Family in Grenada
Gaudeo
John and Prue Quayle / John Quayle
Sat 12 Jan 2008 23:41
month at the end of the over 60s outing.
We`ve had a wonderful Christmas and New Year with the family, the young
staying in 2 luxurious villas (Reef Pavilions) overlooking Gaudeo at anchor
in Mount Hartman Bay. This location, close to a deserted sandy beach and
allowing grandparents peaceful nights on anchor, was perfect. In contrast
with Prickly Bay, Mount Hartman Bay which is enclosed by coral reefs was
completely free of swell and very sheltered.
Tamsin, Charlie, Bea and Arthur arrived before Christmas and departed last
week; Ruth, Charlie and Louis, and Anna and Lawrence have just left.
Prue arrived on 18th December. Her flight was late; it was dark; and there
was a sudden and unusual rain storm which lasted 16 hours. The dinghy was
full of water and in spite of Gaudeo being spick and span when I left in
warm sunshine to go to the airport, the bedding on the boat was soaked as
all the skylights were open. This and an explosion from a burst high
pressure pipe on the water maker next morning was an inauspicious start to
the family holiday. The water maker however, which had been drawing in air
throughout the transatlantic trip, was soon fixed when a hidden kink was
discovered in a connecting polythene pipe, the result of faulty installation
by the maker`s agent. Thereafter, its been a lovely holiday: no stresses,
and doing very little other than being beach bums on perfect, almost private
beaches (well "ticking most of the boxes" according to Charlie S. who knows
a thing or two about beaches), and never far from excellent, remarkably well
priced restaurants, barbeques etc. The monotony of this idyllic existence
was occasionally broken with: trips around the island; some golf under
Lawrence`s guidance; scuba diving for Charlie N-B; and ending with Leeward v
Windward Islands cricket for Prue and Lawrence. Grenada is a truly
beautiful island, green and forested, with a population of 100,000 all of
whom seem to exude warmth and good manners.
Gaudeo was used mainly as a base for swimming,diving and eating. When put to
sea the offshore swell and fresh winds were rather challenging for some of
the novice sailors most of whom have been put off sailing for life though we
are still working on the grandchildren.
Pure and I are moving gradually northwards from now on calling in at
Carriacou probably tomorrow, then to Tobago Cays and the Grenadines, meeting
up with friends in St Lucia and ending up in Antigua by 19th February for a
flight back to Blighty.
