Season 5 numbers

SV Honey Ryder waiting for haul out at Curacao Marine - June 12 2018

For those keeping track -
Season 5 total nautical miles = 773.9.  Trinidad, Grenada, Bequia, Martinique, Bonaire, Curacao.
For us, the numbers don't matter.  We are collecting adventures, memories and pictures as we slowly explore this big, blue marble.

OCC - In The Club

OCC burgee

April 2018
What is the famous line - "I don't want to belong to any club that would accept people like me as a member." - Groucho Marx

Actually, we are thrill.  We are in!  We are officially members of the Ocean Cruising Club, better known as the OCC.  We have been threatening to join for a couple of years now but just haven't gotten around to it.  Besides, it is not that easy.  There are rules and a process. 

To join the OCC you must have completed 1000 non-stop ocean miles.  Okay - check , we did that on our passage down from the USA in 2013.  AND we have a sponsor to join.  Someone to vouch for our character.  Oh dear.  Hee hee.  Actually, several cruising friends have encouraged us to join and offered to be our sponsors.  So many, it was hard to choose who to put as our sponsor.  But Richard and Rowena on sv Galene have been the most badgering.....I mean encouraging for us to join so Richard was our the one we chose.

We have yet to learn the secret handshake but I am sure that will come.  For now, we are proudly flying the OCC burgee thanks to OCC member Bill on sv Tootaloo.   

Bequia 2018 Screaming Winds, Dragging Boats, HUGE Swell

Big anchorage, why so close?  And look who it is......

February 2018

It has been really windy here in Bequia.  REALLY!  It can funnel through the gap in the hills and scream down into the anchorage.  And it keeps blowing.  We had two and a half weeks of non-stop wind.  Then a short break and then back at it again.  Below is some of the fun that has taken place in the anchorage lately.  Some of this during the week we had no yacht insurance.  Yep, never dull.

Dragging, tangled cats

sv Wind Cat broke her anchor chain and started dragging through the anchorage.  The owners are charter captains who were down in the Tobago Cayes on a charter.  A call went out on the VHF radio that sv Wind Cat was dragging.  She soon snagged another unoccupied cat and then they were both dragging.  Of course, cruisers to the rescue.  Tom went, Patrick (sv Illusions), Jason (sv Blue Blaze) a few others and then a few local boats arrived as well.  Tom had to actually get on sv Wind Cat along with another guy to help untangle it from the other cat.  The wind was so strong that the dinghies were not having any luck moving the two tangled boats.  A local boat took over and towed sv Wind Cat up and put her on a mooring.  The other cruisers were able to get the other cat's anchor to set again.  Whew!  Scary note - Tom nearly lost his head during this rescue.  sv Wind Cat has a wind generator on her forward, starboard bow AT NECK HEIGHT!  Let me state that again, the wind generator is at neck level!  This should never, ever be.  And on the starboard bow?  WTF!  It was spinning so fast in the wind, Tom could not see the blades at all.  He could hear it but with all the commotion, didn't really take note.  It was only at the last minute he saw it swivel in the wind and stopped short.  People - never, ever, EVER mount a wind generator at body height, period!!!!  Even if you get a wind generator for free, spend the money to mount it properly.

Putting sv Wind Cat on a mooring after she broke free of her anchor

Just before 4am this morning a strong squall came through with powerful winds.  It woke me up.  I got up to check the 62ft charter cat in front of us.  I was worried they would drag.  Sure enough, they are dragging down towards us.  We both went into scrambled mode.  I hit them with our new, powerful, LED spotlight (love this thing) trying to wake someone up.  Tom went for our airhorn - not working -damn!  Tom dives for the dinghy key to unlock it and race up there and bang on their hull.  This monstrosity keeps dragging down towards us. This 62ft by 30ft+ monster is going to hit us!  I didn't know what else to do.  I started screaming WAKE UP! GET UP! YOUR DRAGGING! over and over and over at the top of my lungs. I hear Tom fire up the dinghy. I hear people on another cruising boat near by.  I keep screaming.  OMG -They are going to hit us.  They are less that 1/2 boat length away from us.  I am shaking all over.  Finally, a few on board wake up. The captain comes up and acknowledges. I keep yelling GO,GO,GO.  Luckily, they swing off to the side so I can spot our anchor marker, now ahead of their port bow.  I hit my spot on that and keep it there, yelling at the captain to keep clear of it.  Slowly they motored forward.  It seemed like it took forever. They pulled anchor and slowly motored to the outer edge of the anchorage.  Maybe the Captain decided to go on to Tobago Cayes "early".  I don't know or care as long as they are gone from us. Tom motored back to our boat and I finally shut off the spotlight and made my way back to the cockpit, wet and shaking from the whole thing.  This morning I have many strong thoughts about charter boats, charter captains and 62 ft catamarans - most are not nice. I am going to hold those for now until I can get some more sleep. 

Charter cat - this one is only 50 ft (roll eyes)

Bitch wings - a common sight in most anchorages.  Bitch wings are when a cruiser gets up on deck and puts their hands on their hips and arms out to the side.  This is done when someone is anchoring too near or thinking about anchoring near or perceived to be anchoring too near.  "Did you see that stupid charterboat trying to anchor too near this afternoon?  I had to get out my bitch wings and run them off."  Or "Dude, I saw you out there just now with your bitch wings on.  Good for you."  Bitch wings are not reserved for a particular sex.  Anyone can put on their bitch wings and flash them around when needed.  Sometimes they work (like with charter boats that are self chartered or other cruisers) and sometimes they don't (like charter boat captains and the French).  

Too close, no need in such a big anchorage

I have found something better than Bitch Wings.  It is my handy-dandy, new, lightweight and powerful LED spotlight.  If I am worried, I hit that a few times starting at sundown, even just to spot on the boat in front of us so I know exactly where they are and how close.  If they don't like getting hit with a powerful spotlight a couple of times during the night, they should not have anchored so near and they can move in the morning.  I joked with friends that instead of bitch wings, I would stand on deck with a holster.  On one side would be my spotlight and on the other, my airhorn.  A cruising friend added "Don't forget your cutlass.  Put that in the belt of your holster for an added touch."  Good idea.  Ha!  Let's see who anchors near us now if I am up on deck with all that!  

Poor sv Crazy Love

Poor sv Crazy Love.  This is a chartboat out of St Vincent at it is being abused.  In the last four weeks we have seen the following.  1.)  Three English guys grounded her and then "bumped" a cruising cat while trying to un-ground themselves.  2.)  sv Crazy Love drug down slowly on our friend Kurt's (sv Imagine) boat.  French cruisers rescue Kurt's boat by hopping on board and putting his fenders out and kept damage from happening.  The clueless charters return to find their boat has moved.  Resulting inquiry uncovered the reason for the dragging....they put out 40ft of anchor scope in 12 -15ft of water.  WAY too little scope as Tom scolded them.  3.)  A week later, a family of three chartered sv Crazy Love. Dad is motoring FULL speed through the anchorage.  He is way too close to shore and headed straight for shallows just off our starboard side.  He is motoring so fast there is not time to yell over and warn him.  They come to an abrupt stop - hard grounding.  They get themselves off and then anchor too close to us and then too near the French boat to our port stern.  Sigh.....poor sv Crazy Love.  It has done nothing and yet charter guests are abusing the hell out of this poor boat.  I emailed the company to let them know.  I got a very nice and prompt email back thanking me for the information.

Big swell destroying the new part of the Belmont Walkway and Princess Margaret Beach

Big Swell was predicted.  Big swell arrived in Bequia big time!  There are basically four areas to anchor in Admiralty Bay;  Lower Bay, Princess Margaret Beach, up front on the south side and north side.  Lower Bay and Princess Margaret Beach can be rolly at times.  This is not uncommon.  What was predicted was big swell, all up and down the island chain. We all knew about it for days.  Many changed anchorages or even islands, looking for protection.  The problem was the direction of the swell.  It was supposed to come from the north, northwest, west and possibly even a little southwest.  None of these good for the normally well protect anchorages in the lee of these islands.  We had already moved up from Princess Margaret Beach weeks ago during the really strong winds.  We were now anchored off the Bequia Plantation Hotel - at the start of the up front south side.  We thought we would be ok.  The day the swell hit, I was up early for some reason.  At 6am I looked down at Lower Bay to see a series of HUGE swells breaking way far out from shore in the anchorage.  At least 100 yards out from the beach, basically in the back of the anchoring field.   I woke Tom up. "You have to come see the swells in Lower Bay."  Soon our awe turned to serious concern.  It was getting dangerous for the yachts down there and in Princess Margaret Beach.  They were all violently rolling in the swell.  Many began pulling up anchor and heading to the north side or up front to mooring balls.  As more and more swells broke, a mass exodus happened.  Most but not all.  A few stayed.  Then as the day went on, the swell shifted and came towards us.  We ended up facing west -so weird.  Which put us 90 degrees to our anchor set and much closer to the beach.  Luckily, this also put us head on into the swell.  Much safer and more comfortable to ride them out head on vs taking the waves on the side of the boat.  They were breaking just behind us and occasionally under us.  In hindsight, I would have preferred to be one more boat length out from shore.  We were a tad close at this angle.  The full weight of sv Honey Ryder pulling and tugging at the anchor snubber, chain and anchor.  But she held.  Everyone stayed on their boats at the ready for whatever.  Huge waves crashed all day on the Belmont Walkway, battering dinghy docks and sloshing into restaurants along the shoreline.  The new part of the walkway was washed way.  The pounding waves eroded must of Princess Margaret Beach.  It was an intense, nerve wracking day.  Then just as sunset was starting, the swell returned to Lower Bay with a vengeance.  The few boats that were left down there were once again in danger.  Two or three of them were knocked down rail to rail in the violent rolling.  They all but two moved.  Those somehow survived.  Tom and I decided to sleep in the cockpit just in case.  It finally calmed down enough that we went below at 1:30 am to bed.  What a day!   

Double fire hose for chafe guard on the anchor snubber.  This is after two months in Bequia.

It wasn't always terrible in the anchorage.  There were many nice days and calm mornings and still nights.  I just give you the above examples so you know what it can sometimes be like in an anchorage.  We had a wonderful time in Bequia.  We stayed two months!

Bequia 2018 - More Thievery - Insurance Fraud

February 2018

We got an odd email from someone we do not know saying our annual yacht insurance premium may not have been paid and could we please provide proof of payment.  Weird.  We paid by check last fall.  We sent this person proof of the cancelled check.  We got a follow up email.  "Your payment was not forwarded on by your agent, Kent Urbine - Pegasus Group, to the underwriters.  Please contact me immediately."  WTF?!

Tom called the guy that sent the email, William (Bill) Coates with Offshore Risk Management.  It seems his group took over servicing of our agent's files and that some premiums were not forwarded on to the underwriters aka STOLEN (my wording not Bill's) and they were trying to sort through which customers had been effected.  He said we needed to pay again and ASAP to get re-instated.  The more questions we asked, the more questions we had.  We tried to go direct to the underwriters to pay them.  No go.  They referred us back to ORM and Bill.  We were not able to establish the relationship and timeline between ORM and our thieving agent to our satisfaction and the clock was ticking.

Instead, we called yacht insurance agent and guru Al Golden at IMIS, a well known and established agent and company.  We had been with them originally when we bought sv Honey Ryder.  He had not heard of Kent Urbine, or the Pegasus Group, or the theft of premiums.  He quickly cut to the chase -  "First thing we have to do is get you insured."   He made it easy by becoming our agent of choice and thus getting us re-instated with Yachtline for the same policy, at the same price.  Whew!

We did have to pay again but we were insured.  It was a stressful week of trying to negotiate who, what, when, where and the terminology of the insurance industry.  Luckily, fellow cruiser Laura used to sell commercial insurance in FL.  She helped us understand, do internet research and gave us ideas.  Thank you Laura!!  All the while, the Caribbean winds picked up and were screaming through the anchorage.  Boats were dragging and chartboats were parking WAY too close.  It was a nerve wracking week!  But we got through.

It turns out we are not the only ones the agent stole from.  He stole from other clients as well.  Not everyone, just some.  Lucky us.  I have located a few other victims through Women Who Sail Facebook group and a few others.  We have all be in contact, sharing information and generally supporting one and other through this frustrating experience of being ripped off.

We have filed a complaint in Florida where we sent the check.  We got a case number and an investigating officer immediately.   Tom has communicated back and forth with him several times.  We don't expect to get our money back.  It would be great if we did but more than likely, not.  We want to see Kent Urbine go to jail for what he has done.  At the very least, he should be fined and lose his license.  We believe he is still out there acting as an agent.  Not kewl!

As with everything in life, this has been a learning experience.  We are now asking more questions and requesting additional documentation and proof on certain things than we did before.  It's never dull aboard sv Honey Ryder, that is for sure.                             

Bequia 2018 - Thief In Paradise

January 2018

So one calm morning.......
An American woman and fellow cruiser we are acquainted with was accused of stealing a local's iPad in Bequia.  The woman's husband was on heavy pain medication for a back injury and lost in la-la-land.....code for - he was out of it.  Tom and cruiser George sprung to action to assist as things were going downhill fast.  We are thinking....."This has to be a mistake."

By the time the guys get her husband and get ashore, she has already been booked in Bequia and is being loaded, "handcuffed" onto the ferry to the mainland of St Vincent for formal charges.  She will either go directly to court if court is in session, or to the central jail for holding until court is in session.  Either way, not good.  The next ferry isn't until 13:00.  A local advises...."Don't wait for the next ferry.  You really NEED to be there ASAP.  Do you understand what I am saying to you?"  Things are really happening fast!  We are still thinking......."But this has to be a mistake or misunderstanding."  A cruising friend asks "But how well do you really know her?"  Hum?

A mad scramble ensues.  The guys secure a private go fast boat to take them and hubby across to St Vincent.  A local recognizes trouble and steps up with the name and number of a good lawyer in St Vincent.  I begin emailing a few select people who may have contacts and connections.  The US Embassy has been moved to Barbados but I get a name and discover this person may be on island if I can track him down.  The seriousness of this sinks in, an American woman is handcuffed in St Vincent awaiting trial and possibly jail.  The guys come back to the boats and grab wads of EC and US dollars, cell phones, ID's /passports, and rain jackets - this is an open boat they will be crossing in.  Hubby sits stunned in a pain med induced haze.  Tom and George are directing everything.  We are thinking....."Maybe this is just a big mistake, or a set up?  Things are happening SO fast?"  Hum?

The guys take off for St Vincent in "Rumors" a 16ft wooden, open boat with 75 hp outboard.  It is approximately 10 nautical miles across to St Vincent.  The channel is usually windy, choppy and wet and it was.  They pound across.  The boat driver Shawn not only gets them there but escorts them to the lawyers office.  "You will never find it on your own."  What a guy!  The lawyer sees them immediately.  After 5 mins of hearing the story as they know it, he asked "Where is she now?"  The guys respond "We don't know.  The Bequia Police said she would either be in jail awaiting trial or in court if it is in session."  He makes a couple of calls.  "She is in court.  Come on.  We must go now."  It is late morning.  Tom texts me updates.  I am over on George's boat with his wife Jan still working on embassy and department of state contacts we may need.  Jan asked "So, how well do you really know her?"  I don't even know her or his last name without looking at their boat card.  But that is true for most cruisers I "know."

Rumors in for serious repairs after the crossing with the guys - OMG!

The guys walk with the lawyer through the back alleys and side streets of Kingstown (no place a cruisers should ever be) to the courthouse.  The Serious Offenses Court - no place a cruisers should ever be....inside or out.  The woman is already in there awaiting trial.  Lawyer and hubby go in.  Tom, George and Shawn wait outside.  After an hour, they all come out.  She has plead guilty, been sentenced and paid a fine.  They all go to eat a late lunch.  We get word they are headed back.  Half way back a fierce squall hits, more wind, waves and rain.  Then Shawn's outboard starts acting up.  Typical island boat - no VHF, no lights, just the basics.  He did have life jackets however.  A fuel tank pickup was the issue.  The outboard would go and then not, then go and then not.  They crawled back in fits and starts.  Jan and I were thinking "So she did it?  Maybe they got confused at the cafe and each picked up an iPad not knowing.  Maybe that was it?"   The few people I had reached out to for possible connections for help were emailing back "So it's possible she did it?"  Hum?

Shawn dropped everyone off at their boats.  I went back to sv Honey Ryder.  We each had a stiff drink on our individual boats.  Tom said "She did it.  She admitted she took it.  So how well do we really know them?  I mean we really don't know them other than the few times we have been in group settings with them."  

Then began the long, drawn out process of analyzing every single aspect of this......episode, over and over, and over again.  I will spare you that.  It is worth noting that there was video proof of the theft.  The local, Andy, whose iPad was stolen was sick of theft and everyone blaming the locals, so he put in a video camera.  He is a local community leader, running the youth sailing program among other community charities, events and such.  The island is small.  Word travels fast.  Everyone knew what happened.  Everyone knew George and Tom were involved.  Guilt by association?  We wondered.  They asked them in the following days "What happen with the white woman who stole the iPad?  She get off?  She didn't go to jail did she?"  That is when we learned that standard sentencing for this type of crime is two months jail time.  Think about that!  TWO months in a foreign jail.  Some cruisers have commented "That seems harsh."  Really?  Would they think it was harsh if it was their iPad that got stolen.  I doubt it.  She plead guilty with the lawyers help!  Paid a fine of $400 EC or appox $150US and NO jail time.  No deportation.  Lawyer fee was $600US.

This brings up the whole locals vs cruisers.  In the days following there seemed to be an under current of them vs us.  Andy was right.  More often than not, when things go missing/stolen, the blame is immediately assigned to "locals" stealing.  Tom and I have come to believe that much of the theft that happens to cruisers is in fact committed by cruisers but blamed on locals.  Solar panels, battery chargers, generators, sailing gear, etc....this is cruiser on cruiser theft.  Dinghy accessories - cruisers.  Dinghy outboards - this one is split.  It is probably more locals but I personally think some of it is cruisers.  It was literally announced last spring and again this year on the Martinique morning net "Boats are headed back across the Atlantic to Europe.  Lock everything up unless you want to lose it as some will steal before they head east."   A cruising boat was intercepted last year while returning to Europe loaded with outboard engines stolen from the Caribbean.  Our custom made bamboo dinghy outboard handle that was stolen last year.....a cruiser most certainly took that.  Just a month ago, Turbulence Sails in Grenada posted video pictures of a cruiser who broke into their shop overnight and spent 3 hours trying to put together a roller furler to steal!  He was not able to do it in the time before dawn and left.  He was not caught and is still out here among us.  Friends told us just this week of other cruising friends that were rafted up along side a French cruising boat in Europe.  Both boats had their fenders tied in between.  When the French boat left, the people discovered that their nice fenders that been taken and the old, worn out ones from the French boat were left behind.  The French boat had simply retied the lines of the fenders switching them!

I had an in depth discussion via email with the head of the Caribbean Safety and Security Net. This group keeps track of incidents of crime involving cruisers.  It is invaluable information that keeps us all informed and let's us make wise decisions about our safety and where we chose to go. * If you are a cruiser and you are not using this - start NOW, today!!  To date, this site has been reporting on thefts and crimes that happen TO cruisers.  I suggested to CSSN that this recent iPad theft should be reported as well.  It was a crime involving a cruiser.  It just happened to be a crime BY a cruiser.  In the end, it was decided that it did not fit the criteria for reporting as they do not report on crimes that happen ashore, only on yachts or dinghy docks.  Interesting to think about however.

As for the woman and her husband. They waited a day or so and then sailed out of the anchorage.  Supposedly south, which is still part of St Vincent and the Grenadines.  You can be sure that all the locals down there knew about the theft.  Everyone is related.  It made the Bequia TV news and beyond.  The cruising community is a small and connected community as well.  Word spread fast.  Shock, disappointment, anger and disgust was the general feelings.  I have mentioned before how fast and hard we make friends in the cruising lifestyle.  We come together in unusual type settings.  We help each other out to extraordinary ends at times and then we sail apart.  There is an inherent trust built into this lifestyle.  But how well do we really know our cruising friends and fellow cruisers?  This event had much of the cruising community questioning these things.  Personally, in regard to what we know about our fellow cruisers - we know very few last names, or what they did for a living, or where specifically in England, Germany, Wales, New York, Michigan, etc. they are from.

But after much rehashing and discussion, ultimately Tom summed it up best.  "Knowing what I know now, that she did it, would I do it all again?  Would I put myself at risk and go to the extent I did?  Yes."

       

It Is Not What But Who You Know

March 2018

It is not what you know, but who.  This phrase is timeless and well proven.  Not to brag but I think I have a pretty good talent for connecting people.  I enjoy it as well.

I have told you before how terrific the cruising community is - 99.5% are tops.  Ask and they will help.  This is true for Sherpa duties as well.  Need something brought down from the USA, cruisers are willing to schlep stuff great distances.  Examples - 1).  SV Casa Blanca brought a couple of small packages from the USA to Trinidad for sv Blue Blaze.  We then took those with us to Grenada to deliver to them.  2).They had purchased a used dive tank for me at a greatly reduced price from a cruising boat selling it in Grenada.  3).  We left two gifts for a solo cruiser Robin with cruiser Dan in Grenada because we were going to miss her by a day.  4).  We rendezvoused with sv Asseance in Bequia because they needed Raymarine parts and we had just replaced ours and didn't need the old ones anymore.  5.)  We left the rest of the Raymarine parts in Trinidad with sv Cape to give to cruiser Terry when he returns to Trini.  6.)  sv Gabriel found out we were in Grenada but going to Bonaire eventually so Kim asked for a big bottle of Nutmeg Syrup, only found in Grenada.  7).  While in Bequia, the island ran out of butter completely. NONE to be had.  None expected for several weeks.  None from the mainland of St Vincent.  I knew sv Aaventura was sailing down from St Lucia.  "If it is not too much trouble, can you bring us some butter?"  "Sure.  Is a pound enough?"  "Yes, thanks."  8.)  sv Cape is now unexpectedly in Martinique.  They do not like French rhum and asked "Do you know anyone coming north or south that can bring normal/real RUM?"  I reached out to sv Freedom and BOOM - sv Cape is getting RUM soon.

So.....as Saul Goodman (Breaking Bad fame) says, "I know a guy, who knows a guy, who knows another guy"...... or something close to that.  Anyway, this is how life goes if you are smart enough to get it.  And you aren't generally a jackass or worse.

Where Are You From

sv Honey Ryder

December 2017

A funny thing happened when we bused to the beach. 

It was a fairly good size group so we had two buses (van) full of cruisers.  I assumed we were all cruisers.  We piled out and started down towards the beach.  It was advised that if we wanted lunch, we should let them know now so they would know how many to plan for.  As we stood in line to put our name in for lunch, a woman I did not know said to me "Where are you from?"  I answered as I always do, "Hi.  I am Sabrina from sv Honey Ryder?"  She looked at me funny and said again  "Hi.  Where are you from?"  To which I responded a tad slower, "I am from sv Honey Ryder."  She cocked her head to the side, made a funny face and then said slowly and loudly "You cruisers talk funny.  WHAT- COUNTRY- ARE- YOU FROM?"  Then I realized, she wasn't a cruiser.  She was asking where I am from as in country.  "Oh, oh.....sorry.  I thought you were a cruiser.  I am from the US, Kansas."

You see, as cruisers, we identify ourselves and each other by boat.  I am "Sabrina from sv Honey Ryder."  That is how I introduce myself to fellow cruisers and they do the same.  We eventually get around to where we are from country wise after we answer the important standard questions covering what type of vessel we are on, where we have been and how long we have been cruising.  We rarely get around to what we did in our past life (land life) and we never get around to last names.  Those just aren't important, besides, last names are on boat cards if we really need to know. 

"Hi.  I'm Sabrina from sv Honey Ryder?  And you?"    

Starting Season Five

December 15 2018

It is time to go.  It is past time to go.  We want to start sailing and exploring.  And we MUST head out  of Trinidad soon.  Our 90 day visa's are up in a few days.  Now we are under pressure.  We MUST leave.  It doesn't matter if we are fully ready or the weather is right we must leave.  There is a deadline/schedule and we must go.

Stupid!  Having a schedule on a boat is dangerous and stupid.  We know this.  We have told ourselves we would never put ourselves in a position like that and yet.....here we are.  Oh well.  Live and learn.

We could extend.  Go to Immigration and get an extension.  However, not a simple or cheap process.  And really, we "should" be able to complete the last few items and go.  And so we will - ready or not.....within reason.

Happy Birthday Bling

Bling bling

For my birthday Tom surprised me with a new anchor.....sort of.  I say sort of because a cruising friend accidentally told me this summer when it arrived in Trinidad and we were KC.  "Your new anchor is here."  Ooops.

Wrapped up like a proper birthday present

I was THRILLED.  It is a known fact that most women like bling.  A gift of bling gets a big thumbs up.....and maybe more.....ehm.  Boat bling is two thumbs up with certain boat chicks (SISO =sailing in sail out).

New anchor chain

So this fall when we returned to Trinidad we collected our new anchor chain and my birthday bling.
Our previous anchor chain was very rusty.  The trip of the Esiquibo River sealed it's fate.  There are no facilities in the Caribbean capable of re-galvanization.  Actually, cruisers used to get it done in Venezuela but those days are gone (for now) as it is not safe to cruise there currently.  *We hope that changes in the near future as stories of cruising days gone past there sound wonderful and we look forward to the day when we can safely cruise there.

Shiny

The choice of anchor is like asking Ford or Chevy, Republican or Democrat, Bud or Coors, salty or sweet?  Ask this in company of a group of cruisers and you are sure to get a wide variety of answers, discussion, and potential raised voices and maybe a fight if it's a long happy hour.  The truth of the answer is that there is NO perfect anchor.  NONE!  Anchors are designed for specific bottoms (anchoring floor).  Modern anchors are designed as best they can be for as many different bottoms as possible.  However, it just isn't possible to design one for ALL bottoms.  So you buy the best solution for the type of bottom you will be anchoring in most.

Old (left) New (right)

Our previous anchor - a CQR was THE anchor in it's day.  It is a good anchor.  However, technology has come a long way.  The new anchor is a Rocna 20 - 42 some pounds.  It is THE anchor of the day......according to many.  It has many kewl features.   From the Rocna web site - "The roll-bar ensures that the anchor always arrives at the ideal angle for penetration, and the setting skids guide the fluke tip which acts as a sharp chisel cutting into the seabed. With a third of the anchor’s weight on its fluke tip, an instant reliable set is ensured with every use.  Of all anchor types, a concave fluke gives the greatest resistance, and through clever design Rocna provides the largest fluke area possible. In very soft seabeds, this provides the holding power to secure your boat. On hard or weedy sea floors, Rocna’s chisel tip ensures that it cuts through and bites deep."
Well there ya go!

We decided to go with 175 ft of  5/16 G4 (high test)  galvanized chain.  We prefer all chain for our primary anchor rode.  However, we ditched our old chain last year in Carriacou - giving it to Lumba Dive to use on a dive buoy.  After that, we used our 75ft of chain and 150 ft of nylon line (5/8).  It worked just fine.  That given, for purposes of sleeping through the night, ALL chain is much preferred by me - so I don't freak out AND for Tom so I don't wake him up when I am freaking out.

It fits

We are pretty excited to use this new set up this coming season.  I posted a pic of the new birthday bling on FB.  Many,  many of our cruising friends left comments saying that we are going to LOVE the Rocna.  One cruiser warned Tom to hang on when anchoring the first time.  "It really bites so hang on".  I hope so.

UPDATE -
We are currently in Grenada in our second anchorage.  LOVE the new chain and my birthday anchor bling.  The Xmas winds have arrived aka it has been blowing and yet, we are set.  Woo hoo.

New anchor and chain in action

PS - if you are a cruiser, sailor, boater and you have a different anchoring configuration, good for you.  I post this only from our experience standpoint.  Chevy, Ford, Democrat, Republican, Bud, Coors, salty or sweet......I don't care.  It's all good.     

Health - Trigger Finger Costs

Oct 24^th 2017

We went yesterday for my pre-surgery dr appt for my right ring finger.  It has been two years since I saw Dr Araujo here in Trinidad.  He suggested we try one more cortisone injection but left it up to me to decide.  While I doubt that is going to do it, I had to try once more, so that is what I got yesterday.  In the past, it works for a bit and then the trigger finger comes back.  I have a follow up in a month.

Now for the interesting details of the visit that make it so different from the USA and probably the reason the pricing is reasonable down here in the Caribbean.

• First, we met in the doctor's actual office, not an exam room.  It is so much nicer.  He has an exam room off his office so we went in there for the actual exam but then back into his office for the wrap up.  Nice.
• Second - other than checking in at the front desk, the actual Dr is the one we saw next, not a PA, RN, or other, but the actual Dr.  He was the one asking what was going on.  
• Third - He did an ultrsound on each hand.  He did it himself, not someone else.  *I have trigger fingers in each hand - at this point ring and middle on each hand but only the right ring is really bad. 
• Forth -He did the injection himself.  An office staff brought in the dose and supplies but he did it.  This involved freezing the area, numbing with a local and then waiting for that to kick in (5mins - in which he typed on his computer notes to my file and yet continued to chat with us) and then did the actual injection.

Trigger thumb - left not working like the right

In the USA I would first see a med staff of some sort who would gather information.  Then a PA or RN to do a brief exam and diagnosis and then the Dr to give the final diagnostic.  Any ultrasound would have been in radiology and if in a hospital, read by a radiologist and then sent to the Dr.  In a clinic it would have been done in radiology dept and then sent to Dr for reading.  My injections in the USA have always been given by the PA, never the Dr.  

Billing in Trinidad - Dr fee (by the way, Dr Araujo is a board certf. Orthopedic doctor with training/schooling in Trinidad, UK and US) $600TT -approx  $100US.  Ultrasound was listed as one for $400TT - approx$66US.  The injection was not even listed. 

Trigger thumb fixed in USA several years ago

Billing in the USA - first of all, good luck even pricing healthcare costs of any sort before or during.  It is really hard, seriously.  I have not done an in depth lately but a cursory look online yesterday said the cortisone injection alone would be anywhere from $116 to $343 in our zip code.  One search said a hand exam would be approx $1000+ but that is very rough estimate as there were no details and unknown if this was with a specialist (ortho dr).  I could not find what a hand ultrasound would cost.  I have no doubt it would be billed as two ultrasounds in the USA -right and left hand.  

When I priced the actual hand surgery in 2014 I was able to make several calls to billing depts in KC to get specifics.  I felt like I was close to actual costs as I had the CPT codes.  Trigger finger surgery in the USA in 2014 in KC would have been approx $10,000 US with no insurance.  Negotiated insurance rate is usually one third to one forth the uninsured price, so $3000 to $4000.  Of course this is only after deductable is met.  Our current insurance has a high deductable of $5,000 each.  Anything over routine annual test hits against the deductable first including ultrasounds, xrays, injections, surgeries , etc.... Those would be billed at the negotiated rate but still paid in full by us up to the deductable.  Then of course once the deductable is hit, some is fully reimbursed and other healthcare costs are a 60%-40% or 80%-20% reimbursement depending on procedure & plan. Trigger finger surgey in Trinidad in 2014 would have been $800 US plus some change for pain meds (cheap here) and follow up Dr visit so...$900'ish.  

And we wonder why our healthcare costs are so out of control in the USA.  Of course, I have had to do a bunch of research and digging to even get all of this.  Luckily, I had a job in the past where I could makes numerous phone calls, leave messages, wait on hold and take return calls to find out pricing and of course follow up in incorrect billing (more often that not by the way)  What of those that work a on a production line or in a mine or other where they don't have flexibility to makes calls during working hours?  

It is no wonder that our European friends shake their heads when it comes to US healthcare.  Many are afraid to cruise to the US for fear that something might happen physically and they will need emergency treatment and can't afford it.  Example - UK friends had another UK friend who broke his finger while cruising the east coast.  Simple finger fracture.  I don't know if he did a hospital or clinic but xrays were taken, he saw a doctor,  got a finger splint and then a bill for $5,000.  He nearly fainted.  Our friends said in UK the exact same would be $150 pounds. 

Health Onboard

Oct 13th 2017

I have been meaning to blog about health items aboard sv Honey Ryder for quite some time.  Interesting that I picked today since I'm feeling a tad under the weather.  Nothing serious, just a sore throat indicating that a cold is in my future.  No doubt some airplane bug I picked up with all the cruisers flying back in here.  So many cruisers with grandkids slobbering all over them right before they board the airplane to come back here.  Ugh – kid kooties!  I am trying to rest and stave off the coming cold - yeah right!  But "resting" does give me the chance to blog a bit.  Some of this might be a bit too much info (TMI) but maybe it will help others in some way. 

Anyway, health items – I am going to discuss in categories.  We actually stay pretty healthy on sv Honey Ryder.  An occasional rash, cold, sore or pulled muscle.

 

Skin Rashes -.  Our most frequent challenge onboard is skin rashes.  In this hot, humid, sweaty environment, we end up with our fair share of skin rashes.  Some simply come from the environment – (wet, sticky), while others are contact rashes (contact dermatitis) from various plants and fruits (let's not forget the Mango Rash).  Still other rashes come from the sea - our being wet with seawater on a daily basis as well as stings and scrapes from microscopic sea creatures.  A recent inventory of our med kits proved that rashes are our biggest challenge.  We have a VAST assortment of meds to treat all kinds of skin rashes, from simply over the counter to strong creams, and pills - Prednisone to Cipro.  On the serious side, Tom did end up with a case of Cellulitis.  His was relatively minor.  We only knew what it was because a fellow cruiser got a bad case in Guyana / Tobago five months earlier. His took three rounds of different antibiotics to kill it.  Scary!  Because we caught Tom’s early and it was not as serious, I started him on a basic, old school antibiotic, thinking that if that one didn’t work, we have two stronger, different antibiotics we could work our way through if needed.   As for me, I have a recurring neck rash at the base of my neck.  It has been diagnosed and I have prescription body wash to keep it at bay and cream (which works only so so) if I do get it.  This season I decided to try something new, Anti-itch Monkey Butt Powder.  I know, crazy name.  Tom used this for the first time this summer while doing a crazy 340 mile endurance canoe race.  They used it on their hands to keep from blistering.  It was amazing and worked really well as he only got 1 little blister after 58 hrs of constant paddling.  So, I decided to bring some back to try on my neck.  I have never been a powder person at all so this was a first.  I powder my neck each night before bed.  It has worked wonders in keeping sweating down and thus I have yet to get my neck rash.

Muscle Relaxer -  We have a supply or two of generic Flexrall for pulled muscles and strains. 

Pain Killers – We have an assortment of pain killers.  Over the counter equivalents of ibuprofen and Tylenol – Panadol  * Panacetamol (brand you find this in Caribbean, UK and Europe and probably the rest of the world).   Nubtone is generic Relafen.  I have 500mg and 750mg.  Finally, strong pain killers like Vicodine, Oxycontone and such. 

Filling Prescriptions  – Many prescriptions can be filled in the Caribbean without a new script.  In fact, most of the time, that is the case unless it is a really serious “controlled substance” type med.  If you have a bottle of blood pressure med or cholesterol med or such, you simply take the bottle into a pharmacy and they fill it.  And this is at all pharmacies big and small in all Caribbean countries.  So lest you think it is just some shady, local pharmacy.  No.  Sometimes they don’t have the exact USA brand.  We often end up with South American or European or India brands.  And I know many USA persons worry about counterfeit drugs.  However, again, these are legitimate pharmacies just like CVS or a smaller regional like Bruce Smith in KC.  The label often says “Bayer South American” or some other big pharma company found in the UK or India.  If you think all your prescriptions you get in the US are “Made in the USA” think again!  They may be US based but those pills are coming from someplace offshore in most cases.  Sometimes getting the other brand will mean two pills to make up for the one pill dose you might get in the US.  Additionally, many, many items that are prescription only in the USA are available from the pharmacy without a script or bottle at all.  For example, birth control pills are available without a script.  When we're stateside each year, we try to do our routine, annual doctor appointments and tests but only if they are covered 100% by insurance.  Otherwise we go here in Trinidad.  We work with the US doctor/nurse/PA to be sure that they are prescribing generic drugs off the discount pricing list at Wal-Mart Pharmacy as much as possible.  I am talking about the $4 and $9 drug lists.  We actually take that list to our appointment.  This takes some work.  Healthcare providers are not yet used to patients managing the scripts and costs to this level.  We have had to be firm at times.  Of course, not everything is available on the discount list.  For those items not available, I hit the internet for discount coupons.  This takes some work at well.  I find GoodRX the best – no sign up or login.  It is amazing how much the coupons help – big discounts.  Wal-Mart seems to have the lowest discount list costs and regular costs.  I also find they are the best at applying the coupons and working with me to suggest additional cost savings.  I try to go early in the morning before it gets busy.   When we get our scripts filled at Wal-mart I do not use insurance.  Our insurance does not cover prescriptions.  I have no idea of there is a discounted rate.  I don’t think there is or if there is, it is not much.  By using drugs from the $4 and $9 list and no insurance, we can purchase a year supply,  Using insurance, you are only allowed 30 -60-90 day supply depending on the med.  Not good for daily med as a cruisers out of the country.  Frankly I have never understood this.  If I am on daily med, prescribed by my doctor, why the hell can’t I go ahead and get a year supply?  Anyway, back to our annual supply – any specific drugs that are not daily like antibiotics or pain meds, we try to get as many refills as the healthcare provider will allow.  Wal-Mart is great because they don’t even make me come back for the refills.  They will let me get all the refills.  I just tell them I am going to be traveling outside the USA extensively and I want to have meds with me in case.  I let my primary know in advance of moving aboard that we were going cruising and what all that entails –well in advance.  Right before moving aboard, I had a full range of tests and he prescribed a wide variety of drugs for us to use just in case. Tom’s doctor did the same.  It has been a little more of a challenge since.  For example, last year I wanted a new prescription for Prednisone.  I called the doctor’s office.  They wanted an appointment.  When I called back, I explained “I don't have a rash now.  I will be traveling internationally in the Caribbean over the next several months and I want have this with me.”  They still wanted me to come in.  “WHY?  I don’t have the rash now?”  Didn’t matter, I had to come in which mean an office visit fee.  No thank you.

Records - Speaking of which, be careful what you tell USA healthcare providers because it goes in your record.  In other words, we now say “We will be traveling extensively out of the country for several months” which is true.  Some insurance limits how long you can be out of the country and still have coverage in the US.  BTW – our ACA (BCBS KC) only covers us in the USA.  We also have DAN (Divers Alert Network) insurance that covers us while cruising but really only for emergencies and such.  Back to the whole be careful what you say, I was shocked at what my medical records said when I gathered them all prior to setting off.  It was the wording.  Example – you go to the doctor and you always have to fill out a basic health form – Do you have this?  This?  This?  When?  Family history of this?  This?  Have you ever smoked?  Drank?  How much?  Ect….right?  What shows up on your record is not yes or no with the details you put but “Patient CLAIMS this.  Patient CLAIMS that.”  OMG!  I know that sounds like a small change but think about how big the ramifications of that small change are.  There are other little things.  So be truthful but be careful, don’t over share unless you are really comfortable with your doctor/provider.  You should get a copy of all medical records.  Start early, this is a process and involves fees to third parties.  Electronic are the best.  Backup on a drive or Dropbox is good too.  I have also made a several quick spreadsheets that I have printed off and keep in a folder.  When we go to a doctor now, we take the spreadsheets.  Tabs are as follows :  Sabrina Drs, Sabrina Med, Procedures – starting with most recent back to when we moved aboard with additional for past surgeries, important procedures and inoculations, Sabrina Drug Allergies, Tom Drs, Tom Meds.  Yes, he is much healthier than me, his lists are shorter.  I update the lists as we travel and print out new spreadsheet each hurricane season.  Having the printed form is just easier for us then having it on a phone, ipad, flashdrive or other.  What if your cell phone/ ipad is loss/damaged/stolen or battery goes dead or not access to the internet and thus Dropbox on the way to the doctor/clinic, hospital? 

Health Insurance –

Affordable Health Care was a huge relief for us when it passed.  We both have preexisting conditions.  Mine was an exception that WAS NOT covered prior to ACA even though I had surgery to correct and am doing fine.  Under ACA, we choose a plan each year that is a basic level with high deductible ($5000) each.  This covers us when we are in USA in case of emergency or serious illness.  DAN (Divers Alert Network) insurance is $155.00 each.  It covers emergency, serious illness and evacuation if needed and approved.  This is not limited to diving but covers us while cruising.  When we need simple treatment in the Caribbean, we pay out of pocket.  Healthcare costs are much, much, much lower here.  In fact they are actually reasonable.  I will be doing another blog specifically on this.  The ACA insurance is based on our income which is substantially lower now that we are not working.  Thus we qualify for subsidies.  Our insurance was approx. $200 a month for both of us last year and $150 a month for both this year.  It went down!  On the same income it went down!  Again, ours is a bare bone basic plan with high deductible.  We also live in a metro area so we had options on plans and found most healthcare providers take it.  However, with the all out war on ACA, who knows what will happen next year. 

Warning Political Rant Ahead  – ACA is not perfect.  No Government plan is!  It needs tweaking and fixing NOT replacing.  It works!  Shame, shame, shame on politicians if they repeal and leave millions of now insured American’s without equal insurance or no insurance.  There will be hell to pay if that happens.  Serious, hell to pay!  DO NOT leave me a comment that health care is not a right.  Are you freaking kidding me?  Healthcare and care of ALL American’s is the morally right thing to do.  In a civil, well functioning, modern society you should not have to mandate healthcare for all but want and demand it for all.  A healthy society is a functioning, good society.  And don’t tell me people should earn it – really?  The majority of all Medicaid (poorest of the poor) are children – CHILDREN.  So implementing a mandatory work requirement is just stupid.  Ohhhh……don’t get me started.  But I know I am probably preaching to the choir here so I will stop.  Rant over, back to health aboard sv Honey Ryder.

Coming up next - healthcare costs

         

People are People - Venezuela Fishermen

Venezuela fishing boats

Oct 1st 2017
Thursday we planned a little lime at the pool in our marina.  Sv Tango and Sv Kelly Nicole.  I got up there just before the sky opened up dumping massive amounts of rain.  It also blew.  The others including Tom decided to wait it out on their boats.  However, I was not alone.  A group of four locals took refuge under the covered area, along with two Venezuelan fisherman.  I shared some channa (snacky food) with everyone.  The locals knew a little Spanish and began chatting with the fishermen.

The rain eased so the locals departed.  The fishermen knew very little English.  My Spanish is non-existent.  *Silly me....I took French in school despite growing up in a very Hispanic town.  Sigh.  However, soon we were trying to converse with much gesturing.  One of the first things we discussed was our presidents.  They said "President Maduro.....he loco."  I quickly countered "President Trump....he mucho loco."  We all three shook our heads sadly in agreement to both statements.  That out of the way, we continued to talk on a limited basis - person to person.

They work on one of the larger Trinidad fishing boats.  They started in January 2017.  Each time they leave Trinidad, they head up to St Vincent to take on bait fish and then out into the Atlantic.  They are usually gone for 25 days before returning to port.  The turn around is short before they head out again.  They are in port now a tad longer as the boat needs painting.  They will stay with the boat and fish through November.  Then they will return to Venezuela for the month of December.  Come January, they will start over again fishing.

They are both married, with two kids each.  Remember......very little English and near non-existent Spanish and yet.....we were communicating, sharing, learning.  Tom arrived as well as Stephan and Annika off sv Tango.  We offered the fishermen some cold beers and more channa to snack on.  Stephan and Annika had spent several months in Brazil when they crossed the Atlantic.  They knew a little Portuguese and started communicating with the fisherman via a combination of Portuguese and Spanish.  We all had another round of coldies.

After a bit, they disappeared to their boat, saying they would return soon.   When they came back, they had a HUGE bag filled with big, frozen fillets of cleaned fish - tuna and Mahi mahi!  It was at least 15 lbs of frozen fish.  We were blown away at this generous gift.  They just smiled.  Tom took it to sv Honey Ryder to put in the freezer, pulling out half for our Swedish friends.  When he returned, he brought a 4 page English to Spanish translation guide I bought this past summer. The youngest of the fisherman was very interested in this.  He used it to ask additional questions, as did we.  The gesturing continued as well along with head nods, smiles and laughs.  Did we understand everything they said?  No.  Did they understand everything we said?  No.  It didn't matter.  We simply enjoyed what we could understand as well as the process and effort.

We have seen them since a couple of times since - "Hola" we say.  "Hello" they say.   

Note -  The above picture is of Venezuela owned fishing boats.  These are very different in design than the regular fishing boats we are used to seeing.  These are wooden, low waterline and usually carrying a crew of 8 or more.  They often dock near sv Honey Ryder, rafting up side by side by side.  As we sit in our cockpit, we can't help but observe a little bit of life onboard these vessels.  It is fascinating.  It should be noted that the fishermen I mentioned above are not on vessels like this but instead a traditional, steel type fishing boat.  They are rare.  Generally those crews are Asian with American captains.

Cat 5 Hurricane Marina - Weeping for Dominica and Others

Toni and Jeff - see the framed pic on the counter?

Sept 29^th 2017

This is Toni and her husband Jeff.  We met them in May 2017 in Dominica.  She is from Trinidad, he is from Dominica.  They met in Hawaii.  They came back to Dominica to start their life together.  They have two small children.  They built a lovely three story house.  Out in front of their house is a small roti/doubles/snack shop.  The land is family land on Jeff’s side.  He father grew up in a tiny 2 room house on that very land.  There is a framed picture on the counter of the snack shop of his father as a child at that house. Their plan is to live in the middle floor and make the top floor two separate apartments to rent out.  The bottom floor would be a market/wholesale place catering to visiting cruisers.  

Their house and business

We got to know them a little bit while we were in Dominica.  Lovely, warm people.  She and I have communicated via email a few times since.   She wrote to me in June to asking if we had safely arrived in Trinidad.  I wrote back saying we had and gave her a short update.  Mid summer I emailed her asking how they were doing.  She responded that they had gotten the market/wholesale area open on the first floor and they were excited for the coming cruising season.  Then hurricane Maria took aim on Dominica.  I emailed her right before.  I didn't really know what to say other than something like "We are thinking of you,. Be safe.  Good luck and please try to let us know you are ok after."  It felt like a weak and empty thing to say but it was all I had.  She emailed right back thanking me for my concern and letting me know that they were prepped and waiting.  Ugh! 

Our hiking guide Ian.  He lived right on a river in Portsmouth.  I hope he is ok. We don't know.

Maria decimated Dominica.  She also went on to ravage St Croix and Puerto Rico.  Report began to trickle out but very slowly.  Very few came out of Dominica.  Eventually, more reports and then pictures started surfacing.  Our worst fears, near total destruction.  I think something like 95% of all structures have sustained some sort of damage.  I need to remind you now, that Dominica was hit by tropical storm Erika two years ago.  That storm brought record rains that in turn caused massive flooding and numerous mudslides that took out over half the roads and hundreds of homes.  33 people died in TS Erika.  The country had only just recovered.  

Taken in 2016 from TS Erika in 2015

It is also important to remember that Dominica is it's own sovereign country with no strong motherland behind her.  Additionally, Dominica is one of the poorest countries in the eastern Caribbean.  Without a large, international airport, the tourist trade that most of these islands depend on doesn't happen on the same level in Dominica.  Despite that challenge, they have come a long way in developing not only a small tourist trade but ecotourism.  A perfect fit for all the natural beauty that is Dominica with 7 extinct volcanoes, 360+ rivers,  hiking trails, the boiling lake, whales and so much more.  

Middleham falls 2016

The cruising community LOVES Dominica.  Nearly everyone stops there while sailing north and south each season.  While several islands got hard hit this hurricane season and many are suffering, this fondness and the above facts are the reason that much of the cruiser related efforts at hurricane relief is focused on Dominica.  Martinique cruisers, Grenada cruisers and Trinidad cruisers have all mobilized with locals on each island to collect needed items and money.  Yachts and a tug have been loaded and have sailed for Dominica.  Additional will be following.  At great risk to themselves and their vessels, I might add. 

sv Endorfin II on the way to the Boiling Lake 2016

As cruisers, sometimes we get lucky and come to know locals on a personal level.  That is one of the magical things about this life, the wonderful people we meet.  This gives us a personal connection to a place and let's us get a glimpse into another culture.  When a natural tragedy or other strikes in that far off place.... like the Caribbean, we can no longer say "Oh, how sad for those people."  Instead we are invested, we know that place personally, we have a connection.  Our acquaintances/friends are there.  They may/are affected.  It pains and worries us.  Often we are called to response action somehow.  These connections and understanding of another place and people make this world a better place.  Especially during the bad times.  One race = the human race.  

Greg our boat guy in Roseau 2016.  I hope he is ok.  We don't know.

There are also additional cruiser efforts for other islands and individual causes and individual families.  We all know someone that was affected this hurricane season, some worse than others.  I just thought I might explain why it may seem like the cruising community is so focused on Dominica and to a lesser extent, Barbuda.  That tiny island is part of the sovereign nation of Antigua and Barbuda.  Again, hit head on by cat 5 Irma and again, no strong motherland behind her.  All 1800 inhabitants of Barbuda were forced to leave their island.  Did you get that.....they had to completely leave the island because the destruction was SO complete!  It is the first time in 300 years that the island had been without people.    

Famous guide Seacat making lunch at Boiling Lake in 2016.  I hope he is ok.  We don't know.  His house is right on the water.

Back to Toni and Jeff - We waited and waited to hear from her.  I scoured the internet for information on the damage in Portsmouth where Toni and Jeff live, hoping for some sort of update.  As I mentioned above, communication out of Dominica was very slow in coming with many, many areas completely cut off from the outside world or even from the government of Dominica itself.  Finally, this week on Wednesday Sept 27th I emailed Toni asking "Are you all alive?  Are you ok?"  I let her know that relief efforts had started in Trinidad, Grenada and Martinique...."Help is on the way.  Hang on"   She responded back late in the day they were alive and ok!  *I am tearing up now as I write this.  So emotional.  It seems they are US citizens (probably when they lived in Hawaii) and therefore were able to evacuate on Monday Sept 25th to Trinidad, several days after the hurricane hit.  She said their house and business was damaged but not nearly as bad as many others.  She added that Dominica is in real trouble.  "They need food and medical supplies now!  People are or have run out of food.  The main hospital in Portsmouth was damaged and needs supplies."   We were SO relieved and yet heartbroken at her report of the conditions.  She said they will stay in Trinidad for two weeks and then head to Texas to stay with family there for a while.  She didn't say when they would return to Dominica.  Think of all the thousands of people that were not able to evacuate.   

Young guide on our Boiling Lake hike 2016.  I hope he is ok.  We don't know.

I mentioned above how it felt weak and empty saying "Thinking of you.  Be safe.  Good luck and please let us know you are ok when you can".  It's more than that, you feel helpless to do anything - before, during and after.   Social media has been filled with images, reports and stories of all the destruction.  Most of us hit the cry emoji and make a comment, something along the lines of "heartbreaking"  but those are the same.....weak and empty.  Make no mistake - it is a horrible thing to have to send an email out with the subject line "Are you alive?  Are you ok?"   I think everyone was just so shocked and stunned.  We didn't know what to do.  But relief efforts soon fired up.  Links to organizations to donate money to or specific GoFundMe.  As well as the the above cruiser/local relief efforts to gather food and supplies to send.  

The people of these islands are strong.  They will rebuild.  This I know.  But they need help from all of us.  ALL of us!!  One race = human race!