Rodney Bay & Marina

Customs check-in was back to some bureaucracy, and only the Captain was allowed ashore to complete formalities. A very officious official wearing a customs uniform but claiming to be immigration didn’t believe Barb was the captain. She asked Barb how long she had been a Captain to which she replied 6 years on Eleuthera and 40 years as an airline pilot. This completely silenced her and caused the rest of the office to try very hard not to laugh out loud. The Port Captain was grinning from ear to ear in the background and the rest of the documents were stamped very quickly.

We came to Saint Lucia to celebrate the Offshore Cruising Club’s 70th Anniversary. Night one was a cocktail party sponsored by the Rodney Bay Marina and the second night was a dinner at Spinnakers a restaurant on the beach. It was a fun and interesting night as our table companions were members of the American group Salty Dawg Club, and they were raising money for a scholarship for young Antiguans to learn boat-building skills in America. They had been sailing up and down from America to the Caribbean for eight years but had not been to any French islands because they didn’t speak English!

Initially, we just anchored off the beach for the first night but the anchorage was very rolly, and the wind and seas were forecast to increase. So we decided to move into the marina for the night of the dinner. The normal floating docks were full so we ended up on the Superyacht dock. One day extended to three and we had a lovely time there. Hew did all the jobs that required flat water and we enjoyed the restaurants and ice cream bar. The marina was very well laid out and the staff were lovely.

The English couple who had organised the event are living on the island and restoring an old wooden boat they had inherited. They were living on their equally old wooden boat in the marina. Thinking they would be a good source of local information we asked about things to do and explore in St Lucia. These guys, along with others we asked, were not much use and other than commenting on bad roads and traffic jams seemed to think there was little to see.

The other reason for visiting Saint Lucia was that we were waiting for a new depth/speed transducer to arrive from the US as this had joined our ongoing instrument failures. At Saint Lucia, we could import it tax and duty-free via a local Caribbean courier, eZone. Since we had used eZone in Trinidad it seemed a good idea but it took nearly 7 days for the Duty and Tax free part to happen.

Pigeon Island and Fort Rodney

After three days and all the jobs done we couldn’t justify staying there so we shifted out to the northern end of the harbour under Pigeon Island. This was a better anchorage. After two days of unusually wet and windy weather, we visited Pigeon Island National Park. This was a lovely walk around the ruins of an English fort on the island.

Cruise Ships

The Park rents out one of the small beaches for private functions and while we were there a cruise ship had taken the beach for the day.

The cruise ship staff came in with everything; loungers, beach umbrellas, tents, tables, chairs, BBQs, and water toys. Everything had been transported off the ship with the only revenue going to the island being the fee to rent the area. The cruise ship industry leaves as little revenue as possible behind on the islands. The next morning it was back to being a local beach again.

Jambe de Bois

As we walked down the hill we came across the restaurant Jambe de Bois which was very cute. They also sold local paintings and had a book swap for cruisers. We loved the construction and the eclectic mix of furniture. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jambe-De-Bois/171841426204962

Hew was enjoying the local beer.

The restaurant has its own dock but at some stage, the park has removed the planks so you must go ashore through the park gates. The only inhabitants now are the birds.

Then quite quickly it was time to collect our transducer and return to Martinique.

Next Blog: Dominica

Unfortunately, still no alternator due to lack of staff and no inverter due to lack of wiring because the shop was shut for the holidays!!

I had been trying to get the new modem and aerial going but after only being able to get the mobile pick up working and a frustrating day I reverted to calling a friend!! Andrew from “Katherine”

Motor Cruising

Decided to go away again and this time for 3 days with light winds expected for two of them.

This time we headed off in the same direction but the intention was to spend one night at the southeast end and one or two at the northwest end of the island.

On the first day, we went past our bay of the previous weekend but then decided we had not gone far enough so continued past the neighbouring bays.

Past the big commercial port of Marsaxlokk and westward up the southern coast.

We tried out the water maker which was going well so spent the trip cleaning the dirt and dust off the boat. Yes – again.!!! It was very satisfying.

Not many places to stop at and some that looked good either had boats or were non-anchoring reserves. Quite a few old look-out towers around. Most places on that side of the island had very high cliffs.

I was amazed to see fishermen fishing off the top!!

Gnejna Bay

Early afternoon we pulled into Gnejna Bay or Ras it-Raheb. Very nice spot with three large boats there and several small day boats tucked right into the head of the bay.

We settled in for a swim and siesta. Late afternoon we were expecting a wind change and we looking up above the cliffs then suddenly saw two gust devils – a sudden squall hit with 180-degree wind change. The big yacht next to us obviously had a picnic out as everything went flying- plates, napkins, table cloths, and sundry other items. All accompanied by the big boats taking their time to swing in all different directions.

Luckily we were all anchored well and after 30min everything settled down and we were back to 5 kts. In the interim several boats left – must have decided that was it for the day.

By evening there were only us and one other big boat, but several small boats anchored close in and a couple of campsites.

We went to bed fairly early after a casual BBQ and ready for a good nights sleep.

More Issues

But…Life is never simple on a boat. 2330 approx the bilge alarm went off… took 2 buckets water from the starboard bilge. Engineer aka Hew says no worry just fridge lines defrosting.

0230 bilge alarm again. Another 2 buckets of water – all fresh but a bit salty but Malta water is like that. Not too concerned but I am thinking ‘1 bucket per hour??????’ So lying awake wondering what next!!

0430 – bilge alarm- up again. This time get water out then take up more floorboards in the aft bunkroom- as we took up bunk boards we found one section was all wet. Under that board, we found a spray of water coming out of the hot water hose!!! Turn the valve off. Bail out the water. Go back to bed. Should be ok we think.

Get up at 0630 – no alarm. Go look at bilge on the port side just to check – full of water again. 6 bucket loads!!!! What now???

Seems that the nonreturn valves in the bilge pumps in that section are leaking !!! Never-ending maintenance. Turn off the water cooling for the fridges and that seems to have finally stopped it all. More maintenance.

Decided to give up for day and have a swim then a nice slow breakfast.

Afternoon we took a trip in the dingy around this bay and then the next into the next two – which are Golden bay and home to the Radisson hotel. The area was full of boats and the beaches full of people. We were glad to return to our spot down the coast.

Gave the dingy another good clean and made some padding for where it leans against the passerelle. Followed by a reading afternoon.

North East

Sunday dawned fine and clear and we decided that we better move around the coast to the other side of the island. By the time we got around the northwestern end the wind was up. Motored past a lovely-looking grotto ( left for next time) then on to Selun Bay. A few boats but not too many. Decided to stay for lunch then move later.

As we were considering where to go in the afternoon we watched a very ungainly rower row a RIB downwind to the rocks behind us. Then obviously could not row upwind and decided to get out for some reason. After watching the shambles for about 5 minutes we put our dingy in the water and went and rescued them – as in fact there were five of them four who could not swim upwind back to their boat!

We motored off down the coast looking for another bay for the night which would be closer to the harbor and boatyard in the morning. Couldn’t find anything that looked appealing and/or had space so continued on to the bay just inside Grand Harbour close to our swimming spot in Bighi bay under Fort Ricasoli. The water was not as clear as some of the other anchorages but a good safe anchorage.

We settled down peacefully for the night with few boats around and then the “bangers” started. They continued for half an hour with the battery on the other side of the port firing and then seconds later Kalkara firing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Rinella

What a racket and we were right under the fort with all the bits of paper and cardboard flying down through the air. The Maltese’s love these shows but this was so loud that lots of the kids on the beach were screaming each time the gun went off!! https://youtu.be/NoPl3ce_C9c

Back to Boatyard

In the morning it was up early. It is very nice here on the harbour at that time of day with the sun a very mellow yellow colour on all the old stone battlements.

Back into the boatyard to only find our spot on the wall was taken by the owner’s boat!! Lined up were the owner’s 80 foot Sea Falcon, his son inlaws RIB, his son’s RIB and his daughter’s speed boat.

We parked in one of the lifting bays and waited for the management team to turn up. The difficulty was there was no power in the lifting bays – so later on we shifted across the dock directly opposite the smell!

Next Blog:https://kiwiflyingfish.com/2021/08/euro-plugs-and-euro-policy/

Great spot on the edge of the harbour and lots of cafes nearby. Very cute little town centre up behind us and also another about 500m away.

By Friday we had decided that even though the alternator was not going and no inverter no air conditioning and dodgy fridges. we felt that we had to get away from Marsa and the boatyard for a weekend.

We spent the morning walking around Fort Saint Angelo which the apartments are part of. Amazing construction and great views of the harbour.

At the end of our walk, we spent some time watching the Maltese’s Falcon being moved from their current position in this photo where they were refuelling to an outer berth for collecting passengers the next day. The procedure of shifting took about an hour. They changed the angle of the mast and booms to help with the windage. Hew was very envious of the flag – they had changed from a tatty old one to a brand new one prior to uplifting the passengers.

The evening was dinner at our favourite restaurant this trip “Chill” with Clare and Vic, some more of the MDR cruisers. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g674784-d19976759-Reviews-Chill_Cafe_and_Bistro-Birgu_Vittoriosa_Island_of_Malta.html

We left Sunday morning for two days and just went down the coast to Ponta tal-Grigal. We anchored on the southern end and had two great days there. Lovely to just leap off and go swimming 2 or 3 times a day. The weather was fairly breezy but sheltered from most of the Northwesterly. Other benefit was there were some great caves and not to many boats.

A link to a short video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RTFocgChnM

I had to give the dingy a thorough scrub underneath as it already had a lot of growth on it from being in the water for two weeks at the boatyard. Also then washed it with our amazing stainless cleaner, which also really cleans up fibreglass, and the bottom went from yellow to white – very satisfying.

There were enough boats and wakes at night that we lifted the dingy both evenings.

Tuesday morning we left early and back to the shipyards in time for the fridge man and other contractors due on the boat.

It is not often that you intentionally leave one boatyard for another. This year we had so much work we had planned to do in order to cross the Atlantic that we felt it was better to do it all at the beginning. Leaving work until after cruising might not leave enough time to never get it done. Hence the cruising has been sacrificed for work on the boat.

Therefore, after getting several quotes for rigging we decided to go and visit the company we had talked to in Malta before confirming the rigging work. We could get the work done on the power monitoring system from Victron in the same boatyard.

Leaving MdR at 0515 in the morning and arrived outside the breakwater at 1215. The yard wanted us in by as early as possible in case there were any issues with entry formalities so we motor sailed all the way as. There was a company summer party on Friday and a holiday for many the next week.

When we arrived outside the breakwater into Grand Harbour we were denied entry. The issue was that the NZ Vaccination certificate is not recognised by Malta. The boatyard acted as our agent and obtained the approval since they were carrying out work on the yacht. Also, we had applied two weeks previously when we had our first PCR test but it had expired and the Port Medic wanted a copy of the new one.

Two hours later after several phone calls with the boatyard, MMH, exchanges of emails and more documents, and then another two calls to the port radio operator, we finally made it into MMH at the very far end of the harbour.

Once inside the breakwater, Malta felt and looked just the same as we had found previously. The boat yard was far further down the harbour and amongst all the commercial boats, oil rig supply ships, cable laying ships, tankers of various types, fishing boats, and cruise liners. Previously we had stayed in the northern harbour. The historic feeling from all the forts and towns around the harbour is overwhelming.

The MMH Boatyard

Once we arrived everyone came down to the boat – very speedy. Very different feel from MdR.

Matt the project manager and Matt the rigger were both here immediately and Chris, the fridge guy, followed shortly after. Amazing. Decided that we would get the rigging done here due to their fast and clear responses and professional approach to the work. Since the big decision had been made we then proceeded to discuss all the other issues on the boat that had not been resolved during our previous four weeks at MdR.

The next morning, Thursday, we woke up to the disgusting smell of sewerage and burning offal. Repulsive!! We really wondered what was going on. Further inquiries revealed that there is an abattoir right in the MMH area and a biowaste disposal plant run by the government. There is also a court case going on about the effluent and air quality.

The local paper made interesting reading and as you will see from the attached links the issue has not been resolved.

https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/unbearable-paola-stench-driving-customers-away.772439

https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/paola-stench-returns.797913

https://environment.gov.mt/en/Documents/ministerialConsultations/longTermWasteManagementPlan2021-2030.pdf

What is very amusing is the sign outside that Hew found later during the week. Also note the street name!!!

After that rather nasty wakeup, Hew and I removed the code zero and the genoa. In the afternoon the riggers Matt, Alan, Brian, and Santo turned up and took off the main and all the wires and checked the rigging for any problems.

Next, the stainless person and sailmaker turned up to make a cover over the steering hatch. Chris was back again because the air conditioning didn’t work and in 40deg C with the smells, we really felt a need for it. All the other times we have not bothered and when anchored out we always face the light breezes and do not need it. Here in Malta we really do!!

This was not the end of the procession of workers! Next, the alternator arrived but needed some modifications to fit. Followed swiftly by a window specialist to discover why they were leaking(actually very old sealant) and what was the best option for repair. This was an interesting discussion as he was an aircraft technician and did not like the product the yard was suggesting as it was not guaranteed for use on acrylics. Much research followed with us finding another product which was guaranteed and available in Malta (despite being told it wasn’t)and people wonder what you do on the yacht!!!.

Lastly, the online groceries were delivered. The riggers working on the yacht helped unload the van and I frantically tried to get it all in the fridge before the heat hit all the perishables. The freezer at the end of it showed plus 8C and the fridge plus 16C in an outside temp of 38C and inside the boat must have been 5 C higher. I was reduced to a dribbling mess as were the others. I passed out the newly arrived watermelon and cold water to our rigger mates.

Friday was all about taking out the mast and checking various items on it for wear and replacement. The riggers kindly bought us lunch after from the local store. In the process, we discovered that the rig was 1300kg and taller than we thought – from the waterline 29m to the top of the aerials!! When we went under the Sibenik bridge we were supposed to have a maximum rig height of 27m!! The following video is a fast version of a process that took 4 hours.

The yard was on a holiday cruise and so no one else was around. Normally during the week, they are pulling out about one boat a day commercial and private. They have four lifting slots and one very big crane as you can see from the ferry in the photo below. It is hard to get an impression of size here but the two small boats in from of us are both around 30m. That crane has 6 pulley blocks and 12 straps. Our yacht usually gets hauled out on 4 pulley blocks and 4 straps. The crane in the distance is old and out of use and needs to be dismantled. The quoted cost for the dismantle and removal is €2m, so nothing has happened.

The whole dock area we are in can also be drained and used as a dry dock. You can hear the pumps running – recirculation water at night. The dry area gates are behind the oil rig boat behind us – so a huge area.

A Weekend and Days Off

The weekend luckily was much slower. Saturday we got out of bed late and launched the dingy and went down the harbour to Fort Ricasoli close to the eastern breakwater for a swim. A lovely little nook under the fort. Stopped at a harbourside cafe for a cold drink after a week of hard work!

Cruising around the harbour and we were very impressed by numerous very large flags flying for the celebration of 1221-2021 and the feast of St Lawrence.

On arriving back at the yard we meet some other boaties who had come in early. They could not find a spot in the bay they wanted due to the number of boats out over the weekend. We thought they were mad really! They were lifting out for some maintenance but had done a lot of cruising. It is amazing how many boats are running blogs. https://zingala.online/ https://salanasailing.com/zingala/

I asked if they had any issues coming into the harbour and they said that the last time they called up and it was a waste of time and a hassle so this time they did not bother and no one even questioned them. Seems Malta is a bit like Italy – far too many rules to be patrolled!!

Sunday was a repeat of Saturday with a couple of small jobs thrown in at the end – late start, swim and cafe visit.

You are probably wondering why we haven’t taken the yacht out??? Our status is slightly indeterminate at the moment as we have no official notification to quarantine, self isolate or not to do either!!. The yard thinks we are supposed to stay on the yacht and they cannot get an answer one way or the other. Seems our double vaccinated status is accepted as was the PCR test on entry. But the paperwork with the approval said no isolation/quarantine on the first clearance document then normal isolation/quarantine on the next ???

Back to Work

Monday workweek was upon us again and although a holiday week many people were around in the yard. Petar, from Medcomms, landed at the airport, disembarked, the plane and came directly to the catamaran. Then ensued a 2 hour incredibly worthwhile discussion on the design for the Victron power management system on the boat. It is amazing when you get the right technically competent person to assist. No wasted time. We did discover that some parts that we had already purchased would not be up to the job. Better now than later. Since the parts are brand new, hopefully, we can swap them out.

Monday afternoon Hew helped derig the mast so it could be measured. Hew then cycled off to get a sim card and I had another grocery delivery. Hew found that the roads are not great for cyclists and although the map looked flat it wasn’t!!

Clare and Vic turned up from MdR late in the day and came over for a drink. They had the same problem trying to come into the harbour as us but seems their agony was prolonged further than ours for little gain. Their boat was pulled out early Tuesday. They were thinking 10, we said it would be early and the guys and lift were there at 7. They got a bit of a shock(especially after the slow pace of Sicily).

Tuesday was stifling, by 2 pm it was 40C and no wind. You can hardly think in this sort of temperature and we left for a swim again. The harbour had few boats on it and then suddenly Hew got pulled up by the harbour police for speeding!! Didn’t see them coming!! The maximum speed in the harbour is 10kts and in the marina areas 3kt. Though I am not sure all the boats abide by this, and we don’t own a speedo for the dingy. Anyway off we toddled a little more sedately and cooled down in the same little cove we used in the weekend.

Tuesday was big fireworks night on the harbour for the feast of St Lawrence which we could even see it from our position and it was a nice way to end the evening and our first full week in Malta. We really should have gone out on the dingy. The Maltese love fireworks.

Next Blog:

https://kiwiflyingfish.com/2021/08/shifting-into-an-apartment-and-a-mastless-cruise-for-the-weekend/