Brian, is it true? We're home at last!

October 11 - 29, 2014

Passing time in the Miami Airport

After thirteen hectic days in Florida, we were finally flying to Grenada and home!  Our time in Florida was split between Stuart and Miami.  We still had last minute items to shop for, friends to see and a long checklist to work through.  Everything got completed, as it always does, and we left with six suitcases and two carry on bags each one crammed full.

Brian had filled out all of the custom's forms and had the receipts organized.  We were the last people to go through immigration/customs that night and I think the officer was tired.  She added up our sales slips and calculated 6% duty on everything for the boat.  There was no searching through our suitcases and no studying the forms to see if they matched the receipts.  It was quick and a relatively pain free experience.

If you are in the neighborhood.......

We stayed at the Cool Runnings Motel for three nights while we cleaned the boat and put away all of the 'stuff'.  Cool Runnings is a short walk from Spice Island boatyard, which makes it most convenient.  Plus, the staff is extremely nice.  

A new inverter was ordered before we left in June.  We thought that we would pick it up Saturday morning so Brian could install it over the week-end.  When we got to Budget Marine, the door was locked and a sign announced that they were closed for Thanksgiving.  I asked several locals what they did to celebrate their Thanksgiving.  They all said the same thing -- sleep!  I said, "what, no turkey, no stuffing, no mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie?"  They all laughed and agreed that it was a sleeping holiday.  

Randy and Michele from Nautilus stopped at the boatyard for a couple of quick visits.  We met last Spring and traveled to several of the islands together.  They are waiting for two skids to be delivered to the marina with their solar panels and 60 cartons of wine.  I'm sure there are other things, but those were the most memorable!   

Can you see how close we are to the
 pole and the other boat?  About 8 inch
clearance on either side.  A flat bed
tractor with hydraulic arms carries her
to the travel lift.  

Finally, it was Monday.  The boatyard was a very different place.  Workers were bustling from one boat to the next.  We had some repairs made to the hull while we were gone that required painting and then the entire exterior polished.  There were a few last minute touch ups before our 3:00 splash.  Gotta Smile was looking mighty fine when she was eased into the water.  

.

Now, transferred to the travel lift, carried
 to the water and gently lowered.
 

It was good to hear the engine start after sitting for four months.  All systems were working!  Only our memory had trouble restarting!  After a short cruise to the other end of Prickly Bay, the anchor was dropped. Now, we really were home! 

Look at all of those sailboat masts!  

Our first anchorage in Prickly Bay.  What a
beautiful view.....

One of our favorite marinas in The Islands.

Tuesday morning we checked into Port Louis Marina for a few days.  This required a Mediterranean docking.  We stayed here in June and experienced our first Med docking.  It wasn't pretty!  Luckily the crew is very experienced and this time we were better prepared with lines that were the proper length and plenty of fenders on both sides.  One guy buzzed around in an inflatable attaching our bow to a mooring ball and another jumped on our boat to help with the lines. We were within inches of the boat on our port, but no bumps or scrapes.  They made us look like pros!

This photo was after the owner of the
other boat pulled his a little further away.

We did take time for lunch at the local
bakery. Sitting under this huge rubber
tree, we hardly noticed the heat and
humidity.

Wow, suddenly it was Wednesday and we still had so much to do!  Actually, Brian had lots to do, because I am very limited in the maintenance and repair departments.  Derrick, one of the harbor masters at Port Louis Marina, kept our frozen food for us this summer.  He delivered it early in the morning and everything was perfect.  I was very happy to see the freezer filled again.  At 3:00 a rental car was delivered for two days of sightseeing, grocery shopping and meeting John and Gail as they arrive for a month.  They have been onboard many times for equally long trips.  It will be fun to explore some new territory with them.  

    

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!