Grenada

Chaser 2
Yvonne Chapman
Sat 31 Mar 2007 13:42
So here we are arriving in Grenada, it's about 15.00hrs and by the time we anchored in the lagoon it was 15.30hrs. Our position for google earth is 12.02.69N 61.44.87W
Our entry was well marked, although we didn't know if the bouyage system was up to date or working, but it was. The entrance to the lagoon where we are anchored is just inside the main port (Carenage) and the entrance is surrounded by reefs.We've seen one or two boats coming in during our stay that have misread the buoys and nearly gone up on the reef.
 
The Carenage, where the ships come into to load and unload is beautiful, you can imagine the old schooners and square riggers, coming alongside the wharfs and unloading their cargos. Without the many cars and trucks it wouldn't really look very different to 200 years ago.Many of the buildings are quite original despite the attempt of Hurricane Ivan and Emily try to blow them away.  
 
The two Hurricanes, one in September 2004 and then following, Emily ten months later did a tremendous amount of damage, some of which can still be seen.
 
Grenada is below the magic 12 degrees 40mins line that most insurance companies consider it safe. In fact Grenada has rarely been hit, so rare that maybe Grenadians became a little blasé, and when the tropical wave developed off Africa, as they normally do, it was thought that it would track  North and cross the upper windward Islands. This is the route that is generally taken, so consequently many home owners and boat owners did little in preparation, until the day before the strike, which was of course to late. Easy to say in hindsight.
 
We had a walk around the old and new town yesterday and came back worn out. We saw many places of interest but so briefly we need to return and take a more in depth look, which we will do next week.
 
We had a lovely meal in the Grenada Yacht Club, an open to the public clubhouse, very good value, beer at 4EC$ and a superb meal of pork tenderloin and shrimp,salad, beautiful vegetables, soup and garlic bread all for 100EC$, 28 euros.
 
More on Grenada next week, we'll be here for a while.

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