Here are the next five frustrating entries in my journal from the adventure with Vernon and baby Steve…

sail with Paul.png11-15-85

On 11-13 we took on the challenge- we sailed out of the bay and headed south (straight into the wind of course).It was light at first then nice and steady as we sailed on down the coast of Dominica. At night it calmed. We took shifts at the helm and sleep, and watched the stairs as they climbed into the sky and set in the west. Saw a shooting star skip across the whole sky. Winds picked up again from Martinique to Fort-de-France Bay only to die out completely at the bay entrance at dusk. So we tied the dinghy alongside the boat and used the outboard to slowly move to the outer edge of the bay. We dropped anchor for a rocky rolly night. The sail had been over 30 hours. We had been out of ice for a while. And the water tanks went dry, dirty brown residue came out of the faucet –seems there is a leak. The next morning we dinghied powered the boat over to the marina and into a slip. I couldn’t tell if Steve or Paul was happier to get off the boat and onto solid ground. We went into F-de-F to clear customs and stopped at the Volvo-Penta dealer to see if he had a prop. What do you think? I called mom and told her to tell Ann to bring 2 when she comes to visit soon. Also told her that if things don’t improve I am heading home.

11-16-85

We woke up to Rain. Solid rain. The lady on the next boat said the weather has been great till we arrived. Our outboard gas tank was stolen last night right from the marina dock. We do not have the correct type of dock electrical cords for this marina so we tried to run the engine to recharge the batteries but something is loose and batteries are not charging. We took the ferry across the bay to the city just in time to watch the stores close up for the day (Saturday) not to re-open till Monday. Came back soaked because it continues to pour. I haven’t had a chance to provision and the only place to get ice is by ferry in F-de-F. Paul says we are jinxed and he is glad he is flying home tomorrow. Vernon says this must be a bad dream and to please wake him up. This is not what our vacation is supposed to be about. Snorkeling, sun, fun, and fresh caught lobster dinners was what we had in mind. Things have got to get better soon.

11-17-85

Wrong! The engine is leaking all its oil. And the alternator is screwed up again and not charging the batteries. What to do. Should we call and cancel Ann and David? Haul the boat out here? But you have 2 strikes against you before you start because you can’t speak French. Or we could sail north with Ann and David to the US Virgins. But we do not have a prop or an engine we can trust and still can’t find the water leak. I kinda envied Paul as he took off on the ferry to F-de-F to fly home. A solid bed, hot shower, 3 margaritas and a basket of warm chips sounds awfully good right now! Vernon says he votes for Domenico’s Pizza in Belmont Shore. Maybe this trip is to teach us that our life at home was actually the vacation in paradise. We walked the beach at Anse Mitane and Steve ran right into the water –new sandals and all. He sure loves it. The teenage boy on the next boat is going to come by after 8pm when Steve is asleep and Vernon and I are going to have a quiet dinner out and talk over our dilemma.

11-20-85

We barely kept our eyes open thru dinner the other night. Monday we rented a little white Renault and drove to F-de-F. The Volvo Penta dealer wasn’t in. But we found the sailmaker to repair our torn #! Jib. We also found a baby shop that had a chair with table (like a small high chair) and Steve can sit in it and eat and color. Vernon made arrangements to have the boat hauled out Sunday the day Ann arrives with the props. I called her and warned her of the engine problems and said we needed to include a trip to US Virgins with them when they arrive. We need to be where we can communicate and get this boat fixed so we can live on it. And the French are driving me crazy. Steve and I were in the market at the marina, he was holding a bottle of something I was going to purchase and singing and dancing as we got to the counter to pay (Steve style -which is a bit loud mind you). The clerk actually slapped his arm and jerked  the bottle out of his hand. I was so angry I yelled at her, picked up Steve and left the groceries. When I got back to the boat I just cried. This is not fun. I know we took a chance bringing our child on a trip like this but I love being together as a family and I love the ‘idea’ of this trip. And this boat…so many things wrong with it. We have decided that after we get to the Virgins if things do not improve- home we go.

Yesterday we drove the car up to Morne Rouge through the mountains and had a fun picnic lunch by a waterfull. We drove to St. Pierre where Mt. Pelee erupted in 1902 killing 30,000 except 1. A guy in prison survived. We drove back down around the coast and stopped at Anse Mitan beach where Steve and I had a great time swimming and playing in the sand. Today Vernon went into town to get a new gas tank and since it was rainy, Steve and I played in the boat coloring and going over his books. Sometimes he is so cute and easy to be with I can’t believe I am ever so frustrated. But there are other days I just watch the clock waiting for nap time and bed time to come so I can stop. But I guess that is parenting. It certainly makes me appreciate my mother more. I admire her more each day as I experience motherhood. She had 7 of us to deal with. I long to sit down quietly with her and chat about the problems. Hell,  I would like to just call her on the phone and have a good connection and not have Steve hanging off my legs. I am so very homesick.

11-25-85

Ann and David came with the props but Vernon couldn’t get either one to fit. The boatyard crew put Expedite back into the water before noon only to have 3 people say- ‘you could have had that missing piece made right here!’ Vernon attempted to measure for the piece from underwater only to drop the prop and he could not recover it. We are anchored off F-de-F and tomorrow we have decided that we will all sail north to St. Thomas!