Back in South Africa

After cruising in Grenada and the Grenadines I sailed Mila back to Trinidad. She was hauled by Power Boats and is now resting on the hard.
Arno and his wife, living in Chaguaramas is looking after Milo the boat cat, had an email to say that Milo is well, hunting all day and just come back for a cuddle and food.
I left Trinidad on the 9th and had a very long flight with Emirates. Took 3 days to get to South Africa with long sit overs at New York and Dubai. Nice to be back in this beautiful country and to be with family and friends. My grand children are growing up to fast.
Have a lot to do in my son's office, its me and Pastel again. Went to Langebaan last weekend and visited all the friends on the West Coast. Watched rugby at the local Yacht Club.
Thats all for now.

The Grenada University

The

The beach at Carriacou

More Carnival Madness in Grenada

Carnival time in Grenada

St George's waterfront called "The Carenage"

This is Fort George in Grenada with a Passenger Cruising Boat in the background.

Grenada

At long last could we untie our mooring lines. It took 6 weeks to get Mila's engine repaired and all the time we were on a mooring. We left for Grenada on Thursday the 16th and had a very unpleasant sail as the wind turned from easterly to north/north easterly, resulting with the wind on the nose. We finally made it to Grenada after 16 hrs and anchored in Prickly Bay for the night. The next morning we sailed to St Georges and anchored in the lagoon. Grenada is beautiful but we are getting a lot of rain every day. We have explored a bit of the island on bicycle and visited the Old Town and the new Cruise Boat Port complex. We plan to stay here for a while and then sail further north to Carriacou.

Marinna enjoying a swim
Cycling on the road to the golf course

Mila back in the water

It’s been a long 2 years for Mila on the hard at Power Boats but eventually she was launched on the 27th of May and all went well. Nick and Lynette from the yacht Ukulele Lady joined me for a weekend in Scotland Bay. Unfortunately the fan belt broke on the engine with serious repercussions. The cam belt broke causing the timing to go out and this bent an exhaust valve and broke the cam shaft. The spares had to come from Sweden and up to date I am waiting for the mechanic to assemble the head. Promised me to have it ready a week ago, but this is Trinidad. Mila is on a mooring in Chaguaramas Bay. We have 15 South African boats moored around us.
Our plans are to sail to Tobago as soon as the engine is fixed and then further north as far as Bequia, depending on the hurricanes
Till later

More on the Grenadines

One is inclined to draw comparisons of the lifestyle and general living conditions of the places that one visit. For me the most outstanding, if I have to compere Trinidad to the places that I visited up north would be the weather. Although they have a lot of rain in the Grenadines it is not so humid and in Bequia in the evening it became quit chilly. For the first time in a year I had to put on a T shirt sitting outside on deck. The trades seems to cool it down and make life more comfortable. Trinidad has it downsides, but as far as prices are concern for foodstuff it is still the cheapest place to stock your boat.
Walter and I wanted to buy a watermelon on Union Island but after we heard the price the taste became sour in our mouths. The 14lb watermelon cost R300.00 that's about 35US. In South Africa I could buy 30 watermelons for that price. Beer was R28.00 (3US) per can and a local guy in a fishing boat wanted to sell his lobsters for 100 EC that's about 38 US each.
Eating out in the restaurants can be expensive but if you go and eat with the locals you can still find good food as a reasonable price. You just have to be content with the loud music.
St Vincent like Trinidad has to many cars on the road but the people are friendly and they welcome the yachties

The pearls in the Caribbean

It was time to leave Trinidad as the extension on my visa expired the end of April. I was fortunate to be invited by Walter and Jacqui on Jean-Marie. They, with Tristan, Walter's son met me in St Vincent and after spending some time in the botanical garden we took the ferry to Bequia where Jean-Marie was anchored. Of all the Islands that we visited my favourite will be Bequia. We took a walk up the hill and had sun downers and happy hours on the beach.
St Vincent and the Grenadines is part of the Windward Islands. Its closest neighbour is Granada, 120 miles to the south and St Lucia 40 miles to the north. St Vincent is the largest of the more than 30 Islands that comprise the nation St Vincent and the Grenadines. The Grenadines themselves extend to the south and among these Islands are Young Island, very close to St Vincent. Bequia about 8 miles from St Vincent and then further south Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, Tobago Cays, Union Island, Palm Island and Petit St Vincent.
I think the pearl of the Caribbean is Tobago Cays where the water is so clean and clear that you can see the anchor in 40ft water. The Tobago Cays were declared a wildlife preserve by Government in 1998. The huge horseshoe reef that protects these five islets with their dazzling, palm studded shorelines, provides some of the best snorkeling and diving in the world. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to snorkel here amongst the turtles and the beautiful coral reef.
After spending some time in the Cays we sailed to Mayreau, but they had a regatta on and the music on the beach was to loud so we decided to sail to Union Island. Anyone that visits this Island must go to Happy Island for Happy hour. It was great to be a quest of Walter, Jacqui and Tristan who really went out of their way to make my stay on board a happy and enjoyable one. I will treasure the memories of the time that we were together. Soon it was time to leave and after saying our fairwells I departed with the ferry to St Vincent to fly from there to Trinidad.
I am counting the days now for Marinna to arrive so that I can launch Mila and go and show her the pearls of the Caribbean.

Granadines

Tristan with the lobster


Tristan and me in Tobago Cays












Tobago Cays

Tobago Cays

Iguana on one of the Islands in Tobago Cays
Walter relaxing with a drink on Jean-Marie
My gift from Tristan

Me on Union Island

Union Island

Walter and me at the Anchorage Yacht Club on Union Island
Walter and Jacqui at the hut on the hill overlooking the anchorage on Union Island
Happy Island
Yachts at anchor in Union Island with Happy Island in the background

St Vincent and the Grenadines

The anchorage in Port Elizabeth on the Island of Bequia
Walter and me in the botanical garden in St Vincent
Market day in St Vincent
Having lobster on board Jean-Marie. My wellcome gift from Tristan

Mila in Power Boats

Mila in her new colours.

Christmas and New Year in Power Boats