25th May

13 00 16 N 61 14 58 W

Lifted the anchor around 12:30 - 01:00, ok very dark no moon but we were able with the deck lights to see the anchor locker and chain direction. This time at least the anchor wasn't fouled. When we started the sea state wasn't too bad and the wind noting to shout about around 14 knots so it was a force 4, boat speed 5.3 SOG so we should be in Bequia in around 13:00 ish. Passing by the anchorages we wanted to avoid like Marigot, Soufriere and Viou Fort all of which have iffy reputations for safety, moorings and holding. Headlands are notorious for throwing up strange currents, seas and wind so its always expected but both the end of St Lucia, St Vincent and the channels between are described as more than normal. Only on Friday a brig The Unicorn sank off the tip of St Vincent, thankfully everyone was safe. 

Lets just say the winds increased to force 6  with winds at times touching 25 knots, the wind isn't so much a problem as we were well reefed and sometimes when the wind dropped and the sea flattened out a little we increased the jenny. However the sea is the problem when it changes direction completely and throws us about which is not pleasant at all, I'm getting so tired of the battering we get.

So we were still getting very strong winds as we came close into the anchorage and it was difficult to say the least staying into wind to take down the mainsail. Someone warned us about the "Bequia Blast" so we entered with bare poles. (no sails) This anchorage is quite large with a small marina and moorings but the moorings have an iffy reputation for not being well maintained and boats breaking free so we chose to anchor. Oh there are some very shallow spots and shoals too which need to be avoided at all costs.

Anchor we have with 35 metres of chain plus the snubber to stop the snatching which should be sufficient for us and the expected high winds due to come through even though this is supposed  to be a protected bay. The water is pretty clear thats why we prefer to come in in the daylight so we can see sandy spots rather than weed or rocks, we always take a good look how other yachts swing and try to find a place a safe distance from other yachts.

Our spot is next to Princess Margaret Beach formally known as Tony Gibbons Beach, she was caught bathing topless here, oh dear where have we heard that one before.

Monday 26th 

Did the normal checkin with customs and immigration, paid our dues, 35 $ each for a months stay which covers us for St Vincent and other islands we plan to visit before Grenada. We had a smashing lunch Don had the Goat lunch and me a mahi mahi roti at the Fig Tree restaurant which has free wifi then went to the tourist information for the 3rd time. On the door it said closed but someone opened it and said they were having a meeting, it, the owner of the restaurant we had just had lunch at was in there at the meeting.  

The information looks good and there seems lots to see here so later we can take a look about.

Bequia is still an active place where they kill whales, it is allowed but only with an open wooden sailing boat roughly 25ft long and someone with a spear, it must be one heck of a task when these whales are so big. Apparently they are taken to an bay to be butchered and every part of the whales are used. 

From what we have seen so far we quite like it, everyone if friendly, polite and always up for a chat. 

Ok you can find more of this blog in the usual place and it will have photographs later.

http://hunter45ccyacht.blogspot.com.es/

Bfn 

Don and Glenys

Agua Therapy