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The windscoops worked a treat; a very pleasant night indeed.  Breakfast was Gran’s banana bread, tea and fresh air.  Broke out the epoxy and fixed a broken drawer, one half of the leaf tables in the cockpit and one of the rope tidys.  The engine mount on the dinghy can wait.

Went ashore just after 08:00 to get some more EC, fresh bread and sunblock (a dirty suspicion that the stuff we have is too old).  Then across to the Internet cafe/Digicel store to post yesterday’s account, and down to Marianne’s to get some homemade icecream.  Back to the boat at full speed, trying to get the icecream to Dad before it melted in the morning sun.

As we got back, Daffodil’s showed up bringing all the block ice they had (all of 2 blocks).  So, back to shore to get more ice; ended up with 4 bags of cube ice from Frangipani.

With everything stowed, we set sail at 11:30 for Mayreau.  We made a bit of a hash of the departure, getting the sails and course a bit wrong initially, but we soon settled down.  Around the headland and a southward course to Mayreau.

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Better night than last; complete with squall around 23:30.  Up around 06:30, nature channel presented a brown booby using our pulpit as a perch for a good ten minutes.  Photos and video obtained, though quality is unknown given the age of the camera.

We have a JPEG from Kenmore Henville of the three of us crossing the Bequia channel; going ashore later today to e-mail it to various people.

Wandered around Bequia looking for a small reel of whipping twine, and a windscoop, but no luck.  Ended up with a small bit of waxed twine for free from a sailmaker, and two cheap bits of rectangular awning canvas (2′ x 2.5′, 22 EC).  Dad also bought some heavy cord to attach the cloth to the boat, and hopefully stitch the cloth.

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Woke up with the sun; got up and chilled out.  Lazed around a bit, then tightened up the starboard lifeline, as it was dangerously slack (and it was something to do).  After observing the state of some of the rope ends, Dad and I have decided to acquire some whipping twine in Bequia, along with a sailmaker’s needle, and we’ll practice our ropework, and tidy up the ropes at the same time.

Ten-thirty rolls around, and Barefoot call on channel 68 – LIAT have found my luggage, and it’s waiting at the airport.  Mum and I go ashore, and rather than catch a taxi (30 EC), we catch a route taxi instead (1 EC/head).  It’s a bit of a tight squeeze, but it gets us there in the same amount of time, and we get some good music on the way.  A quick diversion to the supermarket for some proper ham (to replace the blech bologna), some cinnamon rolls (no longer made) and some fresh milk.  Over to the airport, and after 10 minutes in the wrong line, and 3 minutes in the right room, I have my baggage.  Back over the road, and wait for another route taxi back.

While waiting, we had a chance to watch a slice of island life go by:

• A route taxi with a 50 kg bag of rice, several other large bags and some rather large boxes of frozen meat,
• A dump truck with someone riding in the back – the truck was empty, the guy was standing up,
• A dump truck, fully laden, with someone firing a good sleep on the top of the load, face down.

The ride back was interesting, with a tale of 4 children gone missing in Dominica; all the churches apparently declared the Sunday to be a day of prayer for the children, and on Monday the man who did it turned himself in.  Somewhere in there was a bit about how children these days need to be closer to God, and how the man (or was it the children) had been skinned.  The conversation then moved on to how the woman (telling the tale of the 4 boys) had to pay $1.50 US for 3 green, rock-hard bananas.  Where that came from, I don’t know.

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Sailing holidy not off to an auspicious start – throat is sore, LIAT flight is 2 hours late.  There are 3 other passengers in the terminal, and a handful of staff.  Gorgeous sunny day though; I miss this warmth and humidity.

Good conversations last night at Alka-Hall, and plenty of shite talk.  Unfortunately, I was too tired to join in the D&D session – I hear it ran to 3 AM.  Now need to check Facebook to find a few people like Jason K and Chris C; it’s always good to keep in touch with people.  Amused that Jason works for Sunbeach, where I once worked.

Had a roti for lunch, contemplating getting some frozen skins and taking them home with me.  Have the curry powder already, and I could use the practice.

Tired fuh so; only got 7 hours sleep after 24 hours+ of travelling.  Should sleep well if I get to St. Vincent today.

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