Union Isalnd
Chaser 2
Yvonne Chapman
Mon 19 Mar 2007 00:49
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It's Sunday
the 18th March today, mothers day in UK we have been informed by Susie, she
phoned to wish her Mum a good day. We have arrived in Ashton, just off Frigate
Island in position 12.34.92N 61.26.29W (for our google earth log) about 1200hrs
today.
We decided
to spend another night in Tobago Cays, it blew hard during the night but the
anchor held well. We did move during they day, because a German flagged Amel
sailboat anchored right alongside us, the crew promptly taking there clothes
off, slowly climbed down their boarding ladder in front of us and everyone else
in that vicinity. What people do on their own boat is up to them of course, but
one has to respect others in a public place, and I don't want to see a
naked fat arsed old man or woman doing there chores or whatever while I'm
having breakfast, it rattles your tummy, just like pigs noses. Seriously I
consider it bad manners, skinny dippin and sunbathing on your own boat or
secluded beach is no problem, we all do it sometime, but you wouldn't go to a
local park in front of the cafe where everyone and their children
are having their tea and crumpet and take your clothes off and light a
barbeque or mow the grass would you, you would be immediately arrested for
indecent exposure, in fact these people could be arrested for indecent exposure
with their clothes on! These people just bug me!
This is a
huge area of beautiful marine park, crystal clear waters, but today and
yesterday there was only 20 or so boats anchored here, so plenty of space and
privacy for all.
We found a
good spot, closer to the reef and took the dinghy to the edge, swum with
the turtles and stingrays, the tropical marine fish and coral are amazing. Right
under our boat we had a large stingray burying itself in the sand while awaiting
a prey. Yvonne was slowly swimming along, she looked to the left and there was a
turtle swimming majestically alongside looking at her, almost sayin, it's nice
'ere ainit!
There are
no shops here, so you have to come prepared, or buy a fish or something from a
boat boy. The boat boys here are very good, they come to your boat,their boats
are well fendered, they tell you what they are selling, if you not
interested they go away, no hard sell, and come back the next day. That's the
way it should be in these places. I know a friends of ours in Calpe, Walter and
Ruth while cruising for some years in the Caribbean, said they got fed up with
the men and boys always asking for money, and I can understand in some places we
have been. St Lucia, probably one of the worst so far, you could almost say
hello to some of them and with their polite hello reply, they would add' that'll
be 5$ man'! ok, I'm exaggerating --------- a little, but of course it puts you
on your guard, and on a different Island ( a different country) you could
become reluctant to converse with someone for fear of the fee. Havin said that
we are finding the Islands people very friendly so far, generally speaking,
we're new cruisers at the moment.
So we moved
on to Union Island, this is the last Island in the St. Vincent and Grenadines
chain, before we leave here and move south, we must clear out of
customs and immigration. We are in the next bay from
Clifton, off the town of Ashton. Ashton is a main town on the Island with a very
local flavour. Clifton is the main town, and we'll go there tomorrow. Union
does have an airport and tourism is growing here, I've seen some nice
houses. Union is only a small Island, maybe 3 miles long and just over a
mile wide. According the second main town isn't very big! and it's Sunday today,
so what little is there is closed. Clifton has more, according to our pilot
book, so depending what we find, we'll either go ashore visit the shops and
sites and clear out or stay another day or two if we like it and clear out then.
We have to leave the country within 24 hours of clearing out.
Hopefully,
tomorrow, we'll get an internet connexion and be able to send these last 4
blogs.
We'll then
move on to Carriacou, the first and most northern of Grenada's
territory.
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