Rainbows and Christmas Cove

On the 21st Jim happened to have the camera out at Caneel Bay for a storm picture when a full rainbow briefly appeared and both ends were captured. On the 22nd we headed over to Christmas Cove at Great St. James Island. We came here 10 years ago and were the only boat, now there around 20. The water is the clearest we have seen yet as we snorkeled the rock walls and scrubbed the boat bottom. The antifoul paint has been blistering off the lower lead ballast portion of the keel. Jim has been researching and has determined the lead surface was not prepared properly before the barrier coat and paint were applied. The lead needs to be taken down to un-oxidized lead, painted with clean epoxy, sanded, epoxied again, barrier coated, and then painted. Barrier coat does not adhere to oxidized lead well. We will take care off this during the next haul out, there are no problems having some exposed lead until then, because it does not rust like an iron keel. Our best window to sail to St. Martin by beam reach is currently looking like the 26th.