindles - beats sorting through books at the book exchanges.

In Fajardo, Puerto Rico installing more solar panels. Love our new MIFI - can get internet wherever you can get a cellular signal (theoretically). Went to Best Buy and bought a Kindle 3G and an IPOD classic - time to get our music organized.

Anegada at last

We started coming to the BVIs in 1976 for our honeymoon but have never managed to sail to Anegada. Yesterday we finally made it - seems like we are back in the Bahamas. We had a great sail over from Saint Martin where we spent 2 1/2 weeks and lots of money. Don't like being there during high season - too many boats. Hopefully we will return in May/June and haul out for hurricane season, But in the meantime there are the Virgins to explore.

Helping Santa

Santa (John from Metalia) and three elves help the Lion's Club of Antigua bring Christmas joy to the Children.

In antigua

Back In Antigua with our good friends John and Marie. Will stay until the new year.

In Dehaies, Guadaloupe

Had several great sailing days to reach the Saints, then the winds stopped. Maybe will have to motor to Antigua. Great diving around Pelican Island, Guadaloupe.

In Saint Lucia

Three good days of sailing brought us from Grenada to Marigot Bay, Saint Lucia. Almost made all our easting for this trip. Plan to spend a few days here then onto Martinique to resupply with French goodies.

Start of Fifth Season In Caribbean

We returned to Wildcat October 16th from Florida to start our fifth season in the Caribbean. Thanks to the abundant rain, Wildcat looked better than any other time we returned to the boat. Unfortunately persistent rain made preparations for relaunch more difficult but we managed to get in after only one week. Spent the next two weeks getting her ready for sea and joining the Mt. Airy Reading program twice. Great to to see old friends again. We plan to go to New Jersey for Christmas this year for the first time in a long time. Where are our cold weather clothes? Plan to leave from Antigua December 22 so need to keep moving north when the weather permits.

Engine Rebuild

It started with a small leak, actually three small leaks. The first one I noticed was the leaking raw water pump. I decided to wait till we got to Antigua to fix it in case I needed access to a Yanmar dealer. Then I noticed a small fuel leak on the fuel filter. While running the engine after fixing both leaks, I noticed that there was also a small oil leak at the breather tube cap and, more ominously, exhaust fumes in the engine compartment. I replaced the breather cap gasket and solved both problems but I was suspicious about the exhaust leak so I removed the breather tube and found exhaust gases rushing out of the valve cover. In addition the engine started stalling when put into gear. I had a compression test done in Falmouth Harbour and discovered that the #3 cylinder had low compression. Hoping it was only a stuck ring, I tried soaking the cylinder with wd-40 and pb-blaster unsuccessfully. Because our son and his wife were coming to Antigua, we decided to wait on any repairs and learned how to maneuver the boat using only the port engine. After our son and daughter-in-law left, we pulled the head to see if it was cracked. It looked fine but wd-40 quickly ran past the rings on #3 but not the other cylinders, so we knew we had a ring problem. I bought a new piston and rings, thinking that I could replace the one piston, probably at the marina in St. Lucia. However a second problem, the loss of our refrigerator, prompted a visit to Sint Maarten instead because of the wealth of support services available there. That was a fortunate decision.
We removed the starter, alternator, heat exchanger and head (to reduce weight). Here the engine is separated from the saildrive.



Using a block and tackle jockeyed the engine into the cockpit.
We removed the cockpit table and arranged a working area there using old towels and the stainless steel base of a defunct solar panel.




This took three hoists, first with the boom to the cockpit coaming. Then to the cockpit seat and finally the cockpit floor using the bimini as a hoisting point. When we finally were able to remove the piston, we discovered that the top compression ring was broken in three and the second compression ring was shattered.



The piston itself was fractured between the rings.

Luckily Simpson Bay Diesel, the local Yanmar dealer, was close by to the Marina where we were staying and they said that the engine needed to be bored and sleeved. Here you can see the scratches made by the broken rings.



Fortunately, there was a good machine shop on the French side called Mendall. However this meant that we had to strip the engine down to the block. Since this required a special deep well socket which I did not have, we brought the engine (using our grocery cart) to Simpson Bay Diesel where they were able to remove the governor nut. We dinghied the stripped down block over to the French side after Bastille day and they were able to bore and sleeve in one day.
Here is what the cylinder looked like after the sleeve was inserted.


We slowly put the engine back together, working out a detailed plan of what needed to be done, what tools were needed, torque specifications, etc. We were given a respite on Sunday due to the rain of the system that eventually become Bonnie. Two weeks after we started, we were finished with no extra parts and only three missing parts (which we later discovered after improvising replacements). The engine started better than ever and we decided to take a mini cruise to St. Barts to test the engine. So far all is working well.

Neither Simpson Bay Diesel nor Mendall had ever seen a piston with a ring as shattered as ours and they both suspected that it occurred during manufacturing or assembly. Since we had almost 2200 hours on the engine, it took quite a long time to show up. However, that engine had a persistent leak from the rear main seal (which was half out of the end cap when we disassembled the engine) and more curiously, the timing cover gasket blew out at the bottom and had to be replaced three years ago. So we may have always had a ring blow by problem that suddenly got worse in Antigua. Getting the engine out of the engine compartment is relatively easy and working on the engine in the cockpit worked out quite well. I took pictures of everything before I started and during the disassembly which proved invaluable during re-assembly. We studied that engine manual each morning before we started and planned each day in detail. I also used the parts manual to make sure we replaced all relevant gaskets, o-rings and copper washers. Having easy access to a Yanmar dealer and good machine shops was crucial to the successful resolution of our problem. Besides the sleeving, we needed to have the crankshaft bearings pressed in.

Here Pam is cleaning the engine compartment which is much easier with the engine removed.

We returned to Wildcat 24January2010. Since we were way out at Grenada Marine, we rented a car for the week. We found no major problems and took a week to prepare Wildcat for launching.















Strapping up for the trip back to the water.














Wildcat heading back to her natural element. In the water, all systems seemed functional and we left for Carricou only 4 days after launching. Everything was on track for a rendevous in Puerto Rico for Pam's father birthday near the end of March ...... Until the appendix attack. After a doctor in Carricou diagnosed a possible appendix problem. we immediately sailed back to Grenada where our friends the Pascals helped us choose the best hospital and surgeon on the island.











Meet Dr. Jorge Dominguez Aljaiek, Professor at St. George's University School of Medicine and General Surgeon. We feel lucky to have his services available to us.
















We were also lucky that the St. Augustine's had an excellent chef in Tyrone who prepared us home cooked local dishes that were delicious. We spent 17 days at Port Louis Marine in St. George's Lagoon. Unfortunately we left before we should have, hoping to get back on schedule. Silly us, we are retired - no need for schedules. Anyway after a rough trip back to Carricou, we decided to abandon the preconceived schedule and let nature dictate our itinerary. We traveled the
5 miles to Clifton which is in the Grenadines St. Vincent and the to Bequia. A long day's sail brought us to St. Lucia for a short stay (to replace our broken French Press) and then Le Marins, Martinique for some serious provisioning at the local Leader Price, Champion and Ed Supermarkets (wine, cheese and pates e.g.).



The unsettled weather in Martinique helped us replenish our water supplies.

St Lucia Southbound

We left Martinique for a one week stay in St. Lucia. From Rodney Bay we hopped a local bus to Castries (the capitol) for market day.







The bounty the island is available here. The vegetables on the left are Christophenes which can be added to curries, stews and salads.











Venders fill the market space and spill out onto the streets. Here there are fresh eggs (bring your own cartons), drinks. The lady on the right is holding a Breadfruit, introduced to the islands by Captain Bligh on his second breadfruit voyage. You might remember that his first breadfruit voyage was terminated by a mutiny.













Everything seems to be available somewhere - clothes, shoes, haircare products, beach chairs....

















Here Pam is exploring the food court at the market. Local delicacies such as Souse, Curried Goat and the like are available.















The British built fortifications on Pigeon Island so they could keep their eyes on their French neighbors in nearby Martinique which can be seen on most days only 20 miles to the north. Here are the ruins of the officers quarters.











Fort Rodney sits atop the smaller of the two hills on Pigeon Island. The red are from the flowers of the Flamboyant trees, a familar site in the islands.
















Cannon protecting Rodney bay from a French naval assault.
















Looking north from Fort Rodney to Signal Hill - the highest point on Pigeon Island.

Martinique Southbound

Being from the flat East Coast of the US, we continue to be fascinated by the clouds streaming over the mountains from an anchorage. Here we are in Grande Anse D'Arlet.




















The rectangular sails on the local craft where characteristic of the sailboats around Le Marin.















We rented a car to tour Martinique. Because it is the windward side, sometimes it is necessary to make a man-made harbor for the local fishing boats.














Restoration on the Cathedral in Le Lorrain.

















Mother and kids in the town of Le Morne Rouge (Red Mountain).












Looking at towards the Caribbean Sea, overlooking a small and well kept farm on the hillside in Le Morne Rouge.























Looking north to Mount Pelee from Le Morne Rouge, 1500 people were killed here a few months after an eruption destroyed the city of St. Pierre. Eruptions in 1929-1932 also heavily damaged the town.













We picked up bread and pate in the town and found this nice waterfall for our lunch.























Looking towards the Pitons du Carbet from the Route de la Trace. This route was cut through the rain forest by Jesuit priests in the 1700's
























Eglise de Balata church, twin to the famous Basilica de Sacre Coeur in Paris.



















We found thousands of red crabs in the town and St. Anne and its environs.















Part of the long sandy beach near Pointe des Salines.

















This is also the site of a large saltwater lake. With Mangroves and many varieties of birds.




















Fiddler crabs defend their territory with their one large claw.
















Fisherman attends his boat near Ilet Chevalier.





















Most the local sailing craft were very colorful.

Dominica Road Trip

We met Sonny and Blake on Slow Mocean again (we had met them previously in the Bahamas). We decided to rent a car and tour the island of Dominica. Road Trip Road Trip!










We headed to the north east coast where the Atlantic Ocean rolls in from Africa.














We visited a cold soufrierie - a volcanic vent spewing forth sulfurous fumes but without the heat associated with other volcanic vents. The grayish color is due to the sulfur.











As we proceeded further south we were stopped by a man in an utility truck. He told us the road was unpassable a little further down and we needed to turn back. It was right after that we learned that the brakes had failed on the car so backtracking to Portsmouth would have been necessary in any case.



Underway in our new set of wheels, we crossed over the windward side of the island a little further south came upon the rugged Atlantic coast.
















The lush tropical vegetation surrounds you everywhere you look.






















Coconut trees are numerous. Coconut and coconut products are one of the leading exports from the Island. Some of Palmolive's coconut products are manufactured here.














We often see coconuts floating on the water. Here we found one sprouting on an Atlantic beach. Indigenous or Colonizer?


























We saw a sign for the "#1 beach", so we drove our four wheel drive rental down a slightly overgrown path and found this black sand beach.















In the town of Calibishe, many homes overlook Porte d'Enfer, a natural arch that collapsed in 1956 leaving two rocky islets.


















This box of avocados are ready for export to Martinique and are a testament to the excellent growing conditions on Dominica.
















Before the arrival of Europeans, the islands were inhabited by numerous "Indian" tribes. The Caribs were among the more recent settlers and there were many Carib Indian settlements in the Caribbean when Columbus first arrived. Sadly most of the original inhabitants of the islands have disappeared but in Dominica the Carib Territory has been set aside for surviving Caribs. Their basket weaving style is unique in Caribbean.












A view of the Atlantic from the souvenir stand. A wonderful view and a wonderful breeze.















In the rain forest we found a tree we had never seen before.



























There are moss and vines growing over everything. Someone added eyes and a tongue to make this intriguing woodland character.





















Emerald Pool - cool and refreshing.

















Looking north along the center of Dominica. There are seven volcanoes that were instrumental in the formation of the island and which gives it a very rugged terrain.
















View from the anchorage at Roseau, the capitol of Dominica.