S/V Koinonia Weekly Sailing Log - Hauled Out in Saint Martin Week 2 (Wed Jan 10th - Tue Jan 16th, 2024)
Updated: Mar 6
Highlights this week: work in the Yard continues on Koinonia; troubleshooting our battery wiring; getting off the boat during the school/ workday. The girls make their first trip to the beach via dinghy without mom and dad; a cold infects the crew; finished installing our drive shaft coupling and seal. Lots of beach time and pastries!
Wed Jan 10 - regular school and trading day; work on multiple boat projects continues. Ben took the older girls to the beach in the afternoon to see friends while Amber and Aliza stayed home. Leftovers for dinner with cheese toast. Finished the movie “A River Runs Through It.”
Thu Jan 11 - a bit rainy today. Regular school and trading day; started in the green but ended the day in the red. Boat projects are continuing but the pace is quite slow. Ben and Amber went ashore in the afternoon to Ace Hardware to find a number of items on our list. Stopped to get fuel and came home. Ben made carbonara for dinner; a family favorite! Got showers ashore then off to bed.
Fri Jan 12 - rain continues off and on; school and trading day; Lizzy went with friends early this morning for a workout in Marigot; Ben had a red day on the market today, which was particularly frustrating since Monday is a holiday. Boat projects continue. Ben’s arm has been messed up for a couple of months but he got out and polished the running gear and the bronze foot on the rudder. After work and school, everyone got dressed and we went to Kim Sha Beach and Buccaneers for dinner. Enjoyed some good company and conversations, then returned home. Friday night stay up night got a late start so everyone did their own thing for a bit, then prayers and bedtime.
Sat Jan 13 - family breakfast at Croissant Royal, then went shopping for Lizzy and Ben needed a new pair of flip-flops. Amber got a new blouse and Maddy got a shirt also. Rented a car for the end of the month for 9 days while we explore the island and provision. Went to Island Water World and bought the hose clamps to finish installing the drive shaft seal on Monday. Amber made a chicken fajita casserole for dinner and we watched the movie, “Waking Ned Devine.” Ben caught up with a long-time friend and former work colleague.
Sun Jan 14 - Lizzy made French Toast for breakfast; started our day with worship time, then the kids spent part of the afternoon at the park, hanging out with the little girl on the boat next door to us in the boat yard. Ben and Amber tag teamed dinner prep and made a bolognese sauce with spaghetti along with a nice 10yo bottle of Côtes De Bergerac Reserve (red blend). Aliza had a call with her friend Abel from SV Bagia. Ben and the kids have all developed sore throats.
Mon Jan 15 - regular school day; no trading due to market closures for the MLK holiday. Ben and Amber hung tarps to protect the deck of the boat and especially the canvas from the dust from the bottom paint removal. Half of the bottom has been sanded back to the bare fiberglass! Mechanic returned and finished installing the new drive shaft seal today and our cleaned and refinished coupler. Amber and the kids went to Kim Sha beach for the afternoon. Ben vacuumed the bilges until they were bone dry.
Tue Jan 16 - Amber is unwell today running a fever on and off. Cold has been getting passed around all over the island, including many cruisers recently returning from the States following the holidays. Regular school and trading day. Very hot on the boat today, so tomorrow we will be getting off the boat as much as possible. Having some challenges getting our battery monitoring devices to sync and read the correct voltage for the new batteries; working with the electrician tomorrow to troubleshoot. Ben installed a new VHF radio today after our B&G finally bit the dust. As a side note, we will never buy another B&G/ Lowrence/ Simrad product after numerous failures of expensive electronics only 3-5 years old. Dinner was a smorgasbord of leftovers.
God Bless,
S/V Koinonia