A map to where we will be traveling

Well the transmission has been fixed and the cause of the damage re-evaluated.The alignment was totally out and probably has been for awhile. After a major retrofit of new engine mounts and much much more, many days of tweeking it should be done today. The steering has being looked after. It quite amazes me how when a boat sits gremlins begin to occur. I am starting to think this is the boats way of getting back at us for abandoning her for 5 months.

We will run over to Chalone a very secluded anchorage for a sea trial on the transmission and a much needed swim in clear crystal clean water.

I have been watching the various weather reports and I have determined that we will be around for probably another week as a tropical depression/hurricane has hit the area that we will want to transit. In fact it looks like poor Haiti may get hit with a hurricane in about a week. Lets hope not they really don't deserve much more to happen to them.

A hurricane warning has been issued for Barbados,Martinique, St Lucia, The Grenadines.

A Tropical Storm Warning for Trinidad/Tobago, Grenada and Dominica.

Had we made it to the ABC islands we would be preparing for heavy winds and rain. They will not get the hurricane but the winds will be felt here. If you are interested in weather you can check out the hurricane situation (as we must) at www.nhc.noaa.gov or passageweather.com

Hopefully the islands we want to visit will not have too much damage.

If this weather system proves to take the route it appears to be undergoing we may spend the five days in Chalone.

We are more than ready to begin the next phase of this trip which will take us aprox. 450 nautical miles from Cartagena to Aruba. We will spend one or two nights depending on weather in Venezuelan waters at a place called Monjes del Sur. It basically is two rocks that have been joined by a dyke and has just an outpost Venezuelan Naval Station. I would think it would be like a stint in Alert Canada for them. Not much there. At least no polar bears.

From there it is only a day trip to Aruba.

These change of events are putting us back and will not allow us to spend the time we wanted to in some of the places along the way. We must be in Grenada by the end of November as the winds change and the transit would not be fun. Only time will tell.