Music to My Ears

Rake & Scrape in George Town: 29 Jun 09

George Town  is the main settlement on Great Exuma Island, well south in the Exuma chain of islands or cays and right on the Tropic of Cancer.  It sits behind Stocking Island, a slither of a cay full of salt pools and lagoons.  Never-the-less, it provides perfect shelter from a boisterous Atlantic for Elizabeth Harbour and a sleepy George Town. 

After clearing in, we took a quick-ish turn around town on the one way main street, which circles Lake Victoria.  This shallow pond was once used to soak sisal to make ropes for ships of old.  Now, with its narrow 20 ft wide entrance, it is home to an array of dinghy jetties and a power boat marina.  Caribbean colours are used with much enthusiasm and are just so refreshing!  We admired a pretty white and blue Catholic Church, sugar-pink administrative buildings and blue & green supermarkets.  Whilst the Cap’n was distracted, GS made a dash for The Sandpiper, an attractive gift shop and the local straw market, where local ladies sell their handicrafts. 

Lagoon near the supermarket

Our intention had been to re-supply, refill a gas bottle, do our laundry and update friends and rellies at an internet café.  We walked town several times, dismayed by what seemed more than a summer hiatus.  Shops were either closed or closing, services no longer existed!  The best we could do was the Exuma Market (supermarket) and The Sandpiper.  On the edge of town, we found the remaining internet provider.  With double locked doors and smoked glass counter-top screens, we suspected its internet status was more a cover for a bookie/lottery joint!!!  No gas til next week, no Mom’s Hugmobile bakery and no beer, ‘cause the barman’s off for the day.  Meanwhile, at the marina, a staffer had managed to find a supply of liquid refreshment for lunch; so at least we did get WJ3 fuelled and watered.  The Motleys drowned their sorrows (finally and by sheer chance) at an attractive beach bar Chat ‘n Chill.  That’s when we discovered mozzies and sandflies!!

Chat 'n Chill

That doesn’t mean to say that we didn’t meet some very nice people.  They are in some ways friendlier than many others we’d met further south, but you can’t help notice the closer you get to the good ol’ US of A, how things change.  Rake & Scrape is the music of these islands.  It has grown from a reggae beat.  It’s less vibrant and more reserved than its Trinidadian cousin.  Less feelin’ in deh bones, mon!!

WJ3 off Stocking Island, near Georgetown Exuma Islands
 (and that's Bruce on the beach)

During winter months (March & April), George Town hosts two large regattas, attracting up to 500 yachts of varying sizes.  Ordinarily, 200 plus boats are at anchor in Elizabeth Harbour.  We’re not quite sure how the town manages to support these itinerant visitors - we heard of live-aboards who stay for 6 months at a time.  It must be as over-whelming for the village as we were under-whelmed by it.  Three days…too long for us!  But, as they say – maybe you just have to live here and get into the riddem, mon!

Rescue the Perishing

Hotel Trinidad: 25 May 09

Last Supper in Trindad?

An uneasy feeling hanging over our heads is that it is almost June.  Now, how did this happen?  We decide that the Motleys live “in reverse”, which comes from existing half a world away and upside down….  You know how it is; it’s summer here and everyone else is laying up for the “season”.  Stoically, the Motleys are splashing and plan, against the trend, to actually sail north.  It’s the ANTI thing! (Antipodeans are we.)  So here we go…

Ice Water play steel drums at Sails

Working on the premise that it’s never, ever too late…we delay our splash scheduled for 20^th to 22^nd and then again to Monday, 25^th. Our plans for a little weekend shakedown cruise down-island disappear in a wisp of breeze. Final boat bits arrived (from the US) in the nick of time – and you guessed it – one was the wrong size and had to be returned!! You remember the refrain from Hotel California?  "You can check out any time you like but you can never leave"....

 

Welcome to Hotel Trinidad. 

Splashing at Last

Finally, finally though, it did all happen.  We splashed!  Cap’n Cool stayed on board whilst hunky Michael took us for our ride out to the dock.  Even so, our scheduled uplift had been put back a few hours due to staff shortages.   By this, we'd grown to respect Trini time.  Eventually WJ3 put her feet in the water.  Woohoo! 

We anchored in Chaguaramas Bay with sufficient time to clear customs without attracting overtimes fees and, most importantly, just before the duty-free shop closed.  Bruce, loaded to the gunnels with cases of beer, bottles of rum and final provisions made quite a picture at Crewes Inn dingy dock!

Take me to the River

All things in T&T move slowly except for clearing the country.  WJ3 had to be clear within the hour.…  Luckily, we set sail on the day the rule was eased to 4 hours.  Would we clear the coast in that time?  Given that we set our first leg for Bequia, we needed a good nights sleep.  

Darkness was fast approaching and the Bocas can be quite dangerous at night.  So, after sneeking into the depths of Scotland Bay, we ate, slept and prepared ourselves mentally for the 152nm 32hr voyage.  Was Boy Wonder right?  Would we cut the mustard?  Two old codgers together sailing off into the sunset….  

 

From: Chaguaramas, Trinidad Lat/Long: 10 41N  61 39W  Date/Time: 27/5/09: 1700

To: Scotland Bay, Trinidad  Lat/Long: 10 42N  61 39W  Date/Time: 27/5/09: 1800

Time Taken: 5nm (1hrs)  Distance (this year): 5nm (1hrs)

Distance Total (since 2008): 854nm  (179hrs)   Fastest Speed: Trini time**

Weather: Winds E turning NE 0-15kts; 2-4ft waves; E swell;

(** A very calm night with only the hooting & barking of Howler monkeys to disturb our dreams.  Speed?  Well, perhaps not on a sail boat…)