Warm & wet island living

Another guest blogger for your entertainment...

Captain' s Blog: Bardate 2014 10 20.

It was feeling a bit damp in Vancouver and a bit cool in Toronto so it seemed like a good time to head south to the warm, sunny Caribbean. Sorry, I should have said warm, wet Caribbean.

Water gushing down from the edge of the gutter.

Since arriving back in Montego Bay Saturday afternoon, we've seen more rain than we did for the previous four months on our Abandon Ship Tour (which included Manchester and Vancouver!) It's been absolutely pissipitating it down with lots of thunder, lightning and some strongish wind each afternoon/evening since we got here. Still, soon be dry season...

The storm is coming in from the left - that grey shadow is rain.

We said our goodbyes to all of Julia's wonderful family after a great Thanksgiving weekend, and headed for Toronto last Tuesday with mixed emotions. Sad to be leaving behind kind, generous family and friends who have let us stay in their homes, fed us to bursting, lent us cars and motorcycles in abundance, shown me real bear poo, and were genuinely (or you're all potential Oscar winners) pleased to see us. But we were happy to be headed back to Diva and the warm, sunny Caribbean – but see above for our disillusion. 

Rushing to catch the plane, YVR

Then we repeated the mixed emotions scenario after another Thanksgiving turkey dinner with the Toronto gang.

Counting it up, it seems we have slept in 25 different beds since we left Diva in June. So a massive thank-you to everyone in the UK and Canada that made us feel so welcome. That doesn't include Travelodge, they're rubbish.

So now we are back.

the Crew's luggage - just kidding - in YYZ

One or two minor problems.....................

We got back to find that the house batteries on Diva are flat. It is hard to explain how this happened as nothing was left on and the solar panels would normally keep them topped right up. I'm now trying to revive them but it may take a few days before we can switch the fridge on. That is inconvenient – no cold drinks!

Captain's Blog: Bardate: 2014 10 21

So this morning, 1^st Officer Julia (otherwise known as the Crew) and myself managed, with only minimal shouting at each other, a fairly smooth docking, Mediterranean style (or arse to the dock with sharp end tied to a mooring). We're a bit rusty, but it seems we haven't forgotten everything.

This has enabled me to use my smart AC charger, plugged into dockside 110V outlet, to massage life back into the batteries, albeit one at a time. 

Oh, and it's raining again!

Best I run now and close the hatches. Love to you all.

Much love from the Crew too.