January 2011

Sadly, we heard that Howard died on 6^th January after a very short battle with cancer– it made us all stand very still. These photos were taken in June and July 2010, whilst he was building our extension.

During the crossing the wine boxes of rose we had brought back from France for the boat got so hot they developed pinprick holes in them. When Mike discovered the aft cabin smelt strongly of a wine cellar he bagged the boxes and started collecting empty squash bottles to decant them. However, we were too late for some of this excellent Borrely-Martin and it has become an excellent toilet cleaner instead! How sad, what a waste!

I’m now back in boat mode but can’t remember where things are in my galley and generally! Never mind, I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it again soon (Mike certainly hopes so!)

Met a Canadian couple Rob and Carol on Watermusic V. They came over for sundowners and we swapped salty seadog tales while Mike ate all the nibbles!

Left Grenada and once round the corner Mike had a clear sail straight to Tyrell Bay. However, the initial seas and jet lag meant that I missed most of it by sleeping it off in the saloon! Woke up just in time to drop anchor around lunchtime. Swim, boat jobs etc and supper with card game we can’t remember how to play completed the day.

Off on the mad bus to Hillsborough. The lady bus driver saw us nearing the beach in the dinghy so waited and helped us drag the dinghy up the beach before setting off, stopping to let us drop off our rubbish. We cleared out of customs, did a small amount of provisioning (i.e. bought anything that was for sale) and back to Tyrell Bay, the bus driver stopping on the way to buy 5 trays of eggs and dropping them off further up the hill! Love this way of trading- in the UK there would be a lot of angry abusive passengers by now! Also went to PO, as last year, to get a stamp and was offered the pot of glue again even though the back of the stamps are sticky! We love Carriacou.

   

Reading the Pilot book I found that Wallalaborie Bay was where they filmed most of “The Pirates” movies and there was still some of the set there, so off we go in search of Johnny! Franklin picked us up and appointed himself our boat boy. He says he was an extra in the movies and that Johnny and Kiera were really nice people and insisted we took a picture of Franklin, the not so famous actor. We’re going to have to watch those movies again and keep an eye open for him! Supper ashore, because you got the buoy for nothing if you did! – Should have just paid for the buoy! Why don’t we ever learn?

                  

            

  Franklin turned up the next morning to help us get our shoreline back- and also to collect his dosh for taxiing us to shore yesterday evening. He also insisted we take his phone number for the next time we visit! Kate spent most of the day in bed feeling very seasick. Mike did agree it was uncommonly horrible seas but we headed on to St Lucia anyway. Left the next day, Kate having decided it might be less nauseous to get up at the start! Seems to have done the trick – apart from a very wet squall which lasted no more than 5 mins we had a good passage to Martinique and back to civilisation.

Tour of Domenica with Winston and met a Swedish couple, Bosse and Helene, from a Najad 36 SeaQwest. They are heading for New York so will keep in touch and may sail with them part of the route. Had a lovely day out, with possible exception of 1 American of a party of 4 also on the trip, who insisted on saying “Wow” to everything he heard and saw. I had to be restrained at the end of a long day from punching him! Lunch on the trip was a typical “tourist” steamed blue marlin that was flavourless and chewy but not nearly as bad as the dachine and breadfruit, which accompanied it!

                        

Short hop round the corner to Les Saintes, ashore for dinner – meat-fest- Foie gras and canard for me and fish-fest for ‘imself.

The anchorage is getting a little rolly and is in danger of pissing us off! Skyped with Henry and Will – that babe seems to grow very quickly. Hard on the wind initially to Guadeloupe and a tropical downpour, but safely anchored at Point a Pitre before sundowners. The crap guidebook says there’s a helpful tourist info office and mall near the town and that the town is worth looking at. I have to say we disagree again with Mr Doyle. The Tourist info office was shut but “open again tomorrow”, we spoke to 3 shopkeepers who had never heard of a mall and the town is dismal, mostly closed and a bit depressing. However, behind the marina is the last chance supermarket to buy French style foods. Lynne’s lovely “African” soup recipe for supper, which is great for places where all there is to buy are yams, turnips and squash!