Snorkelling Part 2

Snorkelling on Horseshoe Reef, the coral is fabulous and full of fish.

Waves breaking over the rocks 

A Sea Urchin Stack

Fish hiding in the holes.

Snorkelling in the Cays

While we were at home we invested in a new camera, that takes photos underwater. So we tried it out in Tobago Cays, with some impressive results. In fact we are beginning to get quite artistic.

Can you spot the fish?

Stunning coloured coral formations.

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Paradise close to the World's End

Tobago Cays Marine Park is a 5.7km2 sand-bottom lagoon which encompasses four uninhabited islands protected by the 4km Horseshoe Reef and beyond it, World's End Reef. They were in private ownership from at least the 16th century until April 1999, when they were purchased by St. Vincent and the Grenadines. They definitely bought a gem!

View of Baradel Cay from Jamesby  across the anchorage.

The Cays are possibly one of the most beautiful places we have been blessed to sail to. With the glassy, translucent, azure waters, you get the feeling that you are at the gates of a peaceful heaven. Well that is when the sun shines, which was intermittent on the day we arrived, but thankfully the weather settled; the wind dropped and we had the sun for the weekend. Then we were treated to the Tobago Cays of the picture postcards. 
Having learned from last May, we tied a tripping line and buoy to our anchor, in the hope that it wouldn't be lifted by an early morning departure, leaving us drifting towards other yachts. It worked a treat, as other yachts gave it a wide berth, allowing us a bit of space and Sarah to relax enough to sleep at night.
Although the water was a bit choppy and  a little turbid, we swam on different reefs and saw colourful coral and an array of fish. We were joined by turtles, found an octopus hiding in a hole and managed to avoid the string of the ray. Despite there being several yachts anchored in the lagoon, we were able to swim in peace out on the reef. Pretending we were the only people in Paradise.

A turtle swims by.

We walked on the islands and this time saw several very large iguanas, rather than only the one last May. With the clear nights, we were able to lie on the deck and star watch. It is amazing how quiet it is, even though we were surrounded by other boats.
We thought our photos could do it more justice than our words. Especially as Darrell doesn't want me to get poetic.

Sailing to a new Country.

We have really enjoyed Grenada and her dependent islands, but the time had come to leave and go in search of sunshine. Leaving a country means 'clearing out', fortunately this can now be done in Tyrell Bay and Darrell only had a short dinghy ride over to the office. He then spent time filling in the same forms that we filled in on arrival, but this time he had to circle departing. Luckily he had kept the parts of our entry forms from the plane so he could hand them over too. The customs officer ignored the fact that we had gone over our one month cruising permit by a couple of days (phew, that saved us ec$70!). 

Rain in Tyrell Bay.

There was a break in the rain as we lifted the dinghy, so we decided to make a break for it, which proved a smart decision, as from out to sea we watched Carriacou disappear under torrential rain and grey skies. We managed to keep on the edge of the rain on the short sail to Union Island, where we could check into the Grenadines. We anchored in the midst of a lot of yachts, with strong winds and the inevitable rain. As we were swinging a lot, Sarah stayed on board with the engine running and the emergency drill prepared, as Darrell headed off in the dinghy wearing his waterproofs. 
While he was away more boats anchored near by, but to Sarah's great relief we didn't drag the anchor or hit anything as we swung. In fact by the time a damp (well dripping significantly) Darrell returned from customs, Sarah was quite relaxed and was sorting the wifi. 
She then had to listen to Darrell's custom tale. Although the office on the quayside was open they were not clearing people in. So he had to walk to the airport. Here he saw the traditional three people, customs, immigration and someone who relieves you of money. It was ec$70.45, that was ec$70 for the cruising permit and 45 cents for the three pieces of paper he had to sign. It's good to be back in the Caribbean!
Our position in the bay by the reef enabled us to watch the kite surfers performing along the reef, or landing on it when the rain storm hit.

A Kite Surfer showing his skills off Happy Island, Clifton, Union Island.

Another showing flair

Happy Island was created by a local entrepreneur, from the huge piles of left over conch shells that were causing a problem on Union Island. It has been extended since we were here in May, and from the piles of shells waiting on a nearby beach it seems there are still plans for further developments! It's a great place for a sundowner and to watch the kite surfers doing their tricks, and it's only a short dinghy ride or swim from the boat!

Conch shells waiting for a use.

Dodging the rain

When I think of endless grey days, where the sky and land merge and the rain is torrential. I don't associate it with January in the Caribbean. But just as England has been suffering gales and rain, so have we. It's been 'interesting' tethered to the earth by a hook and chain, as we have been buffeted by howling winds and lashing rain. Definitely not conducive to a good night's sleep! It's been more like our sailing on the west coast coping with wet clothes and things, hanging around the boat, that just don't seem to want to dry.

For six days we have played dodge the rain. Although for at least one that meant hiding below all day. However, we did manage two good hikes on Carriacou without getting wet. Our first on Sunday was up Chapeau Carre. A rather steep hill with a sort of path that went through grassland and woods. For once there was a glorious view from the top as the sun was shining. A much quicker descent and back to the boat for a well deserved swim, but five minutes in the water and the heavens opened again.

View to the south looking over Ile Ronde towards Grenada.

Next morning we were up early and took two buses to the North. Windward is the home for traditional Carriacou boat building. We watch them cut part of a frame from a tree trunk using a chainsaw. The only difference to the way boats have been built on the island is they now have power tool. We then walked the coastal route back to Hillsborough, via the 'Bogel House'. Again just as we stepped back on Stream the heavens opened and we were stuck belowdecks for the rest of the day.

Rebuilding a traditional boat from its hull.

Carriacou; an overlooked paradise.

" Carriacou, the island of one hundred rum shops and only one gasoline station." Francis Kay.
  
If you are looking for an island with cocktail bars, nightclubs and fancy places, then this is not the place for you. The island has retained its charm and tranquility because it's not been overtaken by tourist resorts. It hasn't succumbed to the virus of the international jet set. The long, crescent shape beaches and swaying palms are relatively untouched. But it is an island that yachties love and it loves yatchies.
Earthly paradises like Carriacou sit on fault lines, this is what it has to thank for its idyllic appearance. Atolls, lagoons and archipelagos with gently sloping beaches are in the process of sinking creating spectacular transient beauty.
 Carriacou is a Carib word meaning 'island surrounded by reefs.' It's part of Grenada, and at 13 square miles is one of the biggest islands that make up the Grenadine chain. It is definitely enchanting and friendly. The pace of life is much calmer than Grenada as we found out on our several casual bus journeys around the island. Everyone you meet has the time for a chat.
This is where you will see a Pelican sitting on a buoy with a seagull on its head, both appearing content in the afternoon sun.
When we came in May it was quiet and appeared to be closing down for the season. On our return we saw signs of change with new jetties and upgrading of the marina and various building. There is a definite sense of purpose.
Tyrrel Bay is the main centre for yachts due to its shallow, sheltered waters and the island's only small Marina and boat yard which always seemed busy with people working on both yachts and local fishing boats. Since our visit in May a customs office has opened, making it much easier for yachts to clear in and out without having to visit the rather inhospitable commercial quayside in Hillsborough.
The bay is fringed by a deserted sandy beach and a number of small bars where simple food can be bought for very reasonable prices. The road running along the beach has frequent buses into the capital, Hillsborough, and it was on one of these buses that we encountered our first ever female bus driver and conductor (packer) complete with small child that was dropped off at the daycare centre as we passed.

Main bus station in Hillsborough

Sailing at Last!

We could put it off no longer, we were both desperate to get on the move. Although Grenada has become one of our top five islands and we have enjoyed our stay here, the desire to see new places was giving us itchy feet and the strong winds of the last week were moderating and in a slightly more favourable direction.
To break us in gently we did a short sail, with both sails set, although well reefed as the wind hadn't dropped much, to Molienere point by the underwater sculpture park. This gave us the opportunity to check out the new Genoa and iron out some small hitches, like the new halyard not holding in the jammer. (Very inconvenient!) or the new Genoa not having reefing marks to make life easier for Sarah when winching it in.
We picked up one of the marine park buoys very easily, but were slightly concerned when a 56ft cat took the one next to us. Luckily, after some snorkelling they decided that they were too close to us and left. However, a Norwegian boat came just before sunset and with the swell it was obvious that neither boat were comfortable with how close we would swing together. So we moved around the buoys to ensure we all had space, ensuring a more relaxing night.
The snorkelling over the coral was good and we saw one of the largest shoals of fish that we have ever encountered. So not a bad start to our adventure although Sarah did exit the water very quickly after a brief encounter with a large Baraccuda!
Next morning we were up early to sail up to Carriacou, unfortunately the marine park officials were up early too, but we didn't mind the $10 fee for using the buoy.
We motor sailed to begin with as the wind had dropped, but much to Darrell's relief the wind picked up and we were able to set both sails. Keeping both reefs in the main proved a good idea, as towards the North end of the island the winds really picked up. We were close hauled all the way to Carriacou, but we arrived safely despite transgressing the exclusion zone for 'Kicking Jenni', the underwater volcano that is steadily growing and is now only 180 metres below sea level. Although it last erupted in 2009 the concern is that it is belching out gas every now and then, which can cause bouyancy problems for ships and little yachts!

Tyrrel Bay anchorage on Carriacou looking south to Grenada

Introducing our new competition "Spot Stream". Stream is anchored somewhere in the photo. To enter this simple competition all you have to do is use your skill and judgement to identify Stream amongst the anchored yachts and circle her on a copy of the photo and submit on a postcard to:

"Spot Stream Competition", c/o Stream, somewhere in the Windward Isles, The Caribbean, W Indies.

Entries must be received by the next full moon and are restricted to non crew members of Stream.

Emails will also be accepted.

Helping Hands

It is a maritime tradition that you will always help out another boat or sailor if you possibly can, as sometimes you are the only one there. We have been on the receiving end of the kindness of strangers several times already, as we struggled paddling the dinghy, when the outboard wasn't working, passers by would give us a tow, often to where we wanted to go.

So it was a no brainer when our neighbour asked for help. His cat was being hauled out the next morning, as he had an engine that was not working and needed repairing on land. So we happily gave him all our fenders and he and Darrell talked through ways of doing the task, with one engine and a very small concrete dock for the travel hoist and, most likely, a strong cross wind to contend with.

The next morning arrived and he dinghied across to ask if he could borrow Sarah on board to help throw lines and winch up the dagger boards. Darrell volunteered her services without a thought, he was focused on his job of zooming about in their rigid inflatable dinghy (with a powerful engine) and using it to turn the cat when required. He practiced this manoeuvre when they were still anchored just to be sure it worked.

The wind speed was critical and as usual it wasn't playing fair as it gusted up to nearly 30 knots, as rain squalls went through. The boat yard were happy for us to come in as other boats hadn't turned up. So as the wind dropped slightly we were just about to up anchor when we noticed a few things that you just couldn't plan for. 

As the cat had only one motor its manoeuvrability was severely compromised. There were a couple of boats anchored near the buoyed channel that woud have to be negotiated, but one seemed to be in the middle of the channel. So Darrell was dispatched to give them the warning, while we held off  our departure. As Darrell dinghied down another boat headed into the channel for the boatyard and chaos slowly unfolded.

Darrell talked to the first boat who were just off in their dinghy and they offered to wait and see if more help was needed. As he approached the boat anchored in the channel and was about to point out that they were in the buoyed channel, a panicked lady said "my anchors dragging and my husband is ashore in Budget Marine and the man clambering on the back of the boat had come to help me." Darrell then offered to go and get her husband from the chandlers. So he set off. As he did the boat motoring towards the boatyard had to move out of the channel to avoid the dragging boat and ran aground on the shallow reef.

Darrell tied up at the dinghy dock and was just at the entrance of the chandlers when a man came out. He asked, "Are you Russell?" The man looked very worried and replied "Yes, why?"

Darrell continued:" I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that your boat is dragging its anchor, but there is a man helping your wife. The bad news is that they are sailing off into the bay together." 

Understandably, Russell ran for his dinghy. On his way back to us,  Darrell was then co-opted  to help the other dinghies trying to help push the other boat off the reef. Which they managed to do, but it meant they got to the travel hoist before we did and we had to wait for them to be hauled out. 

Typically, when the hoist was ready and we up anchored the wind got up. So we had several trips round the bay through the anchored boats waiting for it to drop. When it did we motored slowly down the channel. Luckily, the skipper was good and he motored into the dock with only a couple of centimetres to spare on each side. A great relief to all of us!

Sarah tries to jump ship.

Evening Entertainment

We often sit in the cockpit as the sun sets having a drink and watching the world go by. While in Prickley Bay we were lucky enough to have a  catamaran anchor near us with a small child on it. We would watch as he climbed all over the boat, using it as an adventure playground. As the sunset he would be bouncing about on the trampoline between the bows often laughing and giggling with his parents. If fenders were added to the mix then more fun was had by all. He was a real hoot to watch.

We met them at happy hour ashore and struck up a friendship, their three year old was a delight for everyone. It was nice to learn that one of his favourite things was to lie on the trampoline at night,before going to bed, with his dad learning the names of the all constellations you can see in the dark, clear skies.

We were invited over one evening to play Mexican Train Dominoes, although Darrell heard it as Mexican trained Dominoes and spent a long time wondering what they were trained to do and how they were trained. We spent a pleasant evening with the family learning this "new to us" version of the game of dominoes, that did actually involve little trains (not sure where the Mexicans come in though.) Although we were disappointed that the batteries were taken out of the station so the train noises wouldn't wake the little boy. Amusement was increased by grandma adding new rules as we played. "The lady with the smoking dog rule" being one of the best! The game did seem to have the arcane rules of Mornington Crescent.

However, even Darrell, who is not renowned for his enjoyment of games, got into the spirit, especially when he won a round! We also had a guided tour of the boat, which is always interesting. This cat got Darrell's approval as it was more of a sailing cat rather than a cruising one. Thus giving the blokes a chance to bond over sailing amid discussions of sail trim, sheeting angles and use of the dagger boards.

Often, we sit in the cockpit with a drink to watch the sun set in hope of the green flash. However, despite a perfect view there are times when, well .... Something just spoils it!

The House in the Hill.

We took a walk from Prickley Bay to Secret Harbour Marina in Mount Hartman Bay. Luckily some of the group we were with had been before and knew the way, even better some knew short cuts!
One of the short cuts was through an old resort, that had been damaged during hurricane Ivan in 2004 and has just been left. Some of the old villas on the shore are being used but the extensive grounds, beach and swimming pools are not. But they make a nice walk through to Secret Harbour. We spent a pleasant afternoon listening to some yachtie musicians jamming. We walked back to Prickley Bay in time for Happy Hour. A steel band was performing and they were very good. Followed by a local reggae band, which we also enjoyed while drinking cocktails (cocktail of the day was a Woo Woo) and the local beer, imaginatively called Carib.

When we had sailed into Mount Hartman Bay before Christmas, we were very taken by what looked like a house on the headland. From the sea it looked like a manta ray and closer in you could see curved walls and grass roofs. It really caught our imagination, so we decided to walk back over and see if we could find out more.

Mount Hartman Estate from Secret Harbour

Using our great sense of direction we managed quite quickly to find it and weren't surprised to find it was called the Cave Restaurant. As we were discussing it, the man who built it came to talk to us. A Welshman, who had learned how to build and plaster in the army in preparation for covert operations. He very kindly gave us a tour and explained how it came to be built. The idea had started as a joke; building a cave on the hill, but it has become a work of art and passion. It is Guadiesque, and a bit hobbit like with beautiful curved walls. Inside the attention to detail is fantastic, with massive curved wooden  banisters, made from purple heartwood up the staircase and a beautiful wooden table inlaid with stone in the dining room. The view over the bay from the restaurant terrace was stunning. In the grounds was a folly, a tower that looked like it came out of the swimming pool, and a beach house, next to a perfect white sand beach. Oh, and a helipad out in the blue water at the end of a dock! Unsurprisingly, it is a boutique hotel now.
Darrell was also rather taken by his Triumph Bonneville 100 yr celebration model motorbike.

The Cave!

New Year Celebrations

In Grenada the locals refer to the 31st of December as Old Years Day/night, which many of the older folk in the North Tyne valley do, so it was home from home for Darrell. 
While we were sitting in the cockpit drinking a cup tea a dinghy zoomed past, did what only can be classed as a handbrake turn and came alongside Stream. Standing in the middle of the dinghy was a rather tall Dutchman. He exuded enthusiasm as he proclaimed what a beautiful boat Stream is. For five minutes he didn't take any breathes as he listed all the positives about the boat and then added his was exactly the same model! He went on to say he kisses it every day as he can't believe how lucky he is to have such a fantastic boat. He was quite surprised when Darrell replied that he didn't kiss Stream every morning. He only bought the boat last May and then sailed single handed across the Atlantic. Darrell invited him aboard so they could compare and contrast. The Dutchman eagerly toured the boat appreciating some differences and sharing ideas with Darrell. We were then invited over to his boat so we could see the improvements/alterations he had made. This mainly included him turning it into a successful mobile solar power station and many things to make sailing and living aboard on a circumnavigation as easy as possible, especially as he is new to sailing and has difficulty knowing which is east and west. But he has a SAT phone and is reassured that people can track him and tell him which way to go if he gets into difficulty. He did end up on a reef recently in the Grenadines and was amazed that the boat suffered little damage apart from some scrapes on the rudder and keel. To prevent this happening again, he is fitting forward facing sonar. His enthusiasm, energy and obvious love for his boat was a tonic. 

While we have been spending time on Grenada, we have kept bumping into the same people and have built up a small group of friends, who are mainly American, within the cruiser circle that we socialise with. This is the group that we spent New Years Eve with, despite the fact none of us were convinced that we could stay awake until midnight based on the fact that we were usually asleep by 9 pm. There were lots of formal events for yachties on the island, which if you were not married to a fussy vegetarian who doesn't drink alcohol, may have been good value for money. So we all got together on one of the groups catamarans for nibbles and drinks, which was good fun. We were all back on our own boats for midnight, which was marked with several firework displays. We were lucky that our position in the bay meant that we had the best view of five different spectacular and very loud displays which lasted to gone 12:30. A great way to see the new year in together.
Locals and yachties alike partied on long into the night, while we headed to bed. The next day the island seemed to sleep in, there was no one around until late afternoon. So we had a long and peaceful walk to the headland of True Blue Bay.

 One of the few Grenadian inhabitants up and out on New Year's Day.