Hi to all our readers, hope we find you fit and hearty.Firstly for those who where there, please accept our apologies for our departure from Rodney Bay I hope it was not too embarrassing for the Brits present but it all seemed a trifle tense that morning and a bit of British humour and drum banging seemed in order. (Suzy has only just appeared from below from the embarrassment.)
All is well with us, just a couple of small injuries, Guy has a bad heat rash, Suzie several boat bruises and I've managed to rope burn my hand, but we have had a cracking few days sailing down to the Venezuelan offshore Islands and along the chain. We are presently anchored up in Los Roques after first visiting Blanquilla and then by-passing Orchilla, something about unexploded ammunition and is strictly out of bounds for us civvies. Suzy and Guy are doing fine, naturally suffering a little with the curse of mal de mer, but not too serious just lethargic and off their food. Unfortunately to date they have not been able to help a great deal with boat duties so I've had a wonderful time, effectively sailing single handed again (with the aid of Henry one of three autopilots). My cooker countdown timer has been brought out of retirement and is invaluable in helping me cat knap. I keep waking however, thinking the pies are ready!! This morning the signs are good, as they feel much better and we are about to set off to fill the air bottle for a little light diving and snorkelling!
Now that we have had time to study the charts etc our plan is to visit a couple more islands before the 3 - 4 day passage across to Colon our eta at the moment being early on the 2nd.
Suzie showed me yesterdays report of our little adventure and Guys success on Blanquilla, just goes to show what a private education and a masters degree in engineering can do. It has already been good to spend this time with Guy (I know Suzy pretty well) and he is some bright lad. An analytical and thoughtful brain which learns immediately and then takes on the instruction a step or two more. I have problems keeping up. They are both wonderful company, kind and great fun.
DSCF0106 - Guy with his new Venezuelan friends!!
I spent my customary 2-3 hours last evening sitting on the bow contemplating the setting sun and once again the brilliance of God in making such beauty. The landscape and sunsets of the high Himalayas have always been my favourite and can take your breath away but it is bloody cold and the air very thin so you can only enjoy them for a few moments. Here we are so lucky to be able to take time and absorb the ever changing picture, warm and relaxed and I have to keep pinching myself that we are really here and doing this thing.
I must thank the kindness of Quasar and Cleone crew in including Suzie, Guy and myself in their St Lucia preparations, being relatively new to this cruising lark, I did not know what to expect from WCC and the other crews as sailing for me to date has normally been quite a singular experience and I did feel somewhat overawed by the depth of knowledge and experience of crew and staff. However the crews have been very kind in including us and I am greatly looking forward to meeting up again at our stopovers.
As it is Saturday morning a full English is the order of the day from bacon to beans, the sausages however are from St Lucia and have a real bite to them, not quite the giggling sausage of home but anchored up off a coral island, not bad!
So, buy for now.
Back to entertaining the kids!!!
Skipper (Rodders)