Tyrell Bay Carriacou to Grenada

We had a fast run down to the North end of Grenada with 9s and 10s on the GPS in SOG mode [ Speed Over Ground].

We celebrated with cheese Nachos [ Petra it is all Gisela's fault ] See she is hiding them.

But they are good.

Dinner in the cockpit was good too with mashed regular and sweet potatoes plus lumpy carrots. [ DELICIOUS ] beside thin cut pork chops with Bramley apple sauce and lots of red wine to help it go down.

We thought back on the marine life we had seen;

two whale spouts on the horizon.

a beautiful lionfish that posed very nicely for us in the sunlight off Tyrell Bay. He/she was more like a chrysanthemum than a fish. We did not have a photo of him as my underwater camera had died but this is what he looked like.

Gisela spotted a large marlin jumping out of the water and landing on his side.

Stingrays jumping high out of the water in Tyrell bay.

Spotted Drums posing for us off the Devils Table reef

But all things end and Gisela catches the big bird back to Germany tomorrow.

BEQUIA MEMORIES FOR GISELA

Finding her way around.

Resisting temptation, so much good stuff on offer including excellent scrimshaw.

Haircut anyone?

Beautiful spot for pizza and beer.









WE GET WET TWO DAYS IN A ROW.

Two days in a row coming down from Bequia to Carriacou we have had serious rain storms. Not much wind but very heavy rain. In fact so heavy that the viz was down to yards and I wimped out from my intended anchorage in Saline bay Mayreau and instead crept into Charleston Canouan. I think I was not the only boat to do so. Just anchored in Tyrell Bay again after some heavy rain and very poor viz. My moan is that it was not forecast by NOAA Accuweather etc. In fact the only site that suggested that we might have heavy rain was the Nemo SVG site.

Still running the engine as we crept in meant the water was warm for our showers and the sun put on a belated appearance for our sundowners.

BEQUIA TO CANOUAN

The plan was to sail down to Saline Bay in Mayreau but the windlass gods decided that I needed to spend two hours repairing a bad connection. My Lofrans windlass has a hard life as it lives on the foredeck so gets copious quantities of seawater at regular intervals.

We were late leaving but could still get to Mayreau however a tropical downpour with 20 yards visability caused us to divert to Canouan which has a simpler approach and working lights to show the entrance to the anchorage.

EASTER REGATTA in BEQUIA CRUISESHIPS and THE DEATH OF A MOUSE

Easter Regatta consists of a few charter boats racing with their baggy worn out sails. Some cruisers racing their homes still with wind generators whirring away as they race. Some J 24s with crisp paper sails racing for their island homes and of course the local double enders which get more high tech every year.

Bequia Regatta attracts some cruise ships.

Adriana This small cruiseship operating out of Trinidad now was built in Greece in 1972 which makes it probably the oldest cruise ship still in active service. It looks very dated compared to the new floating multistory car parks which are the norm.

It bustled into Admiralty Bay and parked itself in front of the Seaborn Odyssey anchoring right in the middle of the channel used by the ferries.

They lowered 4 lifeboats to be used as shuttles but for some bizarre reason the one they used most had an open exhaust with no silencer. It noisily banged it's way in and out all day. Such a contrast to the almost silent little boxes shuttling the Q Tips ashore from the Odyssey.

Finally my mouse diedand my

Now lets see toilet x 5 separate fails, both windlass foot switches, the sink mixer tap, water in the dinghy fuel tank, camera, cockpit table hinges [ BOTH SIDES ] dodger zip, Henderson Mark 5 shower pump, cockpit light, mysterious load that draws about 7 amps from the batteries every hour and my PWR+ computer power supply have all kept me busy with the repair work or adding to the TO BUY list.

But this weekend my mouse died. Now there is about as much chance of finding a USB mouse in Bequia over the Easter weekend as finding a hippopotamus.

AND I HATE WORKING WITH A TOUCHPAD.

BACK IN BEAUTIFUL BEQUIA

Gisela got a great shot of a kite surfer having one more run before night falls.



We had a pleasant peaceful and uneventful sail up to Bequia.

I had planned to go on Monday but when Windguru showed that we would have a better angle from the Trades on Tuesday we dropped down to Saline bay off Mayreau which Gisela approved of, saying it was a delightful spot to spend the night.

The walk up the hill to little supermarket was a good cardio workout for both of us.

The hard working beachfront service providers were ready to spring into action everytime a boat came in.

About as hard working as Dizzy and I as we fight for the top step and wait for dinner.

CHATAM BAY THE MALTESE FALCON and on to THE TOBAGO CAYS

Having watched this hard working fisherman all morning we had a very late lunch and set off round the corner to Chatam Bay on the west coast of Union Island.

I was excited to see the giant 3 masted square rigger the Maltese Falcon. All 289 feet and 1240 tons of her. She was under full sail and must have been doing around 20 knots. I had seen her before but either in port getting her complicated rig worked on or on passage under motor. But here she was under sail.

As she started to furl her sails it looked likely that she was heading for Chatam Bay too.

As we enjoyed our sundowner she dropped the hook in the outer part of the bay and gave Gisela a splendid photo opportunity.

Dizzy was not impressed by the giant boat but was on the bimini and alert for any head jumping opportunity that presented itself but soon retired to his usual little old man pose while waiting for dinner.

After a lazy day in Chatam we motored round to the Cays

The beaches were as white as usual.

The water crystal clear.

With only 25 boats left as the sunset, reasonably uncrowded. I have seen 200+ at Christmas week.

Where we had a snorkel before enjoying our sundowner with some JD instant pizza snacks.

TUCKED UP UNDER FRIGATE ROCK IN UNION ISLAND.

We will spend a day or two here in Union Island before moving out to the Tobago Cays.

The snorkeling is excellent.

Both Gisela and I have strong memories of the night we spent anchored in the same spot when hurricane Tomas barreled through the WIndward Islands having come from nowhere in less than a day.

We had moved our anchors to allow for the expected change in the wind direction and we gave an extra tug on both to make sure they were well set.

By Friday the 14th we should be settled in Bequia and ready to lime with the locals as we enjoy the racing.