We just arrived to Carriacou which is a separate island but also associated with the big island – Grenada which we will go to next. They have cheap WiFi that we can sometimes pick up at the boat so this is a cruisers dream since normally $3 per 1/2 hour. To connect with friends/family, search the internet, check other cruisers web sites, etc. Tom is playing with the new computer operating system (Vista), burning music for other cruisers and playing Gordon Lightfoot – Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald. Its in our blood (truly our home) — Tom has November storm pictures that he will show to anyone that doesn’t know about Lake Superior.
Its starting to feel abit like a delivery trip as you can truly see the end and realize that you need to look for a weather window to sail the last 70nm journey across the sea from Grenada to Trinidad in order to make our flight back to MN. You continue to see the same cruisers (from all over the world) in each harbor and realize that you maybe should go over to chat to extend your family. Cruisers love to share their knowledge and tidbits about the islands, share DVD’s. The other day we met a French couple that have been cruising around here for 28 years! I was in shock that this could be someone’s life this long. I realize that I have not yet become “one” with Sojourn and this life BUT didn’t expect to the first year as it is ALL SO NEW!
We have briefly seen St. Lucia and the Grenadines which include (St. Vincent, Bequia, Tobago Cays and Union Islands). Unfortunately, this is also the area where more theft and boardings are being reported over SSB so we are bringing our outboard on deck each evening. We keep reminding ourselves that we are so blessed to be doing this when we start getting crabby! We try to chat with the local caribs (now that we are at British – English speaking islands) to understand abit of their life but only touch the surface – as Americans aren’t used to just sitting for hours doing nothing! Most of the rasta’s have nicknames – so while chatting with them at the Bequia market – Rose got nicknamed “talking friend”.
We met up with other MN cruisers Ticketoo enroute to Piton’s, St. Lucia so weren’t able to chat long and RPhurst (crew Leslie from FL and Jenny from So. Africa) in Bequia. We crewed with Bruce on RPhurst in Grenadines and in Greece. He came across the Atlantic to Caribbean in 2005 and not sure when he will complete his world circle cruise by returning to FL. It has been fun to travel with them on/off the last few islands. New candidates for Mexican Train dominos game that we learned in the Bahamas. Plus they brought down newer DVD’s Dreamgirls and The Queen. We also said goodbye to Halcyon Days from Toronto till this fall as they needed to get to Trinidad by June. That’s what is sour/sweet about cruising is people come/go in your life much quicker than on land.
Most fresh food items are more expensive and not as readily available as northern islands. We realize that we need to continue to empty the meat in the freezer and dry/canned items that may expire over the summer. Other cruisers say that it’s cheaper to provision in Trinidad when we come back in September. We did briefly review our $30K budget (including health/boat insurance, etc.) and have went over abit but we expected that the first year based on the distance we traveled. We had unexpected large purchases, repairs and simply lived life as best we could without no regrets. We are thinking of self insuring next year as this is a old boat.
During our stay at Bequia, we helped a South African sailor couple "The Road" get unstuck so they invited us over for social to say thanks. Well I saw that he tied off our dinghy painter incorrectly but I thought it should be okay and possibly rude if I retied. Well we went to leave around 8:30pm, very dark and the $5K dinghy/motor was gone. I was in shock and upset with myself. Fortunately, Bruce on RPhurst had his VHF on and came to assist us in motoring in the dark out into the open bay/sea. The Road had a very small dinghy/motor so couldn’t provide much help. I stayed on boat, prayed aloud and called security on VHF to see if other anchored boats could shine spot light around to assist. Only 1 other boat answered and said it would be very difficult to find at night. We are blessed again and gave thanks to all the higher powers out their! Tom/Bruce took a wind line from The Road and the dinghy was about 2 miles out headed for Jamaica (?). They found it with our powerful spot light (we had just fixed) because I had sewed in reflective tape on dinghy and motor. We are indebted to Bruce. Life brings and takes.
We enjoyed Tobago Cays which are 4 very small islands with a large horseshoe reef that you anchor behind which provides some wave protection but not necessarily wind. We were surprised from our visit 10 years ago how there weren’t very many fish now — global warming? It rained most of the day on Thursday so caught a bunch/filtered (vs. paying $.33/gallon) and put some in our tanks plus had 3 buckets and dinghy for washing clothes and rugs, cleaning galley/main salon and a bunch of other stuff. So it feels good to have a clean boat since leaving sweet water.
I thought of sister Monica the other day as I had hid my wedding ring and simple earrings from the possible robbers BUT couldn’t remember where I had put them. I tore apart most of the V-Berth (there’s alot of places it can hide) thinking that maybe I put them in a vitamin bottle and threw it away thinking it was empty as the jewelry was in a bag inside and wouldn’t make any noise. So I thought — well Monica may make me a new wedding ring with spare emerald that brother Tomas brought me from Columbia — somewhere in one of those boxes that I am going to repack better when I get home. Then I saw a eye glass case and thought that’s where I put it. AND it was. So another resolved puzzle in my mind that is aging!
There is one major constellation that we can’t see from the northern skies — it’s called the Southern Cross and is pretty cool. The North Star is barely visible low on the horizon so another reminder that we are a long way from home!
We do want you to know that we love and miss you all! We probably won’t be able to truly tell you what we have experienced this past year…. It’s like your life experiences that you need to be there to understand. BUT we do really appreciate it if you do ask!