Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Phillip's blog
After 2,500 miles of sailing, constant maintenance, head in the bilge/engine every day, taking apart and putting back together motors and engines, cooking and cleaning and pampering, I am FINALLY allowed to write something on the blog.
Well here we are in Rum and Beer heaven, rum is $1.30 a bottle and beer is 29 cents a can, the only question is how much can we stow. Already have 71 bottles of rum and 8 cases of beer. We will visit the supermarket on Monday to get more and are conducting blind rum tastings to figure out which one is the best ! this is a serious business!
Love the supermarkets here if we use blackmarket to change dollars then every thing is incredibly cheap, and lots of selection.
Boats working well just the usual things breaking, as always maintenance, repair and renewal is the main job when cruising.
Plan to leave Margarita and head to la Blanquilla where we can swap band aids, cokes , candles, pens, paper and batteries for fish and lobster. Before we leave we will clean the bottom of the boat to make sure we can go as fast as possible. Then it's 340 miles to St Thomas where we will get ready to head north.
Joanna is doing very well on the boat for a newbie, learning lots and adapting to the boat life.
and enjoying it apart from the night passages (which she hates).
Well here we are in Rum and Beer heaven, rum is $1.30 a bottle and beer is 29 cents a can, the only question is how much can we stow. Already have 71 bottles of rum and 8 cases of beer. We will visit the supermarket on Monday to get more and are conducting blind rum tastings to figure out which one is the best ! this is a serious business!
Love the supermarkets here if we use blackmarket to change dollars then every thing is incredibly cheap, and lots of selection.
Boats working well just the usual things breaking, as always maintenance, repair and renewal is the main job when cruising.
Plan to leave Margarita and head to la Blanquilla where we can swap band aids, cokes , candles, pens, paper and batteries for fish and lobster. Before we leave we will clean the bottom of the boat to make sure we can go as fast as possible. Then it's 340 miles to St Thomas where we will get ready to head north.
Joanna is doing very well on the boat for a newbie, learning lots and adapting to the boat life.
and enjoying it apart from the night passages (which she hates).
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Random photos in and around Margarita
I am just posting some photos here, not necessarily in the right order but you'll get the general idea.
Below is the view from Marina Juan (just off the dinghy dock).
Another view from Marina Juan
My first view of Margarita. Very built up as you can see - quite the holiday destination for mainland Venezuelans.
Below is the boat's mascot, Emily (we call her Em for short), our baby leopard, who is hamming it up for the camera now, as she steers the boat. LadyH is in the background. Em loves kitkats, small sips of rum, dressing up, playing the fool, crispy bacon, Jack Johnson (singer), long ocean passages, the TV series "LOST", and being told bedtime stories.
This looked spectacular when I saw it. However, in the photo, it just looks very average (rainbow).
Below is the view from Marina Juan (just off the dinghy dock).
Another view from Marina Juan
My first view of Margarita. Very built up as you can see - quite the holiday destination for mainland Venezuelans.
Below is the boat's mascot, Emily (we call her Em for short), our baby leopard, who is hamming it up for the camera now, as she steers the boat. LadyH is in the background. Em loves kitkats, small sips of rum, dressing up, playing the fool, crispy bacon, Jack Johnson (singer), long ocean passages, the TV series "LOST", and being told bedtime stories.
This looked spectacular when I saw it. However, in the photo, it just looks very average (rainbow).
Delphinus under sail (video)
Joyce took this one of us leaving Union (Petit St. Vincent, Petite Martinique and Carriacou are in the background).
Isla de Margarita - PORLAMAR
Most of the supermarkets in the Caribbean were the size of someone's average bedroom, with a few limp things on a shelf here and there, so it was a joy and a delight to walk into Sigo in Porlamar, on the island of Margarita. It was just HUGE (just like a normal Asda, you know, the big ones) - so many different types of fruit and veg, I didn't recognize them all - it was almost overwhelming to see so much, such a huge variety again - here's a quick shot of the fruit/veggie section. Tomatoes weren't great, can't find lemons ANYWHERE, and no red peppers either - but otherwise a real abundance of everything.
There is a large chocolate/alcohol (duty free) section too with kitkats and Lion bars being about 60 cents each (so you know I was happy and stocked up) - and of course the men found not only the rum they were looking for (Cinco Estrellas) but they found the OLD rum that started their love affair with rum - the rum Paul said was no longer made.... the Tres Coronas. They also bought lots of Cinco Estrellas and lots of Tres Coronas. Our total supply now is 78 bottles of rum, and plenty more to come. They've gone on a beer run today, beer is about 30c / can, not bad. I stayed on the boat to do the blog and do some skyping.
Margarita is nice. We are anchored in Porlamar, which is the biggest city here
and the anchorage is VERY rolley - so much so that everyone has put out a bridle, which is an extra rope from the stern of the boat that hooks onto the anchorline and sort of pulls the boat around a little and makes it very stable, so that it doesn't face directly into the wind. That reduces the amount of swell that we feel, so it's not too bad at all. Porlamar is a pretty big place, lots of tall buildings, very built up, all kinds of shops, boutiques, supermarkets, banks etc., just like any normal city.
We are anchored near Marina Juan (www.marinajuan.com) - Juan runs an office there attached to a dinghy dock where he hosts a variety of services - laundry, phone, fax, propane, bus service into town, book exchange etc. We checked in through him which costs a little more, but the extra $20 we give to him is well worth the above services which are included. Yesterday, for example, we caught the free bus into Sigo (the supermarket), shopped away to our hearts' content and bought several cases of rum, paid for it. One of the Sigo personnel loaded all of it into boxes, taped them up very well and loaded them onto the bus for us - then he came back with us on the bus, helped unload the boxes and made sure they all got onto our respective dinghies - and all we had to do was tip him a dollar or two. What fabulous service! I only wish I was more of a drinker because then I'd be in seventh heaven - still, the chocolate section kept me entertained - never seen such a selection of chocolate from all over the world. Even in airports, duty free, you don't get it like this - really something to behold. I'll try to get photos next time I go there.
Prices are very reasonable if you exchange dollars on the b/m (which is what we all do because they really want US dollars here) - Phillip got 9 gallons of gasoline (petrol) for 60 cents. NO, that's not 60 cents per gallon, that's 60 cents total. He went to the gas station and filled up his gas tanks. However, we needed to fill up the big boat with diesel, so the fuel boat came around and they charged 60 cents per gallon for diesel (same for petrol). Hard to believe really.
When you walk the streets here, you get hassled all the time by people wanting to exchange money with you. We have been warned over and again not to do this because it's a scam - you think you're getting x number of bolivars, but you're not. Either that, or they're fake bolivars.
Phillip has ordered some more rum, hopefully it will arrive on Wednesday. After that we head to la Blanquilla
http://www.explore-yachts.com/charter/blanquilla.htm
It's supposed to be gorgeous there, hope to do some scuba diving there and then Paul and Joyce head off west to Bonaire and Phillip and I probably will head to St. Thomas or St. Croix. We were hoping to go to St. Lucia but don't think the wind will get us there - so if we go to the USVI we can either sail back to Fort Lauderdale via the Bahamas, or else I can fly back to FL and Phillip can sail right up to Norfolk, Virginia (he'll have to get a crew member). Just haven't decided yet.
There is a large chocolate/alcohol (duty free) section too with kitkats and Lion bars being about 60 cents each (so you know I was happy and stocked up) - and of course the men found not only the rum they were looking for (Cinco Estrellas) but they found the OLD rum that started their love affair with rum - the rum Paul said was no longer made.... the Tres Coronas. They also bought lots of Cinco Estrellas and lots of Tres Coronas. Our total supply now is 78 bottles of rum, and plenty more to come. They've gone on a beer run today, beer is about 30c / can, not bad. I stayed on the boat to do the blog and do some skyping.
Margarita is nice. We are anchored in Porlamar, which is the biggest city here
and the anchorage is VERY rolley - so much so that everyone has put out a bridle, which is an extra rope from the stern of the boat that hooks onto the anchorline and sort of pulls the boat around a little and makes it very stable, so that it doesn't face directly into the wind. That reduces the amount of swell that we feel, so it's not too bad at all. Porlamar is a pretty big place, lots of tall buildings, very built up, all kinds of shops, boutiques, supermarkets, banks etc., just like any normal city.We are anchored near Marina Juan (www.marinajuan.com) - Juan runs an office there attached to a dinghy dock where he hosts a variety of services - laundry, phone, fax, propane, bus service into town, book exchange etc. We checked in through him which costs a little more, but the extra $20 we give to him is well worth the above services which are included. Yesterday, for example, we caught the free bus into Sigo (the supermarket), shopped away to our hearts' content and bought several cases of rum, paid for it. One of the Sigo personnel loaded all of it into boxes, taped them up very well and loaded them onto the bus for us - then he came back with us on the bus, helped unload the boxes and made sure they all got onto our respective dinghies - and all we had to do was tip him a dollar or two. What fabulous service! I only wish I was more of a drinker because then I'd be in seventh heaven - still, the chocolate section kept me entertained - never seen such a selection of chocolate from all over the world. Even in airports, duty free, you don't get it like this - really something to behold. I'll try to get photos next time I go there.
Prices are very reasonable if you exchange dollars on the b/m (which is what we all do because they really want US dollars here) - Phillip got 9 gallons of gasoline (petrol) for 60 cents. NO, that's not 60 cents per gallon, that's 60 cents total. He went to the gas station and filled up his gas tanks. However, we needed to fill up the big boat with diesel, so the fuel boat came around and they charged 60 cents per gallon for diesel (same for petrol). Hard to believe really.
When you walk the streets here, you get hassled all the time by people wanting to exchange money with you. We have been warned over and again not to do this because it's a scam - you think you're getting x number of bolivars, but you're not. Either that, or they're fake bolivars.
Phillip has ordered some more rum, hopefully it will arrive on Wednesday. After that we head to la Blanquilla
http://www.explore-yachts.com/charter/blanquilla.htm
It's supposed to be gorgeous there, hope to do some scuba diving there and then Paul and Joyce head off west to Bonaire and Phillip and I probably will head to St. Thomas or St. Croix. We were hoping to go to St. Lucia but don't think the wind will get us there - so if we go to the USVI we can either sail back to Fort Lauderdale via the Bahamas, or else I can fly back to FL and Phillip can sail right up to Norfolk, Virginia (he'll have to get a crew member). Just haven't decided yet.
Margarita - fruits and veggies
Most of the supermarkets in the Caribbean were the size of someone's average bedroom, with a few limp things on a shelf here and there, so it was a joy and a delight to walk into Sigo in Porlamar, on the island of Margarita. It was just HUGE (just like a normal Asda, you know, the big ones) - so many different types of fruit and veg, I didn't recognize them all - it was almost overwhelming to see so much, such a huge variety again! There is a largechocolate/alcohol (duty free) section too with kitkats and Lion bars being about 50 cents each (so you know I was happy) - and of course the men found not only the rum they were looking for (Cinquo Estrellas) but they found the OLD rum that started their love affair with it - the rum Paul said was no longer made.... the Tres Coronas. It's b7.50 a bottle here which is about $1.36 based on the 5.5:US$1 exchange rate. The Cinquo Estrellas is a little cheaper, at $1.30 a bottle - but P's favorite is Tres Coronas, so between the two of them (Paul also likes it), they bought out the entire stock and ordered more, hopefully to be picked up on Wednesday. Our total supply now is 78 bottles of rum, and plenty more to come. They've gone on a beer run today, beer is about 30c / can. I stayed on the boat to do the blog and do some skyping.
Now the currency on the boat has changed - we no longer refer to it as bolivars or dollars - but in terms of bottles of rum. So for example, I bought two large bottles of water in the trolley (the water on the boat is tasting a little salty and not quite to my taste to drink plain), they were b8.50 each ($1.54) for a huge bottle - but Phillip pointed out to me that my water costs more than one bottle of rum. A tenpack of kitkats cost 4 and a half bottles of rum etc....
But he's a very happy boy.
Margarita is nice. We are anchored in Porlamar, which is the biggest city here and the anchorage is VERY rolley - so much so that everyone has put out a bridle, which is an extra rope from the stern of the boat that hooks onto the anchorline and sort of pulls the boat around a little and makes it very stable, so that it doesn't face directly into the wind. That reduces the amount of swell that we feel, so it's not too bad at all. Porlamar is a pretty big place, lots of tall buildings, very built up, all kinds of shops, boutiques, supermarkets, banks etc., just like any normal city. We exchange some US$ on the b.m. and got 5.5 to the dollar. If you go to a bank, you'll bet 2.14 to the dollar, which makes it a very different shopping experience. If we had to shop using the 2.14 b:dollar, we couldn't afford anything because it is outrageously expensive that way.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Grenada to Los Testigos 10th April
The part FINALLY arrived on Saturday morning. Phillip went in to Budget Marine to pick it up and "discuss" the total lack of customer service he had received. The part had been on the island since Monday, and the Manager, Nicholas George, had told us we'd have it by Wednesday. We went in three times on Wednesday to pick it up, and were told each time that it would be ready shortly. Then we were told "tomorrow morning 10 am", so Phillip went in at the appointed time only to find Nicholas setting out for the airport to fetch the part. No problem, P would be back at noon. At noon, no sign of NG or the part. Going in twice more that day, still no luck and even worse, they refuse to monitor the vhf radio so we kept calling and calling them, to save us the trip in, but no reply. Another cruiser heard us and kindly called Budget Marine on his cellphone and was told NG would be back at the store at 4.30 WITH the part. P again went in at 4.30, banged on the door for 15 minutes, no reply. Friday the whole island was closed for Easter, so we knew we were stuck until at least Saturday - but why did NG never contact us? Never once call us on the vhf (we'd told him over and over again we monitor 68 and could he please call us as soon as he had the part). So Saturday P went in to Budget Marine, got the part, and he and NG "got into it" - P told him what terrible customer service - simply the lack of courtesy, not a single call, not a single update, no communication whatsoever, and reminded NG that we, the customers, pay his salary and that without us, they wouldn't be in business so wouldn't it behoove him to provide a little courtesy and customer service? NG went up the wall and more or less kicked P out of the store, and even followed him down to the dinghy dock telling him off and saying "how dare you speak to me like that and how dare you say that you pay my wages" etc. Apparently it was pretty nasty - those of you who know P will know it takes a LOT to get him riled up - he's always calm and unemotional (unlike me), so if he got upset, you know it was a pretty tense situation and well deserved. A lot of anxious cruisers were waiting for his return, knowing the situation and wondering if it had come to blows, some had a few wagers going on I think. Fortunately it didn't but I'm sure a photo of P is plastered to the wall of that store with the words "BANNED FOR LIFE." All we can say is, if you need a part special ordered, DON'T go through Budget Marine. Order it from the US and ship it down.
I must add, in all fairness, when the part first broke, we were in Union and we called Budget Marine in Grenada and spoke to NG there and ordered the part - he was most helpful at that point and immediately got the part shipped to Carriacou where we picked it up (only to find it didn't fit) - but he was very helpful at that point. It was only when we got to Grenada (we obviously had to exchange that part with another one) that things fell apart.
So P fixed the engine with this part and while we had planned to leave first light Sunday morning, we were restless on Saturday night, couldn't sleep, so 11.30 pm we left Grenada and headed for Los Testigos. Ugh. Another night sail. Great moonlight to begin with - it was like sailing in daylight, but after a few hours, the moon went in and it was dark again and very very rolley. The wind was directly behind us, P had to put the pole out which involved him going out in the dark on to a VERY rocking and rolling deck and putting the "pole" out which basically keeps the genoa in place for when the wind is directly behind you. Not an easy job in daylight with 2 people working on it on a still deck, so I don't know how he managed in those circumstances. I couldn't have helped him, it was way too rough and I would have gone overboard in a heartbeat, and I was not a happy camper until P was back in the cockpit with me. But it had to be done or else it would have taken twice as long to get to our destination. Paul and Joyce sailed next to us and we arrived Los Testigos around 3 pm, had a nice quiet evening and next morning checked in with the coastguard (not to be confused with customs).
This is Paul and me chatting on the beach near the coastguard station.
I must add, in all fairness, when the part first broke, we were in Union and we called Budget Marine in Grenada and spoke to NG there and ordered the part - he was most helpful at that point and immediately got the part shipped to Carriacou where we picked it up (only to find it didn't fit) - but he was very helpful at that point. It was only when we got to Grenada (we obviously had to exchange that part with another one) that things fell apart.
So P fixed the engine with this part and while we had planned to leave first light Sunday morning, we were restless on Saturday night, couldn't sleep, so 11.30 pm we left Grenada and headed for Los Testigos. Ugh. Another night sail. Great moonlight to begin with - it was like sailing in daylight, but after a few hours, the moon went in and it was dark again and very very rolley. The wind was directly behind us, P had to put the pole out which involved him going out in the dark on to a VERY rocking and rolling deck and putting the "pole" out which basically keeps the genoa in place for when the wind is directly behind you. Not an easy job in daylight with 2 people working on it on a still deck, so I don't know how he managed in those circumstances. I couldn't have helped him, it was way too rough and I would have gone overboard in a heartbeat, and I was not a happy camper until P was back in the cockpit with me. But it had to be done or else it would have taken twice as long to get to our destination. Paul and Joyce sailed next to us and we arrived Los Testigos around 3 pm, had a nice quiet evening and next morning checked in with the coastguard (not to be confused with customs).
This is Paul and me chatting on the beach near the coastguard station.
Nice, friendly guards in camo gear greeted us and we filled out the necessary paperwork. We then walked through the tiny village, all just shacks with the barest of essentials but everyone looking happy, and we walked back along the beach. At one point Paul pointed out "Look! A pig in the water!" and we thought he'd finally lost it. Turns out he was right (see below).
The owner said he gets so hot, she brought him down for a swim and a grovel in the sand, which he loved! Great pictures Joyce.
This is South Observation Bay in Los Testigos, where we anchored.
Delphinus and Lady H, side by side. I have to say the water in these photos looks fabulous - much better than it actually was. It was pretty green, but somehow looks lovely and turquoise here.
Below is the tiny island where we went snorkeling (lousy visability and strong current).
After anchoring, Joyce and I went ashore for a walk up the big hill/dune there. I couldn't make it all the way up - I was wearing flipflops that wouldn't stay on my feet and the sand was burning so hot that I couldn't even hotfoot it up to the top of the hill - so I quit after yelping halfway up the dune. We found this little fella on the beach (blue bottles as we South Africans call them) - but Portuguese Man O'War is the more popular term.
Here is a photo Joyce took from the top of the dune.
Again, the water looks fabulous - but in actuality it was green and not nearly as clear as it appeared. Oh well!
We had dinner the following night at a tiny restaurant called The Green House/Casa Verte (I use that word loosely - it was someone's home - 
the owners serve up either lobster or fish for guests on their veranda), and it was just delightful. The food was superb (our bill for two of us with 3 beers, 1 sprite, 2 lobsters, was just US$26), the view exceptional. In their garden they had goats, chickens, sheep, turkeys, baby chicks, 2 dogs and 5 puppies (1 month old - Joyce and I tried our best to persuade our men to let us have one each, sadly to no avail), and during sunset, the owner came running out with binoculars pointing to the ocean. About 4 miles away was a sperm whale leaping out of the water. I didn't have my camera, fortunately Joyce had hers and took some photos - it was a fantastic sight, leaping out of the water for ages, thrashing around, hitting the water with its fluke.
Fantastic evening and a great sunset.
Would I go back to Los Testigos? Only if we were going that way anyway - it's pretty but the water isn't a patch on Tobago Cays, so the snorkeling is only average at best - so no, I wouldn't make a special trip. But glad to have been. Left for Margarita on Wednesday the 15th. RUM HERE WE COME!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Update (Thursday 9 April)
Spare part still hasn't arrived... grrrr...... should have been in our little paws yesterday 10 am. Anyway, we can't do anything except sit and wait.
Once the spare part has arrived and once it has been installed, and providing nothing else goes wrong, we will head to Los Testigos in Venezuela (supposed to be one of the most beautiful spots around - a group of 16 gorgeous islands make up this Archipelago)
http://www.lostworldadventures.com/countries/venezuela/vzregions/islands/lostestigos.htm
To get there, we'll have to leave Grenada around 3 or 4 in the morning to make it by nightfall (to avoid doing an overnight), we'll have two days there to dive and catch lobsters and then off to Margarita to take on some ballast (rum). Apparently the exchange rate is excellent, so even if the wind is blowing 50 knots on our return, and on a strong port tack, our boat will still be standing upright with the rum on the starboard side, keeping her level. So that's the tentative plan, but as you know, our plans change several times in a day.
Phillip really would like to stay here to do the "hash" where a group of people meet at a local bar and run around the island, meeting back there for some rum. He's doing it purely from a cultural perspective - he feels he should learn more about and interact with the locals and other cruisers and the fact that there is rum involved isn't a contributing factor as to why he wants to do it (he tells me with a straight face.) Whenever I ask him about it, he says with a surprised look "What? There's rum involved? I had no idea." (sigh). He sounds like a regular alcoholic, all this talk of rum - but he just enjoys a tipple before bedtime and that's about it. Honest! "It's a cultural exchange, that's all it is. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, that's what I say. If I have to drink rum, I have to." :-)
For more details see
http://www.grenadahash.com/content/category/3/7/25/
The next Hash is on Saturday - we may still be here, we may not be (depending on when this spare part arrives), so if we're here, then he'll probably do it.
Once the spare part has arrived and once it has been installed, and providing nothing else goes wrong, we will head to Los Testigos in Venezuela (supposed to be one of the most beautiful spots around - a group of 16 gorgeous islands make up this Archipelago)
http://www.lostworldadventures.com/countries/venezuela/vzregions/islands/lostestigos.htm
To get there, we'll have to leave Grenada around 3 or 4 in the morning to make it by nightfall (to avoid doing an overnight), we'll have two days there to dive and catch lobsters and then off to Margarita to take on some ballast (rum). Apparently the exchange rate is excellent, so even if the wind is blowing 50 knots on our return, and on a strong port tack, our boat will still be standing upright with the rum on the starboard side, keeping her level. So that's the tentative plan, but as you know, our plans change several times in a day.
Phillip really would like to stay here to do the "hash" where a group of people meet at a local bar and run around the island, meeting back there for some rum. He's doing it purely from a cultural perspective - he feels he should learn more about and interact with the locals and other cruisers and the fact that there is rum involved isn't a contributing factor as to why he wants to do it (he tells me with a straight face.) Whenever I ask him about it, he says with a surprised look "What? There's rum involved? I had no idea." (sigh). He sounds like a regular alcoholic, all this talk of rum - but he just enjoys a tipple before bedtime and that's about it. Honest! "It's a cultural exchange, that's all it is. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, that's what I say. If I have to drink rum, I have to." :-)
For more details see
http://www.grenadahash.com/content/category/3/7/25/
The next Hash is on Saturday - we may still be here, we may not be (depending on when this spare part arrives), so if we're here, then he'll probably do it.
Grenada
We really like Grenada a lot - probably our second or third favorite island after Dominica and Antigua.
We are anchored in Prickly Bay because a) Budget Marine is here and we need the part to repair the cooler and b) hothothotspot has a wifi spot here (which we need). It's a nice big bay, a bit rolling at times but fine for our purposes. We took an island tour with Cuddy which went from 9 am until 6 pm - good tour, stopping to pick the fruits and point out scenic/historic spots, we took a tour of a rum distillery after a wonderful lunch, saw the crater lake, rain forests, waterfalls etc., and while we like it a lot, it doesn't really compare to Dominica - but then where else does? Dominica is just a gem! people are nice here, MUCH nicer than in Union, there are great markets and supermarkets in St. George's, the infrastructure here is a lot better than Dominica (better roads etc.), and if Phillip didn't have to go back into US waters for green card purposes, we would stay here during the hurricane season because it really is lovely. Some wonderful anchorages nearby, great beaches, plenty to do - but we have to get back so that's a moot point.
My birthday was on Monday 6th, thanks to everyone who called and emailed me - we had drinks with John Cooper (see notes below) and then dinner with Paul and Joyce on their boat, so it was a lovely day. We found kit kats in CK's (about 3 miles from here) at a very reasonable price, so I bought out the entire stock (only 2 small boxes) - wish they had more.
For some reason, the beach scene below really reminded me of the Ramsgate lagoon (in South Africa), near the Blue Lagoon teahouse.
This was one of the many bays in Grenada - lined with fishing boats.
The house below is called a Janet house - they are all over the island and were gifts from Venezuela after Hurricane Janet tore through here (1978 I think) doing terrible things to the island.
For those of you wanting to get a good deal on a light aircraft - this is the place to come - a couple of "fixer uppers" right here, just need a lick of paint and new tyres and you're ready to go.
This is a papaya tree - can't remember if it's male or female.
This is the other papaya tree - the opposite gender of the one above.
These are cotton silk trees - the cotton used to be used for stuffing pillows, but now no longer used actively by Grenada.
Incredible flowers - such bright colors - hard to describe how vivid they are and the photos don't do them justice.
Nutmeg trees. The natural shape of a nutmeg tree is like a Christmas tree - but most of the trees on the island were damaged by Hurricane Ivan last year, so there are very few Christmas tree shaped nutmeg trees here - thankfully the trees have grown back so nutmeg abounds.
There were so many fruits and veggies - hard to remember them all (but I'll try). Guava, sapodilla, breadfruit, lemongrass, lemons, limes, mandarin oranges, sour oranges, pineapples, bananas, cocoa beans (you can suck them if you like - they are covered with a thick goo that tastes nothing like chocolate and is not really to my taste), papayas, nutmeg trees, sugar cane, mahogany trees, silk cotton trees, grapefruits, starfuits, tomatoes, noni fruit, cashew nuts, cinnamon, bay leaves, mint, aloe, turmeric, callabash, coconuts, dasheen, tania, coffee beans, and many more I'm sure I've forgotten.
Some crazy hairpin bends!
The crater lake in the Grand Etang rain forest. Phillip and I went for a wander in the actual rainforest - we could have spent hours there, it was lovely, cool, dark, with some wonderful trails laid out.
These are mona monkeys (see below for description thanks to Wikipedia). The Mona Monkey (Cercopithecus mona) is an Old World monkey that lives throughout western Africa. The Mona Monkey can also be found on the island of Grenada as it was transported to the island aboard slave ships headed to the New World during the 18th century. This guenon lives in groups of up to 35 in arboreal regions. It mainly feeds on fruit but sometimes eats insects and leaves.
By the waterfalls, this little girl was hamming it up for her parents (who were taking photos) - she was a doll!
Annandale waterfall. As usual, Joyce is right there in the water - a real water baby! Phillip watches (and is probably making fun of her) - if you look closely, behind Joyce under the waterfall, a local is taking a shower - not just a rinse off, but a full scale shower with soap and shampoo.
Andreas and Phillip in the back of the mini van.
Andreas and his wife Cathy are from Germany on board SV Aphrodite - they've done a lot of sailing around the Middle East and Europe and are good fun. We're going to the Dodgy Dock tonight with them for happy hour and dinner.
We met up again with John Cooper - we first met him in St. Thomas when he helped Phillip fix our wind generator - on board the catamaran Durban Dancer - he's a Brit from Staffordshire and we just loved him - full of fun, great personality, has you in fits of laughter all the time with some great stories - he was here getting his cat in dry dock for the hurricane season and we managed to have a quick drink with him before he returned to the UK. Hopefully we'll catch up with him again next year, he is a real trip and someone we'd both love to spend more time with.
View of St. George's.
We are anchored in Prickly Bay because a) Budget Marine is here and we need the part to repair the cooler and b) hothothotspot has a wifi spot here (which we need). It's a nice big bay, a bit rolling at times but fine for our purposes. We took an island tour with Cuddy which went from 9 am until 6 pm - good tour, stopping to pick the fruits and point out scenic/historic spots, we took a tour of a rum distillery after a wonderful lunch, saw the crater lake, rain forests, waterfalls etc., and while we like it a lot, it doesn't really compare to Dominica - but then where else does? Dominica is just a gem! people are nice here, MUCH nicer than in Union, there are great markets and supermarkets in St. George's, the infrastructure here is a lot better than Dominica (better roads etc.), and if Phillip didn't have to go back into US waters for green card purposes, we would stay here during the hurricane season because it really is lovely. Some wonderful anchorages nearby, great beaches, plenty to do - but we have to get back so that's a moot point.
My birthday was on Monday 6th, thanks to everyone who called and emailed me - we had drinks with John Cooper (see notes below) and then dinner with Paul and Joyce on their boat, so it was a lovely day. We found kit kats in CK's (about 3 miles from here) at a very reasonable price, so I bought out the entire stock (only 2 small boxes) - wish they had more.
For some reason, the beach scene below really reminded me of the Ramsgate lagoon (in South Africa), near the Blue Lagoon teahouse.
This was one of the many bays in Grenada - lined with fishing boats.
The house below is called a Janet house - they are all over the island and were gifts from Venezuela after Hurricane Janet tore through here (1978 I think) doing terrible things to the island.
For those of you wanting to get a good deal on a light aircraft - this is the place to come - a couple of "fixer uppers" right here, just need a lick of paint and new tyres and you're ready to go.
This is a papaya tree - can't remember if it's male or female.
This is the other papaya tree - the opposite gender of the one above.
These are cotton silk trees - the cotton used to be used for stuffing pillows, but now no longer used actively by Grenada.
Incredible flowers - such bright colors - hard to describe how vivid they are and the photos don't do them justice.
Nutmeg trees. The natural shape of a nutmeg tree is like a Christmas tree - but most of the trees on the island were damaged by Hurricane Ivan last year, so there are very few Christmas tree shaped nutmeg trees here - thankfully the trees have grown back so nutmeg abounds.
There were so many fruits and veggies - hard to remember them all (but I'll try). Guava, sapodilla, breadfruit, lemongrass, lemons, limes, mandarin oranges, sour oranges, pineapples, bananas, cocoa beans (you can suck them if you like - they are covered with a thick goo that tastes nothing like chocolate and is not really to my taste), papayas, nutmeg trees, sugar cane, mahogany trees, silk cotton trees, grapefruits, starfuits, tomatoes, noni fruit, cashew nuts, cinnamon, bay leaves, mint, aloe, turmeric, callabash, coconuts, dasheen, tania, coffee beans, and many more I'm sure I've forgotten.Some crazy hairpin bends!
The crater lake in the Grand Etang rain forest. Phillip and I went for a wander in the actual rainforest - we could have spent hours there, it was lovely, cool, dark, with some wonderful trails laid out.
These are mona monkeys (see below for description thanks to Wikipedia). The Mona Monkey (Cercopithecus mona) is an Old World monkey that lives throughout western Africa. The Mona Monkey can also be found on the island of Grenada as it was transported to the island aboard slave ships headed to the New World during the 18th century. This guenon lives in groups of up to 35 in arboreal regions. It mainly feeds on fruit but sometimes eats insects and leaves.
The Mona Monkey has brown agouti fur with a white rump. Its tail and legs are black and the face is blue-grey with a dark stripe across the face. The Mona Monkey carries food in cheek pouches.
By the waterfalls, this little girl was hamming it up for her parents (who were taking photos) - she was a doll!
Annandale waterfall. As usual, Joyce is right there in the water - a real water baby! Phillip watches (and is probably making fun of her) - if you look closely, behind Joyce under the waterfall, a local is taking a shower - not just a rinse off, but a full scale shower with soap and shampoo.
Andreas and Phillip in the back of the mini van.
Andreas and his wife Cathy are from Germany on board SV Aphrodite - they've done a lot of sailing around the Middle East and Europe and are good fun. We're going to the Dodgy Dock tonight with them for happy hour and dinner.We met up again with John Cooper - we first met him in St. Thomas when he helped Phillip fix our wind generator - on board the catamaran Durban Dancer - he's a Brit from Staffordshire and we just loved him - full of fun, great personality, has you in fits of laughter all the time with some great stories - he was here getting his cat in dry dock for the hurricane season and we managed to have a quick drink with him before he returned to the UK. Hopefully we'll catch up with him again next year, he is a real trip and someone we'd both love to spend more time with.
View of St. George's.
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