The mariner’s mariner dreams of faraway horizons. (Centkieviez)

My Yacht Diary (02 -19 to 23 – 2007)

"In the beginning they could not understand my insistence on getting away from the compass, that god of the West. But in exchange, they began to hear the why and sea talking with the boat. And when blue-tinted land appeared on the horizon, looking as it did to the mariners of old, all numbed with mystery, a few of them felt that our rigorous techniques should leave a door open to those gods which the modern world tries so hard to exclude." -Bernard Moitessier, 'The Long Way'

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2-19-2007 (day 149)

Today it was raining all day so I could not make any ship repairs. Instead I was watching a movie at Csaba’s. We lunched together. He is a good cook :)

In the afternoon I finished some business on the Internet. Just to answer everybody I should spend minimum 2 hours on the Internet every day.

In the evening I had a few drinks with Csaba and later visited some local nightspots where we thought it was carnival night. The crowd was small. We saw mostly blacks dressed as women.

If I stay here long enough I may become an alcoholic and find myself in the gutter. This rum everyday is a little rough :) I went to bed late.

2-20-2007 (Day 150)

I got up early this morning. I had breakfast with Csaba and started to get ready: mending the sail and putting everything away (15 bottles of French wine!). I paid 39 Euro for 5-night stay in the Marina. My next step was to set sail from Martinique, which was not difficult. I had to fill in only one form in the harbormaster’s office (took 5 minutes); some other places this can take 1 to 2 hours minimum.

Said goodbye to Csaba, but I gave him a ride to the gas station. I hope I will meet with him again in the future…

At 10:00 in the morning I left behind the harbor buoys and set all my sails. My speed is 4-5 knots; this is how fast I’m racing to St Lucia.

My destination: Rodney Bay Marina at St Lucia, that means a distance of 24.1 nautical miles with a compass heading of 195. After a few e-mail it seems I will be able to repair my rusty rudder or I can have an acid resistant rod made. Out on the open water I noticed the Island of Dominica but, alas, I won’t be going there. I would like to though since there lives an old acquaintance of mine. A few years ago he and I sailed together in Greece. It’s a small world.

The voyage was calm. Everywhere I looked there were the flying fish, but could not see any other fish. The usual rain and the strengthening wind got me too. This type of weather is an everyday occurrence around here. It is difficult to judge how strong this wind will be: below 20 knots (bf. 5) or it might register a Bf6 or Bf7,?
I used the autopilot and the result: I could eat lunch. What luxury!!

I arrived before 5 in the afternoon, (position 14-04,6N and 060-56.8W).

The customs, the public health, and the immigration office were closed but this was not a problem. As luck would have it a sailing boat shop was still open and I could talk to the owner. We agreed that tomorrow we start the repairs.

Marina: http://www.rodneybaymarina.com/

In the city, in the local restaurant I could eat a Caribbean chicken for about 3 Euros. The curry on it was overwhelming. This was like a small holiday : ). When I went back It was story telling time for the local fishermen. (I park in C11 next to the fishermen). Many of them asked me to tell them what is my method : ). There are more and more people who like what I’m doing because they think this is real saling. Meaning this is not about the different technics and the electronic gadets, it is about the two sails and the simple solutions.

It was a pleasant surprise to meet with Jean Pierre and his wife. Their ship faces mine (the ship’s name: Sine Die). This nice lady was really happy : ) I first met them on Cape Verde Islands. They anchored right next to me and it was Pierre who pushed my ship on the 1^st of January. We were really glad to see each other again. I told them about Spica whose mast broke. They were also friends with Spica when they were in Greenland. Maybe one of these days we will drink something together, but today I was invited to a Spanish ship to have dinner there. I took with me a bottle of ginger-wine ( I got that from the Hungarians on Martinique :-). The young brothers were cooking some noodles. A guy from the diving station was there also. The older brother is the skipper here and the younger one was visiting… The two of them live on a First fortyonesomething. The evening was full of fun. It was good to speak with people who think the same. The poor diver was attempting to get a date with a girl over the telephone and we just made laugh : )))

2-21-2007 (day 151)

(could not get cell connection so the only thing remains is the Internet).

I woke up today at 6:45 in the morning. This will be an important day: Shiprepair!

I bought some bread and in the Marina’s Office I paid the dayfee (1 day = 8 US dollar) then I had a good breakfast. At 9:00 I get a telephone call from the owner of the boatyard: at about 10 they will hoist the boat out with a crane.

The incoming and outgoing process cost 30 Caribbean dollars, which translates to 10 Euro. I did not have to pay for any visa here either.

At ten they hoisted up the boat and I went in the water to check that the support ropes are at the right place. When the boat was out of the water then I could talk a little with the Hungarian sailing crew. Unfortunately they were leaving today. (North to Martinique)

In the afternoon I was watching for 1 to 2 hours (1 hour is 5 Euro). Then I proceeded to wash and burnish (with hand) the boat. I bought some alga inhibitor from Elvis for 6 bottle of French vine. This was not such a good deal, but the cheapest is 65 dollars (1 liter) in the store. But it was good choice; I still had about 10 liter French vine left. I talked with the manager of the yard Kenneth and also some workers. We talked about many different subjects and among them my trip.

Rbmboatyard@candw.lc

In the evening I went to the nearest pub where I could write my diary and get on the Internet (free WLAN). I drank the usual Caribbean lager…

Later in the evening I met up with my Spanish acquaintances (Andy, Danielle) and went to a barbecue party. Three English guys arranged it. I thought it’s gonna be a party but their were only six of us. We sipped our drinks till the morning. I slept there. (Their apartment had 13 bedrooms.)

2-22-2007 (day 152)

Today is Independence Day here. This is the day when St. Lucia became independent. It is a National Holiday. Nobody works and everything is closed.

I got up early. It was 7 o’clock. This the day when Daniell takes his diving test so he got up early too.

This morning I have painted the bottom of the boat with the alga inhibitor but it was not enough. I could not even wash my hands after I finished painting.

Then I started using the synthetic material:

1. At the rudder. They cut the rusty part from the steering rod and welded an acid resistant piece. This I had to cover with fiberglass.

2. There was some earlier damage under the keel (It happened in Croatia on a test run).

Late afternoon I visited the capital city (Castries) to look around. The local bus ticket cost 2.25 Caribbean dollar (90 cents US). The city is very small and only I was white. In the evening, in the boatyard pub, I’ve been drinking beer with two French sailors (Piton). Sad to say, but they did not have too much information about Venezuela and Columbia.

Later, as usual, I got on the Internet.

Rodney Bay Marina Limited
P.O. Box 1538, Castries,
St. Lucia, West Indies (Caribbean)
Location: Latitude 14°04'N, Longitude 60o 57'W
Phone: 1-758-452-0324
Fax: 1-758-452-0185

2-23-2007 (day 153)

Several of you sent me the English equivalent of tolómérõ and saválló (Hungarian words). Thank you : )

Today I got up early again and worked all day. A French sailor helped me. He was a 40-year-old farmer who for 7 months cultivates peas then for 5 months he goes sailing with his wife and 3 children. He has a 30 year old iron boat which needs constant repair. I burnished the synthetic material again and reinstalled the rudder and alga proofed it. I hope it will hold. I will check it during my voyage. (It was not easy).

The Rodney Marina Boatyard did not charge me for lifting the boat in and out, and the ship parking. They did not ask any money at all for anything. In fact the boss came in Saturday to help me, to be able to say good bye. The ship was on the water again in the afternoon.

I went on the Internet in late afternoon. The computer becomes slower and slower.

I could talk at last with my girlfriend, Bogi!! It was very good!!

This included, of course, my family and some friends.

In the evening I went over to my Spanish friends and later we all went to have some fun. Up to 2 o’clock in the morning we participated in the local street-bal. That happens every Friday. After that we kariokied till three, and after that disco till 5. To get to all this we stopped a jeep and got on its rear open platform and coming back we got on a police jeep.

The women here dance like in our part of the world. Very erotically :) The temperament is different here. Daniel gets up at dawn. He goes home…

Interesting link:

http://www.ualberta.ca/~amitchel/stvg.html

(translated by Károlyi –wa6ypp)