Oriole dodges the pirates

Oriole
Wed 10 Feb 2016 19:59
Wednesday 10th February 2016                         Port Louis, Grenada.                                                         12:02.65N  61:44.93W                
 
 
What on Earth could we have been doing in Trinidad for a month.  Oriole has been fettled so she looks as though she just came out of the box.  She has been cleaned, polished, varnished, all systems serviced, from seacocks to watermaker, from truck to keelson she has been fattened for the market - new batteries, new alternator, old alternator refurbished and some new parts for the engine  One or two jobs which have been in the pending file for a while have been completed, such as a new holding tank, galley sinks replumbed and refitted.  AND of course last year she had a completely new rig with new mast, standing rigging and running rigging all to the highest standard.  All the chain plates were removed and checked and refitted. 
 
 
 
The engine is never neglected!
 
Why have we decided to sell our pride and joy at her zenith?  Well, there comes a time when age overtakes enthusiasm and we did not want to get to that stage. When that happens the boat starts to deteriorate, the fitting out jobs are skimped and perish the thought, she is temporarily abandoned for health reasons.  So, in short we want to quit while we are ahead so Oriole remains our pride and joy. 
 
Meanwhile we have had a bit of time for socialising with our yachtie and Trinidadian friends.  Each weekend we have been invited "down the islands" to the Trini weekend retreat where much battery recharging takes place. However the major task of emtying our store of accumulated boat equipment remained.  We arranged "the sale of the century" during which valuable equipment would be knocked down to bargain basement prices.  Would you belive it?  Nobody turned up, although it had been widely advertised.  Many among the yachtie community would have been hoping that unsold items would be advertised on the local radio net as freebies the following day, but no such luck.  The stern guest cabin has become the cargo hold and the most valuable items will be offered on ebay when we get home.  The rest has been given to charity to be sold to pay for Christmas presents and food for the most disadvantaged Trinidadians at a pre-Christmas sale.  Anyway, our half of the store is empty, and the task was not as painful as anticipated. 
 
 
 
We even managed an evening in the Caroni Swamp to see the evening flight of Scarlet Ibis.
(perhaps slightly smarter than the engine!)
 
But the time to depart arrived.  We wanted to get up to Grenada to spend a few days with our Trinidadian family who were escaping Carnival in Trinidad when everything stops for a week and you can't move or sleep in Port of Spain.  However news will probably have spread about the Venezuelan Pirate threat.  In December two yachts were stopped, boarded and plundered at gunpoint on the direct route to Grenada about thirty miles north of Trinidad.  Since then the Coastguard, Airguard, and Coast Radio have been on heightened alert and the CG have been runnig extra patrols and policing the border with Venezuelan waters.  The CG have also been monitoring all comings and goings and have been keeping in radio contact with transiting yachts.  For our chosen departure date there was some divergance of opinion among the official weather gurus, but we took a chance and made the break to make sure we could meet the friends in Grenada.  The first thirty miles were realatively calm but the wind gradually increased and we had a fast beam reach for the next thirty miles - just what we wanted.  The sea increased, it was overcast, raining and unusually cold as a front came through.  The wind then backed and increased to 25 - 30 knots right on the nose - not just what we wanted.  Water was flying everywhere and we were in full oilskins to keep both dry and warm!  We arrived in Prickly Bay, Grenada shortly after dark.  This was probably the least pleasant of any trip we have had from Trinidad, but probably too rough for pirates.  We were having trouble staying on deck, so how they would have managed to get alongside and stage a "stick up" .............
 
 
Oriole at anchor in Port Egmont.
 
It was all worthwhile.  We were invited for lunch the next day at a lovely beach restaurant and on Sunday we negotiated the large seas and reefs on the South Coast of Grenada to get to Port Egmont, and almost landlocked mangrove lagoon where the Trinis have their hideaway.  There are a few houses in the approach and overlooking the lagoon, some of which rival the modern architecture of Newton Ferrers for lack of taste, but theirs is probably the most tasteful, understated, but wonderful place, tucked away behind a small beach with its own dock and well established garden hiding it from the prying eyes which actually are not there to pry anyway!  After two days of gentle liming - eating, drinking, swimming and chatting we felt it was time to get back to work, so here we are in Port Louis Marina doing a few last minute jobs before pushing north.  However last night we were collected and whisked off for dinner.  As you can imagine we will really miss the cameraderie of our Trinidadian family, but plans are afoot to continue the party! 
 
  
 
Egmont hideaway.