While sitting in the cockpit enjoying the surroundings I
can’t help but think of boaties being like meerkats. As soon as you hear the
clank clank of an anchor going down, out pops the head of someone on a boat
close by to see what is going on. Mel is calling me “Flower”, the meerkat. (The
T.V. series about meerkats – one of the main characters was called Flower). I
am like Flower, as I find it entertaining sitting in the cockpit, watching all
the boats coming and going and their silly anchoring issues!!!! More later….
Back to our news and what and where we have been.
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| The night sky as we were leaving Trinidad |
We eventually left Trinidad on Friday 2
March just after lunch time, spending a few hours at Scotland Bay, then left
for Tyrrel Bay, Grenada at about 7.00pm. We were hoping to sail straight to
Clifton but realised that we would only be arriving in Clifton at night time
due to us considering the ‘security situation’ when leaving Trinidad. We were
originally intending to leave Trinidad during the day and then arriving in
Clifton the next day at lunch time but after a rethink, we thought we would
take the necessary advice we had been given and knew about.
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| Mel enjoying the local beer after arriving in Tyrrel Bay. |
We had a good sail half way up Grenada –
yes, we were ‘close haul’ but the winds were relatively light. However, when we
were at the top part of Grenada, it became rather messy sailing – the current
and wind went one way and the wind the other. We eventually arrived at Tyrrel
Bay just after 5.00pm, spent a lovely Sunday catching up with some friends of
ours that we met the last time we were sailing (Blue Moon – Linda and John
Patton), then left for Clifton on Monday morning. Unfortunately, we had to
motor sail to Clifton. I think we are ‘spooked’ when it comes to Clifton. We
thought that if we had good anchorage and holding we would stay a night at
Clifton and enjoy the town as the last time we were there, there was no space
for us to anchor – all we wanted to do was
to check out. I stayed on
board while Mel checked us out as the boat was not in a very safe situation.
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| After the heavens opened in Clifton |
This time we found a good stop to anchor
– yes, we saw that there were plenty of mooring balls, but we thought we
wouldn’t require one. We both went to check in, as I was keen to see the town –
it is quite colourful and vibrant. I just love the use of bright colours
everywhere you go. Anyway, by the time we arrived back at the boat, there was a
yacht on a mooring ball so close to us that we had to put our fenders out. We
were watching the situation as we couldn’t move as the heavens opened for the
rest of the afternoon and visibility was poor. It’s situations like this I find
quite stressful as I still don’t have enough confidence in my own ‘sailing
knowledge’ to help Mel although
he would say the opposite. Well, just after
5.00pm, the sun came out and it was glorious, so we thought we had enough time
to move to the Windward Anchorage, Mayreau. Once again, Clifton has not
fulfilled its promise of being a place to enjoy. Maybe next time?????
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| A sign in Clifton. |
We spent three nights at Mayreau
(Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) – sailing at this time of year is a lot different
to when we were last here as there are SO MANY charter boats. Mainly
French and I don’t mean to be ugly, but they love to be close together
sometimes far too close for comfort. We were planning on going to Tobago Keys
but it was jam packed so that is why we ended up in Mayreau. We found a good
stop. The anchor dug in deep - it had to as the winds were at times 20 knots plus,
coming from the NE/E. There was a chartered kat quite a distance from
us on our starboard side – when it was time to go to bed, we did our usual
check of the boat and the situation – well this kat must have dragged as it was
now right in front of us. Mel shone lights on them to wake them up and their
Captain eventually saw what had happened. He wasn’t too concerned as he said
their anchor was holding. I wasn’t too sure but anyway we rode the night out
with no incidents, checking every few hours. Thankfully they were gone by
8.00am the following morning. The rest of our stay in Mayreau was uneventful –
we went on land to explore and get some Wi-Fi – no Wi-Fi as the rains had
brought the system down. It is a
lovely little town – once again the
buildings and houses are so colourful.
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| A colourful house in Mayreau |
Thursday morning, we sailed most of the
way to Canounan – a lovely anchorage as far as the depth and holding but may
goodness the winds and the way we swing around. To make matters even more
interesting, another cat with a French flag flying high and proud, anchored
right over our anchor! There was so much space to anchor but no, they had to
anchor there. It defies belief and logic sometimes. Thankfully they left
about an hour before we took up our anchor the following day, Friday.
Friday – we sailed to Bequia in 18
– 23 knot winds, close haul (on the nose). I was rather proud of myself as I
only complained once! I let Mel sail the way he wanted to sail, which he did,
and Passages was going at 7.8 knots at times. Mel was chuffed and a very happy
sailor! I was okay but relieved when we eventually arrived in Bequia just after
1.00pm. We dropped anchor but when Mel dived the anchor, he was not happy with
the holding as it was in coral and we knew that over the coming weekend, the
winds would be blowing 18 – 20 knots. We couldn’t take any chances, so we moved
closer to the beach where the anchor is now buried, deep in sand. Mel has dived
the anchor every morning and afternoon since arriving.
Bequia is vibrant.... it is as if a
huge injection of cash has been given to the place as everything looks
renovated, freshly painted, orderly and so neat. Along with this vibrancy
though, the prices of things have gone up as well.
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| Bequia |
Once again, there are anchoring
issues with the day/holiday charters and the full-time cruisers. They are
mainly French – come charging into the anchorage at one almighty speed, coming
so close to the anchored boats, not considering the wind and the scope of a
boat, drop anchor as close to the next boat as possible, dinghy goes down without
checking or waiting to check the anchor, off they go to town to explore. A few
international incidents have occurred, and boats have dragged. Oh, the life of
a cruiser!!!
On the following website, there are “The
Unwritten ‘Rules of the Rode’!” – if you are interested in knowing more about
the ‘rules’
We are now in Marin, Martinique, having
left Bequia on Friday morning. We sailed as far as Rodney Bay, spent the night
there, then sailed here to Marin, Saturday 17 March. It’s busy compared to when
we were here in the off season in 2014 but still enjoyable. The sail to Rodney
Bay was certainly eventful – What do the Scouts say – “Always be prepared” My
goodness what a sail! Until next time though.
It’s time for me to be Flower, as I can
hear the clank, clank of an anchor chain going down and it sounds a bit too
close to Passages.
Bye for now. Keep well and safe.
Mel and Caryn
Sv- Passages
If you want to see where we are – go to:
top right corner – search for Passages
with the Australian flag – that’s us!
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| In Clifton |
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| Over looking the anchorage in Mayreau - Tobago Keys. |
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| Our dinghy with it's new chaps and Passages on the right - Mayreau. |
