Cook's tour of the Grenadines
Oriole
Sun 25 Mar 2012 22:09
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Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou,
Grenada.
12:27.52N 61:29.12W
During our little mini cruise of the
Grenadines with Graham and Margaret we enjoyed seven different anchorages with
some good sailing between them. The winds settled around 15 knots but the
sky remained overcast and was generally dry. Sadly the skipper decided
the landing at Petit Nevis was too hazardous with the surge at high water which
would have required very nimble footwork from all four of us
simultaneously. The views from the top are wonderful, but we made up for
this with the views of the Tobago Cays from the little church on the summit
of Mayreau and across to the volcanic plugs of Union Island which were clearly
reminding Graham of the Pacific Islands. Lunch at Island Paradise and
dinner at Dennis's Hideaway on Mayreau gave the cook a day off on Graham's 75th
birthday.
  Graham deep in his book while
Margaret takes time off from galley duties.
The Moorings charter operation has
vacated Charlestown Bay, Cannouan and left their yacht moorings behind
which will no doubt not be serviced and will become a major hazard for those
daft enough to use them. Their move to Grenada has not lessened the
pressure from charter boats on the area but with a little selectivity one can
avoid the crowds. We heard that tiny Saltwhistle Bay had 40 plus yachts in
recently and the Tobago Cays over 100. Fortunately this leaves the other
Grenadine anchorages relatively free and the Morfeys had to content themsleves
with a distant view of these former gems. There are other places which
have not been found by the mass market which are just as good if not
better. Two lobsters were purchased in Chatham Bay for a record low price
(half of what we would not pay a few miles away in the Cays). Clifton the
main harbour of Union Island has had an appauling reputation for aggressive boat
boys and overcrowding but we were very pleasantly surprised and thoroughly
enjoyed our stays there. Anchored just clear of the protecting reef
we enjoyed the lobsters cooked in our new enormous lobster pot. Our
final meal out, generously funded by Graham, was at the new beach restaurant at
Petit St Vincent. Following the tragic death by drowning of the previous
owner, the island and its very discrete luxurious resort has been sold and is
currently being tastefully upgraded. Lunch was excellent.
 The new restaurant at PSV with four
hungry expectant clients
 From the PSV landing to Petite
Martinique (left) and Carriacou (right)
Early in the morning after
Graham and Margaret had flown out from the little airport we were
suddenly aware of a fleet of kite-surfers roaring backward and forwards in the
shallows ahead of us with their kites billowing within a few feet of our
mast. A few choice words were passed and the situation improved
marginally. When one unfortunate girl got totally lost
it, missing us by a hair's breadth, the Kite Surfing School achieved
some degree of control over their clients. Needless to say this is another
French operation!
 Just a bit too close for
comfort!
However Clifton also has an
excellent restaurant, a well stocked and attractively staffed delicatessen and a
very efficient chandlery/machine shop all French run, all of which we took
advantage, so I guess you have to take the rough with the smooth.
The final result of the Mexican Train
Dominoes tournament was a win for the home team closely followed by the
visitors. Play got very competitive and at times pretty aggressive but
peace reigned eventually!
The unusually cloudy weather has
remained but gradually day by day has been breaking up. Its all coming
from Venezuela and Columbia so Hugo Chavez is in the firing line! Today is
the best day for a fortnight so the mountains of Venezuela must be drying up.
We have now escaped to Tyrrel Bay for
a week of peace and quiet and a few diving trips before returning to
Bequia for the Easter Regatta.
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