Tobago Cays and Bequia

From Union Island we headed over to the Tobago Cays where we stayed for two nights. Everything that can be said about the Cays has probably already been said either by us or by Julie but it is still a beautiful place to lay down an anchor. It was even better this time because there were not a lot of boats there - mostly charters - so we didn't have to worry about other boats swinging or dragging anchor or whatever. We also didn't need to take as much care about mad "dinghyists" roaring around. We took some time and snorkelled again in the turtle area and this trip spent some time exploring the reef. It was great snorkelling as usual although the turtle area was a bit murky this time, likely due to boat boys bringing people into the roped off area from the yachts so they could snorkel off the beach.

Griff swimming with the turtles

Colourful reef fish

We decided to only stay two nights as there was a lot of wind chop which roughened up the water a bit for swimming. Cheryl has started to swim around the boat 12 times each day for exercise and the more choppy, the more un-nice it is. One of the good things about the Cays is your are exposed to the full east wind without experiencing the easterly swells. The down side is that the full east wind usually produces lots of wind chop - at least whenever we have been there (3 times now - wow).

So, on to Bequia. By the way, as short as it was, the sail to the Cays from Union was great - good wind and good seas - and that proved true for the trip to Bequia. We came out of the Cays via Baleine Rocks and then passed Canuoan on the west side so that we would have good winds the whole trip. Cheryl even passed the boat in front of us - super sailing. We got to Bequia in good time and anchored off Princess Margaret Beach. We stayed well back this time. Before we would have to get a little closer to town so that we would have internet but with our new wifi rig we are able to get it practically anywhere within a couple of miles. We only stayed at Bequia 2 nights - mostly for laundry, a bit of shopping, got a guy we had used before to do some work on a pump that I couldn't figure out (a spare) and then we also had to clear out of St Vincent and the Grenadines. We did a bit of walking around but since we had seen everything we had wanted to on previous visits, it was mostly an anchor drop and lift.

Princess Margaret Beach

Onward northward!!!!

Union Island - October 2009 - Going North

Well, we left Carriacou for Union Island in the morning. We weren't in a hurry because it is only about 8 nm. Had great winds and seas so sailed pretty quickly and when we got to Union we found it relatively deserted. It is really quite early in the season. A lot of people can't go north of Grenada - some even further down - because of hurricane insurance regulations but ours allows us to go up to Bequia before hurricane season is over.

We anchored facing east on the reef that is on the east side of the harbour. In front of us was the little island bar we mentioned in our last blog from Union Island. It's nice there because we get the winds but not the seas and we were mostly the only ones there. We were surprised at the number of charter boats that are out. First of all, hurricane season is not officially over until November and secondly, the "real" cold season has not really started up north. I think I would wait until I was freezing my butt!!

Anyway, it was nice in the anchorage and when we went ashore, we were able to find some really neat things we had not seen before Went up an alleyway that had a sign for Castello's and it was this funky little path that went through gardens and past little shops that were open but had no one there and then a few little bars and a bunch of bird sanctuaries (huge cages). At one of the bars there was a lady who looked transplanted from the 50's. She was about 70 (a guess) and had long dyed black hair with bangs, shorts and a vest and some kind of boots. A guy I took for her husband/partner looked like I imagine Ernest Hemingway to look like - big bushy beard, big belly and glasses on the end of his nose. He was working on a carving and there was also a lot of art work by this "Castello" - maybe that is who the woman was???? The people we talked to indicated it was in demand and it was expensive but I didn't see a lot of talent to it. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that. All in all it was a really neat place.

We also went for a walk over the "saddle" of the island on a road that took us to a bay on the other side. We had previously walked to Ashton, a town along the coast from Clifton Harbour, but this time we crossed to the other side of the island. It was quite a pretty bay but the water was way to shallow to anchor. We didn't even see any fishing boats although there were a couple of small resort buildings.

So, even though we had been to Union twice before, we were still able to find new stuff and this is amazing on an island about half the size of Calgary with a population of only about 15,000. Maybe this being the last time we would see this island clarified our vision!

Next stop - Tobago Cays