Last year we visited Wallilabou on St. Vincent. This was the harbour where parts of Pirates of the Caribbean 1 & 2 were filmed. The “boat boys” were very aggressive & unrelenting therefore we did not have a pleasant stay. There have been problems with thefts and violence against cruisers & “tourists” so decided to bypass the island this year.
The Grenadines are a group of islands that are part of the country of St. Vincent. Our destination this morning was the island of Bequia, pronounced Beck-way. As usual, we had a romping sail across the passage between St. Lucia & St Vincent, at times reaching 8.4 knots (with a little boost from the current). By 5:15 pm we were anchored in Admiralty Bay on Bequia. Port Elizabeth is a quaint but bustling little town and is very welcoming to cruisers (and no boat boys!!). The waterfront is attractive with stone walkways and flower gardens, dotted with lots of restaurants, bars, little shops and a new dinghy dock. Names like The Frangipani, Gingerbread, & Solana’s help paint the picture.
Saturday morning we went into Port Elizabeth to clear Customs & Immigration and also to pay a visit to the market for fresh veggies and fruit. The market is run by Rastafarians and they can sometimes be very aggressive in their marketing techniques. When we were here last year, I was not happy with the reception we got at the market as every vendor demanded that you buy something from them. This year it was a very pleasant experience.
Cruising involves the endless boat chores and maintenance as well as sightseeing and lazy days. The vinyl windows in our dodger had deteriorated so badly by UV damage that it was impossible to see through them, and since the stitching was also coming apart (threads rotted by the sun) we thought we might as well replace the vinyl rather than spend the time restitching it. We found Alick’s Sail Repair and Canvas Shop. Alick was too busy to do the repair for us but he was kind enough to sell me the material to do the job myself. Now I am a capable sewer and the little machine I have on board handles the heavy material fairly well but will not take the heavy duty thread required for a proper application. Therefore when I sew something for the boat, I end up double stitching everything, which means double the time necessary to complete the project. So after the better of 2 days, our dodger now has crystal clear windows. What a pleasure to look through! It was well worth the time.
Monday July 2nd
It was getting too late in the day to pick our way through the countless reefs surrounding our destination of the Tobago Cays so we stopped in Charlestown Bay, on the island of Canouan. It is essential to have good overhead light when sailing in reef strewn waters. Between the hours of 11am and 3pm seem to work best for us.
Cruising involves the endless boat chores and maintenance as well as sightseeing and lazy days. The vinyl windows in our dodger had deteriorated so badly by UV damage that it was impossible to see through them, and since the stitching was also coming apart (threads rotted by the sun) we thought we might as well replace the vinyl rather than spend the time restitching it. We found Alick’s Sail Repair and Canvas Shop. Alick was too busy to do the repair for us but he was kind enough to sell me the material to do the job myself. Now I am a capable sewer and the little machine I have on board handles the heavy material fairly well but will not take the heavy duty thread required for a proper application. Therefore when I sew something for the boat, I end up double stitching everything, which means double the time necessary to complete the project. So after the better of 2 days, our dodger now has crystal clear windows. What a pleasure to look through! It was well worth the time.
Monday July 2nd
It was getting too late in the day to pick our way through the countless reefs surrounding our destination of the Tobago Cays so we stopped in Charlestown Bay, on the island of Canouan. It is essential to have good overhead light when sailing in reef strewn waters. Between the hours of 11am and 3pm seem to work best for us.
Tuesday morning we arrived in the Tobago Cays, often referred to the Bahamas of the Caribbean. We anchored in 10 feet of crystal clear turquoise water nestled among 3 little islands that are protected from the ocean by a treacherous reef that stretches for miles.
The Tobago Cays are a protected marine park and offer beautiful scenery, excellent snorkeling and of course a chance to play Bocce Ball on the beach. Unfortunately all good things seem to be cut short by the weather. (It’s hurricane season so we are particularly watchful) Weather systems referred to as WAVES cross the Atlantic Ocean after originating in Africa. Each wave has the potential to turn into a Tropical Storm &/or Hurricane. We keep a close watch on the wave at 48° W as it may combine with a Low Pressure system at 9.5°N 38° W and turn into a Tropical Depression. Time to change plans! We had wanted to go from here and explore the islands of Mayreau and Union Island (all part of the Grenadines) and then leave for Tobago &Trinidad (do not confuse Tobago with the Tobago Cays), instead we head to Carriacou, Grenada on Thursday July 5th. I guess we’ll have to come back next year.
Miriam
The Tobago Cays are a protected marine park and offer beautiful scenery, excellent snorkeling and of course a chance to play Bocce Ball on the beach. Unfortunately all good things seem to be cut short by the weather. (It’s hurricane season so we are particularly watchful) Weather systems referred to as WAVES cross the Atlantic Ocean after originating in Africa. Each wave has the potential to turn into a Tropical Storm &/or Hurricane. We keep a close watch on the wave at 48° W as it may combine with a Low Pressure system at 9.5°N 38° W and turn into a Tropical Depression. Time to change plans! We had wanted to go from here and explore the islands of Mayreau and Union Island (all part of the Grenadines) and then leave for Tobago &Trinidad (do not confuse Tobago with the Tobago Cays), instead we head to Carriacou, Grenada on Thursday July 5th. I guess we’ll have to come back next year.
Miriam
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