Rain clouds are rolling grey and heavy across the sky this morning. It is actually quite exciting!

We haven’t had any rain here for weeks now. Ther’s been wind and some cooler, cloudy skies but no explosion of rain for us. Quest is filthy. Her white hull is an ochre-stained red. There’s heaps of Saharan dust in the air, coming across from huge African dust storms. The dust keeps the rain from falling in earnest. By the time it gets over Quest, it’s also come over Bonaire and mixed with the arid, semi-dry landscape. Makes us very dusty all in all.

I’m watching the sky now. Oh dear. I spoke too soon. The clouds seem to be losing their flavour for a downpour. They’re moving west and leaving us with silvery sunshine.

This dry period is a bit surprising. We’ve had a good amount of consistent rain overall since we’ve been in Bonaire. Up until now, it’s been about Barbados levels. Though people who live here have said it’s been more than normal amounts of rainfall. I wondered. After all, Bonaire is the island where people interweave tall cactus plants and make them into fences. It’s cool to see.

I thought it was too rainy for just cactus. Well, after this last month I get it. It is really dry now. Really dusty. Mixed with the heat of the sun, the birds and lizards are probably waiting. Even the salty flamingos are parched. Come on rain. I could put my cozzie on and give Questie a wipe. It would be a win-win.

Bonaire, like most dry islands, have huge water makers – gargantuan versions of the poor broken one we have on Quest to convert sea water to drinking water. The island doesn’t suffer then from a fresh water shortage in these dry times. I can only imagine the times before they did. You would have had to be so careful.

In St Vincent, we hear clean water is becoming in short supply. This must be so strange. It rains there so much. So much so people take fresh water for granted. St Vincentians keep much of their supply in open containers. None of these supplies can be used now with La Soufrière’s ash fall. Indeed, even the rain is filled with ash. Usually St Vincent makes the water. I’ve seen they still have ground springs which hopefully they can rely on, even if it’s a little. Yesterday, posts were showing ships from neighbouring islands – Martinique and Trinidad bringing St Vincent relief supplies. This included crates and crates of drinking water.

Jack has just finished making his wooden board – to strap water containers to against the side of Quest for the Atlantic crossing. We aim to carry 1000 litres of fresh water. Some of you yachties may balk at the amount, but this isn’t much for us. We are already planning our five-litre water consumption-a-day though. You drink it or you shower. Choose which one. After all, we could get stuck in the doldrums. Meanwhile, the sunsets are so beautiful here, we wonder if the volcanic ash has reached us.

Photo credit – thanks to Karin Günther 😊

Springs in St Vincent: https://fb.watch/4QK-z7lG3a/