3/10/21

 My sister Susan arrived on March 1st to a disheveled Persephone!  A few days before Susan arrived our refrigerator died.  Jerry had been able to revive our fridge a couple of times every season for the last 6 years - but not this year.  Luckily, we were able to order a replacement unit from Reefco here in St. Thomas.  We spent last week installing a new evaporator box and compressor unit.  Of course, nothing is the same and it was basically installing a whole new unit instead of a quick replacement.

It's hard to describe what it was like to finagle the new 16" evaporator box into the 14" opening on the countertop for our fridge!  And then imagine Jerry laying on the counter trying to hold the box up with one hand and drill and screw the box into place.  The copper lines (you can't see) run along the inside of the box from the box to the thermostat in the corner.  He also fabricated a door for the box from some acrylic we found at the dump.  The plastic box you see on the right is my veggie bin Jerry made about 6 years ago.  It keeps the veggies from sliding to the bottom of the fridge (which is shaped like a funnel).

The compressor to run the fridge is larger than the old compressor.  It had to have a bracket fabricated to hold it in place under the sink in the galley.  Another tight spot to try to work!

Jerry connects the tubes and wires from the evaporator box to the compressor after spending hours getting everything in place and secure.  

We are so blessed to have friends here on Water Island!!!  Matthias had a portable 12 volt fridge we used for a week while waiting for the new unit to arrive and to install.  All of our once frozen meats were lugged up the hill to Matthias' parent's, Jurgen and Robyn's freezer.  (This happened on the night we were headed up to Robyn's for dinner!). We met the Bitterwolf family more than 20 years ago when Robyn was operating a school at their home on Water Island.  Their place has transformed through the years!  Check out the website for their place https://www.4elementsvirginislands.com.  What an amazing magical place and family!  Thank you Matthias and Amber, Robyn and Jurgen, Cassandra and Dominic!

Meanwhile, Susan had the opportunity to watch us work, read, swim, kayak,.....

Susan swims laps around Persephone and snorkels the bay.

Susan wanted to make sure I included this picture of me after the fridge was installed.  I had to put all the food back in the box and organize with....with my Mark Bittman cookbook and our dictionary to help reach into the box.  With the books I'm just about able to touch the bottom of the box.

Jerry has a loaf of multigrain bread ready for the oven!

The best way to eat bread - fresh out of the oven!

Yum!

It's a good thing Susan is here - she is always taking pictures!  I'm often the one with the camera snapping shots for this blog when I remember.  This time I'm in the shots.  

Susan and I take turns paddling the kayak around.

This is Limestone Beach on Water Island.

Limestone Beach driftwood and coconut shell.

Susan in the tree at Limestone Beach.

 

Sunset taken from our anchor spot at Honeymoon.  The number of boats anchored here are more than double what we're used to.  The BVI are closed - here's one of the few spots to anchor, dinghy to shore for drinks and dinner.

Susan and I dinghy to the dump to put our trash in the dumpsters.

After a week anchored at Honeymoon we motor to Crown Bay to fill up water tanks, diesel and gasoline for the dinghy in preparation for leaving for The Bahamas.  Then on to Long Bay near the Yacht Haven Marina where there's a dinghy dock to use while we do chores: provision, laundry and Covid tests.

Here we are on the dollar taxi on the way to the big grocery store.

I love these night shots Susan took of Yacht Haven Marina from our anchor spot!

The yacht to the left was Steve Jobs private yacht.  Very unique design.  Great photo Susan! 

From Susan's bunk in the v-berth she pops her head out the hatch and captures a rainbow.  Some days we open and close the hatches and port lights 20 times because of passing showers.

 

One of the last chores Jerry and I do - clean the speed log.  That's the paddle wheel thingy attached to the bottom of the boat.  The access is in the bilge.  The paddle wheel is covered with growth and teeny sea critters that have taken up residence while sitting at anchor.

The fridge installation, hiking, snorkeling, paddling, reading, chores and provisioning have kept us busy as we study the weather and wait for a decent weather window to head west to Great Inagua in The Bahamas.   I'm not sure when I will have the opportunity to post again - you should be able to check our location using the SPOT link.