Scrubbing the bottom

There are 3 things I dislike doing on the boat: One is working on the engine, two is climbing the mast, and three is scrubbing the bottom of all the growth. If possible I will pay someone to do these tasks but here in Bermuda, where everything costs an arm and a leg and in this case $150 for a scrub, I decided to do it myself.

I tie ropes on both sides of the boat from bow to stern to pull myself along and stay in position and I use two main tools. One a stiff plastic brush which is useful for the soft green growth that grows especially near the waterline. The other tool is for the barnacles. I tried to use hard plastic scrapers, but I found they were just not tough enough and now I just use a three inch wide metal one. I don't like doing the task in many places because the water is either putrid or there are alligators, jellyfish or tiny fish that are attracted to the grime coming off the boat. Here in Bermuda the only problem is the occasional barracuda. The water here is clear, clean and warm and today there is not much wind.

This morning was the start of the Atlantic Rally to Europe called the ARC here in St George. Bermuda is the halfway point between the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean where many spent the winter and the Azores.

I had a grandstand view of the start of the 1800 Nm race for cruisers, almost all of which feature inmast furling mainsails along with the latest boating technologies.