2018: Grenada to Martinique

Feb 4, 2018: Serenity, Whisper Cove, Grenada

• Truly horrible travel from Guatemala to Grenada.  After a tearful goodbye to the Coti family, I walked to the Xela zoo, then on to the Alamo bus terminal. Five hour bus from Quetzeltenango to Guatemala City - the best part of the trip - aboard a reasonably upscale bus, sitting in front with a fine view, next to a sweet young lawyer-to-be, who politely tolerated my Spanish efforts at conversation. Then a taxi to the airport and a six hour wait for my flight to Newark, arriving early the next morning.  Twelve hour wait, then another night flight to Toronto.  The next flight, to Port of Spain, Trinidad, had me in a first class seat.  This because all economy class seats were booked, this because it was the beginning of Carnival in Trinidad.  I now understood why my ticket cost so much.  Finally, a short hop to Grenada.  Total time: about 48 hours.

• Met Caren at the Adrift Restaurant at the Clark  Court boatyard - she looked great, curly hair and tropical bronze.  She brought me up to date on Serenity: generator on the blink, watermaker acting up, batteries needed replacing, needs to file police report on crew’s theft of various items, starboard davit winch needs to be re-installed, much trouble starting dingy engine.  Ah, the boating life.  My initial goals: organize, clean, help Caren get some rest after her very tough week.

• My first look at Serenity: gorgeous.

Feb 6, 2018.   Whisper Cove, Granada

OMG: Caren just got a call from Apple, who thought she was the bad guy crew who ripped her off (because he had switched SIM cards on her).  Apparently he had ordered some stuff to be shipped to Vancouver.  First contact!

St George's, Grenada

Mar 2, 2018.  Ronde Island, Grenada 

• Finally able to leave with almost everything fixed: watermaker (still needs a part, but is working at half capacity), engines, starter keys (the previous owner had glued them into place, Jorge’s dinghy lift system.  Picked up a second kayak at St. George’s, then motored north to anchor next to this little island under a full moon.  Caught a barracuda on the way: fish for several meals!

• Aboard are Caren, me, Samantha Hampton (who joined us awhile ago) and Rachael & Jeremy (will be aboard for another week).  Said goodbye yesterday to Erik Thoren, crew who didn’t work out.

• Grenada: a lovely, hilly island, with very friendly people.  Took a tour with Samantha one day: chocolate factory, rum factory, nutmeg / mace factory.  Our driver guide stopped every few minutes to pick a fruit or a leaf or a flower for us to savor.  Partial list: lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, golden apple, nutmeg, mace, cocoa, coffee, star fruit, pineapple, banana, plantain, soursop, mango, turmeric, sugar cane, cashew, cinnamon, ginger, coconut, passion fruit, lemon grass, basil.

• I’ve been aboard now for 3 1/2 weeks, and basically every day has been a fixit day, sometimes with 3 workmen on board morning until dark: watermaker, engines, generator, pulley system for dinghy, cockpit navigation software, binge pumps, etc.  But it looks like all the serious stuff has been fixed, so here we go.

• On the day before our departure, Caren and the kids went snorkeling with Jorge Garcia, who nabbed a giant lobster.  Jorge, from Venezuela, has been a great help and friendship for our stay in Whisper Cove, and we will miss him.  But I have suggested an adventure to The Lost World, and he wants to hike the CDT with me (partly to learn Spanish), so I may see more of him.

Boats... What can I say?

Mar 3, 2018.  White Island, Grenada

Motored from Whisper Cove to St. George’s, where we said goodbye to Erik, and bought a second kayak.  Then motored on (with the job assisting) to this lovely anchorage.  Rachael & Jeremy saw a giant stingray while snorkeling.

Mar 4, 2018.  Petit St. Vincent, Grenada

Anchored briefly in Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou for groceries and check-out.  Dinghy ride to nearby reef with tiny sand spit and palapa.  All systems functioning except for bilge pumps on both sides, which kept running even though turned off.  Also, port aft head seems to be blocked again (Erik “fixed” it once before).

Mar 5, 2018.  Petite Rameau, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Kids kayaked around the island.  Then on to Clifton Harbour, where Caren checked in, and  I bought a nice bathing suit.  Then on to our night anchorage, with heavy rain washing the decks on the way.  A bazillion boats here, but we anchored a bit outside of the crowd.  New country!  And Jeremy figured out an easier way to attach the bridle to the anchor chain.

Mar 8, 2018.  Tobago Cays, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 

Great kite boarding for the kids the past two days - and nice snorkeling as well (nurse shark, reef shark, moray eels, lots of fish).  Swam with some very tame turtles in a protected swim area, and last night watched a dozen or more sting rays cavorting in the blue light under the big charter cat nearby.