Grenada Day 9

The toilet still leaks after being fixed but it’s workable and sanitary.

Mike decides that as he is going to have a really hard day rubbing down the boom he needs to have a proper breakfast not just cereal which we have been having in our room since we got here.  So just after 8 we toddle down to the restaurant where he orders coffee, scrambled eggs and bacon; I order guava juice and a cheese and onion omelette.  Both come with toast and we are surprised to see nutmeg jelly.  Nutmeg jelly?  I am very sceptical but will try most things once.  I dislike nutmeg sprinkled on cocktails, not because of the taste but because of the texture, but when I try it I discover the jelly is delicious, – smooth and very sweet.  Today I have learned something new.

Photos:  Views at breakfast time

We arrive at the boat yard where today my task is to scrape off all the loose paint from the crossbeam at the front of the boat with a screwdriver.  We notice the absence of the radio fitting man – yet again – no surprise there!  At least our merry band of one working, two watching strippers are in attendance.

We get to our respective tasks.  It is hot but that soon changes and the heavens open.  This is the first time it has rained during the day since I have been here and it makes up for it, setting the theme for the rest of the day.  Mike decides to make another loaf of bread, but ends up making a soggy mess, as for some reason he gets distracted when putting the water into the machine and we end up with what looks like cake mix.  We add more sugar, salt and then flour, gradually adding this last item until the mix looks a little more bread like.  We now have no idea what size loaf we have made.  It could be an interesting lunch!

Sandy and John come to invite us to their boat after we have finished for the day.  They are in the water but still have no generator and no shore power so are limited in what they can do.

Amazingly the bread turns out OK so we eat it hot, straight out of the machine.  Our tasks are severely hampered by the on-off rain patterns today and I spend quite a lot of time previewing movies again and deciding on Peter’s viewing list.  I go over to get the quote for the batalyne window covers.  Another $1000.   Why is everything so expensive for boats?  They are a true money pit.

I do a bit more scraping and Mike does a bit more rubbing then we are done for the day.  We discuss what work we would like to have done on the boat and decide to do more than we originally planned.  While we are out of the water we can do a lot of the cosmetic paintwork which we had ruled out due to the cost of having someone else do it.  Typically skilled labour averages $50+ an hour.  If we do the work, the savings outweigh the additional hotel bills and boatyard charges.

Photo:  I don’t even get paid for all this scraping!

We go off to see Sandy and John.  They have very kindly bought a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from the bar as I had pulled a face when they suggested coming over for a beer earlier.  I hate all beer.  We chat until it starts to get dark although this is probably more to do with the storm clouds we can see approaching than nightfall.  Sure enough, as soon as we leave their boat, it starts to rain again.

Our lift arrives and by the time we are back at the hotel it is pitch black but dry again.