12:35.75N 61:24.75W Union Island - Clifton Village

Gaudeo
John and Prue Quayle / John Quayle
Thu 17 Jan 2008 12:00
15th January:
Another beat to windward from Carriacou to Union Island - Clifton Village -
to clear into the St Vincent Grenadines. Prue who had been promised only
downwind sailing in the Caribbean, remains strangely unmutinous but that may
be because her mind is currently diverted by the Battle of Austerlitz, being
well stuck into War and Peace; so all may be peaceful on Gaudeo for a day or
two.The distance for the upwind sail was also just right as arrival occurred
at lunch rather in darkness which is my speciality.

Perhaps it was a post prandial effect, but the pantomime of customs and
immigration clearance this time was almost painless - a one hour record -
and included a pleasant 10 minute stroll between the quay based customs and
the airport for immigration.

The airport has clearly been the making of Union Island`s prosperity because
it provides ease of access to nearby Tobago Cays, a beautiful group of
small, deserted islands protected by a huge horse shoe shaped coral reef.
The village of Clifton is a complex mix of established old world with shanty
shacks and fast rising new world of small modern buildings selling computer
parts, croissants, charcuterie etc.

In addition to being a transit for day trippers, it is also charter yacht
territory. The change in culture
for us has been a little unsettling. Cavernous catamarans disgorge tons of
glutinous Americans into restaurants in the evening; and the worst type of
French are also here - badly anchored, impolite, noisy, and too close to us. Apologies, a bit of a "grumpy old man" day.

It is also becoming expensive though unfortunately this did not discourage
us from experimenting once more with lobster ( crayfish really) after
several years abstinence - such a mistake; always an over rated delicacy;
why
do we never learn?