We are finally back on the radar screen. Paradise has a new meaning for me. If you have never been here I heartily recommend the book "Don't Stop The Carnival". It is full of colorful examples of the way life works in "De Islands".
After arriving we have met our share of challenges. Within 3 weeks the onboard refrigeration died. We are loading the fridge and freezer with blocks of ice while I work frantically installing the new refrigeration system. As to why it has taken me 8 weeks to update the Blog. Well let me tell you our story. When Ben and I arrived we had but 2 weeks to get the boat ready for Jean and our younger two kids. A charter boat for those who have never seen one is like a rental car that has been only rented out to teenagers with bad habits. Maintenance is a word that is taboo here unless the boat is sinking and that does happen as well. A boat from the same company we bought Omarsea from sunk in less than an hour after the guests went snorkeling. They left the boat with all their personal items on board and came back to a new dive spot, three weeks after we bought our boat.
We have been Busy
After playing tourist for nearly 2 weeks, washing ashore with a broken outboard, getting blistered by the sun, plying the waters once habited by the worlds most famous pirates, Ben and I worked like fiends for three days to get the boat ready for the rest of the family. Mildew was scrubbed from everywhere. Bilges washed , rewashed and then scrubbed again till the shone like a china plate. We installed the Bimini top. Replaced a broken water pump. Re-plumbed the fresh water system. Repaired the Bow rail. Went grocery shopping and otherwise did all the activities guys do on boats that women refer to as nesting in a house. All the while we searched for Internet access that could at least get email out. WIFI in the good 'ole US of A is different. We being from Portland are particularly spoiled what with free metro service in the city. There are numerous WiFi spots in the islands. But most require you load their special little access software(AKA AOL'ish little viruses) and the speeds are dismal at best. There are those bright spots however and we are sending you this update from one of those.
Life is good again Jean Juli and Stevie in St Thomas
As Jean, Juli & Stevie arrived so did 2000lbs of stuff. I am not sure stuff is the right word to describe a full ton of, well stuff but it did arrive and we did manage somehow to pack it all away somewhere. Finding anything after such a world wind of packing is completely another story. I am still looking for my pop rivet gun. If any of you happen to be psychic with tools I would be grateful if you could pass any information on to me.
The first thing we did right down here though is get Jean and the kids Masks, fins and snorkels from a reputable dive shop in ST John. The corals are fabulous and the turtles, rays, fish and other underwater life are a must see on anyone's list. Swimming and hiking are a regular part of our days here. Combining the exploration of underwater with visiting historic sites and parks is great fun and very educational for all the family.
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