Johannes, Sherri, moi, et Marie
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Sherri Visits the Genadines!
My good friend Sherri from Grenada and her boyfriend Johannes chartered a boat with another couple and sailed from Carriacou to here and then on to the the Tobago Cays. Marie and I spent an evening with them at Happy Island, and it was great to catch up!
"Vacation"
After I arrive, Marie closes her restaurant for five days, so we can enjoy ourselves before the busy tourist season starts. We head up to the Tobago Cays, and swim with the turtles, of course. Then we spend some time in her favorite bay, Chatam. And finally, we anchor in Frigate Bay and have a beach cookout with some of our local friends.
Marie and Bella onboard
Petite Tabac, Tobago Cays
The Happy couple, reunited
Marie hunting for dinner
Marie and Shani preparing dinner
Trinidad to Union
I spend just four days prepping the Alannastar in the yard, mainly putting on bottom paint. I clear out Wednesday morning so I can splash and go. And I do mean splash and go - the yard crew didn't even tie my lines in the haul slip - after I checked for leaks and started the engine, they released and pulled the straps out from under the boat and said GO!
So, I motor slowly around the bay while I address a few minor maintenance issues that became apparent after I splashed and then get the mainsail up. I put a double reef in the main and leave it in for the entire trip. I clear the Boca at shortly after noon. My first little excitement is crossing paths with the fast ferry to Tobago, the T&T Express. I'm beating on a starboard tack and they are coming from my left. This is a large 200 car ferry with jet propulsion which is traveling at 35 knots, and we appear to be on a collision course. I jog below and hail them on the radio to make sure that they see me, and then I pop back up. By the time they answer, they are way to close for me to mess with the radio. I am getting ready to head up and tack away when I finally detect that they are going to pass in front of me. After that it is smooth sailing for a while, and I make it through the gas fields without any conflict with the exploration ship out there. At about this point, I hit the northern equatorial current - It is running hard, at about three knots, and is putting me down so much that I am now on a course for the southeast coast of Grenada. I make a short tack before dark, but my progress over the bottom is so slow in that direction that I decide to just try to get clear of the current as quickly as possible. Eventually it abates, and I am now lying for Carriacou. I even get into some counter running eddies that push me east, but I pay for the counter current with very choppy seas. I planned the passage for the full moon, and it most certainly makes things easier. Even though there are quite a few clouds, it never gets completely dark. Once I get east of Grenada, the current stops, and by the time I get north of Grenada, it seems to be running the other way (it goes in six hours cycles, with the tide), and it is clear now that I will be able to sail above Carriacou and head straight for Union. The only issue now is the squalls. I get hit by several, and even with the moon, they can be hard to see as they approach. They are just a black smudge, so it is a little harder to judge distance and direction of travel. One of the hits me with forty knot gusts and has me healing a bit uncomfortably for a few minutes. But then it passes and life is good again. As I am sailing up the east coast of Carriacou, I reduce sail to slow down so that I will make Clifton Harbor just after dawn, which I do.
After inflating the dinghy, I go ashore to pick up Marie, who is waiting with a bottle of Champagne!
So, I motor slowly around the bay while I address a few minor maintenance issues that became apparent after I splashed and then get the mainsail up. I put a double reef in the main and leave it in for the entire trip. I clear the Boca at shortly after noon. My first little excitement is crossing paths with the fast ferry to Tobago, the T&T Express. I'm beating on a starboard tack and they are coming from my left. This is a large 200 car ferry with jet propulsion which is traveling at 35 knots, and we appear to be on a collision course. I jog below and hail them on the radio to make sure that they see me, and then I pop back up. By the time they answer, they are way to close for me to mess with the radio. I am getting ready to head up and tack away when I finally detect that they are going to pass in front of me. After that it is smooth sailing for a while, and I make it through the gas fields without any conflict with the exploration ship out there. At about this point, I hit the northern equatorial current - It is running hard, at about three knots, and is putting me down so much that I am now on a course for the southeast coast of Grenada. I make a short tack before dark, but my progress over the bottom is so slow in that direction that I decide to just try to get clear of the current as quickly as possible. Eventually it abates, and I am now lying for Carriacou. I even get into some counter running eddies that push me east, but I pay for the counter current with very choppy seas. I planned the passage for the full moon, and it most certainly makes things easier. Even though there are quite a few clouds, it never gets completely dark. Once I get east of Grenada, the current stops, and by the time I get north of Grenada, it seems to be running the other way (it goes in six hours cycles, with the tide), and it is clear now that I will be able to sail above Carriacou and head straight for Union. The only issue now is the squalls. I get hit by several, and even with the moon, they can be hard to see as they approach. They are just a black smudge, so it is a little harder to judge distance and direction of travel. One of the hits me with forty knot gusts and has me healing a bit uncomfortably for a few minutes. But then it passes and life is good again. As I am sailing up the east coast of Carriacou, I reduce sail to slow down so that I will make Clifton Harbor just after dawn, which I do.
After inflating the dinghy, I go ashore to pick up Marie, who is waiting with a bottle of Champagne!
This rainbow greeted me shortly after I arrived
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Union Island Easter
Every island has their carnival time. The most traditional is just before the beginning of lent, but they are staggered. Union does it at the other end of lent. Easter week is one huge party, and it culminates with J'ouvert on Easter Monday! If you are unfamiliar with J'ouvert, you really should google it - you won't believe what you see!
My friends teased me about how Jesus has returned ;-)
It seems that every year has it's Soca 'anthem', and this year it was Too Real:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=FrMjhf-X2JM
It's awesome! And it's still running through my head. The words are very accessible, but if you don't know what 'wine' means, you should look that up also ;-)
Catching Up
OK, if I still have any followers out there, I apologize for my absence. I have several excuses, including the fact that I haven't been any further north than the Tobago Cays all season, I have been posting more to facebook, etc. But mainly, I was just being lazy!
So, here goes...
A highlight of my season was when my daughter Julia and her boyfriend Zach visited for a week in late February. I picked them up in Grenada, because it is much less expensive to fly there. And, due to time constraints and passenger queasiness, we spent the week there, rather than trying to beat upwind to the Grenadines. We actually found some excellent snorkeling at the marine preserve on the west coast, but we also spent a day in the crazy chaotic market of St Georges (their very white skin made them a mark for the merchants), and we took a tour of the island with Cutty. He gives a great tour, taking you into the woods and showing and explaining all the local foods, crops, spices - it was quite amazing! We also visited the cocoa processing plant, and then went to the Grenada Chocolate Company 'factory', so we saw every aspect of chocolate production, from tree to wrapped bar. The tour also included the local rum mill that still uses traditional processes.
So, here goes...
A highlight of my season was when my daughter Julia and her boyfriend Zach visited for a week in late February. I picked them up in Grenada, because it is much less expensive to fly there. And, due to time constraints and passenger queasiness, we spent the week there, rather than trying to beat upwind to the Grenadines. We actually found some excellent snorkeling at the marine preserve on the west coast, but we also spent a day in the crazy chaotic market of St Georges (their very white skin made them a mark for the merchants), and we took a tour of the island with Cutty. He gives a great tour, taking you into the woods and showing and explaining all the local foods, crops, spices - it was quite amazing! We also visited the cocoa processing plant, and then went to the Grenada Chocolate Company 'factory', so we saw every aspect of chocolate production, from tree to wrapped bar. The tour also included the local rum mill that still uses traditional processes.
On Grand Anse Beach with my good friends Sherri and Tristan
Julia putting up with her Dad
Classic tourist photo at the fort
I like this one better!
The water wheel which powers the cane crusher at the rum mill
This is definitely not Wisconsin!
Monday, February 17, 2014
Red Dress Hash
My hashing buddy Tristan went for the Roman look
If, for some odd reason, you would like to see more very strange, but harmless behaviour, you can view this link:
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Sharing Paradise
My friend Colleen is visting for three weeks, and we have been touring the soutthern Grenadines...
Colleen
Hiking on Union Island
Chatam Bay
A little chateau on Union Island
Frigate Bay
Mopion
Petite Saint Vincent
At a beach bar in Salt Whistle Bay, Mayreau
View from Mayreau
Salt Whistle Bay Resort
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