A Week Aboard S/V Sabado: 8/20/2023 – 8/27/2023

Good morning!

Last Sunday, we caught up on chores, did some routine maintenance tasks (changed engine oil, polished stainless, etc.), and set up our guest cabin for our family’s arrival later this week. Anytime we have guests aboard, I like to make sea animals out of their bath towels like they do on cruise ships. This time, I made a lobster, since they will be here for the beginning of lobster season, and a tiny little octopus!

Tuesday morning, we went to shore and took a taxi to Clarkes Court Marina. To prepare for our upcoming Pacific crossing, we had the Sea Safety Center service our life raft. We carry a Plastimo 6-person life raft on Sabado, and the manufacturer recommends servicing it every three years. We were invited to see it inflated, and a staff member talked us through the best protocols in case we ever needed to use it.

It was valuable information, and I’d encourage anyone who carries a life raft to see it inflated if you can! We caught it all on film, and you can check it out in our latest YouTube video. 

On our way home, we ran into two of our friends (and former Sabado Crew!) who had just hauled the boat they worked on out of the water for hurricane season. We popped open some bubbly to celebrate and went out for lunch together.

Wednesday morning, we climbed aboard Southern Charm, a luxury charter catamaran we’re helping manage a few projects for while the owners enjoy some time at their land home. The boat needs some generator and engine work, so we recommended they hire Palm Tree Marine. The contractors arrived, Ray explained the issues that needed to be addressed, and they got straight to work. We hung around there most of the day, editing video footage and answering any questions the contractors had. 

The next day, we ran around the island, getting cash, boat parts, and groceries. We had just returned to the boat and put everything away when Ray found daylight peeking through in the generator compartment. See that bit of bright green there?

…that’s the ocean. The ventilation hose for the generator compartment had detached. We looked underneath the boat, and it appeared the plastic grate on the outside of the hole had broken (likely from a strong wave), and without that protection from the water, the hose had broken loose. Ray used the shop vac to suck out any water that had accumulated in the compartment. Unfortunately, this hole is in the least accessible location possible. The blue tanks above it are our water tanks, and the white box in front of it is our generator- not equipment we can move out of the way ourselves. So, Ray dove in head first- literally.

I stood back, allowing him to latch his feet around my calves so he had some support when getting in and out of position.

After feeling around to get a clear idea of the issue and lots of back and forth on how to fix it, we decided to execute a band-aid solution to make the boat usable until December, when we are scheduled to haul out. We decided to fit the hose and the hose clamp back around the hole as best as we could, given our lack of access, and seal the deal with adhesive for good measure. At this point, we were losing daylight, so we decided to wait until morning before beginning.

We got straight to it the next day. Ray dinghied to shore to grab a fresh tube of adhesive while I did a speed clean of Sabado since my parents would be arriving that afternoon. Once Ray had returned, he got back into the compartment. I stood nearby with tools, rubbing alcohol, and paper towels. It was a messy job! It took several hours, but he was able to successfully reattach the hose and apply the adhesive from above and below the opening. We had just enough time to shower before heading to shore to pick up my parents! We welcomed them back to Sabado, relaxed, and took them to our favorite sushi restaurant for dinner. 

Saturday was their first full day on the island. I had arranged for us to take a cooking class through Home Hospitality Grenada, so we headed to shore around 11am. Ariel, the chef’s daughter, picked us up from the marina and drove us to their family home, pointing out where she went to high school and sharing stories about life in Grenada along the way. We were greeted with cold lemongrass towels and fresh coconut water upon arrival. Chef Kennedy made us feel right at home! We started with a crispy fish cake appetizer using local saltfish and grated carrots (the secret to extra crispy cakes!).

Then, we learned his Rum Punch recipe and headed out to the garden. His house is on a large piece of land with lush greenery. He took us through his crops: corn, cabbage, tomatoes, coconuts… we smelled fresh bay leaves, cinnamon, and lemongrass while snacking on guava and star fruit. He even let us harvest some to take home with us!

When we returned to the kitchen, we got started on the Roti. Roti has been one of my favorite Caribbean dishes, so I was excited to learn how to make it from scratch! We made the curry paste, added chicken thighs and potatoes, and let it all simmer while we worked on the skins. Roti skins are essentially tortillas with seasoned ground lentils rolled into the dough. We cooked them on a tawa, oiling each side between flips. It was a more complicated process than I had thought!

Shortly after that, we reaped the rewards of our work. Kennedy and Ariel set a beautiful table for us overlooking the garden. They picked an avocado to enjoy with our roti and coconut water. It was silent as we chowed down on what was easily the best roti we’ve ever had!

We finished the meal with cinnamon + bay leaf + lemongrass tea and a homemade mango sorbet topped with chopped lemon basil. I love taking cooking classes when traveling, and this was, hands down, the best experience I’ve ever had! Being taught by the chef in his home with ingredients from his garden felt authentic and uniquely Grenadian. Kennedy and Ariel are such warm and welcoming people. The personal stories they shared throughout the afternoon made us feel like friends, not customers. If you’re looking for an activity here in Grenada, we 100% recommend Home Hospitality! 

We headed home with big smiles and full bellies. We spent the rest of the day swimming, lounging on the bow, and topped it off with a fantastic sunset! ❤️

The only thing I’d do differently next time would be to schedule the cooking class for the end of their trip because how am I supposed to top that?! This was just the beginning! 

I hope you had a great week. ❤️