Martinique

Our sail to Martinique was uneventful. The seas were quite choppy. We sailed into Le Marin too late to go ashore to check in so we stayed on the boat. It was very quiet in Le Marin as far as the ocean was concerned. Martinique has very good French wine and cheeses and what is more they are cheap. So we had a hard time eating baguettes cheese and drinking wine. We went with the dinghy up a river and lost an oar. This was a costly experience. We managed to get a new one for about $ 70.
Today we sailed around the island to Ford the France. We caught a 10 kg wahoo. What a fish. It did put up a fight. Grant let it run, then pulled it in and rocky and Grant eventually pulled it up. Hooked it with the gaff hook and it is lots of nice steaks in the freezer now. It took a while to clean the boat but we are on anchor at ford the France and just finished a nice chicken and salad lunch. This weekend is carnival in Martinique and I can see the festivities starting.

Moving around the Caribbean

Gail and Grant did not arrive till the Sunday. They missed their flight from LA because the time changed and they were not notified. They finally arrived Sunday morning via Barbados. We stayed for a week in Port Louis marina and then sailed to the statues just outside St George's. we moored and snorkelled the under water statues. Gail did not feel the best but managed.
The next day we sailed to Carriacou where we had lunch ashore and cleared out of Grenada. Gail stayed below in bed for the sail there and was quite ill. The day after that we sailed to Petite Saint Vincent where we had a delightful day. Petite Saint Vincent is privately owned and very pretty. The resort is supposedly the best in the Southern Caribbean.
We had a beautiful quiet night there and the next morning sailed to Union Island to Clear in to St Vincent and the Grenadines. Clifton is a very colourful city with quaint little alleys. From there a small trip to Salt Whisle bay. This is a beautiful bay where you see the ocean on the other side of a strip of white sandy beach with palm trees. We climbed up the hill to have a look over Tobago Keys.
From there we sailed to Bequia and although it was quite rough Gail managed. Here we had our canvas repaired and a piece for between the dodger and Bimini made. From Bequia we went to Wallilabou on St Vincent. This is where most of the pirates of the Caribbean is filmed. Part of the set is still there and the filming schedules are still up.
We walked about a mile a waterfall.
From St Vincent we sailed straight to Rodney bay in St Lucia where we had to clear in again. In St Lucia you can clear in and out at the same time which is very convenient. We are now in the marina so we could have the fridge and freezer looked at. Also our single side band radio has been looked at. We have the boat so we see all the restaurants in the marina and enjoy the lively music at night. Last night we walked to a little village where every Friday the close the main street and people cook up a storm under loud reggae music, lots of laughter and dancing. It was a great experience. Today Gail and Grant have gone to the sulphur springs while we arrange more on the boat. We have been there before so we are not missing out. On Monday we will anchor out in the bay and on Tuesdaythe winds should be ok to sail to Martinique

Friday 11 Januay 2013

We are finally back on our boat. Arrived in Grenada 9th and spend the night on the hard. Not too bad. The next day was hard work till lunch time putting up the sails. Turns out the first sail we put up did not fit anymore and had to go back to the sailmaker who had fixed it up. That set us back a bit but we were in the water that afternoon. When we turned on the electronics we found it said error 12 so that took a while again. Anyway by night time that was working and we were tired. We never got time to clean a lot. Also with people coming past who remembered us. By this time we were anchored out in a bay. Next day (today) we sailed around the island the capital St Georges to a marina. Got there by lunch time and settled in the 'slip' by 1 pm. So we have worked since then cleaning the boat so we can receive Gail and Grant tonight.

Cocktail party

Yesterday evening we had a cocktail party. Everyone had to fish out a cocktail on a piece of paper and then make this. They were all rum based to keep people from getting sick from mixing. They were all naughty cocktails some in name and ingredients. Everybody brought their bottle and some were beautifully decorated and with a clever, beautiful or sexy thing to say about it. It was a great night and it became more hilarious as more was consumed. I had to through a few in the bushes that were way to strong for me. Afterwards we went to the restaurant for pizza. Another great day in paradise as they say here all the time. I just want to let you know that I was up this morning in the yoga group doing silly poses (just mine looked silly) and for a swim after that.

Cruising life in Grenada

Tonight we were invited to a Tex Mex night. This meant that everyone needed to make something Mexican to eat or drink. It was a great night with lots of food and drinks such as margarita sangria and Mexican sunrise. While we were there we were asked for another fun night or rather nights. We had to pull a ticked with a very sexy cocktail. Mine is 'pull your panty down. All are with rum base. So we all by a bottle of rum and use half to make this drink. On the night we will get it in little shot glasses.
The week later we use the other half to make a so called bush rum drink adding all sorts of fruit the way they do here. In some of the islands the put snake heads and all sort of horrible things in the drinks. We will not but it is in that sort of way. It is all about eating and drinking here though. Still when in Rome

Carnaval in Grenada

Carnaval is fantastisch here. Leading up to it is music everywhere. Soka music. On Monday it started officially with the parade which starts about 4 am but basically the music goes all night. We were woken up way before 4 am by the music actually vibrating the boat. So we got up and walked out the gates of the marina with our old clothes on. There were already lots of people all full of paint dancing. As it got closer to day break it became one big mass of people moving while dancing and throwing paint and oil. The history behind that is the slaves who worked the fields from daybreak and the oil represents the molasses from the sugarcane. The number of people and the loud loud music made it a real happening. Also all the drinking and smoking dope would have helped We did not stay all that long and 'enjoyed'it further from the boat. I had Chloe on Skype and she could hear it clearly.
That afternoon was the costumes parade which was very beautiful. Representing different times of the day the seasons and the different countries.
In the evening was mas which is the parade of lights. We waited with all the other people for hours dancing to the music. Finally we saw millions of red lights coming down the hill accompanied by even louder music. It was a fantasic hype and everyone gets swept away by it.

Sailing again in the month Sepember

We are now in the marina at St George's and all the things we have to do to the boat are going well. On the 8th our 2 new solar panels will arrive and we already have someone making the stainless. All good. So September we will be sailing to Tobago. I have seen the pictures and it is a beautiful island. We will be back in Grenada for October when we will take the boat out of the water to do the anti fauling.
Looking forward to sailing again and seeing a different country.