Yes! Since we are up to date it is time for some videos about the progress we make on the boat. In November 2022 I made a ‘Grand Master Rebuilding Plan’ or a plan to make LIV livable again. It is still valid, but as I described earlier, everything takes a lot more time. Some things we already have but are waiting for installation, like the batteries, the electric motor, the air-conditioning, depth- and speed sensor, windspeed sensor, computer for navigation, the water maker and much more, but we are first getting the foundation ready as good as possible before we start to put everything together.
Hopefully in some months we have more than 50% done… It is a bit overwhelming to see this list (which might not even be complete!), made more than six months ago, and that we are still not really at the deck yet. I already prepared a part of the deck and almost all the loose parts are done (see video of me removing caulk), but the rebuilding of the steel and wood in the ceiling (that is also the deck) will take just as much time as the rebuilding of the bottom of LIV. At least, that is my minimum estimation. For now, Peter is making a lot of other work and in his spare time he is welding the holes and making the machine room ready for the batteries and electric motor.
Time for the video! In this ‘Throwback’-series I will experiment with editing all the videos we have made with working on LIV, ultimately leading to a full make-over video where we sail away to another Caribbean island! This video is from our work in December 2022. Some caulk removing on the deck, sanding and removing the old diesel motor.
In the mean time, I am in the midst of my Yoga Teacher Training and it is amazing! I am so happy I got the time to invest in this life changing experience! It is truly one of the best choices I have made the last couple of years. My days are full with yoga: (this morning I started my own practice at 4:30u), at 6:00u assisting the students in their own practice (ashtanga Mysore style), from 8:30u-10:30u teacher training assist workshop and from 11:00u-13:00u online class philosophy and theory at the InnerSea Yoga Academy in Costa Rica. After that I go home, have some lunch, work through the online theory about anatomy and the literature and then I go to the beach to meditate, study a bit and watch the sunset.
I found some perfect spots where I can sit completely by myself and see the sun go down whit some curious birds and busy crabs. I really like the ghost crabs and the hermit crabs. The ghost crab digs a little hole in the sand and take stuff back into the hole. Once I took my camera with me (NikonD700) and made some pictures of the surroundings and the crabs and snails on the rocks at Punt Vierkant. This is one of my favorite spots, it’s quiet and you can sit on a rock while the fishes swim around your feet. In the pictures you see some juvenile Sergeant Major (fish identification group 4: Small Ovals, damselfish) and the bottom dweller (fish identification group 8: Small, Elongated Bottom-Dwellers) Lancer Dragonet. The Lancer Dragonet sounds very sturdy but I think they are cute (but I think that of all the fishes with outspoken behavior). When I approach the rock they quickly disappear, but slowly they appear again and approach my feet. The small ones (about 1-2 cm) are more adventurous and end up on my feet while the bigger ones (about 7-8 cm) approach with more caution and watch the little guys explore.
The hermit crabs actually like almonds a lot, and it’s really fun to see them eat it and take a piece with them. But I also like to just watch them crawl and stumble across the beach. I took the videos with my phone, so it’s a bit shaky!