Time in St Lucia, Caribbean

25 April 2007 Life in St Lucia

We missed the cricket - but we had fun

The day after we arrived we were bushed, we slept all afternoon. Last night we introduced ourselves to the local bar and restaurant, Chateau Mygo, owned by the beautiful Doreen. Happy Hour is all day and all night, you order one beer you pay for one beer, and you receive two beers. So you have to be sure what you ask for. (1=2, 2=4, 4=8, and so on). We met a bunch of Aussies at the bar, over for the cricket. Quite a lot have come over for the cricket in groups and have either self skippered a charter boat or chartered a skippered boat, traveling from one island to another where the cricket is being held. There are also a lot of Aussies that work in other islands or America that we have met.

Anyway back to cricket day semi final that we slept through. When I awoke I tried to find a local radio station that had the cricket on. I am not sure that I was listening to the right match. I did not hear what the SA score was but Aussies were something like 7 for 93, this did not sound good being late afternoon. Next thing I went up to the marina for a shower came back and there was no cricket on the radio. I thought we had lost. The Moorings manager came by and notified us that the two large South African Cruisers a few boats away from us would be having a big party tonight and he hoped it would not disturb us too much.

Next thing the South Africans returned by ferry boat and they were not saying much, they did not appear to be too happy. I was not game to ask them the score. The next thing these Aussies walking past laughing and I asked them the score. One fellow named James looked at me and said you are kidding aren’t you. I said no, and explained the situation. With that he and Sally came on board and introduced themselves, Sally was interested in having a look at our boat, her and her husband have a boat and intend to do a similar trip in a couple of years time. Next thing I looked at this James in a not so dark area, when I first saw him he looked a little familiar. I asked what his last name was and he answered Matheson. It was James from Australian Idol. After a bit more chit chat Sally said that she and the others was crew of Java, a large motor cruiser and they were going to party and would we like to join them. James had flown in for the cricket met up with this bunch and they had invited him to stay aboard as he was flying out very early the next morning. (I don’t think he made his first plane).

Sally had organized early that morning an Anzac Day dawn service on board the Java, a thing that we missed, other Aussies that were at the party worked for a TV Channel in America had filmed the ceremony and played it back for us. It was quite touching. This was the first Anzac Day that I have missed so it filled a special spot, they have promised to send me a copy of the ceremony. We had a very good night and suffered in the morning with Piton Flu as we did the previous morning.

 (Nancy and I in our cockpit)

 (One of the Aussie groups following the cricket final on TV after we won the final)

(Sunset in Marigot Bay)

Piton Flu is a common disease here and it is specifically caught from Chateau Mygo, order one Piton Beer and get two, order two Piton Beers you get four. You can see how the Piton Flu spreads. (Hangovers).

The Java was here waiting for guests to arrive before sailing south to other islands. The crew of Java is Captain Phil the skipper, three married couples and a single man Toby, all but the Skipper being Aussies. They sail on the 29 April.

(This is Java)

We also met an English couple at the party Jeff and Jan; they have a yacht here at the marina and are building a house here. They have been very helpful with information Jeff was a pilot in the British Air Force for many years. Jeff would like to get the house finished then do another long sailing trip. Jeff and Jan took us into Rodney Bay by way of their car to do shopping in a cheaper environment and introduce me to the Chandler for when I go and purchase items.

We were originally going with Jeff to Rodney Bay to buy a dinghy and an outboard motor, however, there is one local identity by the name of Kieran, a big young man with an eye and brain for business. Jeff mentioned to him that we were looking to buy a dinghy and Kieran came calling. He sold us his second hand hard bottom inflatable dinghy and 15 HP Yamaha outboard (4 months old), for a third of the price it would have cost us at the chandlers. So now we have our dinghy and motor. Kieran said we were doing him a favour by taking the dinghy, he had two and because of this all his mates used his second one and that was costing him money. He comes by a few times a day to say hello and find out if we need anything else.

Kieran works the large cruisers, if they want anything Kieran gets it for them at the best possible price and the best quality, before this marina was built Kieran was Mr. Marina.