Our "Gone" Anniversary: One Year of Living Aboard

A few weeks back on August 17th, we celebrated one year of cruising. This is the date, one year ago, when we left Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario and started our journey east and then south. It's funny to think that the oppressive heat wave we departed in, is now normal temperatures for us in Grenada.

Every anniversary bears some reflection. As I look back at the past year, our family has experienced significant change in every way we live. For our family of four, we live off the power of five solar panels, consume a total of about 25 litres of water a day, and eat more beans and rice than ever before.  We hold school in a variety of classroom configurations, and phys-ed and art can mean swimming to the beach and building a sand city. Going to work for me can mean figuring out the buses to find a good markets for shopping, preparing school lessons and marking schoolwork. For John, perhaps less change has occurred for him overall; house or boat, he continues to renovate and repair as he's done for decades!

Upon reflecting on our past year on Nahanni V, I felt a need to take stock of what I've learned since leaving home:

I like being warm

After leaving Halifax in December with 4 C temperatures and sailing in the cold North Atlantic, I have no desire to be cold again.  I prefer sweating to freezing, especially if I can jump over the side several times a day to cool off.  Multiple layers under foul weather gear holds no appeal for me anymore. I no longer like wearing shoes. I love wearing by bathing suit all day. I can't fathom wearing something made of fleece. (Of course, as I write these words, part of me screams, "But you love Canadian winters!" For now, I am packing that part of me up in the locker with my boots, toques and gloves.)

Homeschooling is not for wimps

I love that I see my kids everyday and that I get to be the imparter of knowledge to them. Every hour has a teachable moment, that is, if I have the energy or creativity to use the moment, and if my kids stop arguing for the moment to actually hear me.  I love witnessing those aha moments when they occur, that is, if I am not trying to figure out how to teach leaf and stem plots or get the dishes done. Balance is what it is all about and as long as everyone is learning, school rocks. (Unless of course, it is in the literal sense, and then we stop school or else we get seasick.)

Good friends are in every port

The sailing community is vast and we never know who we will meet. One afternoon on the beach can leave you feeling tingly that you have found a new friend who gets this sailing lifestyle and all that goes with it.  I learn something from everyone I meet and am blessed by new friends, even if they are sailing away the next day.






Wherever you go, you are there

I learned this lesson when I travelled in my 20's, but the lesson bears repeating. I used to think that just because I was in an exotic location, free from the stresses of home, I would always be happy. We have good days and bad days wherever we are. I can be grumpy in my Grimsby kitchen or lying on a Caribbean beach. (OK, that might be a stretch, but you get the point.) I recognize that I need to be mindful of what is happening around me and be grateful for all my points of sail.

My kids are amazing

OK, every parent thinks their kids are awesome, but mine really are. They are adaptable, flexible, funny and creative. They are great little sailors with an eagerness to explore and navigate their way out here. Oh yes, they drive me wild at times, but I admire both of them immensely: Simon for his ingenuity, his overflowing enthusiasm and his barely containable energy. Wavey for her intuitiveness, her quick wit and her curiosity about everything and everyone around her. Both kids complement each other and are great friends. It is fulfilling (and also a little scary) to see them venture off more independently now and put into practice things they have learned from us and the world. I can't believe we lucked out and have the privilege of parenting these two extraordinary children.

My partner in life and sailing is well...

I can't think of a single word to describe John. For over 17 years, we have refit boats and houses together, crossed oceans, worked and lived in close quarters, and planned this family sailing adventure. John is visionary, passionate, and quietly daring. He is also the most patient person I know (he lives with me after all.) He is resourceful and smart and I would not be on a boat anywhere without him.



Blogging is harder than I thought it would be
I love the idea of writing blogs as things happen; to share our experiences as they unfold. I have learned that for a blog to occur, I need discipline, time, and a good internet connection. Sadly, these three things align less often lately, despite my good intentions.





I have a lot more to learn

Despite our one year of family cruising (plus four years pre-kids), I still feel like a newbie. I do not feel that I have got this yet, and somehow, that's OK. Everyday on a sailboat is an adventure. We change and grow in ways we can't predict.





Gratitude comes in waves

We have a great deal to be grateful for. Full moons, sunsets, and pristine beaches. Dinghy engines that start, full propane tanks, and breezes through the cabin. After seeing the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma in so many places we hold dear, we are thankful to be safe and afloat.

Tropical Storm Don: Mangroves, The Goddess of Love and Cap'n Fatty

We arrived in Prickly Bay, Grenada in the dark on Sunday, July 16th. Luckily, our friends on Drakkar had their AIS on, so we could find them in the heaps of boats bobbing at anchor. In the morning, we found ourselves in a delightful bay with lots of familiar boats around. We also noticed that our butt was sticking out into the channel and our water tanks were empty. 

We weighed anchor, and headed to the fuel dock to fill up and do a little scrubbing. Feeling a little more refreshed, we went to find a place to anchor for the next several weeks. 

Filling our water tanks at Prickly Bay Marina

Perhaps it was fatigue or weariness, but we could not decide where to drop our hook. It was like Goldilocks was at the helm: some places were too deep, some too rocky, some too crowded. We finally found a place that was just right, close to the beach with sprawling villas looking down on us from the cliff above. To our frustration, the holding was poor and we dragged twice while setting the anchor. The third time set us firmly in the sand, but we ended up too close to another boat. We had no choice, but had to stay put for awhile, as the windlass (and the crew) got too hot to anchor again. 

After everything (and everyone) cooled down, we snagged a perfect spot. We settled in to enjoy the rest of the afternoon on the palm-lined beach, with several crews from various kid boats. We breathed a collective sigh of relief that we could stay put for awhile and get a lay of the land. 

Prickly Bay with view of beach

This great feeling lasted for about, uh...four hours. While were were checking out the weather, we noticed that Tropical Storm Don was moving quickly with Grenada in his sights. The National Hurricane Center predicted winds up to 60 knots the following night. Yikes. 

Once the kids were dreaming of calm, idyllic beaches, we pored over the internet to search for the best hurricane holes in the south of Grenada. We decided we did not want to haul out due to the cost, inconvenience, and no guarantee that damage won't occur on the hard. As we had never ridden out a Tropical Storm in these parts, our search led us to our Chris Doyle guide and YouTube (of course). A video by Paul and Cheryl Shard proved to be just what we needed to learn about tying to the mangroves.  See Tropical Storm Tactics - Tying Sailboat in Mangrove for a Hurricane. 

On July 18th, we got up earlier than usual. The anchorage was already thinning out, with many boats seeking more secure shelter. As we filled the kids in on our plan for TS Don, they looked a little worried, especially since we were up and ready to move so early. The storm was not due until midnight, but we wanted to find a place in good time. 

We followed two other like-minded boats at 0830 and motored 5 miles east to Port Egmont. Thirty minutes later we motored into a protected lagoon, with mangroves and homes surrounding the peaceful anchorage. My heart jumped when I looked on AIS, and saw that a boat called Ganesh was taking shelter here as well. If this place was good enough for the famous Cap'n Fatty and Carolyn Goodlander, then it was good enough for us! There were several boats in various stages of securing to the mangroves, and a few boats with a couple of anchors out. Crews were taking foresails down and lashing everything on deck.

Port Egmont

Ganesh at anchor

We found a chunk of mangrove to nose into and proceeded to secure ourselves. I will say that we were not the Shards as we ran around deck willy-nilly, gathering ground tackle and lines while our boat came alongside to the mangroves and ran aground. Within minutes, a man and a boy in a dinghy approached from the catamaran Aphrodite, and offered assistance. Fellow Canadians Rick and his nine year old son Paul, willingly crawled into the mangroves and started tying our lines to the roots. Simon was eager to crawl into the branches with them. Then, Rick and Paul helped us set two stern anchors and kedge ourselves off the shore until we were perpendicular to the mangroves. We spent the next couple of hours tying everything down. Our aft cabin became the dumping ground for dinghy parts, cockpit cushions and wet laundry.

Nosing into the mangroves

Simon and Wavey tying lines into the mangroves

Tying up

Setting the stern anchor

Simon working hard

Almost ready for the storm

Voila!

Once we wiped our sweaty brows, we visited Aphrodite, the home of Rick and Lorraine and their four kids. See Aphrodite's awesome blog. Simon and Wavey soon found themselves swimming and swinging off their rope swing with Betty age 12, Paul age 9, and 6 year old twins Henry and Karen. 

Henry and Wavey

Water play on Aphrodite...what else would they play with?

The kids rowed over to Ganesh to see if the rumours were true about Cap'n Fatty having a big sword and a tendency to give out candy. It's all true! He came out on deck wielding his sword, spinning a fantastic tale, and showering the kids with treats. (For more about candy boats, see the link to his article "Chocoholic Harbor Angel" in All at Sea.)

Cap'n Fatty and Carolyn

Later that afternoon, we joined a pre-storm party on Aphrodite, with Joanne and Bill from Baidarka, a family from Sago, and Fatty and Carolyn from Ganesh. While the kids were jumping, swinging, and swimming, we listened to Fatty and Carolyn's seafaring adventures from three circumnavigations (see web site for more about them.) When we thought the day couldn't get any better, Lorraine and Rick made homemade ice cream with fresh mangoes and an enormous bowl of popcorn. It was hard to believe that Don was on his way.

Party food

Afternoon on with Cap'n Fatty and Carolyn on Aphrodite

We returned to Nahanni V at dusk to find that one disadvantage of visiting the mangrove ecosystem was entering the habitat of mosquitoes and noseeums. As we hustled to get our screens up, I cooked up the last of Simon's mahi mahi for dinner. 

Mahi mahi with pesto pasta (now completely out of fresh fruits and vegetables )

The kids were eager to stay up and do what lots of people do in a storm: watch a movie. While we scratched bug bites and watched Harry and the Hendersons, the rain started and the wind picked up. Nahanni V didn't budge as the wind gusted up to 25 knots...and then...died. It was not even enough wind to blow the mosquitoes away. At midnight, we realized that Don was not going to pack the punch predicted, and we all fell sleepily into our bunks with buzzing mosquitoes dancing around our heads. (Made me feel nostalgic for Ontario camping in June.)

See review of storm on The Weather Channel.

The next morning, I awoke to the sounds of lines being untied and the dinghy being launched from the fore deck.  John and Simon were up early and were pulling us out of the mangroves and back to anchor. We decided to stay another day in Port Egmont to play with our new friends, and enjoy the perfect weather. Our kids spent most of the day sailing around the anchorage and swimming off of Aphrodite. 

Simon sailing with Paul, Karen and Henry

Paul in the stern had a perma smile the whole time he was sailing!

Port Egmont

After a relaxing night at anchor, we left Port Egmont after walking to get a few provisions at a local shop. 

Coming back with fresh food

Simon rowing back to Nahanni V

While motoring back to Prickly Bay, we thanked our lucky stars for tropical storms that fizzle out, for successful mangrove maneuvers, and for meeting some pretty cool people.

Simon's Fish Story

As you may have already noticed, Simon has a new page where he has started writing his own blog entries. Please see Simon SAYS for his latest entry. 

I love a story that begins with, "It all started with the old pink squid..."

Island Hopping to Grenada

Since leaving St. Martin over seven weeks ago, we have become more in sync with the tempo of island time. We linger a little longer to soak up the scenery, while keeping the boat and crew happily afloat. After our first year of cruising, I am learning more about being in the moment, and sometimes, well...being lazy. I believe this is the reason for my silent bloggy fingers of late...

In seven weeks, we visited seven islands. We had some concern to get south to Grenada to avoid the storms that tend to track more northerly, but as the weather cooperated, we slowed the pace and explored new places for us in the Windward Islands. 

The sailing between islands has been surprisingly pleasant.  Compared with some of our more uncomfortable and longer passages of the winter months, our day sails have been idyllic with lighter summer winds, sprinkled with refreshing light showers. 

Nahanni V underway

Despite the days spent travelling, our daily routines have become a more structured. Most days start with Bomeschool classes, followed by social time with other kids, swimming, and entertainment like reading, games or watching movies. We plan trips ashore to play tourist, seek out provisions, and exercise by walking or hiking.  

Science presentation on Manchineel Tree (poisonous tree commonly found on beaches)

After leaving St. Martin, we spent some time in St. Kitts and Nevis. We breezed by these islands earlier in the winter, and we were happy to spend a few more days on the beach and walking into the lush, green forests.  

Mount Nevis and Pinney's Beach onshore

Upon arriving in St. Kitts, we were rowing our dinghy into town to check in with Customs, when it started to rain. A dinghy passed us by with a family on board. They smiled and waved, and then turned around and offered us a tow to the dinghy dock. This was our introduction to the the crew of Drakkar, a lovely family from New Zealand .

Party on Drakkar with Cort and Lauren from a visiting charter boat

Playing with Amelia and Boston from Drakkar (with Mom Shannon) on beach

While in Nevis, we walked to the ruins of the Montravers Estate and tried to imagine what this plantation looked like in the 18th Century.

Ruins of the Montravers Estate

The largest Baobab Tree on the island

Ruins of the estate. Efforts have been make to restore the plantation buildings

One of the copper pots used in making sugar cane. (Now used for breeding mosquitoes.)

After Nevis, we made our way back to Guadeloupe and the familiar anchorages from earlier this year. 

Sunset in Deshaies, Guadeloupe

We splurged for a few nights in the marina in Basseterre to wash down the boat, fill up our tanks, and get easy access to shore life. The kids loved running back and forth between our boat and Drakkar, and convinced us that it was a good time to have sleepovers. It was a brilliant idea for all; each set of parents got a night out on the town sans kids!

Boston, Simon, Wavey and Amelia on Drakkar

Sword fighting on their trampoline

Breakfast on Nahanni V after sleepover 

While in the marina, it was a treat to carry the laundry across the street to the laundromat (vs. getting soaked in the dinghy.) The French islands have the best laveries. They are pricey, but convenient, clean and efficient.  There is something satisfying and soothing about bringing loads of clean laundry home. I loved that the laundromat shown below was next to the traiteur, with the best rotisserie chicken.

Laundry in Basseterre, Guadeloupe

It was fun to travel down the island chain with Drakkar. We played a type of leap-frog, usually staying for a few days together in an anchorage before jumping off again. Once we got to Les Saintes, we joined families for some hiking and exploring.

Walking with the goats in Les Saintes

Family photo Les Saintes

Amelia, Shannon, Max and Boston from Drakkar

Le Chameau tower in Les Saintes

On our last day in Les Saintes, we took a mooring directly beside a wreck. We snorkelled over it, and marvelled at how well preserved it was.  I left the kids and John to spend more time exploring while I returned to the boat.  My initial thought was to tell them they could dive down 15-20 feet, but NOT to go into the wreck. On second thought, I bit my lip thinking,"there is no way they would do that, right?"  Wrong.  When they came back, everyone was bubbling over to tell me how Wavey dove down to the wreck and found her way into the ship.  I was glad I had not been there to see my daring, darling daughter when she came up!

Our first visit to Dominica with the kids was full with day trips and play dates. Dominica is an independent island with a British tradition. It is a large, volcanic island that is less developed overall than many of its neighbours. We anchored in Portsmouth Bay close to Drakkar, and explored the island on a couple of day trips up the Indian River, and around the island by taxi.

Trip up Indian River

Please see Simon's full account of our visit to Dominica on his blog page, Simon SAYS.

Fruit and vegetables are abundant on Dominica, and we filled our backpacks with mangoes and other fruits as we hiked around the islands.

Perfect passion fruit for breakfast

Coconut milk for breakfast

"Mine would be better with rum."

Yum

Our science activities led to several experiments, as we learned about the kingdoms of fungi and monerans. To study fungi, we grew various types of mold (quite easy on a warm boat with lots of humidity), and learned about yeast while making bread. We studied monerans by using bacteria in making yogurt. 

Bread mold (taken by Simon)

Science (fungi): Making yeast bread

Gluten free bread

Best science day ever!

Science (monerans): Making yogurt

Yogurt mixed with our last jar of Niagara apricot jam!

While in Dominica, we also celebrated Father's Day. The kids made lots of crafts for John and tried to be on their best behaviour to give Dad a relaxing, quiet day. They put on a Lego play about a day in the life of their Dad from our land-life days. It was very creative and hilarious too!

Father's Day

The Life of Dad: Coming soon to a theatre near you...

We went ashore on Father's Day to visit the Cabrits National Park and hike around the trails. Unfortunately, we got caught in torrential rains and ran from shelter to shelter visiting ruins of an old fort. For a treat, there was a big mango tree and we collected many fruits from the heavily laden trees.

Fort at Cabrits National Park

We returned to the anchorage at dark, soaking wet, and hungry. We ate at a little beach side restaurant called Madiba and had a Father's day feast.

Father's Day fish dinner at Madiba

Happy Dad and Skipper

One afternoon, Simon and I went food shopping and caught some great street scenes from Portsmouth.

Garbage collection day

An unusual home in Dominica

Creative trailer solution

View of Portsmouth, Dominica from the boat (you can almost see Madiba where we had dinner) 

John and I had never been further south than Dominica before, so our arrival in Martinique was a new experience for us all. Our first stop was in the town of St. Pierre, which was a fascinating place to learn about volcanoes and history. 

In 1902, St. Pierre was an important commercial port in Martinique with ships exporting rum, sugar, coffee, and cocoa grown in the wealthy plantations. It was described as the Paris of the Caribbean for its cultural and social activities. On May 8th in 1902, the volcano tucked into Mount Pelee (located just above the town) exploded, killing most of its 30,000 residents and leaving only two survivors. One of the survivors was Louis-Auguste Cyparis, a man who only survived because he was imprisoned in a cell with very thick walls. 

Walking around the town was both pleasant and chilling. The ruins from 1902 were open for exploration; the town simply rebuilt around the ruins and life eventually carried on. The ruins are a constant reminder of the volcano that still lies above.

St. Pierre at dusk from Nahanni V at anchor

Strolling around St. Pierre in the rain with my girl (taken by Simon)

Ruins of city walls and former homes that were built inside them

Ruins of the theatre which was beside the prison where Cyparis survived

Destroyed theatre in St. Pierre

Ruins of theatre

After wandering through the town, we arrived at the Science Centre which had a great video about the eruption in 1902, an exhibit about every active volcanoes in the Caribbean, and a separate discovery room for the kids. A nice way to spend a rainy afternoon.

Centre de Decouverte des Sciences et La Terre

At the south end of Martinique, Le Marin is the yachting centre of the island.  It is equipped with a large marina and more yachting services than you can count. We met up with Drakkar again briefly before they moved on to Grenada. It was fun to see them (as always), and they gave us the scoop on where to provision and catch up on laundry...again. 

Laundry prices - about 30 Euros (or $45 Canadian) to do 4 loads

We had a selection of three large supermarkets that stocked all good things including the French cheeses, breads and dried goods. Since we were leaving the French islands for Grenada, we made four shopping trips and filled every little space we had with items like gluten free pasta, sauces, drinks, canned goods (French canned vegetables are actually good!) and rice which we were told are less expensive than in Grenada.

Stocking up at Leader Price and having an ice cream treat

You can bring the cart right down to the dinghy dock!

Transferring (unrefrigerated) eggs into our own containers to store in the bilge

Taking a lunch break after all that shopping

On June 30th, we left Le Marin to move to an anchorage around the same bay called St. Anne's. It is here in the beautiful, clear waters that Canada and I celebrated our birthdays on July 1st. The windy and blustery day did not affect our fun. My family cooked fabulous meals, made me wonderful gifts, and we played games for most of the day. A relaxing and quiet way to bring in my big 5-0.

Gift my sister-in-law Doris gave me a year ago to open on my 50th.

On July 5th, after one more provisioning trip, we left Martinique to head to Grenada.  We left in the afternoon and had a fantastic overnight sail. By mid-afternoon, we reached the island of Carriacou, just north of Grenada (and governed by Grenada). We decided to stop in the main town of Hillsborough, and check into Customs.

Stretch of white sand in Hillsborough, Carriacou

View of Nahanni V at anchor

Beach stroll

Beach combing on Carriacou

While John and I hung out by the ferry terminal and plugged into the free town wifi, the kids explored around town. While we surfed, checked email and pored over weather updates, Wavey met a little hungry kitty, and scampered off to buy a can of tuna to feed it.

Wavey feeding a stray cat while she waits for us to check our internet on the street

We poked around this little town (which usually means going into every little food shop to see what they offer) and found some street food.

Roasted corn

A couple of days later, we moved about a mile to Sandy Island, an uninhabited islet of sand surrounded by reef and quiet. We were pleased that our new French-Canadian friends aboard La Mer Veilleuse were also anchored there. We spent a few days snorkelling and visiting with Maxim, Karen, Noah, and Alexia.

Sandy Island - an island like the one on everyone's screen saver in January

John of the sea (photo taken by Wavey)

After a few days of being in the water and on the beach, we motored a few miles to Tyrell Bay in Carriacou and found a spot among all the other cruising boats. Everything is pretty laid back in dis place.

Checking out the marine facilities in Tyrell Bay

Despite this sign, we have one of the best wifi signals on the boat here!

We celebrated John's birthday on July 11th, with a fabulous lunch at the Lazy Turtle and a birthday dinner on board. 

 Birthday Boy

Wavey about to attack her meal of lion fish

Wavey, with the cake she decorated with bits of pineapple

Make a wish!

On our last day in Carriacou, we hiked up to the second highest peak on the island called Chapeau Caree. The crew of La Mer Veilleuse joined us for an energetic afternoon.

Dodging cows and goats on the way up

Wavey and the bull

Simon, Alexia and Noah inspecting a tortoise they happened upon

View of Tyrell Bay from Chapeau Caree

Karen and Alexia at the peak

Wavey, Alexia, Noah and Simon at the top

Sweaty, but smiling!

On July 16th, we left for Grenada where we will be staying for the next few months. We are expecting it to be a social summer with the many kid boats already there. With the busy days to come, hopefully there will be a few lazy days too.