MID JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024.PLACENCIA, BELIZE.
Following on from our last blog we had the ongoing job of changing over the windlass and rebuild of the anchor locker. We will always be grateful to a close friend who lent us the use of her dock on the little island in Placencia bay. Here, after laying out tarps, we can lay gear out, tools etc without juggling on a constantly moving work space! The weather is being kind too, sun & slight breezes.
There’s no breaking away from it, this is going to be a messy job. Terry’s cut out all the rotten wood base, just about every electric toy in Terry’s toy box is out.
I’m despatched to Wallems hardware to buy a vax to suck out the fibreglass dust from the locker. Each day the bed’s hauled out into the cabin, during the vacuuming out.
Fortunately we can cut the plywood on the decking & fit it.
We have found a local boat builder, Stafford, who’s helpful all the way through this job. He supplies us with plywood, resin, hardner, talc powder to mix with the resin & fibreglass, gelcoat, everything we need in the smallish quantities we require. Nothing is too much trouble. I become the regular gopher to his boatyard. One visit, Stafford has to go to his storeroom across the canal. As he heads towards his lancha, he nods at his small friendly team of workmen and reassures me “I won’t be long, you’re safe with these guys” I can’t resist…I answer “Hey Stafford, what you need to ask is, are your guys safe with me?!” Cue collapse of Stafford and his workers in fits of laughter! These are great guys!
It’s hot work for Terry, starting early before heat gets too much for the resin to go off and harden. Before long Sisu begins to glisten and sparkle with fibre glass particles and my husbear resembles a Hobbit…
Each day, Terry builds up the layers of fibre glass for the base and the walls of the locker. Despite his care, strands of fibreglass adhere to our lines and deck.
We await the delivery of our replacement windlass, kindly being brought by our friends David & Soy Smith sailing from Guatemala. It’s been quite a logistical challenge as we bought the windlass in Guatemala from a cruiser,then we arranged collection and transport to here! It’s all coming together nicely, the windlass is the same make as ours, a Tigres 12 volt 1500W chain and gypsy unit. Our friends arrive safely and we gratefully take ownership.
Terry gets it on deck and takes it apart to check the condition. It’s clean and exactly as described.
I married an engineer, there’s nothing they love more than finding out how good the “guts” are of anything. Some years ago, he took apart our little spin dryer we have on board to see if it was up to the job!
The day came to screw the windlass to the now what I would describe as Victorian level of strength refurbed anchor locker, built to last! Six days of Terry working and sweating under his blue tarp, without complaint. Maybe some swearing, but that’s part of the job. It was a good day.
We still need to replace our chain, however with our beefed up windlass, the extra power means hand hauling the anchor and hoisting our dinghy will be easier on us, and Sisu.
During the time when I’m not gophering in the dinghy and making sure Terry stays hydrated and fed, I put to the back of my mind that’ll soon be my turn to sweat by serenading my husbear on my ukelele, though I’m not convinced he appreciates it. Haven’t had anything thrown at me yet!
As for the inevitable clean up? I’ve finally surrendered to this part of any job undertaken in a small space, hark, do I hear Terry shouting “You haven’t bloody surrendered to it, you get really foul tempered and bang things about, whilst sighing heavily!” I set to and just get on with it. Though ok, the volume and extensive vocabulary of my swearing depends upon the level of muck I’m cleaning up. This job was set to high!
Its not all been hard graft. Work hard, play hard, viz…a visit to Big Tittys Rum Bar! Together with our friends, Michel and Lucie, s/v Moyak, who’ve had their fair share of big jobs too, we celebrated with Big Tittys legendary Dark & Stormy cocktails, a generous, very generous, shot of Dark rum, fresh ginger, ginger ale, syrup, lime topped with a generous, very generous, shot of Light rum.
One is sufficient, drink two and you lose the use of your limbs from the feet up. The catch is, they taste so good, it takes almost superhuman willpower not to go “oh why not!” and order another.As you get a quarter of the way down your glass, the cocktail has been gently weakening your resistance , weaving its magic spell and you are seduced! We resisted, but by crikey it took some doing!
Boys!!
We’ve also been sampling the excellent seafood here at Cha Chi’s and Omar fish restaurants. Definitely worth a visit. Reasonably priced for superb food and freshly caught lobster, crab and fish.
I’m a philistine and ordered pizza!
We also found freshly caught fish at the quayside fish market.
Soon we will begin studying weather forecasts as we will be moving on. Till then we’ll enjoy the tranquil, laid back vibe of Placencia, the ready welcome and cold beers at Yolis bar and next week we have the energy and colour of the annual Placencia Art Festival!
Park your dinghy Sir?!
sisu journey 