21 June 1995 Soufriere to Cumberland Bay, St Vincent
Up early. One of the boat boys wanted to untie my line for me, but I said don’t bother because I could do it myself. He finally offered to do it for free because he was worried that the other boats there might see me and he would lose business. It really pisses me off that they expect to be paid $10EC (£2.50) for tying the rope and $10EC for untying the rope. This probably all started with some yacht giving a local a bit of change for helping him.
We had a boisterous sail which was a bit uncomfortable, but at least the wind was slightly behind us. We tied up in Cumberland Bay and were besieged by boat boys. I jumped in the water, dived down to check the anchor and when I surfaced there was a woman on the boat having her picture taken!
I filled 2 tanks and we went for a dive. “Moby Dick” arrived and anchored next to us. We ended up on “Moby Dick” for a beer and I’m afraid that I got drunk.
22 June 1995 Cumberland Bay, St Vincent
We decided to go for a hike up to the top of the volcano, Mount Soufriere. “Moby Dick” kindly said they would babysit while Glenys and I went by ourselves. Our guide was called Abbey who said he would take us for $40EC (£10). He arranged a taxi for $90EC to drop us off and pick us up again. I thought this was a bit steep but what the hell.
We got to the taxi to find out that it was a pick-up truck, and we were expected to ride in the back. The driver (a huge tough looking guy) asked Abbey how much he had agreed, Abbey said “90 dollars”. The guy nodded and said “90US”. I said no chance and we agreed 90EC for us to ride in the back of the truck. It rained on the way, in fact it threw it down.
We arrived at the end of the road and started our 4 mile trek. Our first obstacle was 200 metres from our drop off point and we had to wade through a waist deep river. We walked along the beach for about ½ mile and then cut off up a dry river bed. One of the straps pulled out of my sandals and I had to tie it up with a bit of string.
We slowly, remorselessly climbed up through rain forest, hilly farmland and then near the top, low, scrubby vegetation. It was extremely hard work and halfway up another strap pulled out of my other sandal – I nearly gave up. Meanwhile, Glenys was struggling having to stop and rest every few hundred metres. She battled on though. Having said this, two of the guys with us were walking up in bare feet...
Near the top, we ran into clouds and gale force winds, which were so strong that we kept having to crouch down in the gusts. We eventually made it and sat on the rim on the volcano. Visibility was about 25metres, so we didn’t see a lot. The walk back down was just as bad because of the slippery, steep path, but we managed to survive. We filled up one of our rucksacks with green and ripe mangos from a wild tree.
We arrived back at the pick up point to wait the 10 minutes until three o’clock when our “taxi” would appear. By half past, he hadn’t appeared, so we started to walk towards Chateau Blaire to have something to do. We arrived in Chateau Blaire at quarter past four – still no sign of the “taxi”.
We decided to catch a bus back to Cumberland Bay - Abbey was not very happy about this. We were travelling on the bus when the pick-up truck went past us. Abbey screamed for the bus to stop and we all piled off. The pick-up driver grinned inanely, but didn’t really apologise for being 1½ hours late so I went ballistic. I told him that I was only going to pay him half of the money and did a lot of shouting. The bus load of people and Abbey (and his 2 friends!) thought this was highly amusing. I eventually told the guy that I would only pay him $50EC; he nodded and told me to just get in the pickup.
When we arrived back at Cumberland Bay, I went to give the driver $50EC, but he said the deal was $90EC. I started to argue that he couldn’t expect money when he turns up 1½ hrs late. He eventually just said “have a nice day” and drove off without any money. I then gave Abbey $50EC (intending $10EC tip) but he said he wanted $40EC per person – Oh, give me a break!
We eventually agreed to give him $75EC but then he still wanted $50EC to give to the truck driver. I said I wasn’t going to and he looked very worried and said that he was going to have to pay the truck driver from his own money. He was obviously very scared of upsetting the truck driver so I gave him $100EC and $10US and said it was up to him what he paid the truck driver. I told him that I thought that the truck driver doesn’t deserve anything – he was charging rip off tourist prices and then not supplying the service! We arrived back to pick the boys up at five o’clock - a long day out!
23 June 1995 Cumberland Bay to Admiralty Bay, Bequia
We motored round to Petit Bayhaut where Glenys and I did a dive – wonderful. We then had a nice sail to Bequia, which was slightly marred by bilge water slopping about wetting the saloon carpet. The electric bilge pump had packed up and we hadn’t noticed. I used the manual bilge pump for the first time in nearly 3 years sailing. We anchored off the beach. I went and cleared in and picked up a parcel containing the compressor spares from Air Tech – it’s a miracle.
Glenys went snorkelling and found what resembled a three metre diameter fried egg stuck to the sea bed just next to our boat. I put a scuba unit on and went to investigate. It turned out to be Inshore Arrow Squid, breeding and laying packets of eggs in a huge cluster. The centre of the cluster must have been several days old and the packet casings have gone yellow.
It’s an amazing spectacle with large 12” squid (males, we think) pairing up with smaller 8” long females (we think). They approach the egg cluster together and then the female deposits a packet of eggs about 3” long by 1/4” diameter. The whole thing looks like a giant anemone with loads of squid flashing about. This natural phenomenon has attracted a shoal of small tuna which keep flashing about. I spent over an hour watching them – fantastic!
24 June 1995 Admiralty Bay, Bequia
Back into the routine. We did school work in the morning. Glenys made some mango chutney and went mad cleaning her cupboards in an anti-weevil campaign. I read a book and started to repair the bilge pump – I couldn’t get it working and managed to shear off a bolt.
25 June 1995 Admiralty Bay, Bequia
School work in the morning and then pottering about doing a few jobs and playing the clarinet. I haven’t been off the boat for two days (except for a swim).
26 June 1995 Admiralty Bay, Bequia
School work (Test Lesson 120) in the morning. Glenys went into town to do a bit of shopping while I filled 4 tanks. Glenys and I went to do a dive after lunch.
While we were away the boys were playing on the beach. Brett threw a big rock up in the air and it landed on his own head. He ending up being helped by a local who took him back to his hut on the beach, trimmed his hair and put a plaster on. Brett was OK. We’re feeling guilty - we’re bad parents leaving our two small children alone on the beach while we go diving...
27 June 1995 Admiralty Bay, Bequia
Glenys did school work with both of them while I did a few jobs. In the afternoon, I played the clarinet and Glenys went into town. “Moby Dick” came for dinner and told us they were moving on tomorrow. Brett and Craig had a great time riding in a local’s ski boat with a 75hp outboard – wow!
28 June 1995 Admiralty Bay, Bequia
We had a day off school today. I spent most of the day messing about with my “memoirs”. I’m working on the three months from leaving Feedback to moving onto the boat. I took most of the day to go through the old invoices for re-fitting the boat and figure out what and when we did things.
Glenys started doing the upholstery in the back cabin – she bought the material in Trinidad last September and HAS to do it before we go back there! Brett and Craig went to the beach with Ben from “Mistral”. Ben was being a bully again and wouldn’t let Brett or Craig play with Brett’s ball. Brett got upset and swam back to the boat. Ben jumped into Mario’s dinghy (a German boy) and chased Brett calling him a sissy for running away.
Brett doesn’t know what to do, he wants to play with Ben, but Ben is such a bully. All we can say to Brett is “don’t play with him”. We eventually persuaded Brett and Craig to go over to “Rose of Wight” and play with Harry (7) and Laurel (4). Craig had a great time and went on board, but Harry told Brett that he couldn’t go on board. Brett came back to Glencora and had an identity crisis. We went to “Rose of Wight” and had a beer or three with Nigel and Jan.
29 June 1995 Admiralty Bay, Bequia
School work in the morning. Glenys and I went to the shops and then I spent most of the afternoon making a new cam plate for the bilge pump. I’ve changed everything else – impellor, end seal and put JB weld in the grooves of the shaft – I’ll try it tomorrow.
Brett and Craig played by themselves until about three o’clock, then they played with Harry from “Rose of Wight”. Ben and his mate started to tease Brett, Craig and Harry, Glenys saw him and went ballistic – she gave Ben a good telling off, telling him he was too aggressive and a bully and that she’s told Brett not to play with him, so there! We had a quiet night in.
30 June 1995 Admiralty Bay, Bequia
School work in the morning. We called the Daffodil catamaran and filled up with water and fuel. I tried the bilge pump after dinner and (guess what?) – it didn’t work. I reckon that there is too much clearance on the ends of the impellor – try again!
We had “Rose of Wight” and “Colleen” (Mike and Jane) around for drinks.
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