Wallilabou Bay and Bequia
Silver Bear
Ray Lawry
Tue 26 Jan 2010 16:06
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13:00.1770N 61:14.6720W
Wallilabou Bay, what a great name and attractivce
bay situated on the west coast of St Vincent. It's where they filmed Pirates of
the Caribbean and where we stopped off overnight on our way south to Bequia
where we are now.
Ann and Iain Gibson managed to dodge snow bound
airports at home to join us on 10th January. They were a little delayed having
had to divert from Gatwick to Heathrow for their departure, but they were lucky
considering the number of cancelled flights. We spent a very pleasant few
days sailing the St Lucia coast, anchoring off Pigeon Island and sailing down to
Soufriere Town and the Pitons. We took a lacal taxi around the southern end and
visited the botanical gardens, ably guided by our local expert ' Alexander the
internet' who was able to name every species there. Iain seemed to be in his
element and knew most of the latin names but I have to confess the internet lost
me shortly after logging in!
We returned to Rodney Bay, which by now was
beginning to feel like home, and set off for a weekend of luxury pampering at
the Windjammer Hotel, our prize from the ARC presentation (and gratefully
received -thanks to all at the ARC). Our two bedroom villa complete with pool
was most welcome, particularly following our week after returning from UK spent
living in a dusty boatyard whilst repairs were carried out to a leaky rudder
stock (nasty complaint). Anyway the Windjammer was excellent relaxing on the
beach sipping rum punch and cooling with the odd dip or two.
Ann and Iain were booked into the Marigot Bay hotel
for the second week of their holiday where we joined them for a couple of days
mooring in the beautiful bay next to a rather large motor yacht with a 70
million price tag. This thing was so big a bloke with a saw had to come and make
a hole in the handrail of the little bridge over the dinghy park. The hotel
was brilliant with big thick cushions on the sunbeds and very helpful staff
willing to assist your every need (they did'nt realise we were non paying
interloppers)
Silver Bear has needed some attention. In addition
to the boatyard repairs the fridge packed up requiring more expensive remedial
work, then to top it all we had our dinghy and outboard stolen from the pontoon
where we parked it overnight, right next to where we were sleeping in the
boatyard, so all in all it was a grim week but hopefully that is behind us and
we are back in the cruising mode taking it easy and seeing some wonderful
sights. I managed to buy replacements although because of the transport cost
everything out here works out a lot more expensive and the insurance
will fall short. At least everything for now is ok and there is a lot to
experience here which costs nothing.
Below Iain and I enjoy a Piton at the
Pitons
  Above; sunset at the
Windjammer
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