Grenada

The Carenage from Fort George

This will be my third time to Grenada and Cath’s second, but there is always something new to see.  We chatted with our friends Diane and Wade on s/v Joana, yet another Joana and yes, she is from Canada as well.  They said they had not done a land tour yet so, they talked to one of the taxi drivers they knew and he agreed to give us a tour and picked us up at Port Louie Marina with his van.  Nola and Jerry from Moonsong and a friend of theirs, Bill from s/v Magnolia came along as well, so we had a good group for an entertaining day.  Jerry and I joked that we hoped we didn’t have to take any one out of the ditch this land tour, like we had in Dominica!

Swimming in the waterfall

We all piled in, first stop, Fort George.  From the top of the hill where the fort is, we had great views of the Carenage and the lagoon.  With our first fix of Grenadian history, we were off to waterfalls.  After a great drive through the countryside we made it to the falls.  It was a hot day so is was a beautiful treat to jump into the cold fresh water.  Gail told us this was the first time she had ever swam in a waterfall – pretty amazing after all the places she has been!  One of the locals cut open a coco bean for us to look at -  surprisingly the jelly around the bean is quite good.

We rallied the group and off we went to the cocoa factory with a quick stop at Leaper’s Hill, a cliff where the local Indians had jumped off the edge rather then surrendering, 

The cocoa factory used to supply most of the chocolate for Cadbury but now it is used more as a tourist attraction.  We had a great lunch there with local fish and meat, callaloo (tastes like creamed spinach) and great desserts.  

Inside a cocoa bean

We got back in the van with bags full of chocolate samples to try.  Of course we had to finish them all before they melted- at least that was our excuse!  With full bellies, it was time for rum tasting.  Rivers is the oldest rum distillery on Grenada and only sold on the island.   It has one of the oldest water wheels in all of the Caribbean, turning fresh water from the volcano lakes.  With walls of sugar cane husks marking the trails through the distillery, we made our way to the boiler-room that had with massive old bronze casts and ladles 6 feet long.  It was very rustic, and I really don’t think it would have passed a US health inspection!  

Press at the rum distillery

Mounds of sugar cane husk

We finished the tour at our favorite place, the rum tasting area!  I came in to the tasting room last so I missed the description of the first glass of rum that was handed to me.  I should have known from Cath’s expression that it was the over proof.  Instead of taking just a little sip, I downed the whole thing, unaware.  The last time my insides felt like that was in China town in NYC after eating on of their hot peppers!  But, as I was taught, once you’ve swallowed it, it’s yours to keep.  After the initial burn went away, I was feeling great.

Most of us selected their passion fruit flavored rum to buy after we had tasted all of them.  They the bottled the rum right in front of us and caped the bottles on site.   It was very cool to see the whole process start to finish.  

The boiler room that wouldn't pass US health inspection!

With our body full of the local brew, we were off to see the volcanic lakes of Grenada, which are mostly used for reservoirs. The lush forest and small villages that we passed along the way home were a treat to see.

Maria on Grand Anse beach

The next day we wanted to relax after the long day tour, so we decided to have a beach day at Grand Anse.  It is a two-mile long beach with white sand, clear, turquoise water with palm and almond trees planted along a white picket fence for shade.  We swam, tanned and then had a great lunch right on the beach.

Maria and the sculptures

Freaky circle of people sculpture

The next morning we decided to snorkel an underwater sculpture park.  Although the water was a bit murkey, we could still see the sculptures below us in about 15-20 feet of water.  The sculptures were spread out, so you had to swim around to find them all.  There was a mermaid, a man typing at a desk, a vase of flowers on a table, a circle of people and many more.  It was really neat!

Man typing sculputre

The following day, we went into St George’s, walked around the Carrenage and did some shopping.  We found the local veggie market and Gail re-supplied Joana with local spice rum.  We also made sure we found the spice market so Gail could stock up on gifts before she had to head home. 

Gail at the spice market

With our land tour checked of the list and a few days checking out  St. George’s area, it was time to head over to Mount Hartman, where we would be sitting for the hurricane season. 

We were lucky that Wade and Diane had already been in the bay for a month, so they had most of it scoped out.  We pulled in around noon with them on the radio to say where the best place to drop would be.  The anchorage was a bit tight as we had to maneuver between four boats and three moorings, and it was the moorings I cared more about.  Too much chain meant the mooring getting buggered up in the rudder.  After three anchor drops to get the scope just right, we were in our new long term parking.

Gail and Maria on the Carenage

Well, our crew member Gail’s time in paradise had come to an end and had to head back to her condo on the beach…if you have to leave paradise, a place on the beach isn’t that hard to go back to!  

The next morning, we got up at 7:30 to listen to the cruisers net on the VHF to see who we would be living next door to for the next three months.  “Treasures of the Bilge” the guy says over the radio. A fella comes on, gives his boat name, and asked if anyone would like to buy his wife as she is old crotchety lady!  The same guy, whom we would learn to know as the Drunk Norwegian, later tried to sell an AK-47 over the net – might not be such a good idea as customs sometimes listens in!  Oh boy, this is going to be an interesting couple of months. 

Beautiful Grenada sunset

That evening, we took the dingy over to Hog Island to Roger’s beach bar and met some more cruisers and locals.  I will close with this visual… we counted about 25 dingies lined up on the sand, a ramshackle beach bar serving ice cold beer, everyone chatting about boats or something of  interest and a guy telling me there is a surf break not to far away. As the sun was setting on the masts in the harbor, I looked around and decided there could be worse places to be sitting out hurricane season.

Union Island

  

Happy Island

Our next stop was just a jump away - it only took us about 30 min to make it to Union Island. We made our way around the reef and dropped anchor just outside the harbor channel, with only one boat next to us. We looked around, hoping that not too many more boats would come in due to the limited room for swinging as the channel was right behind us and the reef dead ahead. But, as it always seems, here comes the French. They see a big boat and must think “oh must be a good spot” and they drop less then a boat’s length away. And then another boat comes, and another, and yet another and it looked like we were all there to watch a drive-in movie! Luckily, the wind was steady and all the boats stayed pointing the same way for two days. Anyway, we always say “hey man, we are steel and I don’t think your gel coat would like us!”

Cath and Gail enjoying sun downers on Happy Island

As we laid back and had some lunch, Cath and I debated whether this bar in front of us (which is right on the reef in the middle of no where” was the same one we saw on Anthony Bourdain’s show on the Travel Channel, and it turned out it was! It is named Happy Island. The base of the island is made all from conch shells and boasts a view to die for. With out hesitation we thought it best to have our sun downers there.

The next morning we went in to town to grab some much needed fruits and veggies. Union has a great town center with very colorful fruit stands and was quite the little hub as the center is also a ferry stop so there was lots of activity to entertain ourselves with.

Fruit and Veggie Stands on Union Island

After walking around town, we heard of a great restaurant named The West Indies Restaurant, so we decided to check it out for dinner. The restaurant was a beautiful French place that had a dock right behind it so we were able to ride right up to it in the dingy. Cath and I were in the mood for a good steak and the guide book said this was the best in the Grenadines and boy, were they ever right! Their grill was right outside, so you got to watch your dinners get prepared… oh man, my mouth is still watering! Cath and I haven’t even tried to attempt a steak since, as we would just be disappointed. Gail enjoyed a great looking piece of tuna. And, we still managed to have room for Tiramisu and chocolate profiteroles. All of us were happy, full and ready for our sail to Carriacou the next day.

Colorful Union Island

The next morning, we got up early, dignied into town and stocked up on fresh fruits and veggies. We hauled up anchor and got ready for our sail to Carriacou. Good winds made for a great sail on a beam reach and we cruised right along. We kept a steady 5 knots, which made sure we got into port before Customs closed. We dropped the hook just outside of Hillsborough.  While I stowed the sails, Gail and Cath took care of the clearing in. During my clean up, a Carriacou sloop went by. Carriacou is known for their boat building skills, so, if you ever get a chance to see a Carriacou sloop race, jump at the opportunity! They haven’t changed much through the years of building them, but the craftsmanship is beautiful and they still hold there own right along with some of the high-end racers in the regattas.

Sail to Carriacou

Gail and Cath came back on board we hauled up anchor again, ready to head over to Tyrrel Bay, but, as we were making our way there, Sandy Cay got in the way. No, we didn’t run aground, but it is a beautiful little park reserve with moorings for free and a great sandy white beach for Niko to run on. With one look from Niko, I knew it had to be doggy day, so with a change of plans, we were grapping the boat hook, ready to tie onto the mooring. There was a bit of current and wind, and with a bit of misjudgment on my part, Cathy tried her best to hold on to the mooring rope, but 37 tons and current were just a bit too much for her. Not wanting to get dragged overboard, she had to toss the boat hook over, since it had gotten caught up in the rope. Luckily, our friends on Moonsong were coming over in their dinghy and were able to hook up for us and rescue the boat hook. Everyday there is always something new to happen!

With all that craziness aside, Cath and I got the Boston Minnow ready and Niko didn’t have to be told twice to get into the skiff. Gail opted to stay on board to relax and read.

The beach was just beautiful with no one around and Niko had the time of her life trying to chase all the lizards, with no luck of course.

Sandy Island

The next morning, Jerry from s/v Moonsong told us that Chris Parker, the weather guru, said that there was a tropical depression forming and was likely to hit the Windward Islands. We didn’t have any internet to have a second look, but luckily Gail had her cell phone and we called up Herk, Cathy’s father. He did confirm that there was a disturbance, so we figured we should head down to Grenada a little bit earlier so if something did hit, we could get a good spot to anchor and set up. We charted our course and did the necessary things to prepare for getting underway. I got my fishing gear out, set it up on the out rigger, and hoped for the best. With the weather moving in, there was a surprising amount of seaweed, which was getting caught up on the hooks and keeping me busy. But I was still hoping for the best - that we could coax a mahi out from under a seaweed patch. Just as we were over Kick’em Jenny (an underwater volcano), Cath asked me to take some photos of Moonsong under sail, as they were just ahead of us. Just as I got to the bow, “ZZZZZ” goes the line. I make the mad dash back to the bumpkin, just in time to see a great big bull dorado jump out of the water and toss my hook like it was nothing. You can just say I was not a happy camper.

Yet another great sign..."Intoxicating Liquors"

We were about 2 miles from Grenada when the wind picked up. Most of the islands cause an offshore strong breeze due to the rising mountainsides and the wind likes to shoot up over the top and come down the other side with a bit more oomph then some would like, especially if you are not aware of it, as it can cause quite a mess to your sails. So, we shortened canvas and set Mr. Auto Bot (our autopilot), sat back and enjoyed the scenery. We dropped the hook just outside of Saint Georges, awaiting our next day with a land tour booked. Time to see what Grenada has to offer.

Magical Mayreau and the Tobago Cays

Beautiful Tobago Cays

We had a nice day sail from Bequia to Mayreau.  As we made our way in to the harbor at Mayreau,  a local boat boy Danny MacKay stopped by in his skiff, asking if we would like lunch to be cooked for us tomorrow.  We thanked him, but declined, although we did say we would have a beer with him later at the local reggae bar.  We asked how to find the bar, and he told us to just keep walking up the hill until you hear the music.  After Danny left,  we had a few hours of light to enjoy the great long white beach and Niko was definitely thinking it was doggie day romping and swimming to her hearts content!

 

Reef in Tobago Cays

Gail chasing a turtle

The next morning we got our things ready for a snorkel around the Tobago Cays, which was just a short dingy ride away.  Now, this is one place in the Caribbean that has had color of water like the Bahamas.   It is absolutely beautiful with turquoise and emerald water merging with white sand.  We picked our way through the reefs outside of Mayreau to the Cays, making our way to one of many snorkel spots.  Gail wanted to swim with the turtles, and boy did she ever get that chance!  They had set up a great semi-enclosed area with at least 30 or more turtles all around and we found out that it is quite hard to take a picture of someone swimming with the turtles without getting a butt shot -  I think the turtles plan that!   After chasing the turtles around for awhile, we scooted the Boston Minnow (our Boston Whaler dingy) out and around to the outer reefs to do a little more snorkeling.  We were able to see quite a few things – beautiful coral, some cuttlefish and some good sized lobster - only if it wasn’t a protected park…

  

Danny and Righteous Robert

With our appetites high, we made it back to Joana, cleaned up and headed into town to take a look.  After a nice long walk up the hill, we took a break to have a fish sandwich. Just as we finished, Danny walked by and offered to take us on a walking tour, which really was just a walk up the hill to the church, but which had a great view of all the Grenadines.  Danny was full of info.  He explained that the island is owned by one family and everyone there leases the land.  Like a lot of the islands, there really isn’t much of an industry and they rely mostly on tourism.  In the case of Mayreau, they are building a new resort that should help them once it opens up.

 

Church at top of the hill

Gail asked if he was married, but like most Eastern Caribbean men, he said he wasn’t but that he has a Baby Mama.  Now, that threw Gail for a loop and she asked him what that meant!  We had to explain that a Baby Mama was the mother of his kid but they weren’t married.  We have found that it is rare around here to only have one Baby Mama!

We made our way back down the hill toward the reggae blasting and some smiling happy locals hanging out front of Robert’s Righteous Reggae Bar.  What a character Robert is…he will talk your ear off about living life to the fullest and make sure you give back to the kids.  Most of his profits from the bar go to the education of the kids on the island.  He is one of those beautiful people you meet when your out cruising that makes you remember why we love to do what we do.

With dusk coming on and the dance floor shaking up, we said our good byes, had our last dance, and made our way back to the boat, ready to head to Union tomorrow.

Love this mural!

Beautiful Bequia

Ok, so moving along, Cath left the last blog in Saint Lucia, home of the great Pitons, which are just as magnificent sailing past as they were being moored under. 

Leaving the Pitons

Off we go to the Grenadines, a place we always look forward to seeing. As you may remember, Cath’s mom, Gail, is with us for three weeks, so, getting underway was quite smooth. While Cath and I took care of the sails, Gail was setting the course for Bequia.   It’s always nice having another hand, and even better one who knows how to sail! As usual, the winds were just off the nose and a little light for the big old girl to keep up a good speed, so another motor sail. 

Admiralty Bay

In spite of the light winds, it was a beautiful day. As late afternoon came on, the evening squalls were making themselves known. Just as we were making the point around Devil’s Table and into Admiralty Bay, the first gust came, shooting us along at 7.5 knots with a big nasty black cloud in pursuit.  As is always the way, as soon as you get a good wind, it’s time to take the sails in.  So, with Gail at the wheel, Cath and I went about taking in sail and getting the anchor ready.  The reason we left Saint Lucia a little earlier was due to a tropical depression that was headed our way, so we needed to think about our anchoring a bit more this time around. We looked at hugging up and around the north side of the bay where it would be less rolly, but not as good holding, and over on the south east side, better holding but a bit more swelly.  The storm wasn’t calling for too much of a swell change, so we opted for the sand bottom.  In the end it suited us well - not as many boats around and the other side of the bay was just a cluster of madness when the wind and rain picked up. We dropped the hook, set it well and hunkered down below for some sundowners.  By this point Gail was all about the Joana Rum punches! 



Gail and Nola

 It was a bit late to clear in and we really didn’t want to go out in to the rain, so instead we all caught up on our internet and reading.

The next day, we timed the squalls right and got ourselves in dry to make our way to customs and to do some window shopping.  Bequia is a quaint little town full of back street stores, boutiques and waterfront art shops full of all sorts of local treasures.  After Gail bought a few souvenirs, we made our way along the waterfront path to the Frangipani bar for our evening sundowner. I was loving being back in Bequia and, even better, my birthday was in two days, so what better place to get to celebrate it. 

No privacy in the turtle sanctuary



Baby turtles

 For our next day’s adventure, we were off to Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary. With our friend from Moon Song, Nola, we all jumped in the back of a truck and got a quick tour of the island before getting to our last stop  the turtles!  It is one of the best places to see when your in Bequia.  Brother King runs the place all on his own, and even with all the work he has to do, he always has a smile on his face and is willing to tell you all about his turtles.  We were lucky as he had just gotten a kiddie pool full of newborns that he had rescued from around the other side of the island.  Unlike in the States, sea turtles are not protected, so it is just another food group for the islanders.   Without help, the turtles would have gone extinct in Bequia without a little hand from Brother King. 

Swanky restaurant

It turned out to be such a nice day that after spending an hour or so petting and playing with the turtles, we decided to walk back to town.  We stopped at a swanky restaurant and ordered the local specialty – roti.  A roti is a light pastry wrap filled with local vegetables and meat of your choice (usually chicken, pork or conch) in a mild curry sauce.  They are fantastic!  After lunch, we continued our walk and came upon a beautiful stone house being built on the bluff with a stunning view!  We got to talking with the guys building the house and they allowed us to take a look around  - I am sure they don’t get four good looking ladies admiring their craftsmanship everyday!  We were all very jealous of the owner’s infinity pool, mahogany wood work and an endless view of the ocean.  We all agreed that we wouldn’t complain if we were given this place, but we also agreed that it’s hard to beat a life on the ocean. 

My new pretend home

I woke the next day to a beautiful birthday morning.  I called for beach fun day, so floaties and snorkel gear came out and we had a great day on the beach.  Later, we had dinner at a local restaurant,  where our local friend Africans had made a special reservation.  Gail was the brave one who got the house special,  “Conch Ting” which is an aphrodisiac and it was quite good.  We all decided to go check out the local night life, after all, we told Gail she couldn’t let the Conch Ting go to waste!   Gail hung out for awhile and then headed back to the boat while Cath and I stayed out.  She was the smart one! 

With the next morning reminding Cath and I how great the birthday night was, even though we had big plans to head down island, Gail, having made it back earlier then us, spoke the voice of reason. (Really, she took mercy on us and didn’t make us go sailing)  So we took a chill day and were ready the next morning to head on down to Mayreau.