Cayo Grenada
Malua
Harry Watson Smith
Thu 23 May 2013 19:22
The wind continued all night and I was up with the dawn to follow my track out of this cay and back into the marked channel. I turned west with Fondeadero Media Luna in sight. Eye Candy had spent a few days at this cay and enjoyed it.
Up went the sail and I was reaching down the channel towards the Pasa Mate de Afuera and the open area but shallow 14m and north west. I had selected Cayo Granada as the overnight stop. It is a crescent cay with good protection from the NW wind and sea. As I approached the western entrance there was a ferro cement fishing boat about 45 ft long attending to their nets. I dropped the sails and steamed over having prepared my usual bag of tradeable goods. I came along side and threw the bag onto their deck. They looked inside and asked in Spanish if I wanted a fish. Yes, so I passed them going into wind. I came close enough for a crew member to place a large fish on the deck of Malua. What a great trade. Many thanks fellows. No crayfish this time but more fish than I could eat.
The tripod mentioned in Calder's book has fallen over and only a single stick mark the entrance which is easy to follow if you line up the back island with the mast of the wreck. I dropped the anchor in 7 m of water and dinghyed over to Listowel Lady with half the fish I had been given.
I set off in the dinghy to snorkel for my own crayfish. Over the reef the bottom is flat with a few smallish rocks. My first dive produced a medium size crayfish. It was like taking candy from a baby. I grabbed a second but he went into a hole in the rock and something stung my hand so I let go. No second chance with this fellow so off for the next one. I can see how the fishermen get the crayfish when they know a place which has not been picked over by previous cruisers.
A great fish dinner with some extra crayfish as a started, washed down with French white wine.
A magical moment on Malua.