12:27.37N 61:29.36W

19 Feb 2012

We left our nice mooring at Whisper Cove and headed out to the south of Grenada.  Again out the passage thru the reefs without incidence.  Marked well enough with a few buoys missing but not an issue.  Then we headed west with just the headsail out since it was a downwind run.  Need to keep well offshore to avoid the reef called the porpoises.  It can been seen by the breaking waves over the top but unless you are really aware it would be hard to spot without the charts informing you of the danger.

Once we were west of the reef we began the turn north.  We knew that the ability to sail north up the west coast would be limited since the winds are from the north.  We did do our best by setting out about half the mainsail but no use.  Trying to sail was not going to work if we wanted to really make progress.  So we pulled in both the main and headsail and began motoring at around St Georges.  Then a whale just came to the surface about 15 feet to our port side.  I put the engine in reverse to avoid running it over, or maybe better said hitting a bus!  This time of year they are beginning their journey back north after breeding in the tropics.  They are something to keep an open eye out for but never really good since they come from the deep.

Too fast to get a picture before he/she submerged and was gone.

Nice show and good we did not have contact.  So, on we went northbound now leaving our furthest point south.

Once we got past the island of Grenada we routed ourselves along a few small islands to the leeward side.  On our trip down to Grenada we took a course more exposed to the seas.  Going north however we would be fighting the waves so a course closer to every small island provided additional protection.  It also gave us up close views of the deserted islands that just have birds and a few fishermen as inhabitants.

A short open sea run to the island of Carriacou which is still part of the country of Grenada.  Tyrell Bay on the west coast is a protect anchorage from both easterly and northerly winds and swells.  Upon arrival the large harbor was heavily occupied but that was fine as we anchored out in 6 meters of water on a sandy bottom.  We were at the time (14:30) one of the farthest boats from shore.  But as the traffic came in we soon were not alone but still not crowded by the new arrivals.  The biggest concern is to make sure a bareboat charter boat is not anchored upwinds since they usually anchor poorly, dragging into you during the night.  The couple of charter boats that came in did a respectable job at anchoring so were no concern.

Everything was fine until 16:00 when the loudest boom box music came to life onshore.  Incredible in its volume and chest pounding bass.  IT made not sense to us why on a Sunday all hell broke loose.  Then a quick check of the calendar showed us that this is Carnival Time (Mardi Gras) and the fun was on.  It clearly overpowered our boat’s stereo so we gave up and went below and turned on the air cond and shut the windows, better by far.

Not being sure when this festival would end we kept on many lights on the boat to clearly mark us for when the drunken boaters left the party they did not hit us.  No issue.

So Tyrell Bay is a normally nice protected harbor, not during Carnival.  Good sandy bottom with nice anchor holding.  We did not go ashore but it could be nice for a hour or two to explore.  There is an active yacht club as well as a small marina/boatyard.

Nice selcluded beach on an island north of Grenada.  Nice place except there is an active underwater volcano about two mile away that may interrupt the quiet surroundings.

Exiting Tyrell Bay.  Nice anchorage outside of Carnival Time.