Life's Little Pleasures

An Underwater Garden: 7 Sep 08

Dear Diary. It’s quarter past 4 and my husband’s just gone out snorkelling….I never see him again…..  Sounds like a case for Mike Nelson!

Bequia - steep & colourful

Hollywood’s out fishing, Cap’n Coronary is reading (obviously way too much murder mystery) and I’ve been out snorkelling. We’re very happy to be back out at the beach again. However, our arrival back to Bequia was met with very strong northerly swells and a couple of days of wild winds and heavy rains. So, we moved camp to better protection, deeper into Admiralty Bay - in amongst the real live-aboards & lone, long-term cruisers! 

Day-to-day life on-shore is also more interesting – they sure do have some loud “discussions” over here! We also caught some model boat racing – no engines or remotes – just good old fashioned craftsmanship and strong arms to keep up on a kayak. There was much discussion over rules too – both during and after the race!!

Model Boat Racing

Just to the west of the beach is a nice little coral reef where we’ve spent many an early morning. Today I saw a large octopus trying unsuccessfully to hide himself from us under too small a rock shelf; a smallish green/black spotted moray eel also hiding his head and forgetting about his 2 foot tail, and a lone coral snake fossicking about for his dinner. They still seem to slither, even underwater! Fish are quite plentiful, though mostly littlies, and vary from some keen to remain camouflaged and others prepared to stand out in a crowd. A cute little black one with bright neon blue spots swam in and out of bowl-shaped corals, happy to ignore me. 

Traditional Fishing Boats

There’s the occasional large parrot fish (very pretty colours) and my favourite - little spotted trunkfish that look like floating samosas…..Their odd pyramid shape and large googly eyes make for amusing watching as they struggle to stay upright in current and waves. Trumpet fish are also comical as they float head down, their long thin bodies waving like weed over the corals. Sometimes you feel as if you are swimming in a cloud of fish as little ones, enjoying the safety of shallow and warm waters, swirl by. I’m a floater whereas the Cap’n likes a dive, so he’d found a couple of crayfish in deeper waters hiding under rock shelves. We’ve also seen garden eels swaying in their sandy ‘beds”, a flying gurnard with very large “wings” and amazingly, quite a few small turtles out to nibble on grass growing beneath WJ3. Anyway, they’re all safe as we’ve discovered the local fish market.

Nice toona mon!

Fishermen announce their arrival to Port Elizabeth’s market traditionally by the sound of a conch shell horn. (Oh, we wondered what that sound was!!)   The Cap’n stumbled upon their market stalls while disposing of our rubbish one day and since then we’ve dined on fresh toona and saamons. Neat! We had to eat out for lambi (conch) though; a local favourite but somewhat of a rarity these days due to over-fishing.

Scurfing again

Boy Wonder has been pursuing his own version of "surkelling" - over Devil’s Table. Those nasty northerly swells brought in a few decent waves over a large coral reef at the entrance to Admiralty Bay. Well, it’s one way to burn off steadily accumulating tummy rolls (too much good home cooking, hmmmm?), the odd bit of skin and meet underwater locals, like stinging coral…   

As you can see, life isn’t without its traumas. Our trusty Cap’n went to retrieve a towel he’d found in deep water (ever the bargain hunter!). Trouble was it was home to a 4 foot moray eel who wasn’t the least amused at the interruption to his quiet reverie. Fortunately, both swan very quickly in opposite directions!

Refueling & rewatering Bequia (Daffodil) style

GS also spend the morning rescuing a “squidgy” with little black googly eyes from our toilet bowl. Somehow he’d managed to get pumped in….say no more! Anyway, he’s now back hanging about under the boat with all his little mates!! They never learn……..

Free Spirits

Rolls for Breakfast: 4 Sep 08

Walter on Free Spirit

We woke to a beautiful morning, blue skies and calm-ish waters; and the sound of a lone motorboat! Walter on Free Spirit had warm bread rolls on offer – who could say no? We chatted for a while and like Banana Boy Nelson, he too had sampled the delights of Kens Cross, mon! Seems many serve on container ships to save enough to buy a boat (well, build actually) and start a business. Needless to say, we also purchased a couple of t-shirts….who would believe you? Out in the middle of the Caribbean Seas on a lonely deserted island? We thought about asking Walter if he took Visa, just for a lark!

Bruce making his own friends..

Business conducted, we took Bruce to the edge of the reef again and tied up to a diving buoy on the inside of Horseshoe Reef. At first I hesitated, but when Cap’n Snorkel stood up on a sandy bank, that was enough enticement to get wet! The water was soooo clear, it wasn’t especially deep and colourful fish were plentiful – in all sizes. It was like swimming in a huge aquarium. I did see a couple of medium-sized rays, although our trusty Cap’n had seen a leopard ray the day before, and a nurse shark!!! Rather than tempt Bruce’s patience yet again, the Cap’n towed me home to WJ3. I kept thinking about trolling and whether I might be considered a bit of a tasty dish dangling off the back of Bruce like that..… Deh sure make dem parrut fis BiiiiiiG out here, mon!! 

Isn't the water clear?

WJ3 headed back to Bequia and for once, the wind stayed to our advantage. We made excellent time and Bert performed like a star, even under pressure. One of those big inter-island ferries came charging over to take a closer look… Now where did we put that life-raft? And can I pack the camera/computer/cooking book/clean undies in time? The Captain gave us a hearty wave from his bridge window and several of the passengers also waved. The Motleys, now somewhat weak & pasty, waved back. Ho, ho…what a laugh!

Sailing by Tobago Cays

Just as we recovered, the Cap’n spied shoaling waters up ahead. Boy Wonder grabbed the wheel whilst the Cap’n dashed below to check the charts…. “Looks like big fish to me,” said GS (no glasses on obviously). “Its dolphins,” said BW, “on the hunt.” There must have been 100 or more dolphins in a huge pod, leaping through the water, not the least bit interested in us. One of nature’s true wonders (and too quick to photograph)!

Back to Bequia, back to Tony Gibbons Beach and back to Whistling Willy in No Complain rowing through the sea of switches.fr in his little skiff, hoping to sell hand-carved creations. Almost feels like home…

From:  Mayreau, Tobago Cays  Lat/Long: 12 38N  61 24W  Date/Time: 4/9/08: 1130

To:  Bequia, Grenadines  Lat/Long: 13 00N  61 15W  Date/Time: 4/9/08: 1600
Time Taken: 34nm (4.5hrs)  Distance (this year): 676nm (142.5hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 676nm  (142.5hrs)   Fastest Speed: 7kts**
Weather: Winds SE 10-12kts; 2-4ft swell; strong current 1-1.5kts pushing us westwards; fine day but cloudy; nice beam  reach.
(**Held for 2 seconds! And the award goes to the Galley Slave)   

A Road too well Travelled

Tobago Cays

Baradal Island

Mid-morning, the Cap’n visited a nearby village shop only to find they didn’t stock coke, much less tonic; in fact nothing much at all and weren’t open until 3.30pm anyway (after lunch, mon). So we took advantage of clearing skies to motor back out to the Cays. Sunshine can really make a difference! Small white beaches fringed with coconut palms stood out in clear turquoise waters. Only two cruisers remained on moorings, braving the sloppy southerly still coming in. We sought refuge in the lee of Petit Bateau and although a strong current pushed through the channel, we felt protected – and alone – very alone! Nice!

Narrow channel between islands

Petit Bateau suffers the scars of commercialism – strands of wire stretched between coconut palms (to display t-shirts); tables & benches for beach barbeques; a little litter and quite a few discarded conch shells. Moorings and ropes to tie vendor boats to coconut trees bobbed about, quietly empty and very indicative of the lowest of low season’s inactivity. These blights aside, the area is remarkably well managed to ensure huge numbers of visitors (daily) do not impinge too much on the pristine (and fragile) beauty of these very small Cays. Having said that, I believe we were extremely fortunate to have been visiting in low season, in bad weather…..

An Aussie in Tabago Cays

Armed with only a good guess, we took Bruce to try and find the passage through the reef to Petit Tabac. With breaking waves over the edge of the reef, a strong ocean swell and coral heads just popping up everywhere…we abandoned our attempts at being Robinson Caruso and headed to Jamesby’s secluded little beach. Poor Bruce was picked up in the waves and crash landed, not before biting me for my trouble. Again, we turned around to head for the relative safety of Petit Bateau and WJ3. Snorkeling could wait until morning....

Only in the Magazines...

Glamorous Glossies: 3 Sep 08

Thankfully, our trip south was uneventful - this is after all the land of coral reefs and hidden rocks. Our advice was to only navigate in good light…of course, the day was overcast…and a stiff southerly was blowing up. Good start? 

Petit Tabac over Horseshoe Reef

The Grenadines are islands within an island chain. Mostly all closely set; meaning short trips – great said GS! Some are inhabited; others are not. Some are exclusive (Mustique) and others are the homes of simple fishing folk. All, though not so lushly vegetated as St Vincent, have clear turquoise waters and white sandy beaches fringed by coconut palms. Probably most advertising glossies are taken in these parts; on the one day a year when the sky is quite blue & cloudless and the seas calm. 

Beach at Petit Bateau

We motored past Canouan, listening to prickly chat on the radio; the needs of rich resort owners versus locals; one of the down sides of a country dependent on tourism. Once past Glossy Head, (soon to be Glossy Flat - it’s being levelled for a runway extension?? A sign of the times, sigh...) we could see Tobago Cays in the distance, Petit Tabac and its coconut palms shimmering like a mirage.

Our course took us nearly to Mayreau, where we turned expectantly out to the Cays. The Tobago Cays are a group of 5 (really small) islands surrounded by an extensive system of coral reefs; the largest is called Horseshoe Reef (for obvious reasons) and one further out, World’s End. Keeping a close eye on the GPS/charts, the Cap’n carefully navigated our way into a small channel between the largest islands, then out into a sea..….of moorings! You can see them in the large photo above! All of which were exposed to an increasing southerly buster! All 5 or 6 mooring occupants looked as if they were going to have a “swell” night of it. No thanks! We turned back for a small anchorage we spotted on Mayreau, all the while wondering what the fuss was about! Was that it? Had the advertising glossies been over-generous?

Salt Whistle Bay Mayreau

Salt Whistle Bay is a pristine, little bay to the north side of Mayreau, though not a well kept secret. It has the “ruins” of a once enticing, low-key resort and is now home to a few boat boys trying hard to sell barbeques & in-season fruit to self-sufficient charterers. Oh yes, the small bay was crammed…I would hate to see it in peak season! We also suspected skulduggery of sorts… a bareboater was asked to move anchorage, allowing a cat of bloaters (what else?) access to the prime spot in the bay…..Very naughty indeed, if true!

Luckily we managed to snaffle a spot; only because it was near the reef, not the beach, where we settled in for the night to hide away from increasingly strong winds.

From:  Bequia, Grenadines  Lat/Long: 13 00N  61 15W  Date/Time: 2/9/08: 1020

To:  Mayreau, Tobago Cays  Lat/Long: 12 38N  61 24W  Date/Time: 2/9/08: 1645
Time Taken: 34nm (6.5hrs)  Distance (this year): 642nm (137.5hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 642nm  (137.5hrs)   Fastest Speed: Motoring**
Weather: Winds SSE 10-12kts; 2-4ft swell; strong current 1-1.5kts pushing us westwards; overcast.
(**Bert’s really feeling neglected now!)   

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.