Trip Update - 5th January 2009 Bequia, Grenadines
Position: 13:00:55N
61:14:24W I took the dinghy up to the rotting
pier just along the beach in We left Millie on lookout
duty After a couple of hours, we came out
of the wind shadow and had a cracking reach across the strait between
Pirates
aboard!! St Vincent has a bit of a chequered
reputation as there have been a few violent robberies of yachts in recent years,
so whilst I think it is probably pretty safe now, we decided to sail straight
past and head down to Bequia.
An hour or two’s motoring through
the wind shadow of St Vincent and we were out into the channel between
Bequia is a yachties’ stronghold and
the anchorage was chockablock with yachts.
It was especially busy because it was the day before New Years Eve. We spotted various boats that we’d met
before on both sides of the pond.
We anchored in 12m just off the Whalebone Bar, a place where the bar is
made from a whale’s jawbone. Nutmeg, Bequia is one of those places where
the pace of life is pretty slow, the locals are friendly and accommodating of
yachties, and there are bars and restaurants aplenty. The main town is View from the main road, Port
Elizabeth, Bequia There are people selling fruit and
veg from small stalls in their gardens, and I have never seen such a
comprehensive set of fruit & veg in my life – everything you could think of,
tropical and temperate. Princess Margaret Beach,
Bequia New Years Eve was spent on
Saeftinghe where we introduced our Dutch friends to Pimms and lemonade, whilst
they fed us on Dutch cake with a name of something sounding like “Ollieboum” –
very nice. At midnight there was a
superb fireworks display which we watched from the deck whilst the burning
embers rained down on us – we were anchored just downwind! Eric decided to add to the show by
firing off his out of date flares – not sure the rest of the anchorage
appreciated this, especially those downwind of us… It has proved difficult to build up
the momentum to leave this place.
We meant to leave today but somehow we found a reason to stay. We are anchored with 4 or 5 other boats
that we are friends with, including “Starblazer”, the English family whom we met
briefly in NW Spain, and “Brimble” a Twister 28 with 2 kids aboard. We spent the afternoon today
swimming between the boats. The
kids are gaining so much confidence in the water. The water is so clear you can
check your anchor with a snorkel and mask – never thought I would be able to do
that. Swimming off the
boat We are aiming to leave tomorrow and
head south toward Tobago Cays. If
Bequia is nice, this place is supposed to be amazing. I need some new
adjectives. Sarah An evening
swim Sunset,
Bequia |