Grenada Departure

Hi everyone,

We expect to depart Grenada today towards Bonaire in the ABC islands.  We've loved our four months in Grenada but it's time to move on.  It'll be great to be at sea again for a 425nm / 4 day passage.

Over the last few days we've been busy preparing...

• Rig Inspection
• Engine inspection and test run
• Checking and lubricating all blocks
• Diving to clean the propellor
• Topping up engine fuel tanks from jerries
• Filling water tanks and jerries
• Mounting the SailingGen hydrogenerator
• Testing all instrumentation
• Testing nav lights
• Checking the jackstays and rigging the tethers
• Testing the EPIRB and electronic flares
• Checking Bonaire arrival requirements (thanks sv Cerulean!)
• Clearing out at the Port Louis customs office

Rig Inspection

One of the last boat jobs to be done prior to departing Grenada was finishing the holding tank install.  That involved building a base and cover for the outlet pump to stabilise it.  A holding pump is a requirement to visit Bonaire since the entire island is a Marine Park.

Holding tank outlet pump base and cover

Pipe cot folded down over the tank

Last weekend we did another Sunday walk with leader 'Si' and crews of Escapade of London, Juliana, Kiah and others.  We walked from Whisper Cove marina around the western side of Woburn Bay to Le Phare Bleu Marina.  There we enjoyed their salt water pool before walking back via Nicky's rum shack.

One last walk up a Grenada hill...

...for the nice view over Woburn Bay

Over the last few days we've been meeting friends ashore and making new friends in the anchorage, the latter including Aussie sv Gaia and German sv Mabul.  Woburn Bay's a friendly place!

One more Grenadian sunset

Crew ready to sail

Zen Again ready to sail

We don't expect to be posting to the blog during our passage towards Bonaire.  We'll be doing daily HF/SSB skeds with friends in Grenada, the ABCs and possibly Tobago and Colombia.