St Georges, Grenada

Ile Jeudi
Bob and Lin Griffiths
Sun 5 May 2013 21:11
12:02.65N  61:44.88W
 
Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 May 2013
 
Distance Run  33 nm
 
 
On Thursday we left the mooring off Sandy Island at 8.30am, about half an hour after Nutmeg and at the same time as another catamaran for the 5 hour sail down to St Georges, the capital of Grenada.  We were pleased to be catching Nutmeg at one point but we were no match for the other catamaran once the wind got up.  She took off rather impressively.  Catamarans have never appealed as they never seemed like 'real boats' but as we get older, and following the Atlantic crossing, the idea of a boat which doesn't heel and has plenty of space appeals more than it did!
 
 
 
St Georges viewed from the cruise ship dock:-
 
 
 
 
 
More of St Georges:-
 
 
 
We want to hire a car to inspect the two boat yards in Grenada so decided not to anchor outside St Georges harbour but go in to the recently built Port Louis Marina.  The approach to the allocated berth should have been an easy one but this didn't prevent me making a right mess of it as I slowed the boat down too much and lost steerage.  I decided to abort, reverse out and start again but had to overcome the objections of the very nice guy from the marina who felt I should continue and was hanging on to one of our mooring lines until my words calls (ie shouts!) finally persuaded him to let go.  He was only trying to help but this was a test of my patience, and I failed!  The second attempt was fine but there wouldn't have been any tension had I not messed up one of the simplest approaches we had had all year.
 
Having tied up nicely the second time and checked in with the marina office we went to the marina pool to cool down. 
 
We went for dinner that evening at the marina restaurant and had a lovely dinner in nice surroundings.  Dave and Angela were there again, having come in from their boat at anchor, so we again had a drink together afterwards.
 
The hire car arrived on time on Friday and we set off to explore the south coast of Grenada.  We called first at True Blue Bay which we remember as a small, idyllic bay surrounded by mangroves with a small wooden bar and restaurant overlooking the water.  It is now a small bay surrounded by the new University and the rather larger True Blue Bay Resort and 'marina'.  The bay was choppy and muddy and the mangroves are largely cleared away.  Not the same at all so we had a quick coffee and left.
 
We spent time checking out both Spice Island Marine and Grenada Marine.  The former is nearer to all the facilities but we felt that the people at Grenada Marine might be better equipped to handle the repairs to the deck woodwork we need done to the boat over the summer.  Dave and Angela had recommended a place called La Sagesse near Grenada Marine so we went there for lunch to discuss our options and afterwards we booked Grenada Marine where we will haul out sometime in June.  This means we do not need to get down to Trinidad so we will potter around Grenada for the next few weeks.
 
 
 
 
 
At La Sagesse where we had a simple and cheap lunch with a lovely view of the small bay:-
 
 
 
 
On Saturday and Sunday we toured the other bays on the south coast of Grenada and checked out a number of places as potential venues to spend a few days ashore for our 20th wedding aniiversary later this month and my 60th birthday in June.