A Week Aboard S/V Sabado: 10/22/2023 – 10/29/2023

Good morning! Have you seen our latest YouTube video?

Last Sunday was uneventful. The weather has not yet aligned with our sailing plans, so we are still in Grenada. We spent most of the day doing computer work but stopped in time to watch a stunning sunset over our mooring field! Even when we’re glued to our devices, the beauty that surrounds us never goes unappreciated.

Monday morning was gorgeous. The water was as clear and smooth as glass! I decided to go for a swim. There isn’t much sea life around us, but I took a nice photo of Sabado!

Storm clouds quickly swallowed us. The air cooled, and the rain began shortly after. This weather pattern continued all week, with hot, still mornings and afternoon storms. It put a damper on our power supply, so we ran the generator for a few hours that evening.

On Tuesday, I went to charge my GoPro and noticed the battery had puffed up like a balloon! This can happen when the battery is overcharged and/or overexposed to heat. I use my GoPro every week but had never thought to purchase a spare battery. So, we ventured out in search of a replacement. We stopped by four different stores with no luck. We switched gears and tried to track down some supplies to make a new anchor bridle (our latest project pursuit). Our taxi driver took us all over the island, but again, we had no luck. Although Grenada is well equipped compared to other islands in the Caribbean, there are still times like this where we miss the luxury of Best Buy and Amazon. We went home empty-handed and watched the rain pour from our cockpit.

Wednesday was Grenada’s Thanksgiving. In October 1983, Grenada was occupied by the US military, who were attempting to extinguish the civil unrest that erupted in the wake of their Prime Minister’s execution and restore democracy on the island. On the 25th, locals invited US soldiers into their homes and served them turkey, canned yams, cranberry sauce, and potatoes (traditional American Thanksgiving foods) to show their appreciation. Here is an interesting account of the first Grenadian Thanksgiving written by a retired US Army Colonel, in which he describes speeches given by locals during the meal. The message was along these lines: “We don’t know much about this thing you call Thanksgiving, and we don’t understand the food. But we know that it is important to you and want you to know that our Thanksgiving is the day you came. Thank you.” Businesses were closed island-wide, so we celebrated on Sabado with roasted chicken and potatoes. 🙂

Thursday morning, we took a taxi over to Clarkes Court Marina to help one of our friends. He had hauled his catamaran out of the water for hurricane season and was having some power issues now that it was back in the water. Since he has the same batteries as us, we figured we might be able to help! We showed up toting our tools and got right to work. Ray climbed into the engine compartment (where his batteries are located) and began testing each one.

He has four batteries, each containing four cells. Three of the batteries were operating as usual, but one was not. Ray was able to use the benchtop power supply we had on board to try and charge the fourth battery. Unfortunately, one of the cells had gone bad. The battery would need to be replaced. However, the other three batteries were fully functioning, and there is a generator on board. So, the vessel is still fully operational while the owner sorts out a warranty claim for a replacement battery. The three of us had lunch together that afternoon, and he gave us his GoPro battery as a “thank you”! So, the next time you see some underwater footage from us, know it’s because of him! ❤️

Friday morning, we lugged our trash to shore, then headed back to the marina to follow up on the battery issue and pick up our tools. On the way there, our taxi driver gave me a bunch of bananas he grew in his backyard, including a mutant twin!

I’ve never seen anything like that! Have you? I read online that these are called “double-finger bananas” and are pretty rare. Experts say around 5% of bananas grow into double fingers. Anyway, we hung out for a while before heading home for a quick shower and then going out to dinner. Our departure date is on the horizon, so we’re using that as an excuse to visit our favorite restaurants one last time before we leave, and Carib Sushi is at the top of the list!

Yesterday, we both woke up feeling a bit under the weather. With headaches and sore throats, we spent the day at home. I managed to do a bit of cleaning while Ray worked on creating a landing page for all of our systems. This landing page will be a one-stop shop for everything we need on Sabado: power info, data for the log book, audiobooks, etc., and will be accessible on all our devices. I’m not nearly as tech-savvy as Ray, so I’m excited to have everything in one place! We’ll show you when it’s done. ☺️

Today, we’re both feeling better. I’m hoping to put together a grocery list and go for a swim. What are you up to today? ❤️