Talulah's Log - Union Island, Petit St Vincent & Petit Martinique

Talulah's Web Diary
Paul & Anette Morris
Thu 4 Jan 2007 21:00
position "12:31.523N 061:23.334W"
 
Thursday 4th December 2007
 
The 2nd Jan saw us back in Union Island, at Clifton this time, anchored in the atoll.   Anette and I had to "clear out" through customs and immigration before leaving the Grenadines on the 3rd.   Clearing was done at the airport, a 5 minute walk away, and it seemed strange going through the airport channels, without getting on an aeroplane!   We then had time for a beer before getting on the boat and taking her round to Chatham bay for the night.
 
The wind in Chatham bay that night was awesome.  It buffeted us with gusts of 30+ knots and once again I spend most of the night on anchor watch.   The bilge pump alarm sounded twice and I had to pump out the port hull on both occasions.    Looking for the problem at 2 a.m. on a pitching catamaran was 'fun', but after only 3 minutes I discovered that the shower 'grey' water outlet was siphoning in some of the large waves that were hitting Talulah, filling the shower tray and overflowing into the bilges!   Panic over.
 
We then went on to Petit St Vincent (PSV), dropped an anchor and went ashore.   It's a beautiful place, mostly given over to a hotel complex now, so Anette and I went for a couple of long cooling drinks at the bar before seeing a couple of our friends - Connie and Sylvie on their catamaran Alkedo, glide into the Bay and anchor.   So we could not miss going over with a bottle of wine to say hello!
 
Later in the afternoon, we sailed over to Petit Martinique (PM), and went alongside the jetty there for some of the cheapest fuel and water in this part of the Caribbean.   Talulah was bouncing around in the strong winds at the jetty, so we went and anchored 100 metres off, then got in the dinghy and went ashore to the Palm Beach Restaurant and had one of the best local dish meals I've had.
 
We're still here this morning, and we'll go ashore again to do some shopping for provisions (all good quality and cheap here), before setting off for Carriacou.    The wind is still howling, but its very hot and sunny.    Apparently when you ask the locals about the weather they all say that this is very unusual........it seems it always is where we sail...?!

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