September Blog

Blue Sky's Voyage
George & Michael
Sat 27 Sep 2008 10:51
Hello Friends                 "11:59.9N 61:45.7W"
 
Rainer arrived on schedule and Fede returned to the land of Cuckoo Clocks yesterday, but we've travelled quite a long way since the last blog...
 
We took Rainer up to Ile Ronde and Carriacou so he could get a feel for the area. In Carriacou Rainer decided he just had to fish from the boat at anchor but all he managed to catch were some rather irritated looking puffer fish. If you've not seen puffer fish in action, the following photos explain -
 
firstly puffer fish (the cute one) in normal condition  - note thick gloves
 
 
and secondly what happens when the puffer fish gets stressed - this is actually a different fish which we were trying to remove the hook from, but it got stuck in the bucket head first, tail towards camera. It was eventually returned to the sea none the worse for its adventure, though probably in a foul temper !
 
 
Carriacou is a great place as regular bloggers will appreciate, but the grocery facilities are rather limited. As Fede in particular wanted to sail in his last few days rather than just waiting for the plane, we took a trip up to Martinique to replenish our cheese and wine supplies. Martinique is just dead in September (which is peak hurricane risk) but as the forecast was for settled weather we decided we were OK for a quick trip. We sailed up overnight in about 18 hours and when we arrived at Ste Anne we anchored and doubled the size of the fleet in the anchorage. We also caught a decent sized tuna just after dark on the way up - a good time to fish but of course not a usual sailing time.
 
 
Ste Anne is an anchorage which usually has at least 100 boats and a pestilence (which must be the collective noun) of jetskis. Arty photo through the branches of a flamboyant tree by Fede of course.
 
We're now back safely in Grenada, having stopped at several islands on the way back south.
 
And finally folks: I know that Oscar Wilde, whilst having many astute observations to his memory, curiously had a downer on sunsets. ("Nobody of any real culture, for instance, ever talks nowadays about the beauty of sunset. Sunsets are quite old fashioned.... To admire them is a distinct sign of provincialism of temperament. Upon the other hand they go on.")
 
Ho Hum... He obviously hadn't seen any like the one we watched in awe from Ile Ronde 2 nights ago: one of the most extraordinary yet in the Caribbean.
 
 
 
We hope all is well where you are.
 
Best Wishes
 
George, Michael and Rainer