Well, from famine to feast, it seems. We had a quiet start to our short season down
here, with lots of work and little socializing.
While in Bequia, things have been heating up considerably. Although s/v Fido headed south to meet
guests, we replaced them quickly with Al and Michelle of s/v Tarentela and of
course with Steve and Maria of Aspen, and also Greg and Kathy of Indigo. Soon, even more of the old gang arrived:
Dream Catcher, Changes, Prism, Oasis, Katahdin, Clarity, and many more. Jumbie also arrived from Grenada, also having
a shorter season for very similar reasons as we are.
We have made the floating bar a major success; especially as
again this year, we have too many people to enjoy each others’ cockpits.
The bar swarms with us at least two nights
out of three.
We have also done the usual
rum shop tours, snorkeling, restaurant visitations, and of course hiking: Ma
Peggy’s Rock, the park to the north of Cinnamon Garden, and the top of Mount
Pleasant.
The last hike had 23 people.
As well, the girls have started up a women’s
lunch here, with good attendance on 3 different Wednesdays and 3 different
restaurants.
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| Twenty three of us headed out for an uphill hike in Bequia! We split up at noon and went to various restaurants where we undid the benefit of hiking in exchange for beers with lunch! |
Dawn and I also went on our own little adventure. We caught what was supposed to be a perfect
weather window for a trip to the Tobago Keys:
low winds and waves for both the trip and for a lovely visit to a
special place. It didn’t work out,
however; as the forecasts were terribly wrong.
The sails there and back were bumpy, and the wind and seas grew to the
point that the water was in a horrible state in the Keys. We stayed two nights in sheltered anchorages,
and hightailed ‘er back to Bequia.
Yesterday was absolutely unique, however.
Dean of Dream Catcher voiced his wish to book
passage on the local tourist boat the Friendship Rose – an old wooden schooner
that used to be the mail boat and primary ferry from the main island – to go to
Mustique.
The rest of us said he had
half an idea, and yesterday, we all jumped on for a full day trip – not upwind
to Mustique, where they don’t seem to want us anyway – but across the wind to
the Tobago Keys.
It was fantastic, with
great sailing, complete with two major squalls, good food and drink, and fantastic
camaraderie.
Dawn got into the water for
some fantastic photography as well.
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| Friendship Rose at 7:00 am just before boarding |
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| The crew of Friendship Rose hoisting the sails while we looked on. |
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| The Friendship Rose taken from Cat Tales when we sailed by them on our last trip to Bequia a couple weeks ago. |
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| The twenty of us "little boat sailors", who paid for and jumped aboard the Friendship Rose for a fun filled day of being spoiled rotten! Would we do it again? Hell, yes! |
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| A beautiful parrot fish seen at the Tobago Cays |
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| Dawn took this picture of a turtle who really didn't mind spending time in front of her camera! |
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| Steve steering the boat while John, the captain has time to spend with guests. Laurie is featured in the background. |
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| Steve and Maria (not on their own boat Aspen) |
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| Fran and Chris, (not on their own boat Changes) |
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| Rick (Clarity), Fran (Changes) and Dawn (Cat Tales) doing what they do best... |
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| Laurie and Chris making excellent bookends for these new young sailors! |
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| We are off-loaded from the Friendship Rose to be taken to the beach and/or off to snorkel, and we see that it's our old friend Sekie from Chatham Bay on Union Island operating the tourist boat! He and his wife operate a restaurant on the beach and we met them years ago and see them from time to time when we return to their little piece of heaven. So nice to see old friends! |
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| Perfection! |
This is pretty much the turning point for us now. We’ll carry on here possibly until Saturday,
when we’ll start back south to Grenada.
We hope to have time in both Chatham Bay and in Tyrell Bay, but need to
have a few days in Prickly Bay before our haulout on April 12th.
If any of you from New Brunswick enjoy this update, and feel
like sending us an email update of NB personal happenings (or wherever you are),
please do so. We often arrive home
feeling like we know nothing about what’s been happening with most of you, and
it is a bit depressing. Please be
advised that we are both well and enjoying life down here.
TECHNICAL
Not much to report on regarding Cat Tales’ condition.
We have been enjoying a great period of
mechanical stability.
That being said,
it IS time to get the list of projects ready for the season’s end.
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| Laurie is under the boat cleaning the barnacles and fuzz off the props! |
