SV Inishnee: Trinidad 2016

Sept 29 - Oct 20

Return to Trinidad

Off for new adventures in Trinidad ...

We shared a ride from the airport via Maxi Taxi with Sharron and Bill s/v Case Blanca. An uneventful afternoon hour ride and we were home to Inishnee. Our first impression…

WOW… the glare from the new paint job caught our reflects of awe. One of many such moments of awe would continue over the next week days. We left Inishnee last summer in the hopefully capable hands of Power Boats boat yard were she was given a significant transformation.

Major Work

Frame work for Summer cover
Shrink wrap next

The teak decks removed and replaced with awl grip and nonskid footing; less heat transferred below and less maintenance in the coming years. The gouges and dings filled in, then entire boat was painted; cabin top to keel bottom. New ‘racing’ stripes were added to the hull, dark blue and silver. The name reapplied in celtic lettering to reflect the Nee family heritage… the meaning of Inishnee is ‘the island of Nee’ is the Irish language. Inish = Island / Nee = family sir name… Their is an an island in county Galway very near were Jim’s grandfather’s ancestral home is located; Inishnee. Our boat is our island named after THE Inishnee…

Among the many other improvements… Wood repair and varnish work in the cabin. A new head installed. A new Rocna anchor on deck. Prop refurbished and polish. My awesome stove refurbished. We spent the first few days cleaning up the dust and evaluating the commissioned work. Over all we are exceptionally pleased.

No more teak decks

With the summer cover was still on the boat, there was little breeze to pass through but no direct sun. Trinidad is 10 degrees north latitude of the equator… it’s very hot! and VERY humid.

Our mornings were filled with re-commissioning the boat and getting her ready for launch. Dab the sweat way… Install the sails. Wipe the sweat away… Hook up the electronics. Wring out the sweat rags and …reinstall the solar panels. Rest. Take a shower. Insulate the fridge. attach new zincs. Canvas awning modified so we can catch rainwater. The dinghy cleaned though the motor sounds angry from months of storage… probably a carburetor issue… maybe a rebuild.

Brother Rich flew in on Oct 12th. We would have put him to work immediately but since it was after 9pm we had a few ‘jack stand' beers instead; our ‘on the hard’ version of anchor beer (set the anchor, crack a beer).

The next morning we had him sweating before 9am. The storage locker was emptied and the contents hauled up the ladder and returned to their proper homes.

We found time to squeeze in some tour time with Jesse James. Jesse’ business, ‘Members Only’ organizes excursions for shopping, tours, taxi runs, etc. Just about anything we might need. The Taste of Trini, the most popular tour offered, took us on an 11 hour jaunt about the island. We sampled 76 food and beverage items with 26 stops along the way. All unique to Trinidad. to name a few…

Bake and Hot Pies: a baked or fried bread with various fillings: coconut, cheese, shark, sweet potato…

Channa : chickpea filling or topping

Cow Heel Soup : good for a hang over… lovey flavor with gelatinous balls about the size of grapes.

Sweets : coconut roll, culum (coconut molasses balls), tamarind balls, Kurma (ginger candy/cookie), cassava coconut cake, Barfi (ginger confection),

Provision : starchy vegetables … green fig (banana), cassava, dasheen,

Beverages : peanut punch, seamoss, sorrel, mauby

very unusual stuff : UFO nut (brazil nut), chicken fingers (feet), bbq pig tail, pommecetye (pickled golden apple)

Fresh Market

mmmm, cow heel soup fixin's

Up at 6:30am for the bus the next day we went to the fresh market. Lots and lots of fresh fruits and veggies. The meat market had a few surprises. One lane was devoted to fish; snapper, king, tuna, bill and shark. Another lane for beef; roasts, ribs, steaks, cow tongue and heel (leg)… another for pork; ribs, hams, steaks and whole heads. Chicken parts rounded out the selections.

fresh Bill Fish

We purchased some bread from the ‘Exotic Bread Man’; cinnamon apple and saffron with cheese. Smoked herring. Coconut Rolls to snack on.

Dominos

Sunday means Dominos! A steamy 20 minute walk to Crews Inn, the hosts for the game. 16 cruisers turned out, 3 tables. It’s a 3 round tournament. The high and low scorers from each table switch and relocate after the round. Because one table, mine, had 6 members… our rounds took longer. The sun inched it’s way across the sky, it’s westward migration melting into our tender flesh as the afternoon wore on… a record 3 hour game for the ‘big’ table.

Cruisers Pot Luck

Pot luck on Thursdays at the Roti Hut. Chip in 5 TT’s each (80 cents) for the charcoals. Grill your favorite item and bring a dish to pass. A great way to meet and greet. We new several of the cruisers from earlier encounters. As the evening wore on and groups mingled we were introduced to a couple, Ley and Neal. S/v Crystal Blue. They have been cruising for 16 years out of Australia. A few stories were told when they mentioned they spent a number of years in Phuket, Thailand. Really? We have a good friend, Larry Mimms, who spent 4 1/2 years there.. (It’s velcro for cruisers… you can’t tear yourself away). NO… We know Larry… What a small, small world.

Bill and Nancy s/v Brizo, returned from the states just in time to share a few stories and happy hour with us.

Music Jam happens at the Roti Hut on Fridays for and by cruisers. If you have an instrument join in. If not, sing, hum or tap out a tune of the table top. All Welcome.

music jam

Sewing with Sharron

Casa Blanca, Bill and Sharron, were so very kind to let me use their awesome SewRite sewing machine… I converted tee shirts into fender covers to hopefully protect the new paint job. We shared a number of dinners and happy hour events over the next few days. Jason and Laura s/v Blue Blaze accompanied us several times. They were here from the states for a 6 day working vacation to address a few projects on their boat before heading to Guam for a work opportunity…

Rich's first caribbean boat ride

Launch Day finally here. The lift showed up at 1pm. Hanging on the slings, the last of the paint was applied tot he bottom. By 2:20 the keel was wet. A quick check of the through hulls… water where it should be… Engine picked out a few black clouds and rumbled to a start. The lift said out from under the hull, dock lines tossed aboard. We took the last morning ball in the harbor. With the ship secure we gave our thanks to Poseidon and Inishnee for another safe season of sailing, a bit of Irish Whiskey was offered up to all.

Our new google phones / Project FI have been working just fine. Texting free and 20 cent a minute international calling… our phone bill had been our biggest monthly expense!