105. Lobster Pot

Whitehall Bay, George Town

It’s a nice being moored off George Town. Each day I dinghy to the dock outside the Lobster Pot, a nice waterfront restaurant and one of the best dive centers, and then cycle to work, which is much closer than when I was at the yacht club. It’s also more convenient here for laundry and supermarkets.

http://www.lobsterpotdivecenter.com

I’m tied to one of five free public mooring balls in Whitehall Bay, so it’s the same price as Governor’s Creek, but the water is crystal clear and I’m near lots of good snorkel spots. The only problem is that it can be rolly. Even without wind or waves, there can be big swells, low and spaced apart I imagine from some distant storm, that make my boat rock like crazy.

Whitehall Bay

Just as one set of paperwork has been done, I seem to get another. My three month work visa ends in January, so I got my application form for the next one which will be for a year. Pages of forms to fill, plus a medical requiring X-Ray and blood test for HIV. So yesterday I went to a doctor’s and an X-ray clinic (both were full of people needing medicals and X-rays for their work visa applications). My health insurance covered the medical and blood test, but I had to pay $35 for the X-ray.

104. Party

There are lots of reasons to celebrate at the moment: hurricane season is over, at last; it’s Thanksgiving, and Christmas is on the way. Last Saturday we closed early and had a Christmas Party at Casanova’s Italian restaurant. We had a great view of the fireworks for the end of Pirates week, lots of good food and wine, and presents. As well as a Secret Santa, we all got $100 from Greg, the owner of Diver’s Supply, to spend in the store. I bought an Oceanic mask and a pair of Mares fins. We’re planning on going for a dive on Christmas Day.

Hangin' in the mangroves

Last night in the creek, the glowworms were back. I was told it’s the second night after a full moon when they appear: little worms that you can’t see, but leave little spirals of bright phosphorescence, and clouds of bright green light behind them as they swim along just beneath the surface.

Today I motored round to George Town and picked up a buoy next to Dana and Paul on S/V Rosi. It’s nice to be in clear water, above coral and thousands of fish, snorkeling off the back of the boat. Today the three of us went to Cheeseburger Reef, just a hundred yards away.

Moored off George Town

I also went to Marine Diesel, the Yanmar place in Morgan’s Harbour, and asked about parts for my engine. Billy, the owner, later drove round to the boat to take some photos and check the numbers. It turned out that he went to school with Greg. I ordered a new raw water pump and a new mixing elbow kit. I need to spend some serious time and about a thousand dollars on engine maintenance. Otherwise it looks in fine shape, he said.

Cruise ship leaving