Another bright, hot, sunny day in paradise. Our mission this morning was to launch, test drive and then store the 13 foot Boston whaler for the summer (what could be easier?)
The outboard motor on this boat has been unsuccessfully repaired no fewer than 5 times in the past - but this time they (whoever they are) swear it will work: they recently test drove it!
We launch the boat and with fingers crossed start the motor - with a collective sigh of relief it actually starts! Unfortunately, (who among you thought this would be a straight forward mission?) not only does it idle really rough but at least twice as fast as it should, not to mention that when shifted into gear there is a very loud clunking sound (I’m sure that shouldn’t happen).
So there we are floating aimlessly around in the canal with an outboard motor that refuses to believe that it has been successfully repaired! Miraculously, (well this is the Bahamas!) when the repair depot is called they send someone out right away, well almost right away, well he came reasonably quickly, well, ok, he took his time but eventually arrived on the scene. By this time I’m back on dry land, had enough sitting in small boats these past 2 days, even with the aid of my trusty umbrella! With the motor still running, the mechanic climbs on board together with screwdriver in hand; he takes the cover half off and hits something by mistake! Next thing you know the boat zooms forward, the mechanic flies backwards, and after completing a triple somersault (with pike) he lands fair and square in the waters of the canal. Apparently it’s difficult to swim with a screwdriver, blackberry, cell phone and engine cover in ones hands and he flounders around quite a bit, thought he just might drown!
The boat has now been returned to the shop for the sixth time in the hope that maybe, just maybe they’ll get it right this time. When we got home I was so hot and my head was hurting so much I just walked right into the swimming pool wearing my dress, sandels and hat. Stayed there for what seemed like an eternity, climbing out for just a minute to fetch a carton of ice cream. This is one of the more decadent things I’ve ever done – eating ice cream straight from the carton while floating fully dressed in a Bahamian swimming pool: the only thing missing was my trusty umbrella! Pity there's no pictures.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Back to 1904, the Good Old Days
I’m totally exhausted, what a day!! - sailing the ‘long boat’ 16 miles along the shore of Grand Bahama Island from the movie set to its new home. I couldn’t help reminding myself that the builder, of my only means of survival, was a coffin maker by trade! The more I looked at the boat the more it unfortunately resembled a coffin; however the water that had somehow accumulated in the bottom of it helped to destroy those unsavoury images somewhat. There were 7 to choose from and the ‘boys’ wanted the one containing the water using the theory that, as it was perhaps rain water and it hadn’t leaked out, the boat must be sound and leak-free! I didn’t necessarily agree, but hey, what did I know?
It took about an hour to find all the parts (well I hoped we’d found them all) and assemble the coffin… sorry the boat - tiller, rudder, sail, oars and centerboard. I was trying valiantly to bail out the water but the ocean was against me and the waves kept splashing in as we were hoisting the mast and preparing to set off. I shouldn’t have bothered, water continued to enter the vessel even when sailing – and it wasn’t from the waves!
We took life jackets, flares, GPS, SPOT (an ingenious device that can send an SOS to your friends), VHF, EPIRB (emergency position indicating radio beacon), outboard motor, cooler and an umbrella. Don’t laugh, the umbrella was a vital piece of equipment – not only did it act as shade to keep the sun from severely burning me but believe it or not, if held in the right direction, acted as an extra sail that increased our speed. The boat was solidly built of heavy timber and needed almost a gale to move it, but unfortunately, even though the wind was blowing in the right direction there wasn’t a great deal of it. Waves were only 2 feet high but I swear they grew to tidal proportions as every painstaking hour passed by. We set sail around 10 am and didn’t reach solid ground until 2.30 in the afternoon; Peterson’s Cay, where we stopped for a break. As we pulled in a Canadian tourist approached us and said "Man, I didn’t expect white people to be sailing that boat." After an hour of rest, and snorkelling we set off once again, declining the tourist's invitation for a bite of freshly cooked fish. I wondered if that was wise, but then I wouldn't want fish to be my last meal on earth.
So there we were again bobbing around on the water, but the wind had mercifully picked up and we might even make it back before dark! It didn’t take me long to discover that I had been duped. "It will only take a few hours", "It will be an adventure," I had been told. I had absolutely no idea that the journey from start to finish would consist of 11 hours of bailing and trying to prevent third degree sunburn! When we finally reached the canal the wind had died so the outboard motor was started (mounted on the side of the boat by the way). Unfortunately (well you didn’t think it would ever be plain sailing did you?) there’s a low bridge between us and the home port so the mast had to be dismantled. Now that was fun (for me) – every time Gerry stood up and tried to undo the mast lines the boat would tip wildly. It took a while but he finally realized that no one (that would be me again) had bailed for a while and the sheer weight of the water sloshing from side to side was tipping the boat, thus unbalancing him. I for one thought that was really funny and couldn’t understand why he didn’t share my sense of humour! He bailed the boat, dismantled the mast, started the outboard and we were off with me manning the tiller…womaning the tiller. I managed to steer an almost straight course, we made it under the bridge and were in the home stretch when, you wouldn’t believe it, the motor died! That's what you get for hot rodding - he was trying to see how fast we could go with the motor on the side of the boat and a shear pin broke. 'Twas lucky the boat came with oars – I wisely stayed at the helm, as far out of reach from the oars as possible – it would have made the perfect picture but alas he wouldn’t pass me the camera!
It took about an hour to find all the parts (well I hoped we’d found them all) and assemble the coffin… sorry the boat - tiller, rudder, sail, oars and centerboard. I was trying valiantly to bail out the water but the ocean was against me and the waves kept splashing in as we were hoisting the mast and preparing to set off. I shouldn’t have bothered, water continued to enter the vessel even when sailing – and it wasn’t from the waves!
We took life jackets, flares, GPS, SPOT (an ingenious device that can send an SOS to your friends), VHF, EPIRB (emergency position indicating radio beacon), outboard motor, cooler and an umbrella. Don’t laugh, the umbrella was a vital piece of equipment – not only did it act as shade to keep the sun from severely burning me but believe it or not, if held in the right direction, acted as an extra sail that increased our speed. The boat was solidly built of heavy timber and needed almost a gale to move it, but unfortunately, even though the wind was blowing in the right direction there wasn’t a great deal of it. Waves were only 2 feet high but I swear they grew to tidal proportions as every painstaking hour passed by. We set sail around 10 am and didn’t reach solid ground until 2.30 in the afternoon; Peterson’s Cay, where we stopped for a break. As we pulled in a Canadian tourist approached us and said "Man, I didn’t expect white people to be sailing that boat." After an hour of rest, and snorkelling we set off once again, declining the tourist's invitation for a bite of freshly cooked fish. I wondered if that was wise, but then I wouldn't want fish to be my last meal on earth.
So there we were again bobbing around on the water, but the wind had mercifully picked up and we might even make it back before dark! It didn’t take me long to discover that I had been duped. "It will only take a few hours", "It will be an adventure," I had been told. I had absolutely no idea that the journey from start to finish would consist of 11 hours of bailing and trying to prevent third degree sunburn! When we finally reached the canal the wind had died so the outboard motor was started (mounted on the side of the boat by the way). Unfortunately (well you didn’t think it would ever be plain sailing did you?) there’s a low bridge between us and the home port so the mast had to be dismantled. Now that was fun (for me) – every time Gerry stood up and tried to undo the mast lines the boat would tip wildly. It took a while but he finally realized that no one (that would be me again) had bailed for a while and the sheer weight of the water sloshing from side to side was tipping the boat, thus unbalancing him. I for one thought that was really funny and couldn’t understand why he didn’t share my sense of humour! He bailed the boat, dismantled the mast, started the outboard and we were off with me manning the tiller…womaning the tiller. I managed to steer an almost straight course, we made it under the bridge and were in the home stretch when, you wouldn’t believe it, the motor died! That's what you get for hot rodding - he was trying to see how fast we could go with the motor on the side of the boat and a shear pin broke. 'Twas lucky the boat came with oars – I wisely stayed at the helm, as far out of reach from the oars as possible – it would have made the perfect picture but alas he wouldn’t pass me the camera!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Der Lights..Der Camera..Der Action!!
A German film crew is currently here shooting ‘Der Seewolf’ and since I’ve been ‘hanging’ with some of the extras (Gerry and Lawrence) I got to meet the star (ooooo, he actually shook my hand) and supporting non-stars. That's me (duh) in the hut they built for the "shipwrecked" sailors. Filming ends in a day or two, much to the misfortune of the local ‘watering holes’ and they’re selling off some of the props. Pony-tail Richard and Gerry want one of the long boats (small boats in the photo) so we’re going to attempt to sail it back this week. The long boats were built by a coffin maker, so can’t wait to "undertake" the upcoming voyage……Stay tuned!!
How to stick out in a crowd....Twice!!
Went to a fundraiser for the local nursery schools (decided to put the parasailing, hang gliding and wind surfing on hold and do something really adventurous!!) Once again I was the only white woman in attendance and since they were going to stare anyway I gave them something to stare at by having my face painted. The ‘artist’ was quite shocked when she said "next’ and I sat down. She mentioned that adults are never usually brave enough to get painted, but had overlooked that I was in serious need of some form of camouflage! She painted a star on one cheek (my face) and a butterfly on the other, but the butterfly was a mutant, it’s wings being reversed, small wings on top instead of the bottom. Sorry, no pictures of this work of art are available, well, OK, I’m not sorry at all, and if there were, they would have been destroyed!
Birthday/Beach Party
Attended a Bahamian birthday beach party the other day, only white woman in sight! Tons of people turned up, yet the birthday woman didn’t know who most of them were. She invited friends and relatives who in turn invited friends and relatives who also invited friends and relatives who invited me. I guess this is normal and everyone brings food and drink. Kids seemed to be having the most fun, adults on the other hand were split – men in one area, women in another. The birthday girl (45) has no less than 6 kids, the Bahamian way (each has a different father); and Reena, her daughter gave birth just 4 days ago (following in her mother's footsteps) is already jumping around serving dinner to the domino players. Guess we all know what I’d be telling them!!!! Hmmmm…different culture entirely.
Sailing 101
Back in the very hot and sultry Bahamas in the hope of picking up a few more sailing techniques!!! Tacking is when you turn the bow of the boat through the wind and jibing is when the wind crosses over the stern (hands up who didn’t know that?). One has to be very careful while jibing: the mainsail could be severely damaged if it crashes across from port to starboard, or vice versa. Not to mention if the boom (which supports the mainsail) just happens to strike you in the head. I’m sure many a competent sailor would be carrying the scars to prove it. Luckily for me the knots that we were taught during my guiding years are used frequently on board and if I had paid more attention in my former years I no doubt would be able to tie them!!!
Pony-tail Richard hoisted up the mast in bosuns chair to re-thread a rope that some how got loose.
Pony-tail Richard hoisted up the mast in bosuns chair to re-thread a rope that some how got loose.
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