13. Got Smoke

White smoke came out of my engine when I stated it the other day. I think there’s diesel getting into the oil somehow. When I pull out the dipstick, oil squirts out. It needs fixing and I’m worried how much it will cost. Luckily 5 Star Yachting say they will help me do it (service my injectors), and I can work to pay for it. Since I was surrounded by boats, and had no engine, Andy towed me to the dock.

Sonic Boom at the workshop

It’s actually nice to be at a dock again for a few days, with shore power, water, showers, etc. I take advantage by scrubbing the decks and polishing the hull. I’ll do as much as I can while I’m here; some sanding and varnishing, paint my anchor locker, and do a few touch –ups here and there.

I’m along side Jock, an old pirate from Scotland, with a grey beard and a few brown teeth left. He twitches, and has a big eye, and says ‘arr’ and ‘matey’ a lot. He’s like Captain Barbossa. He’s renovating his new ship (a shrimp boat), and we became friends when I told him Sonic Boom’s homeport was Troon. He tells me his stories about smuggling in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.

Bobby's Marina

A few more days work with Andy. He seems busy and could use a hand. I’m sanding and varnishing a classic old sailboat, and doing the same on Sonic Boom after work. I use the yard’s tools and some varnish I had onboard, and the whole boat looks much better. Helping to fix boats, I’m learning how to fix mine. I’m using my wages to pay for boat parts and food, and trying to save some and not use my credit card.

I took my dingy outboard out of the water, and cleaned the carburetor. I cleaned the fuel tank, and the engine, put it back together, oiled some bits and now it’s working much better. It’s still only a 3.5-horse power, but with that serviced, plus the new(er) dingy, means now at least I’ve got a much better set up than when I bought the boat. I still go slowly but now I’m much less worried about getting there.

Simpson Bay

From Bobby’s Mariner, where I’m at, it’s a short walk over the bridge to Simpson Bay. There’s a nice beach and bar, and finally a good free Wi-Fi connection. Getting that with a power outlet has been difficult, with French side and Dutch side using different plugs. In any spare time I go to the beach at the Royal Palm Beach Hotel, have a swim and check emails.

Simpson Bay

12. Lagoonies

I found work with Five Star Yachting Consultancy, and got paid today. Big relief! I’ve been helping Andy restore two window frames for a motor yacht right across the lagoon in Porto Cupecoy. After cleaning them we reinstall them. Good work and so fun to be speeding across the lagoon in an awesome dingy. I wish my dingy could go fast.

Sandy Ground Bridge

The blue crane lifts up a section of the road so yachts can pass into and out of the French side of Simpson Lagoon. It’s quite narrow, but the dredged channel you need to follow all the way in is even narrower. Out of the channel, the lagoon is shallow. I’ve seen a couple of boats go aground and struggle to get off the bottom. The bridge opens only a couple of times a day. I went through the nine o’clock opening. It was fun in Marigot Bay with 5 or 6 other yachts all wanting to go in. We did a little dance, circling around, ready for the bridge to open, then waiting for the boats to come out, all lining up and motoring into the lagoon single file.

On the Dutch Bridge, looking to Simpson Bay

The lagoon is a strange place. I like it because I’m out of the waves, and it’s an easy dingy ride to pretty much everywhere. I like being near Marigot and Port Le Royal, but the Dutch side is good too, and cheaper. Everywhere there’s a mix of mega yacht marinas, expensive restaurants and 5-star hotels, and run down old workshops and boatyards, half sunken yachts and rusting old boats. Shipwrecks from a hurricane, or just abandoned by the owner.

On the French side of the lagoon, there are long term cruisers and live-aboards; couples sailing long term on a budget. Different people from the rich families and couples on two week holidays, chartering boats like so many in the BVI. There are also lots of old sailors, living on their own, camping in their boats. They don’t have much money either, but stay afloat by fixing each other’s boats and swapping parts. Lagoon monsters?  Mostly they’re lovely, kind and often offer to help, or recommend someone who can. But there are also lots of pirates; thieves who’ll steal your dingy or come on your boat at night.

Francois, a huge old Frenchman, with a grey beard and brown teeth came to see me in his underpants. Tight grey ones pulled up round his big belly; less pirate and more pro wrestler. He said it was nice I’d anchored so close to him. Eric, a weird looking stinky Dutch man, with even worse underpants, more like bikini bottoms…shouted at me not to anchor here, because I would drag. He was very grumpy.

I keep working on Sonic Boom. Dane gave me a car radio he had, so I’ve connected that, mounted a speaker, and got sounds. I’ve removed the salon table, and replaced the missing boards so that now I have a U-shaped sofa that converts to a double bed. Soon I will get the cushions recovered, which will make my living space much comfier, and better sleeping with 2 doubles and a single.