Grenada-- For A While

We arrived October 1st  to the bustling town and capital city of Grenada-- St. Georges.  We went into the 'lagoon' and stopped at the Grenada Yacht Club for fuel and water.  We asked about a mooring and for the same price ($20 US) they put us in the first slip we've been in since Turks and Caicos.  It was also our first attempt at a Mediterranean mooring.  Think we would rather anchor out!

Nicholas helped push us off the mangroves with his skiff.  We
gladly gave him some extra gas for his efforts.

 On October 2nd, we headed to Woburn Bay where our good friends, Will and Cheryl,  were  anchored.  Our first night in Woburn proved to be quite memorable.  We woke up at 3AM aground in the mangroves. Will and Cheryl looked out at the crack of dawn and didn't see us, so came over to lend a hand.  After we were back afloat we managed to drop the hook too close to another boat and in too deep water, get a line wrapped around the prop, place our bowsprit under the lifeline of another boat, let go of an anchor, and finally reset our second anchor right before another squall set in.  All's well that ends well with special thanks to the crews of Varua and Flying Buzzard and Nicholas!

So now that we are settled in we go about the usual tasks,  Luckily I was fully clothed and had shoes on before going to the grocery store.  

We went to our first Dinghy Concert at La Phar Bleu Marina.  Great live music, lots of cruisers, people passing food and beer back and forth.  Reminded me of a cruiser's Woodstock. Of course, cruisers have to be in before dark, and we were!

We had a blast with Cheryl and Will at the concert!

Woburn bay, where we will stay for a while as we do some upgrades to Toi et Moi.  Hopefully when we leave here we will have a new sail (blew out our mainsail in a squall before arriving in Grenada), a hardtop/bimini for much needed shade and protection, and a new crew member-- an auto-pilot-- to help with the steering.

In the meantime, we stay busy.  I go noodling near Hog Island several times a week.  Here are a bunch of noodlers on the 'noodle bus'.  I also play  Mexican train dominoes and Jon, when he isn't busy with boat chores,  has been  trying to keep up with his tai chi. 

While I was in Florida, visiting friends and family, Jon and Opti guarded Toi et Moi.  When these two aliens arrived on Halloween, Jon fended them off with treats!

Whisper Cover Marina, our tie to land!  This great little marina, owned by a French Canadian couple, has fresh baked baguettes, a fabulous meat market (Meat and Meet), a welcoming bar and great food.  The owners live aboard and are cruiser friendly, allowing anchored boats to use their dinghy dock. 

St. Lucia and Beyond

Marigot Bay, St. Lucia.  Truly a tropical paradise.  We took a mooring and enjoyed the best meal of our cruise at Rainforest Hideaway.  Great food, ambiance and live jazz in paradise.  Can't ask for much more.

Approaching the Pitons, our anchorage for the night.

Toi et Moi from the shore of Admiralty Bay in Bequia, our first stop in the Grenadines.

Not our state of mind, but a local sailing craft in Bequia.

Leaving Admiralty Bay we passed a neighborhood of houses built out of  rocks,caves and cliffs.  Some of these homes are for sale, some are completely restored and inhabited.  Moon Hole is an interesting neighborhood for sure!  

Union Island's fancy dinghy dock.  We landed here to clear out of St. Vincent, an island we didn't go to. Bequia and Union are part of the St. Vincent Grenadines.

Sometimes internet is hard to find.  This wireless station is on the island of Curacao, where we checked in to Grenada. 

Martinique... A Touch of French

At anchor in Sainte Pierre... One of our favorite Martinique anchorages, filled with a lot of history.  The French traded a way a bit of snow (Canada!) to gain possession of the small island.  

In 1902, Mount Pelee' erupted killing over 30 thousand of the town's residents.  Most were urged to come to the Theater as it was large and well built and  they would be safe.  Sadly, they were not and the cultural center of Martinique (and the Caribbean) was destroyed.

Fifteen years later, Rodin's assistant created this piece.  It symbolizes the town of St. Pierre, determined to lift itself up from the ashes.  Jon can feel her pain!

Walked to the DePaz rum factory.  This was also destroyed by the volcano but has come back from ashes as well.  Here are fields of sugar cane overlooking the coast, the view from the DePaz family chateau.

On a visit to the town of Fort De France we discovered a second Toi et Moi!  Wanted to buy a t-shirt with the logo but they didn't sell them.  Only Marshall University clothes, which Jon appreciated!

Anchored in front of Fort St. Louis.  We both had our French flags flying. 

Diamond Rock, on the way to Le Marin, the marine center of Martinique.

On the beach near Le Marin, local boats gather every Sunday to practice.  This one's sails reflect the local beer, Lorraine.

Nothing but masts in Le Marin.  There are over 1000 boats in the marinas alone.  Many more on moorings and at anchor.  

Dominica in Pictures

Dominica is an island of contrasts. We found this garden home in Portsmouth.

This brightly colored home caught our attention as well!

"Boat boys" are the norm here.   Michael was our vegetable
guy, paddling out each day to see if we needed anything.  We also bought a flag from him.

In Roseau, the capital city, we took a mooring in from Pancho.  We were this close
to shore in over 70 feet of water.  

We headed to downtown Roseau on a Sunday to find just about everything closed.  However, Fort Henry, a restored fort turned hotel/restaurant was open for business and we enjoyed a mid afternoon beverage and snack. 

Jon ripped his favorite swim trunks and wouldn't let me toss them.  We found a sewing place and they gladly stitched them up for 10 EC (about $3 US)

Visited the Roseau Free Library.  The librarian in me had to take a picture of the antique OPAC; yes, it is a card catalogue!

Hand made, cane fishing traps in Scott's Head, at the southern tip of the island

Rented a scooter and drove over mountains, through rain forests and bamboo jungles.

Fishermen gathering to compare their catches.

Rivers meets ocean on the windward side of the island.

Petit waterfall along the coastal road. 

From Montserrat to Guadeloupe

Looks like the entire south
end of the island is ash.!

We left Antigua too early.  Susan wanted to wait but Jon won this time.  So after a great lunch at the Catamaran Hotel in Falmouth Harbor, Antigua, we took off.  We had a rollicking sail  from Antigua with 20-25k off our port quarter.  It was a beautiful day and we were averaging 5.5 knots, with  a lot of 6.5s and even a few 7s thrown in.  Only problem was we were making too good a time and ended up finding our way into the anchorage at about 2100.   Cautiously approached customs/ferry anchorage but backed off close to what appeared a dark wall (cliff next morning) for another approach.  Dropped anchor in 15' but dragged and/or swung anchor next morning into the ferry channel.  Rain with the same wind most of night and tired from bracing ourselves and moderately hard steering trying to avoid gybed over the fast passage.

Raising the anchor took a little longer than
usual.  This rock was firmly lodged in
the claw!

After resting up and raising the anchor, we headed south along

Plymouth, buried in ash.  

the coast to the volcano exclusion zone.  Montserrat still has
an active volcano that has reduced the population by almost half and devastated the south end of the island and its once main city, Plymouth.  Now, buried in ash, the ruins could be seen as we motored past.


The rest of the sail to Guadeloupe was sloppy in confused seas.  After almost 9 hours from our Montserrat anchorage in Little Harbor, we secured Toi et Moi to a free mooring in Deshais, Guadeloupe.

Deshais

We love the scale of the anchorage; a fishing village which welcomes

Mooring  bouys also serve as mini-reefs.
Fishermen check them daily!

tourism.  The town installed 25 free moorings for cruisers because holding was questionable.  Colorful waterfront of assorted architecture mostly restaurants, businesses and dwellings.  Nothing large or out of scale.  A church steeple towers over the town, chiming every hour.All this with a backdrop of steep hills only partially dotted with uncrowded villas their

multicolored rooftops softly nestled in the surrounding lush green. This village doubles as the town of Honore on the BBC series, Death in Paradise.

Opti tending the main sheet!

Amazing how much closer we have gotten to Opti during the cruise and she to us.  And to think we weighed whether or not to lodge her with Janice or to have her remain onboard as crew.  Today somewhat socked in with rain, Opti for this first time ever, made her way into the aft cabin sole twice during rain without any coaxing.  This with the diesel running to charge batteries with the associated aromas, noise and heat behind the aft engine access.  Often times after her walk/swim she readies by the dinghy to climb aboard without any coaxing.

Pigeon Island

Moored at Pigeon Island

Motored to Jaque Cousteau Marine Reserve; both yellow moorings vacant so took one rather than anchor.  This because winds were more SW and islets provided just as much protection but still rolly.  As the sun set the mainland's mountain backdrop even more lush and fertile looking from this distance.  Snorkeled early then slipped the mooring and continued south to Isle de Saints.

Isle le Saints

At anchor Les Saintes

Rebuilt church tower marks the end of
the "vehicle free" zone.

We grabbed a mooring in Le Bourge around 1430.  Les Saintes are actually a group of islands and dominated by Terre de Haute, where we explored.  Some describe the island as a funky St. Barths 25 years ago... Lots of visitors but without the rich and famous aura.  The town was adorable, filled with colorful houses, shops and restaurants.  Very Creole!  We enjoyed exploring this island by land and sea, spending lots of time snorkeling around the archipelago and scootering up and down hills to hidden harbors and spectacular lookouts.

Sunset at Les Saintes

We enjoyed our stay in Guaeloupe but decided to clear out and head to new adventures.  Next island, Dominica.


Frigate birds - in Florida I don't think I ever saw them up close; they were always soaring high over Tampa Bay.  Isle de Saints is an excellent place to observe them up close and personable.  They fly low, still soaring, fishing in the Barbour.  What a joy to watch.

Antigua

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

After a 30 hour sail, Opti has her senses focused on the beautiful beaches and mountains in Jolly Harbor, Antigua.

 Cleared in and explored this ex-pat community, doing laundry, grocery shopping and enjoying this community.  After 2 days it was time to move on and see the real Antigua...English Harbor.  Home of Admiral Nelson's Dockyard.

Explored the Dockyard then trekked up to Fort Berkley overlooking English Harbour.  followed by draft Wadalli, an Antiguan beer.  Afterwards, we dinghied across the harbor to let Opti swim while we bathed, snorkeled  and scrubbed the bottom of the dinghy.  Susan discovered that sand works pretty well on green sea slime.

Is it time to go back to the boat

Fort Berkley

Old tree in the dockyard

Jon enjoying his carbs.

We enjoyed the low key Dockyard Museum very much!

Busts Jon likes!

Boats Jon likes.

Saturday, August 9, we took the local bus to St. John's and back.  We were the only whites on it.  The guy behind let Jon open his dual row seat window all the way at the sacrifice of air on his part.  After bumping hands in thanks, thinking is all the cruise ship whites must take a private tour bus to English Harbour and other points of interest.  They miss so much humanity.  It seemed one continuous settlement(s) during the 30-40 min. ride from English Harbour to St. John's, Antigua's capital.  A diversity of churches seemingly every mile pointed to a religious island.

We walked the streets and enjoyed a thriving Saturday market but forgot to provision in the colorful veggie stands before returning.  To "rehydrate" we had a Caribe over ice (it works for us) and later, a great late lunch at C&C wine bar, including 4 samples of S. African vino with olives, bruschetta and Capri over eggplant, one of Susan's favorite variations on this theme.  Curious and somewhat in need, we even sprung for a couple of pieces of bamboo clothing.  3% cooler than cotton as if we could tell the difference.  Back early to Opti's delight for a welcomed pee ashore and finished off the evening with one of Susan's great makeshift pizzas and another episode of "24" (Susan bought the CDs last trip when visiting her dad).


Rented a vehicle to explore more of the island.  Went through a lush, tropical forest to a coastal road that we saw while sailing.  Discovered great beaches, local beach bars, forts and harbors; even met a guy who restores and maintains Land Rovers.  On a live ability scale, Antigua rates a 10,

Shirley Heights- a look out for English Harbor

The view of English Harbor from Shirley Heights.  We are tucked in
to the smallest finger, right in the middle of the picture.

Two of about 35 Land Rovers we discovered at a repair shop
near English Harbor,

Boys playing cricket near Carlyle Bay/

OJ's Beach Bar.  Enjoyed mussels and wings and a cold beverage.
Live jazz on weekends 

Fort overlooking St. John's Bay

Next day we picked up anchor and motored to Falmouth to re-fuel and water up.  Time to "explore, dream, discover". Casted away our dock lines and headed to Montserrat and Guadeloupe.