20th September 2011

Still in Trinidad


We have now been here for more than three weeks, and the boat project is gradually coming to an end. As usual, Pekka has been very hard-working and, among numerous other things, he has rebuilt the whole fore cabin. So, after more than ten years at sea, we finally have a double bed!


The Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago decided to continue the country's State of Emergency for the next three months but fortunately the curfew was cut down (now 11 pm – 4 am). This enabled us to go on a wildlife tour to Caroni Swamp which is a huge mangrove swamp just east of Port of Spain. We spent several hours on a river boat slowly motoring through winding channels in the mangrove forest that is home to blue herons, cattle, great, and snowy egrets, caymans, tree boas and, above all, the national bird of Trinidad and Tobago, the luminous scarlet ibis. Great things are always worth waiting for!



We are going to stay here till next week, but then it is time to continue our voyage!

September 1st 2011

Black and White, TandT


Yesterday, the beautiful twin-islands of Trinidad and Tobago celebrated their 49th Independence Day without any fireworks and by blocking the main roads leading to popular beaches on the north side of Trinidad, thus causing traffic jams that left hundreds of families in their cars for hours.


Tomorrow, the country's House of Representatives will meet to debate whether or not the state of emergency and curfew should be extended. We are keeping our fingers crossed (and thumbs up as well, as we do in Finland) that at least the curfew hours would be adjusted, if not lifted altogether. Going on a tour and finding ourselves on the road with a broken engine is not something we want to experience under the circumstances.


That is why, brown pelicans and black vultures are the only things we have seen of the island's abundant wildlife so far. But we live in hope!