We spent ten days tending to our boat in Clarke's Court Boatyard, in the high heat and higher humidity. The mosquitoes and flies were horrendous. It was wonderful taking breaks in our air-conditioned room above the on-site restaurant.
Liahona was being stored “on the hard”, out of the water until we arrived. She was also strapped down to huge concrete blocks, in case a large storm were to hit the island country.
We were in need of bottom paint, oil changes, propeller work and other assorted tasks. Tim did most of the work, while I did some sorting and arranging. We also hired a company to sand the toxic paint from the bottom of the boat and repaint it. The interior of the boat was very hot in the mornings, and by lunchtime, you could steam a vast array of dim sum inside. Suffice it to say, I did very little work on the boat after midday. Tim was more resilient and could handle the heat and humidity more than I. Or, maybe, he wanted to spend as much time as possible on our new home.
At the start, we ate most of our meals at the restaurant downstairs. After several days, we realized that our healthy diet had taken a quick dive. Too many carbs and not enough vegetables made us yearn for some home cooking. A new friend, Janet, showed me the way to a local grocery store. It only took a short dinghy ride, 2 busses and a bit of walking. Janet was adept at starting, driving and locking up their small outboard motorboat. Our dinghy was still aboard Liahona, so we did not have access to it yet. On the bus rides, we were crowded onto a 16-person passenger van, without air-conditioning. The windows were blocked by the person sitting in the closest seat. No air flow for the rest of us. Sure, we can fit one more person in!! Anyway, this was the bet deal in town- only $2 EC per bus, which is approximately equivalent to 74 cents, US.
At the rather small grocery store, I partially filled my basket with local and imported fruit and vegetables, milks, oatmeal, butter and cheese. Food is very expensive here in Grenada. My few items cost almost 300 Eastern Caribbean dollars, which equals over $100 USD. I know, I know, food is expensive everywhere, but $5 usd for 1 peach. Asparagus was almost $10 usd per pound. I chose very carefully. No wonder our boat seller said that it is almost the same price to eat out. Not really, though.
Then, back by walking, 2 busses, more walking, and a dinghy ride. Did I mention the heat, humidity and MOSQUITOS?
Thank you, Janet, for the guidance. I’m not sure if I could remember the route if I tried.
I arrived back to the room to find a hot and exhausted Tim. We had microwaved eggs and toast for dinner. Needless to say, we were usually fast asleep by 8:30.
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