Subject: on the hard again

Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2003 16:41:59 +0000

From: rosemarie allen

To: woody.nero@nrlssc.navy.mil, wilsondo36@hotmail.com, WHoldik@t-online.de, wgabadie@charter.net, wciesi@u.washington.edu, VMPlaz@webtv.net, tmt@ozemail.com.au, Tao_sc31@yahoo.com, stan_smith@flad.com, rulingangel@aol.com, rtswitz@onlink.net, patrxart@hotmail.com, pammfrancis@hotmail.com, olding@msn.com, niemi@ieee.org, mxwbr@aol.com, Michael.Ernst@uni-konstanz.de, matta@madsewer.org, marinabeauchene@aol.com, lonna.temple@pleasantco.com, Lol4doc@aol.com, lokken@engr.wisc.edu, klarsen@facstaff.wisc.edu, jcwacker@facstaff.wisc.edu, info@siskiwitbay.com, hrampers@contt.jnj.com, hermann-krause@web.de, gramnpopsh@aol.com, dr_hans_cihak@yahoo.de, dietelheinz@hotmail.com, diel49@yahoo.com, dianne.paul@med.va.gov, danno7@charter.net, CRedumbrella@aol.com, cramcharan@laurentian.ca, chipahoy@PocketMail.com, char7@sbcglobal.net, cfg8944@sailmail.com, callipygia600@yahoo.com, bobcush@chorus.net, billmerrill@bigfoot.com, baldockl@transcontinental.ca, amicula.fn162@t-online.de, allenyc@lsu.edu

dear friends, now in willemstad, curacao. during our perfect passages martenique - bonaire (4X24 hrs) and bonaire - curacao , libelle developed a "clunk" in the rudderpost while steering, and after long debates to do or not to do , decided for do without knowing for sure how serious the problem was. fix it, if it can be done in a timely fashion because our deadline to leave for honduras/belize is approaching to meet up with matt&nola and gransons payden and saylor in belize. having libelle out of the water so soon again, became a depressing and inconvenient event since boats belong in the water. but the yard promised that we shall be underway again with all new bearings and bushings on the rudder for the next leg - 1200 nautical miles across the great carribean sea, estimated sailing time nonstop 11X24 hrs) without worry about an imperfect rudder. curacao now an autonomous part of the kingdom of netherlands has a strong dutch influence, many dutch live or visit here. this island gets almost all supplies and food from holland, so we think libelle (a dutch built contest) feels at home here. yet the island is incredibly industrious and productive with huge harbours. on of them, spanish waters is just for pleasure yachts and fishing boats: a vast saltwater lagoon with a channel to the sea and many arms and bays to anchor in, bordered by villas, old forts, lush green hills and tafelberg which is being diminished by the need for building materials. it is less touristy than bonaire where they have hotels, diveshop resorts and pretty beaches with beautiful corals and fishes. but instead has many arms of a protected harbour with huge warfs for industrial and containerships to tie to not having to lie in the heaving sea. this area is considered a hurricanfree zone but one week ago a very late named tropical storm passed only a few hundred miles NW of here. .. sure enjoyed reding the replies from many of you to our last (bonaire) message. as we probably wont write for awhile again, we wish you allthe happiest of holidays! good liming and good health in the new year from jim and rosi. gouda in the fridge.