Gunkholing the Grenadines

Busy Birdies

“Bequia sweet sweet” is said to be the call of a little local bird here in Bequia. He’s got it right really, as this small island is a very pretty start to the Grenadines. (Well, technically St Vincent’s is the start of SVG, but who’s checking facts here?) Anyway, our anchorage off Tony Gibbons Beach is just beautiful and Port Elizabeth is like stepping back in time. It reminds me in some ways of an easy-going New Guinea in the 70’s – basic, yet with a few surprises, like a wonderful bookstore! The town has most essentials, provides a large selection of dingy docks (which is welcoming sign to yotties) and we’ve managed to locate other nuts and bolts like internet and a good bar or two. We also tasted our first decent curries (with parathas) at the Gingerbread Restaurant, made with really nice curry pastes (rather than that awful job-lot curry powder that’s used locally with wild abandon!).

Canvas beach house; really steep road

Bequia is a regular overnight stop for many charter floaters. Tony Gibbons is their anchorage of choice and it was here that we finally worked out that switch.fr was not following us down-island; it was a fleet of charter cats, stretching from BVI to Bequia and beyond! At least 8 large cats sail into this rapidly filling bay every evening around dusk. All of course, are filled with sweet young things (even so, we still can’t manage off-load BW) and piloted by rather cavalier skippers, who clearly left home still knowing everything…. These cats are powered at speed into the best spots (even if you happen to be in it already), anchors are cast without much thought for surrounding craft and like magnets, they have a need to be close together, regardless! We are constantly in awe.

Admiralty Bay sunset

Even the Cap’n was reduced to having words one night! And we also saw the look of horror on a near neighbour’s face when he arrived back from a shopping trip to see a huge cat parked up his clacker! At least they are generally gone by early morning!

In light of the good weather (and our closeness to Grenada), Cap’n Spring-loaded decided to have WJ3’s unfinished canvas work seen to. We placed our order with Withfield Sails, so while work was underway, the motley crew set off to explore nearby Mayreau and Tobago Cays.