This entry is written somewhere off the coast of Barbados. The ship is currently sailing 12 miles out from shore in order to dump all our waste water, sewage and food waste. We will then pick up about 50 tons of salt water to convert into fresh water.
I know you are probably wondering, why on earth are we doing this. So I will tell you.
After arriving in Barbados on Wednesday 28th October, we first went to a commercial berth, where we loaded 3 containers of books and off loaded our ship vans. This berth is in the main cruise terminal port and there is very tight security due to all the cruise ships arriving daily.
We then sailed around to another berth at a flour mill where the public are allowed onboard. However, this is a very small berth where we can only put out a couple of our gangways and are unable to unload vehicles or load the books.
We opened to the public before the weekend and had a great response with a good number of visitors and encouraging book sales.
The flour mill berth is not very well protected from the sea, and on Saturday, a storm somewhere out in the Atlantic started to send larger waves to Barbados and the ship started to really move around in the berth. As the weekend went by, the situation got worse, to the point where the cables attached at the bow and stern became so tight, they damaged the ship with their movement.
Early Monday morning, the captain took the decision that it was not safe to remain at the berth and the ship was taken out to anchor. On Monday, the ship was rolling up to 11 degrees each way while at anchor.
Gradually the weather improved and by Wednesday the seas were calmer, however, a grain ship had arrived and they then proceded into our berth at the flour mill.
This was a situation we had expected, but we didn't think it would happen after we had already spent 3 days at anchor.
The grain ship needs 6 days to unload it's cargo so we are not able to get back into our berth until Wednesday morning. We had hoped to be able to go into one of the other berths in the commercial port over the weekend, but were told there was no space.
So the ship has now been sat at anchor off the coast of this beautiful island for 6 days. We now have to go out to sea to get rid of some stuff that has built up and get more water because we are about to run out.
It is obviously very frustrating when you come to an island for 18 days, hoping to be able to minister to the people and have the bookfair open each day, and then end up at anchor for 9 days.
We just hope and pray there are no further delays in getting in to port.
Thankfully, because the seas are now calmer, we were able to launch a lifeboat today to shuttle people to and from shore, so teams were able to go out and do ministry ashore, as well as some people having their day off.
Sunday we will send teams out to churches on the boats.
On Tuesday, we plan to go back to the commercial berth to load more book containers, water and fuel. Then we expect a very busy last 5 days when we reopen on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, we are trying to make the best of our time out at anchor. Tonight we are having a movie night up on deck - Titanic would you believe?!
Of course being at sea means only the satellite internet connection so no pictures today I'm afraid.
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