Well, once again, this blog is long overdue.  In the two short months since our last post we have sailed to a new country, we have welcomed our first overnight guest (my Mom) and we have grown so much as a live aboard family.  We have started to make Trismic our own and she is feels more and more like home every day.

As I type we are sailing past the familiar landscape of mountains and small towns that make up the island of Grenada.  We have spent the past five months here and we have done this sail several times before but this time will be the last for a while, for we are heading north.  The hurricane season will officially be over November 30 at which point we will be free to explore the islands further north and experience all they have to offer.  Many of our cruising friends have already gone so the once kid filled bay that has been home base for the past several months is feeling quiet and not quite right.  We will miss Grenada, she has been good to us and has kept us safe but it is time to move on.  So, farewell to Grenada – and as we have learned to say to the many wonderful cruising friends and families we have met and who we were not quite ready to say goodbye to – until next time.

Here are some of the highlights of the past three months…

Weekly swimming lessons from the Grenadian National Swim Team coach, Nataly Regis Sihera, who had just returned from the Rio Olympics.  The lessons were on the beach and our boat was moored somewhere in the background.

Nathan getting fishing lessons from a former professional commercial fisherman.  We learned what lures to use, how to read the water, how much line to let out, how to clean the fish once we landed it and we even made lures out of used pototo chip bags!  Thanks Jamie!!

In September, we were busy dodging Hurricane Matthew.  We had the boat hauled and hunkered down in a hotel for just over a week.  The day the storm went over us the whole city shut down and no one was allowed out on the streets.  We were told the day before by hotel reception to get all the groceries we would need for the next several days.  The hotel room had shuttered windows and sliding doors and we filled the bathtub with water just in case.  Luckily for us, the storm curved a bit north and we only caught the outskirts of it which only amounted to a lot of rain but not much wind.

Halloween was a bit different this year.  A friend and I organized trick or treating by boat in the bay that we spent the summer in.  We ended up with about 25+ kids all dinghying around from boat to boat trick or treating.  Everyone had a great time.

We also celebrated some summer birthday parties.  They were so much fun.  All kids were invited and we hung out on various beaches doing a variety of activities including inflatables, pinatas, and games.  I was always fascinated at how the parents managed to light candles on the beach in the wind.  Somehow it worked every time!

It was a shame to beat this beautiful tuna apart with a stick but the kids managed!

We also learned what a hash is and how people get addicted to them!  For those of you who don’t know, the Hash House Harriers is an international group of non-competitive running social clubs.  They organize weekly runs/walks usually through difficult terrain.  They claim to be drinkers with a running problem.  There is usually a ceremony before and afterwards which always involves beer being both consumed and sprayed all over any “hash virgins” (see below).  To find out more, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_House_Harriers

We loved having our first visitor on board and sharing what life on board is really like!  Miss you Mom!!

Here is evidence that we really are doing school on the boat.

And this is what Phys Ed looks like on the boat…

Here are some sailing shots…

And of course what blog would be complete without some mention of fixing things.  Don’t worry, I spared you the photos of Neil fixing the heads.

Till next time!!