I hadn’t mentioned in my last post that one reason for our delay was poor Andrew had been very unwell with what turned out to be chronic sinus and nasal issues. A visit to the specialist recommended an operation in the New Year and in the meantime an immediate escape form the West and all the nasty pollution. Fingers tightly crossed we arrived back in Grenada and hoped his recommendation of cleaner air and lots of swimming in salt water would do the trick.
We were thrilled to find the boat in fantastic condition, all the wiping down with bleach had done the trick and the only real casualties of mould were the very expensive blinds, my fault I should have known better! Spice Island had come up trumps and the new varnished floors gleamed, the topsides shone and she was ready to go, apart from one small problem we had a lot of very flat batteries!
At the airport we had got a cab ride from a lovely local lady Carlene and she became our woman in Grenada whilst we plugged in. Picking me up from the yard we had a very entertaining day touring the island, picking up new batteries for the generator, petrol, provisioning, meeting our every need I meet her daughters and half the island. A lot cheaper than hiring a car, and then Sally as my divorce lawyer, after the marital’s that would have ensued trying to navigate all the tiny streets.
Leaving the yard our first stop was Hog Island to meet up with the lovely Stuart who had agreed to help us sort out our refrigeration issues. We had met him in a Pizza restaurant in Carriacou in the summer and armed with the necessary equipment brought in from the UK, it is impossible to source these things in the Carabean, we picked up a buoy and settled in for a few days, time to get Mr D into that salt water. This bay is a haven for long term live aboard’s most of whom work in the boating industry and there is quite a community, bin collections on Sunday morning, a shopping bus to the supermarket every Friday, Pies apparently available for 10 EC from one boat and the best party on a Sunday afternoon on the beautiful beach at Rogers ad hoc bar, every drink 5 EC and three amazing musicians from amongst the boats to rock your socks off. I received an interesting proposition from a local, less said the better.
We have a new dingy , the old one developed a split in the hull and was replaced under warranty, yes sometimes there is a god! We spent an afternoon carefully painting the numbers on the bow only to then watch large parts of them being washed of in a torrential downpour.
Refrigeration mostly sorted it was time to leave, eager to stretch our legs and go sailing we set of encountering the usual frustrations in Union Island with checking into St. Vincent. With only a couple of weeks to get to Antigua to meet the girls for Christmas we had to chose our favourite
spots and the Tobago Keys was a must. Two nights turned into three, due to bad weather, but a fully cooked lobster delivered to our boat on one evening proved to be the best take out ever!
Refrigeration mostly sorted it was time to leave, eager to stretch our legs and go sailing we set of encountering the usual frustrations in Union Island with checking into St. Vincent. With only a couple of weeks to get to Antigua to meet the girls for Christmas we had to chose our favourite
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| Waiting for a catch |
spots and the Tobago Keys was a must. Two nights turned into three, due to bad weather, but a fully cooked lobster delivered to our boat on one evening proved to be the best take out ever!
Checking out in Bequia we headed to St. Lucia, keen to catch a fish and now the proud owners of two rods we caste our lines, to date all we seem to catch are barracuda and they are not edible or friendly.
Approaching St. Lucia we literally almost sailed over two logging whales and judging by the brown water emitted by one as he dived I think they were more surprised than us. Always an awesome sight to see these creatures so close up. Arriving in Marigot Bay we were met by Sonny the boat boy and he proved to be quite useful, or his mother was as she did our washing for us. A night on the town and it was time to move on.
Next stop Martinique and some serious provisioning for Christmas. Wine, french food and a Christmas tree, the latter complete with decorations for 6 Euros wha a result!
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| Near Miss |
Approaching St. Lucia we literally almost sailed over two logging whales and judging by the brown water emitted by one as he dived I think they were more surprised than us. Always an awesome sight to see these creatures so close up. Arriving in Marigot Bay we were met by Sonny the boat boy and he proved to be quite useful, or his mother was as she did our washing for us. A night on the town and it was time to move on.
Next stop Martinique and some serious provisioning for Christmas. Wine, french food and a Christmas tree, the latter complete with decorations for 6 Euros wha a result!
Leaving very early in the morning for The Saints, we sailed past Dominica which was a very sad sight. After the Hurricane there was much devastation and from the sea the hills with their
stripped tree trunks looked like they had all had a punk haircut. Arriving in the Saints there was also some damage but it is amazing that only forty miles away and there was in comparison so little damage, it gives one hope that it would be possible to escape a hurricane at sea if forewarned of its trajectory.
stripped tree trunks looked like they had all had a punk haircut. Arriving in the Saints there was also some damage but it is amazing that only forty miles away and there was in comparison so little damage, it gives one hope that it would be possible to escape a hurricane at sea if forewarned of its trajectory.
We had the best Christmas Eve ever at Shirley Heights followed by the traditional reading of The Night Before Christmas by a slightly tipsy father, but he must know it by heart after all these years. Stockings with two over excited toddlers, a swim, nibbles with champagne and presents followed by a late lunch at Catherines. Foie Gras and Lobster Thermidor a very acceptable change from Turkey, rum ice cream more than made up for the lack of brandy butter. A few cocktails and there ensued a somewhat quiet Boxing Day!!
The wind was up so we headed round to Jolly Harbour and then of to Deep Water Bay. On our
first morning there the girls decided a pre breakfast expedition was in order, they nearly ruined mine watching then climbing sheer rocks in flip flops and bikinis! There destination almost achieved the skipper retrieved them. They had bought Andrew and I Fitbits for Christmas so some walking of mother along the beach ensued to achieve the required daily ten thousand steps, future competition to come between the skipper and I.
December 29th dawned and with it Emma’s 25th birthday, this was the first time we had spent it with her in four years, how lovely! Princess for a day we took it in turns to entertain her, Tipple played her part & Georgina was happy to have a nap whilst the wrinkly’s took the birthday girl for a late afternoon swim. Dinner at Sheer rocks completed another lovely day in paradise.
December 29th dawned and with it Emma’s 25th birthday, this was the first time we had spent it with her in four years, how lovely! Princess for a day we took it in turns to entertain her, Tipple played her part & Georgina was happy to have a nap whilst the wrinkly’s took the birthday girl for a late afternoon swim. Dinner at Sheer rocks completed another lovely day in paradise.
New Years Eve dawned and time to party. After a late night flit the night before from Freeman’s Bay we decided to take a berth in Falmouth, we probably wont do that again as you need a mortgage. I almost cried when I realised that I had been charged 10EC to pick up my garbage from the quayside which I forgot to put out when leaving due to being incapable to even speak, but I digress. We enjoyed a late lunch, played a few games of pool where I managed to lose by potting the black, nothing new there, and then of to the party at English Harbour. Music, rum and fireworks and quite a setting to bring in the new year. Tickets had been already bought for Rum Barbour, how did Mama find herself there I was asked by the lovely shopkeeper in Falmouth the next day, I didn’t like to admit that mama has a nasty habit of finding herself in such places..
Emma and I left ahead of the other two, burgers murdered on the way home, we all got to bed around 5.30 - you can see why the rubbish didn’t get put out on our departure.
Emma and I left ahead of the other two, burgers murdered on the way home, we all got to bed around 5.30 - you can see why the rubbish didn’t get put out on our departure.
felt rather sea sick but as I helpfully pointed out she would have been feeling rotten anyway. A quiet last few days enjoying the sun, swimming and walking around the island. Andrew was quite surprised when after one walk George and I came running out the bushes yelping hell bent on getting into the sea. We had mistaken a Centurion plant for an Aloa Vera and rubbed it all over our sunburn resulting in very sore and itchy skin, he unhelpfully pointed out that it was a strange thing to do to cut open an strange plant and rub it all over the most sensitive parts of one’s body...
We spent the last night with the girls back in Freeman’s Bay and took them out for a last meal which in turn resulted in a last dance. When Andrew took them of on the dingy the next morning I wanted to shout out,”don’t go come back lets do it all again!” I consoled myself with the fact that I would be seeing them in the UK soon, oh and the fact I had won the family games cup AGAIN!
We had just over a week left and we set about some much needed chores, the most frustrating being trying to fit new window seals in our port lights, a hopeless task with much swearing! We tied the boat up in Jolly and put the boat to bed in readiness for our return home for Andrew’s
Op. On the way to the airport my Fitbit heralded the successful completion of ten thousand steps, twenty minutes into the car journey....
Op. On the way to the airport my Fitbit heralded the successful completion of ten thousand steps, twenty minutes into the car journey....
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| Tipple goes to sea |
