First blog entry for Caribbean 600

Kingfisher 2013
Peter Smith
Thu 19 Feb 2015 02:10
It has taken me a long time to get a spare minute to start the blog for this epic boys' tour of the Windward Islands of the Caribbean. We are 3 days North of Grenada now. Having got everyone together at midnight on the 14th Feb (yes, I do know it was Valentine’s Day!) we spent the morning of the 15th getting supplies on board and making preparations for departure. We had lunch in Port Louis and left the marina at 1500. With the wind on the nose we took a while to get through the channel north of Grenada and found ourselves on a night passage to Tyrell Bay on Carriacou a little before everyone was completely settled in…….catching a barracuda as night fell was exciting but not the ideal way to prepare for pitch darkness, the full Atlantic swell and over 20 knots of wind! I am delighted to say that the crew were all brilliant - although not quite as keen on supper as they had been the previous night. We arrived at 22.00, anchored and went gratefully to our beds.

The next morning we motored around to Sandy Isle, swam, had breakfast by 9.00 and then set off for Tobago Cays. We arrived in time for a swim with a couple of turtles, had lunch and got underway again. Made Bequia just before nightfall, ate on board and went ashore for a quick beer. 5 rum punches later we were on the dance floor in a local dive….

Slightly impaired the next morning we set off for Marigot Bay on St Lucia at around 9.00. Spent one hour doing man over board drills and then had good sailing in strong winds all the way there. Slight problems finding an anchorage as dusk turned into night but we eventually edged right into the inner mooring area and picked up a buoy. Dinner in the Rainforest restaurant (Christmas dinner in 2007) and away very early again this morning. Motored to Rodney Bay, getting in by 9.30 and then spent the morning on repairs - water maker leaking, two bilge pumps needing attention, new gas hose, picked up the life raft which had been serviced in Rodney Bay. Did some washing and water taxied around to Spinnaker for a late lunch on the beach. Lazy afternoon getting organised, dinner on board and early night.

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