The Macareo, on the other hand, has a population that still uses paddles rather than outboards, has only one village big enough for a school in the 60 miles you travel upstream and the people want to trade rather than beg for handouts. We had been asked to do this trip before but weren't terribly interested because we didn't have all the facts. We then talked, however, to people who had just returned and they made it sound well worth doing so we committed to it.
HOLD IT - bureaucracy reigns again. Monday we were informed that customs had ordered the only fuel dispensers on the island not to sell subsidized fuel to foreign-flagged vessels. I went to customs to investigate and was informed that there had always been a law in place that forbade selling subsidized goods to outsiders. Up to this point it was one of those laws that no one paid much attention to but for some reason customs had chosen now to enforce. There is a rumour going around that a foreign-flagged fishing vessel took on 5000 gals of fuel last week and a local complained - that apparently happens quite often with the big fishsing trawlers and cargo ships and the problem is that when these vessels do that, this is the only money they spend here. Yachties also take the fuel but the yachting facilities here take in about $30,000,000 from the sailing community each year so of course an uproar has been raised.
Customs assured me that they have no problem with outlets selling us unsubsidized fuel but were not able to tell us where these outlets might be. All outlets sell subsidized!!
What does this have to do with the river trip - the trip upriver is 60 miles against a 4 knot current and it must be motored not sailed due to the width of the river and the lack of wind inland. This means that we all needed to be fully fuelled to go. To further complicate matters, one of the boats only carries 37 gallons and they would have had to borrow fuel from us and from Southern Cross in order to get back.
The matter is still being discussed at meetings attended by the Trinidad and Tobago Sailing Association, our champions in matters such as these. They are Trinidadians who do all they can to facilitate our needs because of course they want us to keep coming back. To this point nothing has changed and Cheryl and I made the decision that if by Friday morning, our proposed leaving date, we still couldn't get fuel, we would not be going. The boat with the small tanks had already filled up and the other boat is prepared to pay a local to circumvent the laws and use jerry cans to buy diesel fuel at service stations and transport it to their boat. Cheryl and I are not comfortable with this. The way we look at it is the law exists, whether is makes sense or not. Before you say - well, it wouldn't hurt anyone - imagine if there were a group of tourists who came to Canada from wherever and decided they didn't like some of our laws. How would we feel or what would we think if we discovered that they were ignoring our laws because they thought they were unfair and were in fact circumventing them. What if that cost us money??
Anyway, whether you agree with our stand or not, unless we get fuel by Friday we won't be going. We can still sail wherever we want and have lots of fuel to get to another country that will sell us fuel. We are going to Grenada to meet the Perrys anyway so - there you go!
What have we been doing, you ask.
Although the trip down the hill was faster, we found out the next day that is was much harder on the muscles, particularly in the shins!!
After coming down the hill we went to a small bay that has a beach. There are very few developed beaches in Trinidad and this one fit the norm. Apparently the small bay it is on used to have US submarines come in and anchor when the Naval station that the USA built during the war was still open. The base opened in 1941 and closed in 1976. More about that too when we talk about the museum.
Monday - museum and potluck day
There is a military museum just down the road from the marina so 6 of us decided to walk over and then attend the cruisers' potluck at TTSA (Trinidad and Tobago Sailing Association). The museum was a surprise. From the outside it looked like a typical small town museum.
We headed over to TTSA for the potluck. TTSA is a marina in the next bay over from were we are and our friends D and Don on Southern Cross are anchored there. They have a cruisers' potluck every Monday evening. We had left our contribution for the potluck on Southern Cross on our way to the museum so D went out and brought it back. There were a lot of cruisers there from Chaguaramas bay as well as TTSA so we knew some people and met some new people. We had a lot of fun and as usual the food was delicious. We walked back to our marina with Leona and Bill on Voyageur C (fellow Canadians) about 8PM and called it a night.
4 comments:
Hey really cool pics with this post. I also like the super zoomed in map of where your boat is currently docked, pretty neat.
I'm glad you're enjoying the island. Stay safe and I hope you get some fuel soon!
the museum sounds really interesting. why are the dogs on the roof? as far as people coming to
Canada and breaking our rules unfortunately that seems to be the norm nowadays but i'm with you it's a good feeling to respect other people and their rules.
LUV YU TAKE CARE
CAYO
Your stories are so awesome, I really think you should consider publishing when you get back!!
It is Friday and I am wondering if you are heading once more to Grenda.... Awaiting the next chapter with anticipation!
You are both very good writers!!
Aleitha
It was a pleasure meeting and golfing with you Cheryl and Griff - at Chagaramas Golf Course today.
This is a great blog you have going here! After my swim, (and my nap) I'll read the rest :-)
I thank you for the yummy peanut butter gelato milk shake! Mmmmmm!
Do not hesitate to write or call if there is anything I can do for you. You can view my picks on Facebook.
Janet P.
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