Summoned by conch
Irie
Sat 21 Mar 2009 20:06
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Position - Admiralty Bay, Bequia
Saturday 21st
There's a sort of timeless quality about Bequia;
there must be as the last ten days or so have ebbed away in a sunny
blur. Our anchorage under the lee of the north shore has been very calm, though
the few boats that anchor of the southern beaches roll wildly and don't stay
long, while the surf drives well up normaly tranquil sands. The last couple of
days have been very windy, often sustaining well over twenty knots, but that's
no problem as it keeps life cool and the wind generator keeps the batteries
full, delivering ice and computing power with no engine at all. There's constant
entertainment watching the anchoring antics of other folks, with occasional
alarms if they happen to be upwind. One largeish American ketch with just
one old chap aboard looked like he might be about to cause us trouble,
having dragged and then caught a buouy. However a solo Dutchman from a little
boat upwind of us swam over and smoothly sorted him out. This Dutch chap had
been a source of interest to the ladies on board Irie when we were in the Cays.
His boat is around 26/28 foot long and very pretty in a serious sort of way.
It's called Seevonk, which surprisingly translates as Sea Spark. He's
annoyingly young, very fit looking and after swimming simply hauls himself
aboard by muscle alone. Anyway, having sorted the old guy out with a mix
of self confidence, muscle and much swimming and diving, he then
launched a small sinker sailboard and flashed round the bay at high speed in
twenty five knots of wind . To cap it all, he pulled himself aboard and
reappeared five minutes later with a guitar - b*****d. Still, he does seem to be
totally alone, so there is some consolation.
This weekend is a holiday in St Vincent and the
Grenadines, and instead of the usual lorries full of building materials, the
ferries were full of day trippers from the mainland who promptly decamped to the
beaches with picnics of jerk chicken and saltfish.
Earlier in the week we walked the three miles over
the hill to Spring, Crescent and Park Bays. It's very beautiful, but there are
increasing signs of development with fresh roads pushed round the hills, and
lorries full of cement and ballast grinding up and over the ridge. There are
plans for more housing and an unsightly marina on the edge of Friendship Bay,
though the credit crunch seems to have put the lid on these for the moment.
There's a danger that this place will lose its charm, and even now it has a
different feel to the more simple community we first visited nearly
ten years ago. The incomers are wealthy and create wealth, but still there's a
subtly increasing sense of division. Still, all this is probably splitting
hairs - it's a magic placelwith a wonderful harbour, stunning beaches and an
ample supply of extremely pleasant bars, so who's complaining. The boating
traditions round here are still very strong. Schooners used to be built in
Friendship Bay and the Easter regatta here is legendary, not only for the big
boats, but also model boat racing. There are kids races with little coconut
shell sailing craft, and then there's the serious stuff with finely tuned
miniature sailing sloops. We've wathed them practising in the bay; three chaps
in individual crews following their craft as they beat to windward. They seem to
be set up for beating only, and when a tack is required, the owner reaches fro
his canoe and flicks them from port to starboard or the reverse. They make
surprising speed, often in 20 knots of breeze and a sharp chop. THere's
alsoa tradition of model boaqt making, and a visit to Lawson Sargeants model
museum, featuring a guided tour by Lawson himself, complete with pinter is a
must. His sailing ship replicas take months to build and sell for thousands of
dollars. Back in the early seventies, he made a model of the Britannia which he
presented to the Queen in person when she visited Bequia, with a picture of the
event in pride of place.
Geof and Val steam in on the Bequia Express on
Monday, and the week rolls on with mostly cloudless skies, swimming, some diving
for Geoff and the odd Hairoun beer to wash away the heat and sand. It's slightly
marred as Val's hurt her back, but it mends steadily through the week, and she's
now up to full speed.
The fishmarket's been operating well, and the sound
of the conch shell rolls round the bay several times a day. An early response
means the pick of the catch, and the reward for an early start is thick
steaks of Mahi Mahi sliced, chopped and cleaned before your very eyes. Tomorrow
we head of for the Pitons in St Lucia, and Irie will slip away from Admiralty
Bay, head noth round the Devils Table reef and leave Bequia for the last
time.
Beatiuful Crescent Bay
 Hard on the wind
 Moonlight over Bequia
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