Liming in the Grenadines.
Oriole
Sat 20 Mar 2004 23:09
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Liming in the local lingo means not doing a lot
(the derivation is open to debate).
After a couple of days in the Tobago Cays we
repaired to our favourite anchorage on Union Island. Chatham Bay about
which we have raved before is a cruising yachtsman's dream, few other yachts,
good shelter, a long pristine beach and no development ashore. The only
services are provided by local fishermen who provide fresh fish and James
alias Shark Attack who provides barbecued lobster on the beach with all the
trimmings and does a yacht delivery service too.
After a week we were starting to run out of other
fresh food so a visit to Clifton was deemed necessary by the quartermistress
much to distress of the skipper who would lime out in Chatham for ever.
Rob took the helm for the open water beat in 25 knots to Clifton with the
skipper and mate heaving on the sheets. Clifton is a right little
metropolis and gateway to the Tobago Cays. Light aircraft are arriving all
the time at the diminutive airport and we believe that stacking is not a term
understood by the local air traffic controllers.
Queuing for a rum punch.
Petit St Vincent (PSV), our next station
stop, is a small island hotel paradise. Everything is discretely
hidden from view and kept very private, but visiting yachtsmen are
welcomed to the lovely bar and restaurant. The bar got our business
but Robert, who was in the chair, blanched at the bill, but this did not stop
him and Dani returning for a romantic evening tout seul.
 Tranquil
and exclusive PSV.
We are now in Carriacou, the first of the Grenadian
Grenadines, and plan to sail down to the south coast of Grenada on Monday.
In this border area between St Vincent and Grenada all sorts of things fall off
the backs of the local trading boats: good wine at £3 per bottle and rum at
£2.50 helps to ease the burden of our stressful lives and Carriacou is (we
hear) is a pot smokers paradise. In 12 days
time Oriole will be on dry land and the hard work of preparing her for the
ravages of the tropical summer will begin. However Robert and Dani will be
far away by then!
Finally we all four dived together this morning in
rather rough surface conditions but down below all was quiet and after chasing
all the fish and a solitary turtle we took turns to drive this old tug boat.
John realises his dream of driving a tug
boat.
Meanwhile Andrew is still busy job hunting in
Antigua and has been in radio contact with 'home' to report progress. The
bank manager should soon be breathing a sigh of
relief
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