back to the virgins

Well my visit to Grenada ended soon enough.  As I heard that it was now October, I started making ready for tte passage back to St john, saying goodbye to friends, fixing what needed to get fixed,  and finally made the jump, saying farewell to that wonderful island.  Its definately on the 'going to visit again'list.  The combination of friendly people, no matter what their color, and amazing scenery made me wish I could stay longer.  but alas, as a US citizen I cannot work there without alot of difficulty, both beareaucratic and financial.  Another factor is that the world depression has hurt the island, with the tourism sector having taken in the teeth with hurricanes and lack of tourists.  Even with the difficulties that Grenadans face every day, they are a warm, friendly optimistic people. 

My last two weeks in Grenada I was working with a shipwright building a 75 foot wooden mast.  It was funny to think that someone chopped down a huge Doughlas Fir in brittish columbia, sawed it down to demensional lumber, shipped it down to the islands, where I and others put it back together close to its original shape, sans branches and pine needles of course.  I sometimes think I could work in a wood shop every day, expecially in a boat yard.   Something about ship building, carpentry with no right angles, is such a beautiful and organic trade.  While in the islands  I've had the chance to get onboard some beautiful vintage sailing yachts.  Vessels that have been lovingly restored to the condition they had when first launched as much as a 100 years ago.

My last month on Grenada was filled with more of the same.  Got to do some more hiking, mostly into the rainforest, trapsing through heavy rainforest, swiming in waterfalls, and accumulating all sorts of scratches and rashes from god knows what.  Hurricane Ivan destroyed alot of the big trees but there were still many to view.  Huge mahoganey and teak teak trees, some close to 150 feet.  Amazing canopies spread out like gigantic umbrellas, with orchids and ferns clinging to the sides and in the huge boughs.

Anyway, I'm back in St john, the boat needs work, as usual, and I'm spending my days now, varnishing a rich mans house.  Looks like I'm gonna make it out of hurricane season ok.  After seeing what H-Erol did to the neighborhood here, glad I missed that show.  Regatta season will be starting in a couple of months and I plan on competing with the natie m. in some of the classic boat races. 

I'm flying back to the states for thxgvg this year.  My mom misses me so I'll be meeting my daughter in south florida (yech) for about a week or so.  I'm also planning a trip to WV next fall at the latest, maybe we can get together then.  Any chance you could make the trip down?  Once here it would cost you nothing.  I've been sensing that the end of this crazy adventure is nearing its end someday.  I'm gonna have to find a 'real' job someday, though the thought of returning to the 'life' has me more than a little nervous.  I was sitting with a friend at anchor, who also left his career and home to fulfill a dream of sailing the carrib, talking of when the day comes where we will actually get up to go to an office everyday.  It wasn't that bad before working, just the idea of living in a rigid schedule; something that I have not done is what seems like a very long while, frankly, scares the willies out of me. 
So this sunday, gonna work on finding the leak in the dinghy, work on my stove and try yet again why that damned motor is acting up, ah the life of a sailor, not all glory and adventure, more like a continuous unending list of maintenance and repair.
Was back in St john no more than 2 days and almost got mugged just down the road from the dinghy dock. .

regards from a barstool in paridise,
mark