Ship’s Log Week Eight
One Resolution... survive the savage sea, circumnavigate the globe.
For the crew of Walrus, 2025 was heralded in with New Year’s Eve fireworks over Rodney Bay, followed by rum punches in a local pop-up sports bar. Boy did those rum punches deliver a kick!
New Year‘s Day recovery gave ample time for reflection about the weeks ahead, the nautical miles to be navigated and destinations to be explored. Walrus Around the World website sets out the challenge - 26,000 miles in 18 months... I should add that Walrus has already travelled 3500 nautical miles from her home port of Ramsgate in Kent to get to the start line of the World ARC in Rodney Bay. By the time she returns in May 2026 she’ll have covered 33,000 nautical miles.
Those of you who have been following Walrus’ journey from the start will know that the Atlantic crossing was not without its challenges. Not least was the moment I was woken from a deep slumber, having just come off watch, to be told there was a high probability that if I and the wooden boards and mattress below me were not moved, the battery compartment would explode and Walrus with it. The problem, a faulty battery cell, causing the energy generated from the various power sources to create a dangerously high level of heat (68 degrees Celsius, compared with the usual temperature of 30 degrees). The issues associated with the electrical system were, consequently the most pressing to resolve.
The serious business of preparing Walrus for her circumnavigation of the globe began in earnest over the following days. Electrical issues were resolved with the purchase of three new batteries from the downtown Rodney Bay battery centre. Once fitted under the berth in the aft cabin, a measure of normality returned to Walrus. I’m delighted to report that the battery compartment temperature today is 28 degrees, and the aft cabin has returned to its normal safe state.
Next came a trip to Sophisticuts Barber Salon for Dicky and Gerald to address the unruly hair situation. It was a fun afternoon’s entertainment (for me), slightly nerve-wracking for Dicky, having seen the ever-growing pile of distinguished grey hair on the floor following Gerald‘s shearing. No scissors were used but numerous blades and clippers were skillfully wielded over the course of a couple of hours. The result... two suave looking sailors left the salon ready for a pick-me-up beer or two, following the dinghy ride back to Walrus.
Some of Walrus’ followers have asked... “is there anything Gerald can’t fix?” Gerald insists there are... Dicky and I have yet to find the limit to Gerald‘s skills.
In the past week, Gerald has cleared twenty years of grim grot (I’ll leave the detail to your imagination) from the shower tubing to restore the functionality of the shower system. And has re-cleared the Heads (loo) holding tank by rigging a series of pipes and connecting the hose to flush the system out once and for all. Yay, a sense of returning to normality and a feeling of relief knowing that there’s now a good chance of staying clean on the next part of the trip.
Gerald has been hoisted (by Dicky with me as back up on the spinnaker halyard) to the top of the mast twice to change the bulbs in the anchor light, replace the deck light and the Windex (which shows the direction of the wind... all important when sailing). Gerald captured the great view from the top of the mast, while working away at fixing things.
Not least and/or last Gerald has taken apart a winch, with its myriad of tiny interconnecting parts, checked them over and reassembled the winch to restore it to perfect working order. When you see the parts, all laid out neatly on the deck the scale of the task becomes apparent.
With Kenny, Rodney Bay’s sailmaker’s expertise and the return of the Code Zero asymmetric spinnaker, newly mended... we are nearly ready to go.
We’ve taken timeout too. St Lucia has provided us with t shirt and shorts weather, intermittent blue skies (mainly) with interludes of intense and heavy rainfall, the perfect climate to create the most amazing scenery of mountains and rainforest. An island tour with Michael, the taxi driver, took us south to Southfriere (St Lucia’s second town, founded by the French in 1746) for a memorable lunch overlooking the Pitons (a series of dramatic volcanic peaks). We visited the botanical gardens with the lushest of vegetation, gushing streams and a waterfall of sulphur infused water, and the sulphur springs, with bubbling mud and a smell which can’t be captured and conveyed on film.
Lunch provided the opportunity to sample local food, plantain, swordfish and jerk chicken. Yum.
We’ve signed in and joined the first of many World ARC social events, with steel band, more rum punches and delicious canapés. Great to talk with others to find out their experiences in getting to Rodney Bay and to share thoughts about yacht preparations.
Friend, Sharon, has joined us and family members are coming shortly.
Four days to go until we set off on the journey to Santa Marta in Columbia... more soon.