We are now anchored in the Lagoon at St. George’s Grendad. This will probably be the last time you can anchor here as it is being taken over by building of a 300 slip Port Louis Marina. Progress but another challenge for cost conscious boaters. You can anchor outside but rolls abit as you are wide open to the Caribbean Sea and this is a nice city to walk around and provision. Feels like a quaint European city as it went back from a French to British island, nice fort overlooks of carenage and lagoon. Went to the fish and veggie/spice/fruit/eggs markets this AM with another cruiser. Unfortunately fisherman were partying last night (Friday) as this AM no swordfish or tuna for sale. So try again on Monday. Its only $7EC/lb ($3 US) so very nice so trying to stock up before we leave on Tuesday. Weather today (Saturday) is RAINY with tropical wave moving thru. They need the rain as it was a dry hurricane season apparently in Grenada. Evidence of Ivan (2004) and following drought – still apparent as nutmeg and chocolate factories only running 2 days/week. It takes 7 years for the Nutmeg trees to come back to full production. Grenada is known as the spice island and the rain forest shows this with its abundance of things growing in every crevis. Went on some hikes, tours but of course Sojourn also requires attention in keeping things working.
Prior to that we were anchored on the South coast of Grenada in "Hog Island" (close to Clark’s Court Marina where we go in to get internet and gather for social) anchorage. Very nice, no rolling and a nice breeze to keep you cool. We left Trinidad Friday, Nov 2nd around 7 pm rather hurriedly after the Trinidadian Customs boat visited a bunch of us anchored in Scotland Bay, staging for a 0400 AM departure on Saturday. They basically told everyone that you only have an hour after checking out to leave the country OR come back to pay customs overtime charges (we were not one of the boats they visited but chose to leave with the "fleet" anyway). We were socializing with other boats so had to quickly prepare to leave prior to eating supper. We don’t understand why customs has this power or why they do this. Its too bad they didn’t tell us that prior to checking out. We had a fast crossing, averaging about 7 knots for the 85 miles, but it was a wet ride! We arrived around 7:30am with a wet/salty bed to wash/dry prior to sleeping. Somehow the forward hatch wasn’t sealed correctly. We have rather mixed feelings about Trinidad, it is hot, humid, usually without a cooling breeze, commercial harbor is a oily/dirty mess but most people are very nice, things are relatively inexpensive and just about anything you want done to your boat can be handled. We will slowly work our way north in the eastern Caribbean and then slowly drift back south for next hurricane season, probably to Venezuela area after going up the Orinoco River and continuing west after that.
It seems abit easier this year — not missing friends/family as much. We do have more cruisers to hang with immediately vs last year didn’t really find them until Annapolis, MD. We met a lot more while in Trinidad. It isn’t as hot/humid in Grenada as Trinidad plus doesn’t seem to rain as much until a tropical wave goes by. Its nice being out of Trinidad as it was where we did ALOT of projects as we had access to parts, electricity, water, etc. So it was a big push and wasn’t very much fun except for the tours we took. But I did like seeing/hearing the green parrots move in AM/PM to different sides of the island and hearing the howler monkeys when anchored. Now we hear goats/crickets. So we are back in a more laid back setting and NOT doing as many projects. There always seems to be something to modify/work on — recently the sun awning over the main cabin — it was interfering with the sun on the solar panels and also wanted to incorporate a way to catch water. So works okay but will need to modify again when we take down to move to another anchorage. It sure helps to keep below decks cooler. My (Rose’s) body parts are healing now that I have left project land. Last one was somehow I bumped my knee and can’t kneel on one side as there is a nerve which is VERY sensitive. Catching rain water in the dinghy so use that for washing clothes in a bucket — so washed sheets as Tom is a sweaty thing even when sleeping. We even have a wind scoup/sun awning over the V-Berth hatch. Oh well — he used to come in handy when we lived north/MN! 🙂
We did determine that our fan (relay) on our fridge/freezer wasn’t operating. So Temptress (Clark) assisted with electrical schematic and how to reroute fan around relay. I think now that we aren’t moving so much – we should have more time to pay attention to changes in our systems. So this fix should help with not having to run the 2K generator as often as solar/wind power wasn’t keeping up. We do use generator to equalize batteries every 1-2 months.
We have been hanging with various cruisers since departure. We dinghied to snorkle and visit another bay (La Phare Bleu Marina/Resort) that has a 1900’s light ship delivered via ship from Sweden last year — marketing ploy for a new marina. It is used as their office, washroom for the marina, museum and fine dining. Apparently in its day there were around 37 lightships in 24 swedish positions marking reefs/harbor entrances/etc. where strong currents/etc. didn’t allow a permanent lighthouse. Snorkeling isn’t great but acceptable as you need to search for spots and be patient to look for small things. Saw a baby lobster, turtle, squid, anemonies, small colorful fish yesterday.
We took a local bus/van ($2.50 EC) to the windward (east) side of the island (St. David’s, LaSagesse Bay) to check out some harbors/small villages and hike to the high rocky edges/black sand beaches. It is a beautiful coast and island. Its interesting to see the island after the rainy season vs dry season when we stopped in June enroute down.
I organized a tour via hiring van/driver for day @ $20 US/person to go to back road to get to Concord Falls to hike, to Gouyave to nutmeg factory tour/lunch, across rain forest road to Belvidere (as Windsor road was closed), then Grand Etang lake/forest reserve to hike abit more and learned abunch about the island. Grenada is one of the nutmeg capitals of the world. Lots of the trees were damaged by hurricane Ivan but they are coming back. The women at the factory have to shell 170lbs. of nutmeg a day and are only paid $28EC which is equivalent to $10.50US ! Talk about being underpaid! It was a nice day. These are places the buses don’t go to. The sahara dust (odd for this time of year) made the skies abit hazy. Its interesting talking to the locals – they always seem so laid back and in no hurry. Cruise ships are starting to show up so that will speed the pace abit.
Now for abit of reality living the life of cruising. There are many things that land lubbers take for granted. How do you deal with a HSA electronically transferring funds into a closed bank acct? Did you realize that you can’t electronically transfer it back out because its CLOSED. Now I need to mail a notorized certified letter to confirm that I am me when I was talking to them via Skype. Go figure Or dealing with needing to file an amended return when we were back in the states BUT all the records were on the boat? OR wanting to change to a cheaper medical plan and they want all your medical records? Its not always as romantic as it looks!
I am trying to get to the spirit feeding things like music/yoga/Spanish/etc. I said I was going to do this season. Right now trying to get current with journal, changing medical/boat insurance to cut costs, etc. But all I have is time so it should happen. We look forward to our upcoming visitors. Let us know if you have an interest as we would love to share our life with you. It is rustic and cramped but its our home!
Live Your Dreams
Rose & Tom