Hi All from the warm and sunny shores of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad!
Apologies for the conspicuous lack of recent activity on my part, posting that is, I assure you I have been busy! I've been crafting content to share however shortly after arriving in Antigua the WiFi function on my BlackBerry seems to have to have gone on the fritz and as such I haven't been able to post from any one of the multitude of hotspots around English or Falmouth Harbour in Antigua, home to the most ostentatious display of 'mine is bigger than yours' yachting and a most indulgent concentration of superfluous wealth, including the largest sailboat in the world, Mirabella 5, (289 feet!!) and the previous record holder, Maltese Falcon. Perhaps I am just jealous...nah. Have a look...
In any case, there is a solution on the way! The good folks, Maggie and Al, who provided passage from Nevis Island to Antigua aboard their Stevens Custom 53, akin to a floating motor coach, returned to Yarmouth Maine for the holidays and have been kind enough to bring a netbook I ordered from Amazon back with them when they return to Antigua on Jan 8th. I'll be back in the flow.
During the Antigua-bound transit we were blessed with the appearance of a pod of dolphins frolicking in and about our bow wave. For your viewing pleasure...
You may have noticed that I am writing from Trinidad. It became quickly apparent that upon arriving in foreign realms my US Coast Guard Captain's license carries little weight and as such I need to earn a few credentials to qualify for life on the sea in international waters. So I set about and found the course offered at University of Trinidad and Tobago and hoped on a flight south on New Year's Day and and started the course here today (rest assured I would have preferred to transit by boat however time was short and most boats at this time are heading north from Trinidad for the season).
The course topics are; Personal Survival Techniques, Personal and Social Responsibility, First Aid, and the practical exercise I am really looking forward to, Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting. We'll get to use air tanks and don protective suits and actually get to fight fires! Very cool!
After I return to Antigua this weekend with STCW certificate in hand I will enroll in the MCA (Marine and CoastGuard Agency - a UK governing body) sanctioned Yacht Master Offshore course to 1) refresh and update my high-seas knowledge base and 2) further prepare me for a life at sea at the helm of what I hope to be a 20 to 40 meter classic style sailing yacht replete with teak decking and brass/stainless fittings. Oh the beauty of the boats here...sheer joy!
In the meantime I have been keeping somewhat gainfully employed with day work prepping boats for charter; general cleaning, organization and repair. I love it all. Being on boats in any capacity is truly wonderful.
Friday past I was invited to sail in preparation for a race on Saturday aboard a Dynamique 62, a French build and fun, sporty racer. I found myself at home on the foredeck bobbing about in 6-8 ft swell and catching seaspray while pulling the jib around the stays'l (stay sail) stay through tacks and gybes! It all happens so quickly and with such force. What a rush!
I am inspired by what I see and experience on a daily basis across a myriad of subjects. I do hope you'll forgive the hiatus. Back with more soon!
Fair winds and following seas...
JDPaine
Hey tall and beardy one, great blog. Inspiration - into the lungs, the brain and the heart. What a new and spectacular journey you're on! Big hugs! KBx
ReplyDeletePainer!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great adventure! Thanks so much for sharing this with all of us! As you could probably guess, I really loved the dolphins! I can't wait to hear more. We miss you so much up here in Maine! xo
Crissy