Signing off.

Oriole
Sun 26 Apr 2009 14:22
Crews Inn Marina, Chaguaramas, Trinidad.  10:40.753N  61:37.905W
 
 
Can we be accused of viewing the Eastern Caribbean Islands through rose tinted glasses?   Perhaps - but we have tried to give a balanced view of life here during the UK winter.  There is doubtless a small risk of crime and violence which in the UK you probably have to go looking for, but here one takes steps to avoid.  There are certain areas like the west coast of St Vincent and the north coast of Venezuela which we avoid because of their reputation.  We always lock our dinghy to Oriole at night and usually raise it out of the water as well and never leave it ashore without locking it to the dock or a tree.  We now secure the boat at night in a way that still allows the breeze to circulate but locks the entry hatches. We go out of our way to be friendly and curteous to the locals and put a little trade their way even if we do not really need another T shirt from another boat boy, and we do not get involved in local politics.  Most people probably do the same but there are always others complaining vociferously that they have had their dinghy stolen or their boat has been boarded and burgled and one wonders if we have just been lucky or if our protective strategies have kept us safe.  It is very rare for a dinghy to disappear which has not been locked and we know of no case of a dinghy going walkabout which was lifted out of the water at night!  We continue to watch our backs and take sensible precautions as one would at home. 
 
   
  A Secretary Blenny peering out of his burrow in the coral.                     Lobsters lined up under the rocks.
 
                           We look forward to seeing our friends again and perhaps enjoying some of them for dinner 
 
The passage from Grenada to Trinidad is probably the least popular in the area.  It is too far to do in daylight and the course often produces a near headwind and there are usually contrary currents which are unpredicatable and unavoidable.  There are also very strict and irksome Customs and Immigration processes to be negotiated IMMEDIATELY on arrival. We thought we had chosen ideal conditions but in the event the wind went light and we had to motor most of the way.  However the approach to the north coast of Trinidad is always stunning.  The mountains drop precipitously into the sea, which turns blue/green with the water out of the Orinoco and sparkles in the sunlight and we have always had a welcome from a school of dolphins.  On this occasion the enormous high speed ferry from Tobago passed a a couple of hundred yards ahead doing 37 knots.  John had called them on the radio as we saw them bearing down on us, and a lovely Irish voice answered that he had seen us and would just "spin past your bow" !!  
Only the other morning I was lying in my bunk reflecting that we had enjoyed a mechanically troublefree cruise - what a fool!  As we were entering one of our last anchorages in Grenada, the alternator which produces all our electricity stopped working.  Fortunately we carry a spare, but the diagnosis of the fault was not exactly straightforward.  However we were soon back in business and here we are back in Trinidad tied up to a marina dock for the first time since leaving here in December. 
 
 
Oriole tied to the dock at Crews Inn awaiting the laying up frenzy.
 
Our cruise has been otherwise troublefree and thoroughly enjoyable and we have been joined by guests who have contributed greatly to our enjoyment. The friends both old and new which we have made amongst the yachting and local communities are a constant delight and it is rare to arrive in an anchorage without knowing someone, unless we have deliberately chosen somewhere to be on our own!
If you have been following our activities - thank you being with us - Oriole will be laid-up in Trinidad for the summer and we expect to be back for more in December.