I like it here and the pace of life. It would no be inconceivable to buy a local house for 5.9 months of the year, and live aboard for the other 6 thus meeting all residency requirements. The standard of living is poor and people live within their means, salvaging and recycling anything that is free.

Don't get me wrong this little place on the way to the Highwayman was to only gato I saw and even it was gone within a few days. There are a fair number of ex-pats who have bought a small native place and retired here often with a local live in.For $15,000 USD you could get a quite habitable place so long as you did not bring all your theft attractive city toys. There is no doubt theft is a BIG problem as if they can carry it away they will.

A six pack later I finally cooled out over the one tourist day I had allowed myself only to end up with a hen party in me ear. Once again it is 06:00 EST wake with a 07:00 start to settle into another grind day on the hard

This is my first day out without sunscreen and I am becoming native dark fast now.

Today I have finished setting the forward window of After the Storm by myself which was a major juggling act with 3M 5200 attempting to goo me at every move. (And yes I know 5200 is not recommended, but client wishes prevail. A move which for once I managed to I thinks avoid in at least places that I can see as the day wanes. After The Storm's windscreen is now nearly finished now with the exception of some fairing and figuring out how I will make all the angles of the center come together in a pleasant manner.

I was about to do the center deck joint with epoxy when the little man behind me right ear started banging on his drum and convinced me to walk away and consider another option. Never, never ignore those voices in your head as long as they don't tell you Jesus or Mohammad commands your. Which nether of my voices do I might add. This little guy is much more like the ever popular gremlin in the nicotine patch commercials.

The mid deck seam of the aft deck was a disaster with a gap that varied to nil to a half inch, all wavy and in and out. There is tremendous pressure to get the job done fast. We considered filling the area with epoxy but though better of it. The Storm is a wood boat and if something must be made it should be made by from wood, or so say the old shipwright guys who are almost always right. Perhaps this was another disaster averted as if the epoxy crept around the Saran wrap and packing tape (both which will release easily) I would be up a big time creek.

In any case this was a 10.5 hour day in the Belize sun which is enough for a semi snow bird Canuck Tomorrow there will be are conning with the labor force as the bail out a half hour before quitting time and dumping tools helter skelter into buckets is going to stop. They bitch I work them too hard but I am 25 years older and kicking butt. Although I must admit that I have trouble becoming the bitch it appears that I must be to get my dollars worth from them. On the other hand these guys work pretty hard for their $40.00 Belize a day ($20.00 USA) and I push pretty hard looking for those happy sanding sounds behind my back. Ah, the trials and tribulations of Caribbean labor.

The giulia lizards love the junk equipment and loll in the baking heat created by the windows of a cab. I wish that I had a thermometer to find out just how hot this interesting reptile likes its oven. One thing for sure it will raise its body temperature big time.

The good news is the shoulders are holding up well and so far not even a Tyanol. Come 21:00 I am out like a light. So much for another day in this mill.

Monday, March 5, 2007 6:47:12 PM

Back to final fitting of the windscreen. I am trying to focus after a lost day.

The great tourist adventure was a total bum out, so it is back to work.Sunday I got the windscreen glass set which was a bitch by myself but Charlie has come down with some sort of bug and took some pill that knocked him completely out Sunday PM.

Today I finished trimming out the windows and put a spline in the center of the cockpit deck while Carlos sanded his heart out all day on the remaining cockpit sides and started on the bowsprit and handrails. There is no question that Carlos is the best of the bunch and we will make deadline if as long as I can keep him full time. All in all I am begining to feel a bit like slave labor at these rates. The first rain I have seen has now set in which will test how watertight I managed to get the windows and hopefully wash some of the muck off the outside of the boat.

But.... But... it is coming along now and After the Storm look far more like a real boat with the forward windows in. Tomorrow will be a new story as I will delve deep under the boat and plug the hole he drilled in the bottom to drain rainwater.

March 5, 2007 6:47:12 PM

The great tourist adventure was a total bum out, so it is back to work.

Sunday I got the windscreen glass set which was a bitch by myself but Charlie has come down with some sort of bug and took some pill that knocked him completaly oyut Sunday PM.

Today I finished trimming out the windows and put a spline in the center of the cockpit deck while Carlos sanded his heart out all day on the remaining cockpit sides and starterd on the bowsprit and handrails. There is no uestion that he is the best of the bunch and we will make deadline if as long as I can keep him full time. All in all I am begining to feel a bit like slave labor at these rates and would love to see some of the promised front money.

The first rain I have seen has now set in which will test how watertight I mannaged to get the windows and hopefully wash some of the muck off the outside of the boat. But.... But... it is comming along now and After the Storm look far more ike a real boat with the forward windows in.

Tomorrow will be a new story as I will delve deep under the boat and plug the hole he drilled in the bottom to drain rainwater and .

Tuesday, March 6:

As I brought my notes up to date I noted that it seemed like yesterday that I met Charlie, Kim and After the Storm.

Make no mistake I have been pushing it hard. However meeting and living with these folks over the past several weeks has been a testimony to their generosity and a lot more fun than waiting for wildlife to walk by the boat frozen in the ice.

Life on the Shrimp Plantation and life as a wooden boat chippie is just fine.

After the Storm, got the drain hole bunged and the glass cleaned up before the guys arrived and began sanding.

Carlos has his moments. I will have to visit Del Mart Lumber Yard again today as I need to pick up the wood for the bed frame. I am running out of supplies and Charlie is already way overloaded so this will be my chance to go downtown on my own.

Having only been downtown twice navigation into the heart of a tropical center seemed an interesting project. The ride in was pretty expectant as once I passed the Belize City Bridge circle and turned toward the shore I blanked out and none of the roadside looked familiar. Following my nose the ride along the shore was pleasant as I watched a Cruise Ship enter the channel.

Finding my way into the central square and the hardware stores was pure instinct, not so finaly honed I will point out. The entire area was abuzz with anticipation of the Cruise Ship influx with the narrow streets dressed in pirate finery. Unfortunately I had a pocket full of cash and a bag full of returns so was not too interested in sight seeing.

After a single wrong turn and tour of a tourist street I made it to my destination and began the part two of the project, parking. There are no organized parking lots and the streets are densely packed with a constant flow of people and goods. I finally found a parking place a half dozen blocks away and just had time to complete my errands before the stores closed for the day. Then tropical rush hour in the old part of town was the blind leading the blind as I tried to remember key landmarks while keeping moving.