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.

Going like Wildfire....

And Finally, Sweet Bequia: 27 Aug 08

The Madonna's

Our early morning cruise took us south past The Pitons, which we promptly christened “the Madonna’s”.   Not due to our religious education in St Martin you understand but after the songstress with the pointy black brassiere. Those of you old enough may remember her and get the joke! The whole area of The Pitons is a marine reserve and it looked well cared for, despite the whole island being ringed, even well out to sea, by a floating field of old coconuts (forgivable) and soft drink bottles (definitely not forgivable, Mr Coca Cola).

Lone Guide

Our way out of St Lucia was guided for us by a lone, battle scarred dolphin. He stayed long enough in the calm waters for me to get a nice picture (that’s Big Bertha, our huuuuge but reliable anchor - oh so picture-worthy!).

St Vincent coastline

In dead calm, we motored past St Vincent, with its wild, rugged landscape and black sandy beaches fringed by coconut palms. Hardly surprisingly, Wallilabou Bay was used as one of the sets for “Pirates of the Caribbean”. Someone, inspired perhaps by these possibilities, had in June, attacked & robbed a cruising/charter yacht on the north of the island. Nasty business. Interestingly, the island’s only obvious, well used anchorage was a protected marina. Such a shame for local business. Especially when so much of the Caribbean relies on tourism for income. 

Rain over St Vincent

Off St Vincent we hit increasingly heavy rain squalls. It was during one of these unpleasant times that finally….the zzziiiiiing of the rod! We had hooked something big!! Before we could even release the rod from its holder, the game was all over! The line had run off the reel… Say no more! 

The Cap’n said it was the first time he had heard the Galley Slave swear…true dinks!! Well, we had been trawling that lure over 5 long days! So somewhere in the sapphire blue waters of the Caribbean is a fish with a big headache, a mouthful of plastic bait and trailing 300 feet of hi-vis green, nylon line.

Then.  The heavens opened up.  BW shares this photo from the comfort of down below.  Why keep a dog and bark as they say....

Rain Rain Go Away

We arrived in Bequia at 6pm in fading light, anchoring off Tony Gibbons Beach in water so clear we could see the bottom (20ft down) even then. For the first time, Cap’n Spring-loaded could easily see the anchor and chain. For the first time, he did not have to dive down to check on it! We could, we hoped, finally begin cruising for pleasure….

From:  Marigot Bay, St Lucia  Lat/Long: 13 58N  61 02W  Date/Time: 27/8/08: 0620

To:  Bequia, Grenadines  Lat/Long: 13 00N  61 15W  Date/Time: 27/8/08: 1730
Time Taken: 60nm (13hrs)  Distance (this year): 608nm (131hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 608nm  (131hrs)   Fastest Speed: 5.3kts motoring
Weather: Winds calm; small swell hardly noticeable; rain squalls

Anyone paying attention to my navigation will notice that a. we have been dropping degrees like wildfire (now at 13N…the safety hurricane free limit is now 11 – so not too far to go!) and b. that we are riding in a west sweeping arc as we head towards the equator and the coast of South America.  Following in the footsteps of Columbus in the 1500’s.