WIFI Aboard: The Network that NotWorked, Works Again

One of the earliest projects we did on Argon was to install a Wifi network. It consisted of a Ubiquity Bullet m2 Titanium Radio/Router and a Microtik Wireless Access Point. It was our "ArgonAfloat" Wifi network and served us very well. After six years of baking in the sun and freezing in (some) winters - not to mention operating in a salt-air environment, the Bullet finally bit the dust in February while in Anguilla.

Capt. Bob

We considered several options, but at the time finally decided to just do nothing. On this cruise, we rely primarily on mobile data and that will be especially true for the last leg through the Bahamas before we return to the states.

Red Line is what we've covered. Yellow is still to go!

With a stop in San Juan, Puerto Rico scheduled before our passage to southern Bahamas, we re-considered if we should replace the gear and get something shipped in. Once again we considered a few options:

• Just get another bullet (about a hundred bucks plus shipping)
• Get a Halo Redport system (about 400 bucks plus shipping)
• Get a Rogue Wave Dual-Band Pro and MBR550 Router with SIM card (about two grand)

You can probably tell by the additional details in one of those lines, which one I did. We got the Cadillac system - Wave Wifi stuff from Defender in CT. They shipped it to the Marina a few days ahead of when we arrived and it was all here waiting for us.

Why The Splurge?  

We both work extensively from the boat, so connectivity is very important. The Bullet m2 always worked well, but it is complex to configure and tricky to debug issues with. Also, the old m2 version we had would only see 2.4GHz Wifi. Many times, we could see SSIDs from our laptops down below that the bullet couldn't see up on the radar mast! The Halo system also only works on 2.4GHz systems.

Removing the dead Bullet Radio in Anguilla

Wave Wifi makes high-end turn-key systems which are installed on private and charter yachts of all sizes. They offer the DB (dual band) Pro radio which will work with 2.4 and 5 GHz systems. And they have their own brand of "marine-grade" routers/access points: the MBR500 and MBR550.  The difference between these two (besides about $350) is that the 550 has a SIM slot in it and two high-gain Cellular Antennas. Interesting.

We normally buy two of whatever the local SIM card is and stick them in two different phones. Going forward, we have the option of sticking one in the SIM slot on the router and having that serve our main network. I can remember a few times in the Bahamas a couple of years ago where the BTC mobile signal was a bit weak. Perhaps having the BTC SIM in the router with those fancy Cellular Antennas will give us an edge - we'll see next month. We will have to configure the APN and other parameters for each SIM. I think the trick will be to get them to configure the card in a phone at the store and then use that phone to see which APN to use.  It should work.

The one disadvantage of serving up Mobile Data over our primary network is that we will now need to set the primary network as a Metered network on all of our devices. In the past, it was assumed that if our primary network was working, it was connected to some bar or restaurant near the anchorage. Now, we have to beware that it might be backed by expensive and limited mobile data. Windows10 and Android devices allow setting individual Wifi networks as Metered and as such, will not do super-high-bandwidth nonsense over them.

 

SIM Included

They do include a T-Mobile SIM and offer several insanely expensive monthly plans. I saw 50GB for $350 and ran screaming. I left it in the SIM slot for now just to prove that it works.  Later, we will be sticking local pre-paid SIMs in here and crossing our fingers.

 

More Benefits

The MBR550 has a series of ports that can work in a fail-over sequence.  Out of the box it is configured like this and they even name the ports to make it obvious. Previously, we used a separate router (a cheap tp-link) on our Satellite Terminal for offshore passages. Now, the sat terminal will just plug directly into our primary router and it will automatically fail over to it if the Wifi and Cellular data are down. Simple. Additionally, they provide a means to limit the data on each port. I have set the Satellite port limit to 5MB per day. That will avoid a nasty and expensive "accident" when offshore like we've had in the past. The Satellite data is $10/MB and only used for short text emails, GRIBs and to upload our Track underway for those playing along at home.

The Failover config screen. Wifi first, then SIM then Sat

Installation

The hard part of the install was actually done years ago when we installed the original Bullet/Microtik system. All the power and ethernet wiring that was done then will work now. Both the old and new radio get power over ethernet (POE). The Wave Pro DB came with a shiny new POE injector (this one with LEDs on it), so I swapped in the new one (because I like shiny things).

The Pro DB radio in hand and the MB550 and new POE mounted inside.

Bit of a mess during the install.

The Pro DB with spacers ready to be clamped to the radar mast.

Mounted and wired in. The Fleet One Satellite terminal now feeds a port on our primary router (white wire).

A bit of a stretch and balancing act.

And done!

The Review

Don't you hate those Amazon reviews where someone reviews something after owning it for only a couple days?  Well, I'm about to do the same.

It was incredibly easy to set up. The paper instructions included were not so great but I downloaded the manual (and of course put it in dropbox with all the other ship's manuals). One thing that is buried a bit is that you can configure it by connecting to it wirelessly instead of plugging in an ethernet cable as the instructions say. The trick is that the initial password is MBR550's serial number. That said, there is not much config to do. The router allows you to require logins for your users and can even redirect them to a disclaimer page. This is probably a very popular feature on charter boats and large yachts with lots of guests coming and going.

Product placement.

I've been using it for work for several days. The Pro DB is connected to the Club Nautico Guest Wifi here at the marina in San Juan. As is often the case with marinas, the Wifi is horrible at times and not so bad other times. This marina has a 2.4 and a 5GHz guest Access point. While the 2.4 is a slightly stronger signal, I've been having much better luck on the 5 (lately).  It's nice to have the option now.

The physical mounting of the MBR550 router is much nicer than the old Microtik A/P.  It has tabbed legs with screw holes and the footprint is a bit smaller.  I mounted it inside our nav table pod with the Sim slot facing forward.

The Pro DB radio feels very rugged and heavy. It has a standard antenna mount threaded base, however we are not using that yet. I'm doing the hose-clamps to a stainless rail method of mounting for now. Perhaps a winter project will be to add a threaded base to the Edson wing and run the wire up inside it. A nice touch is that when the Pro DB gets power, it makes a quiet bootup sound - like a rapid series of clicks. It's nice feedback to let you know that your POE is working all the way to it.  Like the bullet, there are no LED indicators of power or signal.

Another advantage over the Bullet is that anything the Pro DB connects to can be saved as a Favorite. Come back next year and it will connect - so long as they haven't changed the password which is often the case. The bullet had no such memory so it required another trip to the bar to harvest a password.

Speaking of harvesting passwords, this brings me to one thing that was nicer in the Bullet. The Site Scan Survey results screen for the Bullet was a nice tight table of SSIDs and signal strength. One could sort by signal strength, take a screenshot of that on your phone and go ashore to harvest passwords. The UI in the Wave Scan screen is modern and pretty, but it spreads the list of Access Points it sees over several pages. It will now require several screenshots to capture it all - especially when there are many access points around (most of which are from other boats).

Boo - a phone screenshot only fits four Access Points in this "pretty" UI. Give me the simple text table from the Bullet please!

Something that I have not figured out how to do (or if it can be done) is to change how the Pro DB appears to the access point it is connected to. In the old Bullet configuration, I had us showing up as "Bill's iPhone". This was mainly done because some restaurants/bars in certain places are very protective of their Wifi passcodes and insist on typing them into your phone instead of telling them to you. We would use our superior technology to thwart that, but then we didn't want to appear as "Bullet m2" in their router connected user list (if they ever look). I have a feeling that we show up as "Wave... something or other" now and I don't yet know how to change that.


There is a Bug (or feature) I've run into with regards to Favorites. I had both the 2.4 and 5GHz SSIDs saved as favorites. I deleted one Favorite and... it deleted both of them. Can I put this in Jira?

Time To Get Back To Work, And Play

We're spending a few more days in San Juan and will wait on a window to make a 460 nautical mile (3+ day) passage to Grand Inagua in the southern Bahamas. Besides this little project, we have gotten several other things done on the boat including some bright work. The Bahamas will be a test for the Cellular Data capabilities of the MBR550. Between that, a second BTC local SIM card in a phone and Google FI, we hope to stay well connected most of the time.

In the meantime, we're enjoying San Juan and even dressing up a bit for nights out!

Martinique and Joyeux Noël

We planned on staying in Martinique just a few days. Two weeks and five harbors later, we reluctantly wrapped up our exploration of this fantastic French island to continue our voyage northward.

Captain Linda Perry Riera

Harbors

After a 12 hour challenging sail from St. Vincent, Argon nestled in to the extensive bay at St. Anne on the southern coast of Martinique. This vast area of good holding in 15 foot depths abutting a precious town made for a welcoming introduction.

vous êtes ici

Later, a brief but jaunty down-wind sail to the southwest harbor of Anse DÁrlet (definitely on our all time top 10 list), we enjoyed the pristine water, jovial beach and attractive hillside town.

For a change of pace we also anchored in the urban harbor of the capital city of Fort de France before setting off on an easy short early morning hop to Anse A L'Ane for a couple of nights.

The last few days on the island were perhaps the highlight of our Martinique experience anchored close to shore on an skinny swath of sand in Saint-Pierre at the base of Mt. Pelée along the northwest coast. Saint-Pierre overflows with tragic history from the infamous Mount Pelée eruption in 1902 killing nearly 30,000 people and destroying the city.

St. Anne Harbor was a welcome respite after a long difficult sail from St. Vincent.

Large sea turtles are very common in these waters. We saw the most at St. Anne and Anse DÁrlet.

The rolly down-wind sail along the southern coast through Passe Des Fous. Rocher Du Diamant is prominent in the background.

The spectacular harbor of Anse DÁrlet on the southwest coast (one of our all time favorite harbors).

Anchored near a huge cruise ship in the big city of Fort de France.

Morning sail from Anse A L'Ane to Saint-Pierre.

Harbor of Saint-Pierre with the impressive 4000+ ft Mt. Pelée volcano in the background.

Anchored in Saint-Pierre with Mt. Pelée in the background.

Exploring Land

We were able to get to land quite a bit while in Martinique. Sometimes it was to work, but mostly it was for exploration. Martinique, like all the French islands, is great for provisioning with well stocked markets, good quality produce, excellent wine and cheeses, and reasonable prices. Investigating shops, visiting chandleries, and embarking on rural and urban hikes were a great way to get lots of exercise and experience the island intimately.

Embarrassingly, we still know no French aside from a handful of standard phrases and pleasantries. It is a surprising barrier considering the focus on tourism in the country. However, the vast majority of people were either friendly or neutral about our lack of local language skills. (This is in contrast to the unwelcome vibe in much of Guadeloupe.) Google Translate is of great help in the French islands.

Fantastic, extensive trail along the southeastern coast from St. Anne to Saline Beach.

Vigorous hike along the southwest coast.

Great grilled food along the beach in Anse D'Arlet.

Interesting cascading lights pouring out of the Hotel De Ville in Anse D'Arlet. These are made of thousands of used plastic water bottles.

Close up of the plastic water bottle cascade.

Beautiful glowing plastic garbage mirage at night. Also a reminder of the immense permanent trash we create.

Exploring the big city of Fort de France.

Long hike from Anse A L'Ane to Anse Mitan lead us to a defunct hotel at the tip of Pointe du Bout with interesting street art.

 

Eclectic downtown Saint-Pierre. Many buildings retain a wall or two from original structures prior to the destruction by the volcano in 1902.

Waterfront produce marker in Saint-Pierre.

Hiking Mt. Pelée. The starting point was at about 2400 feet then we hiked up to about 4000 feet. (and there was still more to go)

Breathtaking views down the carved trench of Mt. Pelee. We were pretty tired by about now.

Zoomed in shot of Argon's anchorage along the city of Saint-Pierre from atop Mt. Pelee volcano. Argon is just above the ferry dock.

Are we there yet?! Nope, still more ridges beyond.

Enjoying post hike adult beverages in a funky downtown bar, Saint-Pierre.

We are getting better at deciphering menus.

The Negatives: Thefts, Connectivity and Transportation

Martinique proved to be a wonderful island for cruising. However, there are a few challenges.

Dingy thefts are common in Martinique (similar to many Windward islands). Even gasoline cans getting swiped out the dinghy as well as gasoline siphoned out of the can is problematic. (We anchored next to and hung out with two other American boats in Saint-Pierre - both had their gas tanks stolen recently while in Martinique.) The logistics and expense associated with replacing any of these items is substantial. Currently there are transportation related strikes on the island further increasing gasoline thefts due to the constricted supply. Stainless steel chain ($$$) locks our outboard and gas can to the dinghy. And another stainless steel chain locks the dinghy to the dock when going ashore. It is also necessary to lock the dinghy to your boat at night as thefts occur even when at anchor with owners on their boat. Argh!!

Heavy chains and locks add a layer of inconvenience when going ashore, but it is necessary.

Martinique is the most first-world place we have been in months. Roads are in excellent condition, products and services are plentiful. But this country is by far the most difficult and expensive for data connectivity. Thank goodness we had Google-Fi going in one of our phones, because for much of the time here, it has been the only option but it was slower than normal (not fast enough for voice calls / telecons). We always try to have redundant connectivity options if possible since we are so dependent on it for work. We still had an Orange SIM card from last year on the way south but could not get it to work. And even if we could, the cost of data on Orange is 15EUR/GB... more than quadruple the Digicel price of about $3USD/GB. When we got to Fort de France, we eventually found an Orange Store and brought one of our phones with our old Orange SIM. No one in the store spoke any English and we struggled through using Google Translate. For some reason (in french) we needed a new SIM card (19EUR). But even then, that didn't work so we needed to be escorted to a strangely secure upstairs section of the store to see "The Technician" (9EUR more) who got us working. After all that hassle, data is still 15EUR/GB so we continue to limit the use of the Orange SIM for when we need really fast LTE (like for work teleconferences). We will certainly go way over our allowed 15GB from Google FI this month and have to buy additional data at $10/GB (but this is still cheaper than Orange). We continue to muddle through the data challenges while island hopping.

More hours spent in search of and waiting at an Orange store for help securing SIM card data. No English was spoken here; there was lots of usage of Google Translate.

Google Translate is immensely helpful not only for deciphering menus but for more complicated transactions like renting a car or trying to rectify data issues.

Martinique has a lot to learn from the non-french West Indies when it comes to transportation. In many of the non-french islands, there is a system of private buses and taxis. In Grenada and Antigua for example, a driver can buy a van, and buy a permit to run a particular bus route. His incentive then is to pack as many people into his van and get them to where they want to go as fast as possible so he can cram more people into his van. We have never seen a bus refuse to pick up someone because of such a silly reason as  being "too full".  We have taken several rides on each other's (or strangers') laps.  For the sailor trying to get places, this is extremely efficient. You will never wait more than a few minutes on any road without several buses slowing down, honking and asking you if you want a lift. Often, the buses make stops at businesses and restaurants to deliver supplies from vendors. It's incredibly efficient Island UPS. And costs only about $1USD/trip. The downside of this system, is that because of the incentives, they drive... insane. (Just close your eyes and hang on and enjoy the thumping music.)

Martinique is the extreme opposite. There are very few taxis, and there is no private bus system. There are over-sized, overly comfortable, air conditioned municipal buses that arrive at specific stops very infrequently. (And do not dare try to pay fare with anything larger than a 10EU note.) To effectively get around Martinique, you need to rent a car. But securing a rental without an advance reservation is very difficult as the supply is strangely restricted. The roads are clogged with rental car traffic and parking can be difficult. Message to Martinique: be more like Grenada and the other islands with transportation (only maybe drive a little less frighteningly).

Bob working while we wait (for a long time) for a bus to take us to the chandleries in Le Marin.

Boat Projects in Paradise

Martinique is the Caribbean shopping mecca for mariners (second only to perhaps St. Martin). We took an (inefficient) bus trip from St. Anne to nearby Le Marin. The trip proved fruitful as we scored zinc anodes for the sail drive and bow thruster, an additional piece of stainless steel chain for added dinghy security, a headlamp, and sail tape.

There is always a list of things to fix, tweak, maintain, and inspect. We checked off several small projects recently including whipping on the reefing line and main halyard (to assist line setting for reefing), scrubbing the bottom of the dinghy, rigging the boom brake, checking and adjusting the rig tune, replacing lots of rigging tape. We also made a trip to a fuel dock and, after hovering for nearly an hour awaiting our turn, topped off diesel and gasoline and filled our water tanks. 

There are several projects on the to do list including polishing the bow roller, addressing the vented loop on the sump discharge to stop it siphoning, cleaning the sump, inspecting and cleaning the bilge pump, checking the lazy-jack lines for chafe, getting the broken backing plate out of the boom (probably requires removing the boom) and having a new padeye welded, inspecting all steering mechanics and autopilot...  The more I type, the more I think of...

Oh, and we are way behind on laundry. There is a growing, stinky pile craving attention.

Tweaking the rig tuning, replacing some codder pins, and fresh sail tape.

Whipping mark on the reefing line and main halyard to assist with reefing. (It will be re-done when we can get some reflective sail thread for better visibility at night.)

Replacing the shackle with dynema lashing on the main tack for a more clean attachment to the gooseneck bolt.

Rigged boom brake - particularly useful since we are now happily often sailing off the wind. (A recent padeye breakage is cause for improvising the attachment point temporarily.)

Where to Next?

The next island north is Dominica. Despite being big fans of this beautiful and rugged island, we will keep our stay in Dominica brief so that we can move on to Les Saints / Terre de Haut (part of another French country, Guadeloupe, thus with the same data limitations and language barrier).

Au revoir, Martinique!!

And We're Finally Sailing: Grenadines

After a month in Grenada getting Argon back in the water, completing major and minor projects, and a couple of false starts, we were finally able to begin the sailing part of this journey. And just in the nick of time to host Christian and Brittany!

Captain Linda Perry Riera

Carriacou

Although geographically part of the Grenadines, politically Carriacou is part of the country of Grenada. Only 12 square miles and with a population of 8,000, the size and simplicity of this island is a stark contrast to Grenada. Carriacou is a favorite of ours and we were ecstatic to finally be able to depart Grenada and sail to Carriacou on the last day of November.

Easy 18nm close reach sail on calm waters from Grenada mainland to Carriacou where we met up with Christian and Brittany.

Christian and Brittany joined us in Carriacou!

Argon is the lone sailboat anchored in Sparrow Bay on the west side of Carriacou

Outside Bogles Round House overlooking Sparrow Bay. Bogles is a charming set of stone cottages and a restaurant. This is one of the several unique places Christian and Brittany stayed at on land when not sleeping aboard Argon. They both enjoyed the experience of sleeping on board, but prefer land accommodations. :-)

My favorite harbor in all of the Caribbean is Anse la Roche. We enjoyed a private bbq with lobster hosted by Tim Roy and friends.

After the bbq, Christian popped the question on the beach!

Engagement celebration hosted by Tim Roy with a beach bbq on Anse la Roche. Congratulations to Christian and Brittany!

Argon anchored in Anse la Roche.

Exploring Carriacou on foot.

Overlooking Tyrrel Bay where Argon is anchored for the last day/night on Carriacou.

Grenadines

Sprinkled over a 40nm swath of ocean between Grenada and Saint Vincent, the Grenadines is a group of more than a dozen islands with a population of about 10,000. Union and Bequia are the most populated; several islands are non-inhabited such as the group of Tobago Cays. The Grenadines is one of my favorite cruising grounds due to the clear turquoise waters and relatively rustic Caribbean vibe.

Union Island

After several heavenly and celebratory days in Carriacou, it was time to check out of customs and immigration, weigh anchor, and set off for the country of St. Vincent and The Grenadines (SVG). We were high to the wind for the short 10nm sail but were able to coast in to Clifton Harbor at Union Island on a single tack.

Carriacou in the background as we sail to Union Island.

Christian and Brittany assuming the honor of hoisting the courtesy flag for the country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines after checking in to customs and immigration. (Not quite tan yet.)

We met up with Tim Roy's mom, Jenny for some fresh produce and fantastic mango-papaya-banana smoothies.

Dinghy parking lot in Clifton Harbor, Union Island.

Brittany passes a beer to the impressive kite surfer, Butter, as we watch his acrobatics from Happy Island.

Linda with Butter (after hitching a ride). His kite boarding show was spectacular.

Mayreau

Mayreau is a precious little island with less than 300 residents. Salt Whistle Bay is a magical anchorage (potentially my second favorite) overlooking a thin spit of sand allowing the constant easterlies through to cool whilst providing a barrier to the choppy seas.

Heavenly Salt Whistle Bay.

Many boat boys are eager to help cruisers anchor, moor, as well as offer fish, bread and their beach bbq services.

Local grapefruit, papaya, and passion fruit are breakfast favorites.

An easy swim or short dinghy to the pristine beach of Salt Whistle Bay.

Nadika was a lovely host to a delicious dinner of grilled snapper and chicken with plantains, salad and fried rice. She also provides laundry services.

Tobago Cays

A protected marine park consisting of five small islands surrounded by reefs, Tobago Cays is popular with cruisers and charter boats in this area and a truly unique destination. Although restrictions have been present for 25 years, the area remains threatened from the extensive usage. Several local boat boys regularly hold beach bbq's and sell fish but there is frustration among many locals that they are not able to benefit enough from this resource.

Five uninhabited islands of the Tobago Cays surrounded by reefs to the east providing some protection from the open ocean.

Small spit of beach a short swim away from where we are moored between Petit Rameau and Petit Bateau busy with sea turtles and rays.

Much current runs between these two islands. We hung on to the dinghy painter when swimming off the boat to keep from getting swept away in the current.

View from Petit Rameau overlooking the eastern reef and turtle sanctuary.

Peak of Petit Rameau, Tobago Cays.

Bequia

Pronounced bek-wee, the second largest island of the Grenadines is most definitely one of our overall favorite of the entire Caribbean. Admiralty Bay, the main anchorage, is a large western-facing bay with a ferry terminal, Port Elizabeth town center, water front stone walk, and stretches of gorgeous beaches. We were fortunate to set the hook here for 10 days last February as well as another week in December.

The sail from Tobago Cays to Bequia was robust (and some of our stomachs protested a bit). Winds were up in the high teens and low twenties and from slightly north of east (as usual). In this part of the Caribbean, sailing north means sailing to Windward (hence "Windward Islands"). Therefore, not only are you sailing quite high, but in the open water between islands, you are plowing into pretty good ocean swell. This was the most we have pushed Argon since the major gooseneck rework and new main sail and track were added. With reefed main and 90% Jib, she performed beautifully often soaring at 7.5 kts. Our confidence in the boat is returning and this was a great passage to push that forward.

The 25nm sail from Tobago Cays to Bequia was a bit challenging in 20+ kt easterly winds and 6 foot seas. We were close haul the entire way but able to reach the southwestern tip of of the island in less than 4 hours and in one tack.

 

Christian and Brittany on the sea walk from the town center to Prince Margaret Beach.

 

View overlooking the eastern coast during a walk across the island.

Koko (a waiter at Jack's Beach Bar) jumped in the water and collected West Indian Sea Eggs (aka White Sea Urchins) from the shallows to toss them out to deeper water so beach goers would not inadvertently step on them. Koko also broke a few open for some urchin sashimi. It was pretty yummy.

Although spiny, white urchins can be held carefully.

Island dogs abound in Bequia, like on most Caribbean islands. Bob made friends with several.

Mundane Boat Projects

After the many weeks in Grenada heavily occupied with major boat projects, Bob was relieved to find himself occupied with relatively basic boat chores. A dock line needed splicing and a couple of soft shackles weaved; we scrubbed Argon's waterline and the bottom of the dinghy. Water was delivered to us in the anchorage to top off the tanks and a bit of provisioning was accomplished. Another adjustment was made to the sail cover by a local canvas shop. The most major project all week was replacing a windlass switch.

Water delivery while at anchor.

Farewell to Christian &Brittany and the Grenadines

As our time in the Grenadines comes to a close, so does our time with the kids. After checking Christian and Brittany off our crew manifesto with customs and immigration, they will hop a ferry to Saint Vincent and fly back to the states. Bob and I can enjoy Bequia for a couple of more days before setting sail for Saint Vincent and beyond.

So happy to share our time exploring the Grenadines with Christian and Brittany!

And congratulations to the newly engaged couple! (Very tan now.)