Since we splashed into the Caribbean on Friday the 12th, we have been pottering a few miles along the South coast of Grenada. This coast consists of several deeply cut tree lined inlets, which offer good protection as their entrances are surrounded by reefs. However, this does mean that you have to keep your eyes open and wits about you when sailing along. Especially when trying to find the buoys that mark the channels into the bay's as they don't always match up to those on charts. Luckily, unlike June, there is less of a big swell on this coast, so the sailing is more comfortable and less scary for Sarah. ( She is being lulled!)
Also the wind is dropping off to virtually nothing at night, giving peaceful and still nights, which we have never had on the boat before. Thus panicking Sarah on the first night that we had run aground as we weren't moving at all, much to Darrell's amusement as she poked him awake several times.
We have been into most of the bay's on this coast to explore and find the best anchoring. Some are very busy, with lots of yachts, others offer a more peaceful atmosphere.
Prickly Bay proved useful as its close to lots of amenities, mainly required to mend different things and to provision for our trip. It has several bars dotted about it. Which we have frequented a few times with some of the other yachties who had been in Grenada Marine, although we gave the christmas bingo a miss and found the international trivia quiz a bit beyond us. Also the bay is jam packed. Although very quiet at night, everyone seems to go to bed early here. But we do prefer Petite Calivigny, as it less crowded. The swimming is pleasant and ashore there are some good walks; one through a wood opened up into a meadow with cows grazing, which was slightly surreal for this country. It is also within a dinghy ride to either Le Phare Bleu marina, with a lovely bar and restaurant or in the other direction Whisper Cove Marina, with the Meet and Meat - another bar/restaurant, but with a deli and butchers, who cuts his own organic meat, makes delicious sausages and some wonderful tuna steaks. Also the bread is rather good too. We did some stocking up here for Christmas, so we had some tasty treats for the special day.
We were up early on Christmas Day for our breakfast of toast and marmite, while opening our stockings. Sarah is very impressed with how Santa knew where we were, although Darrell is still finding glitter from the wrapping paper all over the boat and his clothes. To our amusement we were interrupted by a mother and her girls from a villa on the shore, swimming around the boat before they were allowed to open any presents, followed about half an hour later by the boys of the party doing a much shorter swim but in their Santa hats. (Definitely English!)
We decided that we both needed to have our usual christmas walk (although our friends are missing this year) so we dinghied ashore and set off. Darrell was on a mission to get over to Le Phare Bleu. So it was up the hill, through woods and fields, along the ridge and a dirt road, before scrabbling down a dried up water course to the back of the marina cottages. With the bar being open it meant we could stop for a well deserved christmas drink before returning a more sensible route along a road. After a quick snack on the boat it was time for a swim around the boats anchored in the bay. Then Darrell got the barbecue going for our special Christmas meal. 
The day was rounded off with a cup of tea and a slice of christmas cake for supper.
If only the Internet had been stronger we may have been more successful with the face timing we tried!
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