Wednesday 9th January - Young Island Cut, south St Vincent
Spellbinder
Wed 9 Jan 2008 19:11
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Sunday we spent around Wallilabou. In the morning
walked along the road to a waterfall. This proved to be a bit of industrial
heritage, as we walked we noticed a very old stationary engine in some buildings
beside the road, and at the waterfall it was obvious from the extensive dam just
below the fall that this had obviously fed a water wheel to power some
plantation activity in the past. No effort to conserve or explain, but enquiries
at the handicraft shop down the road revealed this had been an arrow root
factory. See picture of Vida the handicrafts lady, who had been our walking
companion into Barouillie the day before. On up to the two Ronnies for Sunday
lunch, and then a stroll around the remains of the Pirates of the Caribbean film
set in the afternoon. Once again, no effort to preserve the set, a Norwegian
couple that we spoke to said a lot had fallen down since last year, seemed to us
a lost opportunity, the site is not even labelled at the turn off from the
road.
Still, things are different here, and St Vincent is
not very tourist oriented, partly due to the lack of an international airport.
One is planned for 2011, but there seems to be some doubts surrounding the
project.
One surprise has been to find Waitrose own label
products in the local supermarkets, both here and St Lucia. So at present we
have Waitrose squash and tea on board. We try to buy fresh local fruit, the
grapefruit, bananas, mangos and papaya are excellent. So when Kenneth the boat
boy came up to us in Wallilabou, and said his father grew fruit and he would go
and get some if we wished, we naturally said yes. So back he came, and when we
got it out to have a look, the bananas were all labelled with Waitrose
stickers! Not even prepared to make the effort to peel the labels off to support
his sales pitch, but we still bought them.
Monday morning we sailed down the coast, past
Kingstown bay, and along the south coast to pick up a mooring between Young
Island and the eastern outskirts of Kingstown, in what is known as Young Island
Cut. After a late lunch had to go back into Kingstown to sort out a local phone
problem, so bought some good tuna in the market for supper. Also managed to sort
out the bus system, so we could get inland up the windward coast to visit the
Montreal gardens the next day.We were on a bus out of Kingstown by 9 on Tuesday
morning, and very fortunate with our driver, who for a small consideration took
us the two miles beyond his terminus in Richland Park, and dropped us at the
garden gate, saving us a stiff climb.The gardens are spectacular, up on the edge
of the rain forest above two beautiful fertile valleys full of various crops.
After admiring the gardens we walked back down the hill to Richland Park,
chatting to various people on the way, including a group butchering an armadillo
to eat, and a government agricultural adviser. Every one extremely
friendly, and happy to chat away with us. Then back on a local bus, this time a
very scary downhill ride with a wild driver. But 25p, instead of £5 for a taxi,
and we survived. Did require several beers to recover, so a quiet evening
onboard after all that.
Today into Kingstown to do customs and immigration,
so we can make an early start tomorrow to head up the windward coast back to
Vieux Fort, St Lucia. Then up the hill to Fort Charlotte, overlooking the town
for a bit more history and some fine views. A bit of interneting, and some more
purchases in the market, lunch in an atttractive old building, a converted sugar
warehouse, and back onboard. Intend to step ashore onto Young Island for
sundowners, it is a very exclusive and expensive hotel, the grounds landscaped
by an Englishman who now owns the Montreal gardens. Hope they will serve a
couple of English scruffs. Apparently Bill Gates rented the whole hotel, and he
doesn't wear a tie.
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