StT
Charlotte Amilie is for the birds. Not the Pelican that lives on the minnows that live on the garbage of the boat yard, not even for the dozen or so Man-O-War birds that grace my sky most afternoons (Where do they fish in the am?) rarely ever diving, but keeping close watch. I've never seen them take a fish here, and they can't possibly scare the Pelican out of his catch--he's at least 3 times the bird they are. And no gulls. One little slate blue Heron who spends a great deal of time following the throw fishermen that stalk our shore. Maybe he lives on their throw outs. I've never seen him catch one though.Jan 8thAnyway after two trips into the traffic Horror of town, I'm even happy to be on a boat. Stores are crowded & busy--everything very expensive--at least 2x Boston I'd guess. Food may be only 1-1/2, meals in restaurants even closer, but still too high for me to enjoy them.
How long have I been here--I don't know. No log. My watch says Jan today & we got here after Christmas. A day? Two? Maybe more. The first couple Stan was with me and we camped in the peace of Hassle Is anchorage, rowing back and forth to so called civilization in the rubber horror. Met my lady friend from Constitution Marina. She's now in a Charter and Sales outfit, very close to our old anchorage in Hassle Is. One of her suggestions seconded very strongly by several (non-profiting) casual acquaintances, was this yard--So I walked in on him, told him my tale and he took me on. I'm to do my own work, he'll let me do my own thing, charging for whatever I need. He seems a very decent guy, busy with his charters. Three employees in the yard as well as his son--not too happily employed here. Wife (broker) and an office girl as well as one girl "Friday" who does a lot of the charter errands and some prep of boats. Yard is not well equipped compared to the ones I've been at and in, in the States. Wood working is all sub-contracted to another young man who has the simplest machines and a place under cover in the yard. Upstairs is North Sails, a branch of the big West Coast company. They've patched my mizzen and hanked my storm main. Dick Avery--owner and boss of the yard (Avery's Boathouse) is pretty well laid back. He's knowledge able and thoroughly boaty, has run the yard for quite a while. Enjoys running it. Main biz is charter boats. Mrs. A is the broker. I find her hard to get along with. I think she's made up her mind that I won't leave much money here. OK. She's nothing to me either. Maybe Peg will charm her into friendliness, or at least civility!
Jeff is a downeaster. Arrived a few days ahead of me. Single-handed a 40' North Sea Cutter--stout boat, rugged man, had his troubles too. Now working for the yard as a laborer--$8/hr, better than he could do in Maine! Two young local frenchmen (speaking Crusian) make up the rest of his crew. Mike is one, apparently the yard mechanic--seems pretty capable.
I got here the 2nd day after Stan left. Dick came over in his workboat and towed me in. I'm lying alongside one of his floating wharves. Most boats are stern to, held off by anchors. Dick didn't see fit to put me in that way so I'm using 3 boats' space! I've offered to change around-- anchor off or whatever. "Don't bother--we'll haul you presently." OK, tomorrow is the day, apparently. Also the day I take Ann's Marty to lunch. Hope they won't interfere. Fri is a good day for me too. I'll have the whole weekend to work on the paint & prep. I won't have to get it done in a tide. He charges by the foot--6 or 7 dollars. I suppose that's between perps--bowsprit got charged for at Constitution.
So what have I gotten done? Not much. Clean boat, more or less-- overhead, bulkheads, shelves, but not inside lockers yet. Fresh water soap and rinse. Stove done and lockers behind it, but not below yet. Clothes--that's been hard. Rinses in sweet water and then dried. Towels. Bedding (3 sleeping bags and blankets). Mattresses. A hard rain helped with them. The double is still pretty wet even after 4 days of sun. I took its cover off this am to see if that would help, but we've had 3 or 4 little showers today so it's probably wetter than when I tied it up over the boom. No hurry. I'll be here a while yet.
Just having plenty of DRY, no salt clothes is a great luxury. In the 'Sea Condition' we were picking out the least wet to wear and not expecting anything but SALT!
I have decided to pamper myself on food & goodies. I buy Ice--keeps the box cool if not very cold. Saves a lot of spoilage. Costs me about $5 a week I think. Doubtful economy but all the diff in the world in my diet. I'm eating heavy too. At sea I was always hungry. Four meals a day was normal with a lot of snacking in between. Stan introduced a rationing system after BDA--we were never really short of food but many of the quickest to go were the hardest to get along without--crackers (no bread of course), sugar (me? without it? wow), some canned stuff. We got to StT closer than he allowed for so it never made real hardship. Water was my worry, and it can't be 'sounded' in rough weather, lest a sea come over and contaminate the tank. The other tank is easy to guess with a flashlight, and there was 6 or 7 gals in it at BDA. Fwd tank had not been opened at that time, so with 24 gals for two persons--12 gals per for an estimated min 12 days/max 20, we felt that was plenty. Less than BDA Race committee insists on (1 gal per day per man) but enough for us with care. It was too. We had at least 7 gals when we dropped the hook at Hassle Is. and I didn't bother to get more till Stan left.
I finally got all the clothes into labeled bags today. More will-show and need putting I'm sure. But the bulk is organized if not yet stowed. Dentist today too. Haven't been able to chew down on the lowers since BDA. Didn't even wear them most of the time. Some great improvement. This past week and Ann's Marty's dentist fixed me up. There appears to be a slight change in the bone of the gum. He altered the lowers and the pain is gone. Now I can EAT. Not that I haven't been. At least 4 meals a day and a lot of snacking between--candy, drinks, peanut butter & mayo, my mouth is seldom empty more than a few moments!
Today is to Haul. Yesterday I went in town again with Marty Williamson. Dentist, food shopping, hardware, wire coating, stays to the rigger. They are done but I didn't have cash enough in pocket and no checks. I'm expecting them to be delivered COD today. Marty may pick them up too but I forgot to give him the cash. Dick found me some 2nd hand 1" bronze strip so I can do the stormsail track gate. A lot of peripheral problems are decided if not solved. Electricity and the big leak are next. I've got to get my head together better to do the electric. It will happen. I've looked at it. I'm just not clear thinking enough to start it yet. OK, time for breakfast and get the decks in order.Wednesday 1/13 and early.2048 hours 1/8. Tired! Hauled! At the end.of the working day and she came out very slowly because she's so heavy that the compressor hydraulic winch had to keep stopping to build up pressure. Fresh water and bronze wool all over--by me too. Got it done before dark. Hard work, awkward positions, poor footing. DONE. Ready for paint or maybe repairs first. Packing nut seems to have broken off with its threaded hub, leaving the check nut on the thread. Screw OK and zinc in place. Hard rain while I was doing it. Cold. Wet through, came in, shut the hatch and made FFries for supper! (w/ ham and mixed canned veg) Now at cheese and crax and rum & bed.
The Freebies from the yts returning from charter have been great--booze even. Lots of staples, some exciting tidbits. Somebody's doggie bag from a prime rib was the best! Milk, juice, mustard, Joy, towels and toilet paper--odd diet though! And its stopped now that I'm on the railway'
An airless night, buggy, and wakeful for me. Up around 2:30 for a bath and wash out a couple of days' clothes. At least the sweet water comes in a hose instead of a carried 5 gal jug. Work is getting done. I'm up on the Railway, bottom is painted 2 coats. Ground plate remounted. Stuffing box gone off to the machinist. Stanchion foot to the welder. I've got things (Stop--just as I was about to write about how dry and clean I was a sudden little storm of rain and odd winds came whooshing in my great open ports and wet nearly everything! Not serious--it will dry in an hour) unsalted and MOSTLY dry. I have the new running backstays, I've built a new tang for the lower stbd mizzen stay. Half the boat has been washed inside. I may get the rest today. Most difficult has been the double mattress, which was heavily salted. Spray came in through the hatch and dried into it. I had it out on the foredeck with a hose, which was easy enough--8 or 10 good rinses and stomps! But it wouldn't dry! Cover had to come off and get mattress and cover hanging off the rigging. Even then our daily (several times a day sometimes) shower would get it just about the time I was ready to get it in. Then the rusty tool project took over the bedstead and no place for the mattress. Yesterday was the first all day dry in a while, so I took the bed to bed, cover and all, abandoning the "Rusty Tool Project" in mid-rust. OK, I've got a double bed. What about the rusty tools? And where to put my 17 bags of clothes, bedding, towels, bags, and whatever? One bed has to be for me!
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