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American Spirit II - Day 441; 41st Wedding Anniversary; Heidi Flies Home; & We Tour Ft. George; Monday, March 23, 2015



One year ago today:

"Day 79; 40th Wedding Anniversary; Half a Time Zone; Breadfruit; and an Island Tour; Sunday, March 23, 2014. My 40th Wedding Anniversary was today. For me, the toughest part of this adventure is being away from my mate. Thanks for your support Janet!"

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My 41st Wedding Anniversary is today. It will be nice being home in 40 days!

I didn't sleep well last night because without my I Phone I don't have an alarm clock.

Heidi is up at 5:45 AM, followed by Joel and me at 6:00 AM. We leave for the airport with Jack from Civetta II in my rental car at 6:30 AM, arriving at the Maurice Bishop International Airport at 6:41 AM for the 8:29 AM flight. There is already a lot of people in line;but by 7:28 AM both Heidi and Jack have checked their baggage and have their boarding papers. After a coffee, they're off thru security.

Located at the entrance to the airport is a memorial for the United States military that says:

Operation Urgent Fury
October 23-November 21, 1983
To Honor those members of the United States military,
who through commitment and sacrifice, returned freedom to Grenada.

Another plaque says:

This plaque expresses the
gratitude of the Grenadian people
to the forces from the United States
of America and the Caribbean,
especially those who sacrificed
their lives in liberating Grenada on
25 October 1983. It was dedicated by
President Ronald Reagan on his visit
to Grenada on 20 February 1986.

The memorial is white in color and looks two St. Louis arches crossing each other.

Joel and I were back at the marina by 8:45 AM, where we had breakfast, which consisted of eggs, bacon, potato and chilled pineapple.

After breakfast I typed two logs and made sure my Yellow Brick tracker would continue to work after the rally ends April 11 (it will work until July 1). Then Joel and I headed out to the Ace Hardware store and a grocery store to provision the boat. For the first time in months I was able to buy canned pears and garlic bread! And I found some corn on the cob that looked pretty good. We then returned to the boat and I put away the frozen and refrigerated items.

After that at around 1:00 PM we picked up Peter and Terra from Adela and drove to Fort George, which overlooks the harbor to St. George's. First built in the 1660's and expanded from 1706 to 1710, it was built by the French and named Fort Royal. Expanded again in the 1780's after being recaptured from the British in 1779. It was finally handed back to the British in 1783 and renamed Fort George.

Fort George is the smallest of the forts surrounding the town of St. George, but it is the most important historic structure of the last 300 years. In 1983 the Prime Minister, Maurice Bishop and 15 of his cabinet, were executed in the fort, then called Fort Rupert; by a coup organized by his assistant Prime Minister. Our tour guide said that bullet holes along the western wall in the fort courtyard are from the executions of October 19, 1983. There are still a number of 6 and 12 pound cannon at the fort; and one 4 pound mortar. The view from the top of the fort is breathtaking. The fort today houses a police headquarters.

We stopped at another grocery store on the way back to the boat, and like the first grocery store this morning, they had no diet coke. We were back at the boat by 4:00 PM.

Russ and Laurie from Nexus; Tommy and Jesse from Alpheratz; Sigi from Merlyn of Poole; and Amelia from Adela chatted in our cockpit and had some drinks and snacks until 6:30 PM.

Around 7:00 PM we went to the marina restaurant with Jonathan, Jenny and Sigi from Merlyn of Poole; for salads and pizza. On the way back to the boat we stopped off and had a glass of wine on Civetta II with Vlado and Lupo.

Joel was in bed by 10:00 PM and I followed at 11:30 PM.

Brian Fox




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