10.40.750N   061.37.905W

88 Miles logged

Good Bye Grenada

Lynn had been suffering from a ‘flu’ type virus since we returned to “Moonbeam” from the UK so we had an excuse for not moving too far although I used some of the time to carry out some work on the deck and other inevitable maintenance as well as devouring books at a great rate!  The weather was mostly perfect although the general consensus is that it has been a bad winter for weather in the Caribbean with excess wind and too much rain for the dry season.

Proof that we had been too static was the state of the weedy anchor chain and there were even barnacles on the anchor! We headed around to Prickly Bay which is easier to depart from in the dark and we anchored early afternoon. Unfortunately our expensive antifouling last applied in October has proven highly attractive to the weed and barnacles of Grenada and despite a swim with a scraper we still have plenty of barnacles firmly attached!

Going through the reefs as we leave Grenada                                                                    Prickly Bay

                                                                                                                                                Squid landed on the deck last night

We departed at 2200 and settled onto a close reach on a lovely starry night, making slightly excessive allowance for the west going current and headed past the rigs of the Hibiscus and Poinsettia gas fields and at dawn bore away a few degrees for the ‘Boca’ on the north coast of Trinidad

On route to Trinidad

Night watch                                                                                                                        sunrise

Lovely sailing conditions

Approaching Trinidad

Entering the Boca                                                                                                 These beautiful yellow Poui trees only flower for two weeks a year

We moored at the Customs Dock at Chaguaramas at 1200hrs just as Immigration shut for lunch and despite the reputation that Trini officials have for prolonged paperwork we cleared in quickly and without any problems and moved to the CrewsInn Marina (www.crewsinn.com) where we promptly organised the air-conditioning unit which will stay aboard “Moonbeam” while she is laid-up ashore – it is doing sterling duty now making the cabin space liveable in the excessive heat!

Already our new social life had started as Paul and Janie from “Shian”, Brad and Ann from “Breezing Up” and John and Chris from “Oriole” were all nearby!

Marina has very good facilities with swimming pool in addition to the usual showers, wi-fi, cable tv at the berth ( should you want it )  laundry, bars, gym, convenience store and even delivers complimentary morning papers into the cockpit !