Final sail of the 2007/8 season
NORDLYS
David and Annette Ridout
Mon 28 Apr 2008 21:45
Trinidad to Grenada
(final haul of our trip from Fremantle to the Caribbean
(final haul of our trip from Fremantle to the Caribbean
12:00N 61:46W
Prickly Bay, Grenada
28th April 2008
On the morning of Monday the 14th April we checked out with Chaguaramus Immigration and Customs. Being true yachties we waited until one minute past eight so we did not have to pay overtime! Bills settled and paperwork done we motored out of Crews Inn marina at 0830hrs. Coming north out of the Boca de Monos, the narrow channel between Trinidad and Monos island we were met by a confused sea and at first little wind. However this soon changed and a reef was put in as we headed north with the sheets just eased and 20 knots across the deck. A really lumpy awkward sea, rising wind and the fact that we had enjoyed a very boozy and long lunch the day before with our good friends the Kelshalls meant that the ensuing sail was not one of the most enjoyable we have ever undertaken. Plugging on at a good speed we actually thought for much of the day that we would be in before dark. It was not to be, a strong south west flowing current gave us 25 degrees of drift and slowed our ground speed by nearly two knots for the last five hours. Mrs Ridout had to endure one more night entry which as readers will by now know is not her favourite occupation. This time I could not be blamed however as she had decided not to give more money to the rather greedy Trinidadian authorities. With no great problems we dropped our hook in the outer reaches of Prickly Bay, Grenada at 2100hrs. It was from here that we actually left to go to Los Testigos in the Venezuelan Islands in November 2002.
Since then we have been renewing acquaintance with this lovely island and its people. There are alas still lots of signs of the terrible hurricane which swept through here in 2004, especially when we drove through the poorer areas inland up in the hills. We have spoken to two people who had their houses severely damaged. Despite filling in an enormous amount of forms they have both not received any money from the government. It would appear that those without connections get little. Building in many areas is however going on apace and the yachting economy is in full swing. There are lots of new developments along the south coast. The contrast with Trinidad is immense. People smile, wave and never does one feel threatened. Even when we drove slowly through a particularly poor village on a very rough road and a local called 'hey whitie' he did it with a smile and accepted our smiles back.
Nordlys is now ashore and stripped as she has never been stripped before. All things that can be removed above deck including the boom have been taken off. The only exception being the mast which the insurance company allows to stay in place. The latter has no halliards but just string mice in their place. Nordlys will be put in a cradle with four ties holding her to fixing points which are each tested to over five tons. We pray for either no hurricanes or such a bad one that she is a write off. If this sounds callous then all I can say is that listening to the stories of people who had boats damaged in 2004 it was those whose vessels were repairable that suffered heartbreak, hassle and endless delays.
So this years sailing has come to an end. We have done more miles than ever before and almost certainly ever will do again. 13,867nm has passed under our keel since we left Fremantle last May. Many of them have not been stress free miles. It has been a year of highs and lows. The rewards have been great however and it has been well worth the effort. The web diary will now stop and resume sometime at the end of November. If any sailing friends reading this can be in Bequia on the 10th December then let us know as we would love to entertain you on the occasion of Annette's maturity.
Prickly Bay, Grenada
28th April 2008
On the morning of Monday the 14th April we checked out with Chaguaramus Immigration and Customs. Being true yachties we waited until one minute past eight so we did not have to pay overtime! Bills settled and paperwork done we motored out of Crews Inn marina at 0830hrs. Coming north out of the Boca de Monos, the narrow channel between Trinidad and Monos island we were met by a confused sea and at first little wind. However this soon changed and a reef was put in as we headed north with the sheets just eased and 20 knots across the deck. A really lumpy awkward sea, rising wind and the fact that we had enjoyed a very boozy and long lunch the day before with our good friends the Kelshalls meant that the ensuing sail was not one of the most enjoyable we have ever undertaken. Plugging on at a good speed we actually thought for much of the day that we would be in before dark. It was not to be, a strong south west flowing current gave us 25 degrees of drift and slowed our ground speed by nearly two knots for the last five hours. Mrs Ridout had to endure one more night entry which as readers will by now know is not her favourite occupation. This time I could not be blamed however as she had decided not to give more money to the rather greedy Trinidadian authorities. With no great problems we dropped our hook in the outer reaches of Prickly Bay, Grenada at 2100hrs. It was from here that we actually left to go to Los Testigos in the Venezuelan Islands in November 2002.
Since then we have been renewing acquaintance with this lovely island and its people. There are alas still lots of signs of the terrible hurricane which swept through here in 2004, especially when we drove through the poorer areas inland up in the hills. We have spoken to two people who had their houses severely damaged. Despite filling in an enormous amount of forms they have both not received any money from the government. It would appear that those without connections get little. Building in many areas is however going on apace and the yachting economy is in full swing. There are lots of new developments along the south coast. The contrast with Trinidad is immense. People smile, wave and never does one feel threatened. Even when we drove slowly through a particularly poor village on a very rough road and a local called 'hey whitie' he did it with a smile and accepted our smiles back.
Nordlys is now ashore and stripped as she has never been stripped before. All things that can be removed above deck including the boom have been taken off. The only exception being the mast which the insurance company allows to stay in place. The latter has no halliards but just string mice in their place. Nordlys will be put in a cradle with four ties holding her to fixing points which are each tested to over five tons. We pray for either no hurricanes or such a bad one that she is a write off. If this sounds callous then all I can say is that listening to the stories of people who had boats damaged in 2004 it was those whose vessels were repairable that suffered heartbreak, hassle and endless delays.
So this years sailing has come to an end. We have done more miles than ever before and almost certainly ever will do again. 13,867nm has passed under our keel since we left Fremantle last May. Many of them have not been stress free miles. It has been a year of highs and lows. The rewards have been great however and it has been well worth the effort. The web diary will now stop and resume sometime at the end of November. If any sailing friends reading this can be in Bequia on the 10th December then let us know as we would love to entertain you on the occasion of Annette's maturity.
Yellow Pui trees were in full spring bloom in the hills above
Chaguaramus harbour
Working 70 feet above the water is bad enough but nearly
80
feet above the gravel of the yard is not my most enjoyable job
feet above the gravel of the yard is not my most enjoyable job
Annette and our charming young guide in the new museum at the
cliff site where
the last Caribs jumped to their deaths as the French poured musket shot into them in 1651.
No need to have too much sympathy as it was only 150 years before this when they had
killed off the last of the Arawaks, the original inhabitants of these islands.
High in the hills we came across this magnificent house that had been abandoned after the
2004 hurricane. Apparently a lot of houses that look repairable are not so as the
the last Caribs jumped to their deaths as the French poured musket shot into them in 1651.
No need to have too much sympathy as it was only 150 years before this when they had
killed off the last of the Arawaks, the original inhabitants of these islands.
High in the hills we came across this magnificent house that had been abandoned after the
2004 hurricane. Apparently a lot of houses that look repairable are not so as the
walls and foundations are so cracked and water damaged
as to make repair impossible.
This is the aft end of our keel to hull joint. The damage was done by an American
yacht's chain in Durban as we all fought for our lives, see earlier blog.
This is the aft end of our keel to hull joint. The damage was done by an American
yacht's chain in Durban as we all fought for our lives, see earlier blog.
While this was happening our chain was between the
twin hulls of a catamaran!
Stripped of even her boom. This is not her final resting spot as in a few days
she will be removed to a one piece cradle that will be tied down with four
lines to the ground. We can do no more.
Working on Nordlys in the yard was hot dusty and not enjoyable but we ask for no
sympathy as we retreated to this view from our airconditioned hotel suite.
Happy happy times to our readers
David and Annette
twin hulls of a catamaran!
Stripped of even her boom. This is not her final resting spot as in a few days
she will be removed to a one piece cradle that will be tied down with four
lines to the ground. We can do no more.
Working on Nordlys in the yard was hot dusty and not enjoyable but we ask for no
sympathy as we retreated to this view from our airconditioned hotel suite.
Happy happy times to our readers
David and Annette