Adult Day Care

Volleyball

Okay, I’m going to be honest, before coming to Grenada, the thought of sitting in one place for three months with about 100 other boats at anchor in a crowded anchorage was not my idea of a good time.  I was actually dreading it.  However, after being here for over two months now, I’m having a great time.  

Happy Hour After Volleyball

Most of that has to do with what I call Adult Day Care.  Now, before going on this adventure, I had worked in investment banking and we specialized in assisted living facilities (“ALFs”) and long-term care facilities for the elderly.   One of the great aspects of ALFs is that they have organized activities at the facilities and scheduled transportation (to doctors’ appts, shopping centers, etc), so the residents remain active, engaged with other people, and somewhat independent.  I have found that life here in Grenada during hurricane season is not much different. 

Bocce Ball

Like ALFs, the Grenada cruisers have a weekly calendar of events.  It can be accessed via a dedicated Facebook page, and there are also announcements everyday except Sunday over the scheduled Cruisers Net on VHF channel 68 at 7:30am.  There is a special segment of the Net called “Social Announcements”.  The activities range from cooking classes to sporting events to Spanish classes to games to bar-b-ques. 

Cricket

In addition to activities, just like at ALFs, there are scheduled bus trips into town on certain days.  However, instead of doctor’s offices and pharmacies, we go to ship chandleries, hardware stores, grocery stores and the local brewery!  The bus makes basically the same stops every trip and shadows the cruisers, so that they can leave their goods on the bus and not have to drag everything around.  I must say, for the equivalent of ($3.75 US round trip), it is a great deal.

Maria at bat during Cricket game

So, I am sure you are curious just what activities we participate in.  Well, a typical week looks something like this:

Mon – NOTHING

Tues – Volleyball followed by happy hour (3 beers for $10EC or about $3.75 US)

Wed – Burger Night and happy hour

Thurs – Volleyball followed by happy hour followed by a bar-b-que at Island View Restaurant where you get a piece of chicken and 3-4 sides for $15EC ( $5.55 US) and 3 beers for $10EC

Friday – Shopping Bus to hardware stores, ship chandlery and grocery stores

Sat – Bocce Ball tournament or Cricket game (they are on alternating Saturdays).  Both Maria and I have won the Bocce Ball tournament and the prize is a bottle of rum!  It gets serious!!

Cricket (notice beer in foreground!)

Sun – Either bar-b-que at Roger’s beach bar (think ramshackle bar on deserted island serving cold beers)  or Mexican train dominoes

 

Cricket Spectators

So that, in a nutshell, is Grenada Adult Day Care.  As one of my friends said, “it sounds magical”!