More Rough Writings

Tuesday - Today Ken and I rode the scooters to Deb and Don’s. We decided to make a long day of it on the scooters and drive out to the Royal Naval Dockyards. I called John to let him know our plans and told him we would call if anything changed. While Deb was getting ready I tried to post the notes I’ve been writing each night to the blog. I had planned take them home and rewrite them, but as long as we had Internet access I decided to just go ahead and post them. I had quite a bit of trouble as part of the html was not the way the blog wanted it and I kept getting error messages. Eventually it worked out. I had brought a jump drive with me but left it in my shorts. When we washed clothes the first day in Bermuda it went through the wash and a very hot dryer but it still works fine. I transferred the document from my laptop on the boat to the computer at Deb and Don’s.

We took off down Middle Road and headed into the edge of Hamilton and then jogged over to South Shore Road. We made a few stops to see some things of interest and then stopped at a small little shop for lunch. Their price of $4.50 a burger was better than the two nicer places just down the road on either side where a burger was $10.50. We ate across the street on the grass at the edge of a bay. The view was beautiful and the sun was hot. After we ate, Don took a quick swim and then we headed off to the Dockyards.

We spent about 90 minutes exploring the Dockyards on our own, meeting back at the scooters at 4 pm. Then we left and head back along South Shore Road. We stopped at Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse which was built in 1846. We climbed the 186 steps and then out through a small door that you had to stoop to get through. This put us at the top of the lighthouse on a narrow ledge with a heavy metal railing. The wind was howling and it was a long way up with a spectacular view of the island and bays. Afterwards we headed back down the road and stopped at the south shore beaches. The sand is very light colored and extremely fine, almost more like powder than sand. As we left the beaches there was a woman down on the ground that had taken a spill on a scooter. We stopped and Don walked over by just when he got to her she stood up and said she was fine, thanking everyone that had gathered to help her. We continued on and angled up to hit Middle Road again and headed back toward the direction of Deb and Don’s. We passed a scooter lying off the side of the road that was showed quite a bit of damage on one side from a collision. It started to rain about then and the roads get very slippery when wet, so we were concerned about our speed and cornering as we went. At one point when I was in the lead a car in front of me put on the right turn blinker and turned into a road. I slowed down and as it turned I accelerated to go by and it suddenly came back across both lanes right in front of me. I thought I was going to “T-Bone” it right in the side and I slammed on both brakes and made a quick move to the left to avoid it. Maybe it was a good thing the road was wet as the big skidded a bit and without losing control I missed the car as it swerved and continued on in my lane. By then I was stopped on the side of the road with Ken, as he was right behind me when this happened. It was a close call!

We got to Deb and Don’s and because of the rain decided to have a pizza delivered. I called John to invite him over and he had already left and decided to have a meal in town. We ordered the pizza but it couldn’t be delivered, so I took Don’s jacket and rode the scooter to the pizza place. I strapped the jumbo pizza box to the scooter basket behind me and drove back. (Of course I missed the pizza place on the way there and drove too far, so I had to double back. Then I missed the drive for Don’s place and turned around. It’s always interesting on the scooter when it’s dark and raining!) Deb made a fresh batch of brownies that we ate a few minutes too soon. They were like brownies with hot chocolate pudding in the middle – delicious! Ken and I visited for an hour or two and then headed home for BrainWaves about 9 pm. John’s son will fly here tomorrow so we will have a new crewmember to tell our tales to – until he get’s his own on the sail back! Stay tuned.

Wednesday – At about 5:30 am I had to shut the hatches this morning as I woke up to feel the rain coming in above me. I tried to be quiet and Ken slept through it. His hatch would only have let the moisture fall on his blanket at his waist. The boat next to us pulled out about 6:30 am headed back to Boston. They were relatively quiet and the three on board managed to ease out and slip away. Another boat smaller than ours took that spot beside us about half an hour later. I never heard them come in. A large old fashion multi-mast boat came in about the same time and tied up at the old wharf just about 60 yards from us. The crew next door was quite rowdy and cussing so Ken stepped out and told them some folks were still sleeping and there was a young family next to us. A little while later we heard a splash. One of them fell off their gang plank and apparently lost his cell phone. It feels almost cool in the boat, yet still damp and muggy. Outside it is warmer but still the high humidity. It’s almost noon and we still have no plans today. Ken and I have been reading and he just left for the shower. I expect the two Johns to come down to the boat this afternoon, but not sure what they are planning. I need to do some laundry and maybe it’s a good day to do that. Hopefully the sun will come out later. In any case, it’s time to get out and do something. After all, our days here are numbered!

The rain finally stopped about 1:00 pm, so Ken and I headed out to the Cut (the passageway into St. George Bay) on the scooters. We checked out the small fort right at the cut called Alexandra’s Battery and the narrow beach area nearby. The beach was covered with broken glass fragments, all polished smooth by the waves and sand. It looked to me exactly like the jewelry I saw at the Royal Naval Dockyards in the crafts sections which was advertised as Bermuda glass. The exposed rocky area (low tide) was covered with this glass including worn bits of plates and mugs. I don’t know how long it takes to wear the glass down so I have no way of knowing how old this glass is. We saw more of the blue fish in the beach area shallows and half a dozen dark “fish” with what looked like wavy side flaps and a pointed tail. One rose to the surface and almost immediately changed from dark brown to a speckled light gray and blue, sort of like gravel. It dropped back down with the others and turned dark brown again. I’ll have to look these up when I can get Internet access again. John called while we were at the glass beach area and told us he and his son were on the boat. We went on to the next larger fort which is called Fort St. Catherine. Farther down the road we saw a nice larger beach area which in the busy season has a concession stand. I believe this is Tobacco Bay. There were only about 15 – 20 people there. After that the road brought us to the St. George golf course where we had walked on our first day. We dropped back into town and turned in Ken’s scooter. We walked the town square area and the nearby shops and then hopped on my scooter and went back to the boat. By the time we ate a lunch of leftovers it was about 3:30. Don called about 4:00 asking about dinner plans. We passed on the idea as we had just eaten. Deb was unable to connect to the Internet, so I offered to come over and take a look. The sun had come out while we were in town so I thought maybe I could at least start a painting while I was at Deb’s. We got online and got about an hour of painting in before the light faded. Deb and Don came back with steak instead of going out as they had originally planned. Deb had eaten while Don was cooking his steak so I reluctantly stayed to share the meal with Don. As Skipper, he threatened me with the worst watches on the return trip if I didn’t stay to eat! The scooter ride back was quite cool; I guess it was cold with the wind whipping and me going as fast as I could safely go to get back to the boat. I think tomorrow morning Ken and I will scooter to the second beach we saw today in Tobacco Bay. Ken wants to relax on the beach his last day here and I think I will do some painting in that area. After lunch I plan to head to Deb and Don’s to complete the painting I started tonight. All this is naturally dependant on good weather, which is in the forecast.

Don checked the winds for our return trip and at this point it appears they will be light for the first few days. The prediction is for an easterly wind which is a following wind for us, so we may be motoring the first few days. The winds are expected to shift the closer we get to Virginia and pick up in speed as well. This might be the reverse order of our trip out here which may be good for everyone to get ready for the rougher weather. However the following wind can produce a motion that makes people sick as well. What will be will be.

Thursday – Today Ken and I went to the beach at Tobacco Bay. While he swam and set in the sun, I found a place in the rocks to paint. I spent an hour or so doing a gouache study of some rocks with a little sky and seascape. We came back to the boat and finished off the lunch meat of turkey. Just as we finished Deb and Don drove in on the scooter and asked if we wanted lunch. I decided to head over to Deb’s and finish the painting I had started yesterday. I forgot a hat and it was quite hot in the sun and I did a lot of serious squinting. I think I spent about three hours working on the painting and then headed back to the boat about 5:30 pm. Everyone was there and we decided to grill the rest of the venison hamburger for dinner. We had a good meal and a good time. The Johns went back to their place for the evening. Before Deb and Don left he wondered if we wanted to go over to their place and watch the Red Wings plan in their final game of the series. Don took Tom on his bike and then I took Ken on mine. I came back to get Deb only to realize just before I got here that I didn’t have an extra helmet, Ken still had it! I called Don and he said he would bring it over. In the meantime Deb was cleaning out the lower storage lockers. The cans were rusting, some food was spoiled and all the boxes were wet and soggy. It looked like there was mold in the area and in some bags. While Deb re-bagged and re-tagged instructions on the boxed stuff, I took out the cans and cleaned them. We left everything out to dry. Don dropped off the helmet and head back to watch the game. When Deb and I were done, I took her back to her place. The guys watched the game, ate some cookies and popcorn and enjoyed the drama of the playoffs. It was a good close game and the Wings won. In the meantime Don told me his headlight on his bike went out on the way home. So I took Ken to the boat first as he had just said goodbye to Deb and Don. Then I went back and got Tom and brought him back to the boat. I was glad I had my legs zipped on to the shorts and I was wearing my Browning coat. The wind was really howling and it was cool! I went to bed and read until about 12:30 am.

Friday – Ken was up at 6:30 and when I got up just before seven Tom was already up too. I took Ken on the scooter to the airport and he was able to check in right away and had to go. Hard to believe he will be in Michigan today! I went back to the boat and Tom was busy cleaning. He cleaned out the storage lockers and the head. We then stored the food that Deb and I had out back in the compartments. I threw out the last few packages of venison chops and then cleaned out the freezer from the mess they made. When we had everything done I took the scooter into town and did my laundry. When I got back Tom was cleaning again. I had to turn my scooter in, so I took Tom to Tobacco Bay and then I went up the hill and returned the scooter. It was a slow and painful walk back with my heel and Achilles’ tendon problem. It sucks! I’m stuck with walking the rest of the day and that just isn’t fun right now. As soon as I got the boat unlock and inside, Don showed up with groceries for the trip, so I stowed these as he made another run for milk and to check on ice blocks. John and John showed up while Don was gone and had some more goods for the trip to put away. Tom came back and checked on the steering assembly while John was repairing some things in starboard cockpit locker. They rolled up the dingy and we put it in the V berth for the voyage. Don came and dropped off the milk and then headed back to his place. John and John walked into town to the visitor’s center to use the internet. Tom is taking a nap and I’m writing this, but seriously considering the nap idea!

We still plan to leave tomorrow and expect light north, northeast winds, so we will probably be motoring for a day or two. The trip back begins