Back in Prickly Bay, Grenada, and a Hash

I can't believe that we've done it again - 10 days without sending out a weblog. Sorry, sorry, sorry.

Last posting covered our great hike up Chapeau Carre mountain. Two days later, the four of us (D & L, Terry and Kristen of "Silk Pajamas") bussed over to Windward on the east shore, and walked well over two hours around the north end of the island and most of the way back to Hillsborough. It was another great hike, with beautiful vistas of the Grenadines and interesting, although rather dry, country. It was followed by a fantastic late lunch (or early supper) at

The next day we followed "Silk Pajamas" around to the north side of Carriacou to anchor off Paradise beach. The anchorage was not as flat as Tyrel Bay, but we needed a change of scenery. We enjoyed our last days with Terry and Kristin, chatting, going ashore for pizza, and the like, and also visited with Derek of "Buzzard".

Derek is a single-hander who we see regularly up and down the island chain. He doesn't bother with SSB or Ham, but goes where he wants and when he wants in a rather fearless manner aboard his 37 foot Beneteau. He had arrived in Carriacou after winning the Single-hander's race around Bequia over the Easter weekend. We asked about why he named his boat "Buzzard", and he said his grandfather served a long time on the HMS Buzzard before accepting a job with the Canard Lines, helping fill out the roster as a First Class Steward on a new boat sailing for New York. Yes, he went down with the "Titanic".

Saying goodbye to Terry and Kristin was tough on the ninth of April, as we have spent so much time with them this season. Oh well, it will be quite special to get together again next year. We upped anchor Wednesday morning, and had a wonderful five hours to St. Georges. We only had one bite on Dawn's line, but whatever it was just straightened the barb and left us. We spent two days on a mooring outside St. Georges, expecting the wind to go quiet enough to sit on the foredeck with a glass of wine - but it was not to be. This season has not had much in the way of light winds.

We did get some shopping done, both provisions and boat maintenance material, and then Friday morning we motored around to Prickly Bay. With not much organizing, we had a party going at "De Big Fish", and we enjoyed their fantastic Callaloo Pizza with John and Alex of "Free Spirit", and Marian and Pat from "Skye". John and Alex have their boat on the hard, working through their chores.

We probably had a beer too many, especially as we signed up for Saturday's Hash. As explained last year, some expat British have revived a tradition known as the Hash House Harriers, which we are told was started by some military chaps in Burma years ago. It appears to be a drinking club with a running problem. At any rate, Friday afternoon found us high in the hills on the north-east side of the island with John and Alex; Dawn and Alex slated for the long walk, and John and I set up for the five mile run.

The trails, which ran through orchards of cocoa, banana, mango, nutmeg, orange, lime, bamboo, as well as roads, back yards, angry dogs, frightened parakeets, through streams and a bit of a swamp; were for the most part too steep to run up or down, although I think I did a lot of free-fall if that counts. We followed paths and roadways marked with little piles of shredded paper, sometimes with false trails that led you to an x of shredded paper. Those secure on the correct path would yell "On,on", while those finding the "x" would yell "On, back". Everybody hurries and cheers everybody else along the paths. Although I lost John around the stream wading, I did feel like I was keeping up with a lot of people much younger than me.

The after-hike part includes a lot of beer in a field, and the opportunity to have a small snack cooked by the locals. The ride back in the van/bus was boisterous, with stops at a couple of beer/rum shops, and a final drink at "De Big Fish".

My upper thighs are screaming at me for the second day, and we are spending our time reading and doing small chores. Interestingly, we shared the bus and much of the other event with a couple, Lynn and Paul, from a California registered Catalina 47 called "Beaudacious" We actually met them for the first time in Hillsborough while having lunch with Terry and Kristin after our Windward hike. Last night they hosted us aboard their boat along with the crew from "Free Spirit". A fun couple and a fun night. Tonight we stay home and dry out a bit. We just declined an invitation from Derek of "Buzzard". The hell here never ends.

All for now. We'll write again after we have definite plans for our crossing to Trinidad. Right now, we're looking to leave around April 22-25th, but that will depend on weather predictions. Haulout for us is in Trinidad on April 29th.