ON TO FRIENDLY CARRIACOU - MEET THE BIKERS! 9.

PINBALL WIZARD
Nigel North
Tue 24 Apr 2018 17:47


POSITION:  12:27.4N 061.29.5W 

Monday 2 April 2018 SAIL GRENADA FOR TYRELL BAY, CARRIACOU

Better day, sunny, wind is back.
0730 drop the buoy and motor Pinball into the marina for a perfect arrival off the fuel dock, and tie up. No one about, its Easter Monday. Abes gives the car back on schedule.
Off by 0830. Sunny, sea is fine, slight swell, no problem. Sail past St George just a few miles up the West coast, then the Easterly trade wind gets iffy as we come up the lee side of the island, so its start, stop, start, stop on the engine until past the middle and heading for the northern end where the wind settles to a good 24-28 kts for the crossing to Carriacou. Sailing Nor-nor-east as close to the wind as possible still does not keep Pinball on the required track to make Tyrell Bay in Carriacou, due probably to the strength of the North Equatorial Current sluicing through the islands, and we end up 2 nm west, downwind of our destination, where we drop all sail and motor in through the choppy rough sea. Abes does not enjoy this.
Inside the bay all is calm and peaceful, with as usual many boats at anchor or on moorings. Last year this is where, with Tatts, we by pure chance came across Bali and her crew, Les and Louise.
So we pick up a red buoy, and are soon joined by the big guy in a green top in his pirogue, immediately dubbed ‘The Green Monster’, there for our money. Abes gives him the usual run around, then pays for 2 days. Abes’s killer question: ‘..and what do I get for that?’
Sort out Pinball, then a lovely swim - water a bit cooler now - followed by Sundowners. Abe’s stomach still a bit sensitive. Cook Chow mein tuna, which was good! Even Abes had seconds..
Fell asleep for 1.5hrs, according to Abes, whilst he washed up. Seniority..

Wednesday 4 April 2018 CARRIACOU

Off early to collect rental scooters from Rona at 0900. Then up to the Lazy Turtle cafe to await the arrival of a helmet for me. But its shut, including the heads, so of limited use until 1100 when it opens.
Roar off again like the teenagers we once were and would like to be again, and stop at another, less salubrious cafe further along the beach.
‘Two coffees please.’
‘Oh. We dont have coffee.’ She looks apologetic. ‘Well.. we could do instant, if that’s alright?’ The accent is not a local one, but somehow familiar.
Coffee takes 45 minutes to arrive, so not quite instant, and the Afro-Caribb owner actually comes from Bedford. But the ever-important-to-Abes backyard heads has no paper, which Abes then asks our proprietress for.
My turn, and the flush doesn’t work, or even refill. Inspection of the cistern reveals a very small frog which I painstakingly rescue, only for it to jump straight back in, the fool. We have words..
Then off we go on a wild run around Carriacou on the bikes, great fun, suddenly arriving at the hospital high up in the centre of the island - Abes’s clever way of getting me to have my water-clogged ear seen to. The nurse informs me it will cost $300EC as a non-resident. I demur at the cost. She kindly decides to syringe my ears anyway, washing out lots of wax. I donate $100EC. I can hear again. Zoom off for more whizzing around, back to the Lazy Turtle on the beach for a sandwich. Finally back on board for a swim - careful! - and then out again to the LT for a mediocre chicken curry.

Thursday, 5 April 2018 CARRIACOU

Bed at 9pm. Up again at midnight as it started raining so set up the rainwater collection, closed the for’d hatch and removed Barbara’s plug to allow her to drain. By way of contrast, Abes up full of beans at 6am, full of bonhomie.
Bloody great cat(amaran) anchors next to us VERY close this morning. But it raises sail, still at anchor, fouling up its lazy-jacks, and finally leaves.
Off on our 125cc scooters again, great fun. Breakfast in a different place, Gallery Cafe - full of cruisers at the time so drawn in like moths by their presence - and very good it was too. Had croissants and coffee - excellent. Then off round the Southern bits of Carriacou, hospital again (where Abes uses the loo and wifi! Oh, the shame..) on up to Windward again. Back across the island to the main town Hillsborough, refuel at the only petrol station on the island, return the bikes to Alexis supermarket and back on board. Later I take Abes out in Barbara to Lazy Turtle, but return myself as I want to eat on board and finish off the tuna chow mein. Discover that none of my videos will play anymore!
Pick Abes up at 8pm. Bed.

Friday, 6 April 2018 MOVE TO SANDY ISLAND, CARRIACOU

Up at 7am, having slept much better.
Today we have to eat a full English at GALLERY CAFE.
Pleasant motor towing Barbara the couple of miles round to Sandy Island- a strip of tree-covered coral one quarter of a mile long, with delightful beach. It is in a Conservation Area with mooring buoys for $25EC a night, whether on a mooring or at anchor. We take a buoy, Abes with his boathook up on the bow.
Engine back on Barbara and beach her, to swim in these delightful waters for a couple of hours without ever feeling cold. Abes swims back to Pinball having given me his snorkeling equipment to take back.