An Easter Weekend Staycation In Grenada

It’s been 11months- almost a year since we settled down in Grenada. The seasons have changed and the cooler months of winter are coming to an end. My feelings for Grenada ebb and flow with the tide; one minute all I can see is the beauty here, the bright, the bold, the colourful, the uncomplicated friendliness of a small island. I enjoy our life here and I can see a future. Everything is great in my little piece of paradise. The water sparkles, the boat bobs gently in a calm breeze. The sky is the brightest blue and the birds chirp brightly. Ashore the land is lush and plentiful, palm trees bend gently in the wind, and flowers burst in colour and fragrance. Locals and friends greet you with smiles and charm and I genuinely feel lucky and privileged to be here; especially when there is so much craziness and uncertainty in the rest of the world.

View from the bus stop above Whisper Cove - Clarks Court Bay and Hog Island.

Then the tide turns and my feelings rush in the other direction, I long to get out of here, to set sail and be free.  The heat is oppressive, the friendly faces unwelcoming and the bureaucracy of a small island and community are draining. But these moments are less and less these days as we find our groove here. Sure there are moments when im just itching to leave and start quizing Sim about how long he wants to stay here. But then I remember what I often tell people, that I love living on a boat and travelling but that I can take or leave the sailing part. So perhaps this is the best place for us for now....until I work up the gumption or we save enough cash to go sailing again.

Wandering Star in her spot at Hog Island

 Sim is happy at work and enjoys his weekends pottering. I take huge pleasure in exploring this gorgeous island and have been lucky enough to do plenty of that recently with friends or on hashes.  Together we keep the boat running, Sim fixes things as they arise and I take care of the daily chores.  Noodling in the mornings with the girls (and some guys) is a godsend to my sanity, without which I would probably lose my mind and I also get a little exercise as well. 

Easter weekend has been and gone and Sim, who was still on holiday after a visit home to see his mum and family in the UK, had a few extra days off. So we shook out those sails and meandered around to St George's for the weekend.  It was a great break and good to way to make sure Wandering Star is still in working order.  The engine purred and the winches, sails and windlass all still work.  We had a chilled and relaxed few days pottering on the boat, snorkelling on the reef off Grand Anse Beach and beach combing on Pandy beach.  The water was clear and inviting, unlike in Hog Island and thankfully it wasn’t too rolly for the time we were around there.  Sim cooked the most amazing pork roast on Easter Sunday and Monday we pootled back around to Hog Island. We picked up our mooring and back to work (for some) it is.

Finally a sail after 11 months of not moving!

What do we get on the sail to St George's but a glorious sundog or sun halo.

Sim sitting patiently on Pandy beach while I hunt for sea glass.

Me and some of the noodle girls having a farewell coffee morning for those that are leaving.

Easter is traditionally a time for kite flying in the islands.

A quiet Hog Island....except for the cows.

Mum, Dad and baby cow on Hog Island.

Our favourite little furry thing

Beautiful Grenada, La Sargesse beach,  Lance Aux Pines beach and a goat!

On some of the hikes and hashes in Grenada 

Nature's amazing shapes and patterns.

The hiking gang, Cathy, Cathy, Cora and Andy. Grand Etang lake and Cora and I sitting at the top of Mount Qua Qua.

Tracy and I have been on lots of little outings recently including the various forts around St George's.

Where Is Home?

I have just got back from a wonderful visit back home to the UK to spend a bit of time with my family and friends. I loved my few weeks there just hanging out with the people I love, getting my fix on all the conveniences I otherwise live without. I indulge in it all – the good company, the food etc.. Maybe because it was sunny (a rarity in England), but everything just looked stunning – the victorian houses, the gardens in bloom, the wild flower areas in public parks, the Cafes and bistros that lined the streets full of people sitting outside; Wimbledon embracing the tennis, and Hampton Court the flower show and the lively River Thames. I feel so privileged that this is a place I can call home. And that’s got me thinking. Where exactly is home for me now? Is it the UK? Is it Wimbledon or Surbiton where I last lived in the UK? Is it the Caribbean – a particular island – like the one we have spent the most time in or like the best? What is the concept of ‘home’ when, in the last 12 years I have never stayed in one place more than 6 or 7 months?

My passport says that I am British and my country of birth is England. My family and most of my few remaining oldest friends are all in the UK and part of my heart always will be there. But I am not a resident in the UK or any other country. So does that make me an Alien, as all non-residents of any country are known? Am I a global citizen? Is that even a thing? Where do I belong and where can I call home?

My place of sanctuary, that little piece of space I call my own is wherever the boat and Sim are. Right now I’m lucky enough to call Grenada my home. I still pinch myself when I drive through the island marvelling at how beautiful it is. I love its lush tropical greenery and the small quaint houses. I love the roadsides dotted with colour from the brightly painted roundabouts, to the man selling bbq’d corn. The colourful but paint peeling shacks and the mango trees dripping with fruit. Only when you pass the rum factory is there a distinct foul odour from the effluent they discharge but otherwise the air is hot and sticky and filled with sweet aromas (ok this includes a bit of body sweat too!). It maybe, hot, sticky, buggy, slow paced, bureaucratic and inefficient but I love this beautiful and humble island and for the time being I feel happy and lucky to call it home.

My family - mu mum and dad and my two sisters Jenny and Ali and my niece (Ali's baby) Libby.

My favourites - Jilly, Kristin and Fee

My totally awesome and very cute niece Libby.

July was such a beautiful montn weather wise in the UK - above a little bit of Surrey.

Libby in all her awesomeness

My sisters and I get along really well.

It was great to be back in Grenada again and I somehow persuded Sim to do another hash with the promise of no hiils and a short hike....He was not impressed when we realised my info was wrong

But the views were awesome and the countryside gorgoeus as always.

Despite the hills and the 5km hike we didnt finish last and Sim got to enjoy the cold beers at the end.

This is where I live - I have to pinch myself sometimes - how beautiful is that?

There we are on the other side of the bridge somewhere at the back of that big mass of boats in Hog Island.

Blasting Through The Caribbean - 10 Islands in 10 days

For personal reasons we needed to be in Grenada fairly promptly. We had stayed in St Martin/Maarten a little too long enjoying the good food, good company and a few days work Sim had picked up along the way; which meant we would have less time going down the island chain. I know we have seen all these islands before, many times, but I can’t deny I was a little sad we were dashing past. It’s like passing by old friends and not having time to say hello. Which in fact did happen and we were sorry for that too. I know too, we most likely should have night sailed to put some miles under the keel. But I wanted to at least stop each night in an island, just to see the pretty anchorages and soak up their ambience. Plus the trades were strong and the nights squally – not my favourite way to night sail.

And though it was tough at times, hard on the wind most of the way, with the trade winds howling – we stonked along; often going miles further then each day’s intended destination; the anchorages were gorgeous at each stop. And even though I only caught a glimpse of each island it was enough to fill that desire to see all these places.

Sim will tell you the sailing was great. And for the most part it was. I cant deny there were a few moments when I wanted to jump ship. Wandering Star handled it much better then I did. But being a little familiar with the islands and the gaps between them, we knew what to expect, which produced odd wind directions or where the winds bend around the islands or where the currents are strong and how far we could expect to go in one day and whether the holding will be good when we got there. It made the trip a lot easier. 

Ten days after leaving St Maarten the anchor is down in Clarks Court Bay, Grenada, in the same spot as when we left two and half years ago and it feels like we have never been away.

Leaving St Martin through the French side bridge.

Pinneys Beach, Nevis.

Little Bay, Monteserrat.

The anchorage at Deshais, Guadeloupe.

The cute little town at Deshais - where Death in Paradise is filmed...we even saw the crew there!

Deshais village on the waterfront.

Portsmouth, Dominica.

The squally windy days.

Sailing past Saint Pierre - the now dormant volcano at the north end of Martinique

The beautiful anchorage at Anse D'Arlet, Martinique.

Arriving at Rodney Bay St Lucia.

Sailing past the infamous Pitons at the south end of St Lucia.

The Captain - taking it easy in the lee of St Lucia's coast.

Leaving Bequia as the sun rises.

Lots of dolphins playing in our bow waves.

An old favourite - Tyrell Bay, Cariacou - a perfect beach for seaglass.

The anchorage at Tyrell Bay.

Local boats on the beach at Tyrell Bay.

Sailing To Luperon

Crossing the Caicos Banks......can you see the big coral patch?

We left the Turks and Caicos at sunrise with four other boats, heading east across the Caicos banks, dodging coral heads as we went – good light is certainly needed for this area. Then we turned southeast laying a course for Luperon, in the DR.  It was a motor all the way but better that than the possible alternatives. The moon was full and shone brightly all night. 

It was a bright moonlit sail!

When the wind died we dropped the sails to stop the flogging but without their balance we rolled ceaselessly in the slight swell, so much so we slept with a leeboard up. It was a busy night on watch with cruise-ships, sailboats, tankers and motor-yachts all travelling on the same rhum-line. But the time passed quickly, we watched the sun sink behind the horizon as the moon rose and then the moon set as the sun rose again.  Its small wonders like this that makes these trips memorable. Whales were sighted by other boats but we saw none.

The sun setting 

With daylight we could make out the land looming in the distance, the kitty stepped out into the cockpit sniffing the air some 15 miles away, sensing new land was approaching.  

The kitty smelling land for miles out.

The entrance was fairly straight forward with three proper markers in the channel to guide the way in.  We touched bottom once but soon had ourselves off just as ‘Papo’ came out in his boat to guide us in and help pick up a mooring. 

The marked enterance to Luperon

We were in two minds about using a mooring over using our own anchor. We spent six weeks here six years ago on our previous boat “Alianna” where our chain was severely fouled with barnacles during that time.  Was that better than taking a mooring of suspect integrity? But at $2 a night with Papo standing there waiting, we were swayed to decision and here we still sit. 

'Papo' leading us into the anchorage in Luperon

Within minutes Papo had disappeared and returned again with the Commandante and his side kicks to check us in. All three came on board and stepped down below into the saloon. They were all incredibly friendly; the one uniformed guy spoke good English. And wherein 6 years ago they had asked us for a tip (read$$), there was none of that this time, only a request for a soda and a couple of cervezas for his sidekicks.....at only 10am in the morning it made us smile knowing that five more boats behind us would get asked the same thing....not bad for a mornings work! When they left, Sim as the captain was to go and shore and fill out the paper work for Customs, Immigration, Agriculture, Coast Guard & Port Authority at the little port-a-cabins that are used as offices near the dinghy dock.  While I waited for him to return, I put the sails away and the bimini cover back up and cleared up some of the mess that always ensues after a night sail. Then I sat in the cockpit taking in the gorgeous surroundings, the green rolling hills and boats gentle bobbing on anchor and listened to the birds sing as I tried to stay awake a little while longer.  Sim arrived back just as I was dozing off in one of those rare truley relaxed states, we had a bite to eat and then fell asleep on the sofas, tired from the night sail.

Waiting for Sim, admiring the view.

We finished the day with the crews of the boats we had travelled with a beer at Puerto Blanco Marina - giant 650ml bottles of “Presidentes” for $3 a pop. If we had had any reservations about spending time in the DR they were quickly vanishing.

650ml Presidents beers in bamboo coolers...and yes mine was a light!

Our trip east across the Caicos Banks and South to Luperon, DR.