January 15...Off tomorrow at first light to Soufriere, St. Lucia.
Delicious dinner last night!
Al and Michelle from Tarentalla
January 14...People still talking about the lightening storm Christmas Eve. Devastation on St Vincent and St Lucia. The lightning was going around in circles and they thought it was the end of the world. People were in church praying all evening. They had never seen anything like it!
 |
| view of Mistress from Whalebone Restaurant |
All fixed and ready to go! As we thought, fuel problem. According to Trevor, Petit Martinique has bad fuel and never fill up there! According to others, it is the best!
Port Elizabeth is a quaint village, lots of little shops, restaurants, fruit markets and when the conch shell blows, there is fresh fish at the fish market. Have not heard it yet this morning. The main street along the water is full of activity - taxis waiting to take tourists on tours.Went in to happy hour last night with friends, Al and Michelle, and like a comedy of errors .We had agreed to meet at a pizza place and were both sitting at one but there were two places between us. Half hour later, I got up figuring we were in the wrong place and sure enough.....Today we plan to take bus in to Paget Farms an area near here to get our lobster at 10 EC a pound and cook up tonight. Yum!
 |
| Peter with supper |
 |
| Walkdown Bar |
 |
| Gingerbread Restaurant - a morning meeting place |
January 12
 |
| Mystic - wonderful paint job! |
 |
| Begúia on Flamingo |
Well, here we are in Beguia! We bypassed Canouan after spending one night in the Tobago Cays. The reason being yesterday morning after leaving the Cays on our way to Canouan, engine failed - same problem - fuel line and for once it would not start again. We were just about ready to go into the harbour to drop anchor but both of us did not relish trying to anchor under sail. It certainly made me a bit nervous! So instead we decided to move on and sail. Actually, a pleasant sail - winds just about right, and waves were fine as well. Probably would have been more enjoyable if we both had not been thinking of things to come! We tacked a number of times outside of Admiralty Bay, Bequia and did get the motor started but kept it at low RPMs. 'Bequia' of Flamingo, a boat boy, and yes, that is his real name, (I asked him) brought us to a mooring front and center.
Just an aside - how do you spell dufus? We ran into maybe three of them in the Cays. On entering and trying to attach ourselves to a mooring ball, we had to circle several times and a snorkeler was in the water, saw us and kept swimming toward the boat. I had to wave him away as he had no idea that he was perilously near the boat! When I swam to the beach, same guy, I think, blew this shrill whistle to catch the attention of his friends and really scared the pants off me. Underwater I could hear the whistle which sounded like a horn being blown and I thought someone was sending out a warning signal. I looked up and there he was on the fore deck of his boat (Sunsail) blowing his whistle. Number three was leaving the Cays through the narrow channel, and there were a couple of boats anchored directly in the same channel. Passing through we could almost touch hands and when I spoke to the man on the Cat saying he was in the channel, he acknowledged that he was but was entirely okay with it. Lucky, it was calm going through! Guess you really had to be here!
 |
| Tobago Cays |
 |
| The Cays |
 |
| More of The Cays |
January 9...Arrived in Mayreau yesterday without event although in pulling up the anchor we did manage to have attached a 8 x 12 piece of coral embedded in the pointy things on the anchor. Unfortunately, in a situation like that you wish you had a camera but because of the stress involved it is a little bit difficult to say 'wait, don't hammer it off yet, wait till I get the camera!'
Saline Bay, Mayreau is a unique little town, very picturesque. Walked up the hill today to Denis' Hideaway for lunch and a swim in the pool. Very limited selection at the grocery but did manage fresh bread and tomatoes. Bought yellow fin tuna this morning which was cleaned for us and cut into steaks. Enough for three dinners!
 |
| Rasta's love house |
 |
| beach at Saline Bay |
 |
| overlooking the harbour at Saline |
 |
| Denis' Hideaway |
 |
| Saline Bay |
 |
| view of beach, Saline Bay |
January 7
 |
| Seckies and Vanessa's place |
 |
| view of Chatham harbour |
 |
| Chatham beach |
Sitting here in Aqua Resort - lovely - using wifi as we can't get it at the boat. Chatham Bay is lovely , basically unspoiled, probably a bit like the BVIs used to be. A couple of restaurants line the beach - outdoor where you go barefoot and very casual for dinner. We went to Ballo's the first night, excellent yellow fin tuna for me and ribs for Peter along with salad, rice, potatoes, plantain and a plantain dessert. Much more than either of us could eat. Yesterday washed down the dinghy on the beach - lots of algae and barnacles - looks like new. Happy hour at Seckie's and Vanessa - first rum punches (probably last for me) and then back to boat for dinner. After a pretty wavy and windy night, we needed to find out present wind situation and so we sit here at Aqua for wifi. Lovely little resort, we have had our lunch here - tapas plus drink, all for 45 EC each. We hope one of the local fisherman will stop by the boat today with some fresh fish!
 |
| Aqua - swimming pool between the two restaurant areas |
 |
| 'Mistress' between two 'masters' last night at happy hour |
 |
| happy hour at Seckie's and Vanessas |
 |
| view at happy hour |
 |
| down the beach from Aqua looking toward small hut type restaurants |
 |
| looking out from Aqua |
January 5...On arrival back at boat yesterday, had a bit of a shock. One of the boat boys was on the boat adjusting lines so that a large Cat could use the pin ahead of us. A definite no no! little altercation and after I was a bit nervous due to the situation that had occurred at Union earlier but was assured that they could not afford any more bad publicity here. We have actually noticed that it is not as crowded here and wondered if it had anything to do with the 'incident' at Frigate.
January 4...Decided to stay put for another day so I could speak to Thomas. He had a bad accident out West and his finger had been severed. Came in to use Internet as out at boat not too good.
 |
| view from restaurant |
January 3...Decided to stay put an extra day - holding on Barkies mooring was good. Spent a lovely day at Palm Island - took a pirogue over for 70EC return total. Lovely lunch. What A TREAT!
Palm Island
January 2...Left Tyrell Bay after checking out not anticipating any problems. Motored to Petit Martinique (PM) for supposedly inexpensive clean diesel and water. A bit tricky docking as winds and waves were against us but seemed to manage fine. I walked to the store but closed for lunch - PM seems to be quaint and not too touristy. We didn't stay because of the docking situation, being thrown against the dock and also we had already checked out of Grenada so we only had a short stay allowed. Passed by Petit St.Vincent (PSV) an exclusive island and resort where guests are pampered in secluded stone cottages - next life! But absolutely gorgeous water. Passed by an island (sand bar) with a hut which could only belong to the resort in the middle of nowhere. Entered the harbour at Clifton where we were met by Markie, a boat boy, who took us to a 'secure' mooring for 60EC a night. Airport to check in, they ran out of a receipt book for entry payment and it took about two hours to complete entry! Watched so many kite boarders just beyond us. What a rush - oh to be young again.
 |
| kite boarding in Clifton |
 |
| Clifton Square |
 |
| entering Clifton with Happy Island in foreground built from conch shells |
 |
| sand bar with hut in middle of nowhere |
 |
| PSV |
 |
| leaving 'diesel' dock at PM |
 |
| approaching PM |
 |
| s/v passing us |
