Martinique Carnival

The carnival lasted 4 days with different colour themes for each day. It was very well organised with lots of wonderful food stalls to keep people going. Thousands of people came to enjoy themselves and were very well behaved. I never saw a sign of a policeman. By morning the streets were all cleaned. Entering into the spirit I dressed Plane Song overall for the occasion. Hope you enjoy a sample of the pictures I took.

St Lucia February 2011

During my 3rd stay in this lovely part of the Caribbean I have used the opportunity to continue essential maintenance and enjoy the company of friends made along the way. Plane Song has plenty of exterior teak which I have chosen to keep varnished. It's not too arduous a task but it does require regular attention. Suprisingly, the cockpit coaming, companionway hatch and wash boards had their last coat in the UK more than 18 months ago and now only need freshing up.

This rather spindly calabash tree produces fruit nearly the size of a football but the fruit is of no use to man nor beast. The gourd on the other hand is made ino all sorts of useful utensils

When Mary was aboard last year we had supper at a marina side restaurant and both suffered severe food poisoning. We were offered a free meal after I complained but neither of us felt brave enough to take up the offer when we had revovered several days later. During my recent stay I got to know the owner and as he remembered the incident I had dinner with him at half price with a lot of good wine thrown in-I thought it fair to offer half the cost given the time since we were poisoned. We were joined by his cousin whom he described as the Richard Branson of St Lucia. He owned an estate and an exclusive resort on the east coast frequented by the very rich and famous. A small group provided music and of course the singer turned out to be good friends of them both. She was very good and reminded me of Cleo Lane-my opinion of her talent was highly valued as my wife is an opera singer! It was a memorable evening.

However, this little corner of paradise has for me begun to loose it's appeal. Ashore at the marina I was plagued by reggae music played at unbelievably loud volume opposite my berth by a local water taxi. If this wasn't enough a charter organisation flushed diesel tanks from a catamaran upwind, spreading fuel on the water and doing this three days on the trot. My complaints to the marina had no effect.

Much more significantly than this was the unruley behaviour at the anchorage. Rodney Bay is a large bay upwards of a mile wide with lovely sandy beaches. Unlike the rest of the Grenadines, jet skiis are not banned and flourish, hired out to holiday makers who drive them at top speed amongst the yachts at anchor. They pass close by unaware that yachts swing at anchor and that their occupants like to have a swim now and then. Add to this water taxies and other local craft travelling through the anchorage at high speed and you have an accident waiting to happen. The bay has lost its appeal as an anchorage and for me it will be a brief stop over in future if need be. Ideas are afoot to charge for anchoring and if carried out will certainly drive away the cruising community.

Bequia to St Lucia February 2011

During most of our stay in Admiralty Bay the wind had been strong especially at night and in rain squalls. The topography of the bay accelerated the normal trade winds and at times it was uncomfortable when a swell developed.

Just before leaving I took a ferry to Kingstown, the main city and principle port of St Vincent. The chief attraction was the botanical gardens, although not very large it boasts some fine specimen trees.

As it rained for most of my visit, I spent time looking round the cathedral and the newly restored Methodist church. Sadly the cathedral has suffered a severe attack by termites. Most of the buildings were poor examples of modern architecture but the Police HQ had some character about it. Looked to me like it was built London bricks not doubt originally brought over as ballast. There is a fine covered market with a wonderful choice of fruit, vegetables and spices. For the equivalent of £1-20 I purchased a bag of around 30 nutmegs. Most of the fresh produce in the Grenadines comes from St Vincent.

We made an early start for the passage north with the anchor up and stowed by 0515. The channels between Bequia and St Vincent and St Vincent and St Lucia are both noted in the local guide as potentially hazardous. With 2 channels to cross in one day, I decided to leave the decision to sail the windward or leeward coasts of St Vincent until I could see the conditions. Conditions were at best marginal but a threatening large rain squall made the lee side the obvious choice.

It was possible to sail most of the length of St Vincent enjoying spectacular views of a very green island. Within 5 miles of the northern tip the large volcano which dominates the end of the island started to accelerate the wind and build up the seas. This is the price for taking the lee coast. Conditions were very rough for the next 6 to 7 miles and then gradually eased as the influence of the land diminished. Once in the lee of St Lucia the last few miles sailed to the Pitons were a delight. With the help of half a dozen boat boys we picked up a buoy and secured a line ashore round a tree in the Shadow of Petit Piton.

Next morning we made a detour round the bay before heading north to see the extent of the damage from hurricane Tomas which from the sea didn't look much. However, we were told that 20 people had died in the mud slides and quite a few of them had not been recovered. The passage north to Rodney Bay was mostly fine on the wind with a NE swell.

I decided to berth in the marina so that I could complete a number of jobs best tackled alongside. In any case, it is always nice to have power and hot water and to be able to boil an electric kettle. Just some of life's simple pleasures we tent to take for granted. It also enabled me to watch the opening games of the 6 nations rugby!

Largely because I changed my plan to head for Panama and the San Blas islands, Geva my current crew decided to try to find a boat heading in that direction. Eventually, she decided to fly to Curacao where she thought her chances of finding a boat heading west were much better than here in St Lucia. I have also decided, provided I can find experienced crew, I will now head for the Azores, rather than see out the hurricane season in the ABC islands. So now I am actively seeking crew for the Atlantic crossing to join me after Mary's holiday which ends in April. It will be lovely for us to have PS to ourselves for a month to explore Martinique and Dominica.

In the meantime, I have enjoyed dinner aboard with friends and returning hospitality on PS. I'm using the time in St Lucia to spruce up the varnish work in what must be the best possible conditions.

Carriacou and Bequia Jan 2011

The Tyrrel Bay anchorage was more crowded than I expected but then it was the beginning of the high season. A few of the yachts were well known to me from Trinidad and Grenada. Charter catamarans from the north, mostly French flagged, made up the majority. Some are crewed and mostly know safe anchoring techniques but even so they do like to get up close and personal. The holding in the bay is not very good and a friends' yacht dragged some 200 metres whilst they were ashore. Thankfully they returned in the nick of time before their anchor would have lost contact in the increasingly deeper water as it drifted away.

At a beach side cafe where I left the dingy oars for safe keeping when ashore, I noticed a tiny nest in a plant hanging from the roof inside the building. A pair of humming birds had raised young and now one of them was returning to take the goats hair from the nest to build another. All this inside a busy cafe.

We stayed 9 days before there was some relief from the strong trade winds. I thought it would be nice to go the Chatham Bay on the west side of Union island which involved checking in at Clifton just 6 miles north of Carriacou. Wind and current through the channel made for a rough passage and Clifton harbour is not very inviting so I elected to carry on to Bequia. By passing close to Mayreau it was possible to make the 15 mile passage north in one tack.

Admiralty Bay Bequia is one of my favourite anchorages despite the difficult holding on compacted coral. It took 3 attempts to get the anchor to hold and it was still necessary to re anchor the next day. The main anchor on Plain Song is a 45 lb CQR and it is not well suited to such a sea bed. The Trades continued to blow fresh to strong gusting to 25kts and more, mainly at night. I detect a patten over a 4 day cycle in which the winds build and then decline briefly with winds at night a few knots stronger. There is not much variation in wind direction which is usually east or east north east but sometimes unhelpfully north east.

The bay is busy with charter yachts heading south or returning north to their base. There is plenty of room but they like to bunch up close to the lovely beaches. We experienced a close call when a large catamaran dragged its anchor passing within 10 feet in the middle of the night. That same night the dingy detached itself. It was a particularly dark night with no moon and I discovered its disappearance at the time of the dragging incident. I spent the rest of the night wondering how it could be replaced-a logistical nightmare. At first light, to my astonishment, I could see it tied to the stern of a yacht anchored 300 metres astern. The rescuer,an Englishman, had seen the dingy passing and immediately dived in to catch it. The odds of a successful outcome to this sorry event must be astronomical and I showed my gratitude with some good wine and a contribution to his cruising fund. Since then Mercury Man the outboard, who has been very troublesome, runs smoothly-perhaps the thought of his fate in the open ocean has brought about a change of character.

Not all the visitors are chartered catamarans. Lovely to see a Dutch sail training ship and several of the sailing cruise ships not to mention a fellow Shannon 38, albeit ketch rigged.

Although this is my 3rd visit to Bequia, I still find new delights. A recent find was some really stunning hand made silk prints featuring beautiful geometric pattens in subtle colours by a French artist. She is in her mid 80s and has lived on the island for many years. I visited her in her studio which has spectacular views over the bay. The photos hardly do justice to her work.

Another find was two brothers who make model boats often commissioned by visiting yachts. They work with a small range of simple tools, using mostly local timber, in a small very basic workshop. I had a happy time talking with them and may be able to help by putting them in touch with makers of model ship parts in the UK.

On the subject of wood, you may be interested to know that the wonderful sandy beaches lapped by the warm blue sea have a darker side to them. Some are shaded by the Manchineel tree. Its leaves, bark and fruit can make life very unpleasant.

My original plan was to transit the Panama canal and head west but the difficulties of finding good crew and the magnitude of the commitment called for a rethink. The attractions of the San Blas islands were strong enough for me to plan to go there via the ABC islands but I failed to give sufficient thought to returning east. Further research and advice from experienced cruisers has made me decide against that long haul east as the sailing back would be a serious challenge. So now I intend to rough it in the Windward and Leeward island chain until the start of the hurricane season and then head south to the ABC islands staying there until late November. Then I will head north again up the island chain and around early May 2012 head for the Azores.

In the meantime life is very pleasant and fulfilling here in Bequia. Next stop will be St Lucia.

Christmas in Grenada

There is a choice of bays to anchor in on the southern end of Grenada and each has its merits and disadvantages. For my purposes Prickly Bay was best which I was able to see for myself when I visited most of the others on social calls.

Christmas was 10 days away when I arrived giving plenty of time to settle in and meet new people. For the day itself I signed up for a "pot luck" lunch and for a contribution I made a potato salad which I'm pleased to report was soon snapped up. A great time was had by all. I was very pleased to meet up with Dan and Cindy, Canadian friends, who when we left Trinidad in company had had the good sense to turn back and sailed the next day in much greater comfort. On my way back to PS I was invited aboard a nearby yacht for drinks but still managed to climb aboard PS before dark. Skype kindly provided contact with family and friends including my brother and sister and their families in London. Skype's inventor should be nominated for a Nobel Prize and a Knighthood.

There was some drama among the cruising community when a 28 foot yacht, home to an elderly couple was reported overdue. They remained overdue until their Pan Pan call was picked up by a radio ham. It was heartening to see how effectively the cruisers rallied round to alert ham nets, various maritime SAR Agencies and support the rescue when they were located. Both had been injured but thankfully not too seriously.

I joined a group to travel up the west coast by bus to Victoria which puts on a food festival to celebrate local cuisine. I liked a breadfruit bake and some fairly conventional chicken dishes but most of the traditional dishes would not have me seeking a second helping. Still, it was a great outing and it was nice to mix with the local community including some keen fans of the England football team. It seems there are still a few left.

The reliability of the tender and its outboard at an anchorage is fundamental and mine let me down just before new crew were due to arrive. The result was a lot of rowing and tows from helpful friends. The Avon suffered from a dirty valve mechanism and the outboard from contaminated fuel.

Geva, short for Ginger, flew into Grenada and had a little time to settle in and celebrate the New Year before the more serious business of sailing PS. Having owned a yacht herself she soon learned how everything worked on PS. Mastering the Taylors paraffin cooker has been the cause of some grief to others but Geva got to grips with it soon enough.

A weather window for the passage north to Carriacou appeared 6 January and we set off in good time for the 35 mile passage. Headwinds, unhelpful seas and the west going current did exactly what the guide books described. So 51 miles and 12 hours later we set the hook in Tyrell Bay, Carriacou. The trip gave Geva the chance to experience PS under sail and motor in a range of conditions. She is the first crew I have had learn straight away to handle the Monitor wind self-steering gear.

We now await fair winds to progress north towards Bequia, as currently the Trades are blowing fresh to strong for a few days.

Trinidad to Grenada 15 December 2010

I had a strong desire to leave Trinidad not least to get sailing again. Anchorages there are limited, the air quality is poor and sea pollution unhealthy. All the signs were that there would be suitable weather for the passage north on 15 December. Chris Parker a weather guru warned of squalls.

Two other yachts were leaving the same day and plans were discussed over coffee after clearance from customs and immigration. The passage through the Bocas to the open sea was straight forward in calm conditions allowing time to stow warps ,fenders and put a reef in the main. As the open sea neared it was clear sea conditions were rough. Once out there the winds strengthened, gusting to 32 kts with very short choppy and confused seas. Sometimes the bow platform dug deep into breaking waves and I was soon drenched. I had to motor sail to stand a chance of keeping to the course but after a couple of hours things improved enough for me to start sailing, now with double reefed main and yankee. Gradually the wind veered enough for me to maintain a course well east of the desired course, always a good thing given the variable conditions and strong west going current.

In the middle of the night the wind dropped so much I couldn't sail the course and once again the iron horse was called up. Before long though the wind returned and now I was going to arrive before first light. I had to heave to off the southern end of Grenada before entering Prickly Bay as the sun came up. Not the most enjoyable sail and you will understand why I failed to produce any pictures on the way.

PREPARING PLANE SONG TO LAUNCH

My return flight to Trinidad 9 November was direct as damage from hurricane Tomas had made BA's crew change in St Lucia impractical which meant I arrived in daylight at Plane Song. During her layup Plane Song was fitted with an airconditioning unit over the fore hatch which kept the interior dry and free of mildew and made living aboard for the next month more comfortable. Equally beneficial was the shrink wrap cover over the topsides which minimised damage to the varnish work.

The first job was to fit new engine mounts and crankshaft seals. This was done with the engine suspended from a bar across the companionway. Other work was needed once the engine was lifted and it was certainly the right time for the work to be done. Naturally the job took twice as long and cost 50% more than estimated. To add to the financial strain I then discovered were on the way out having given 8 years service. In the time available I had to fit AGM batteries which are likely to give the best service.

One leftover job from earlier in the year was to inspect and clean the paraffin supply tank which a crew member had topped up with 30 litres of water. This involved dismantling the quarter berth roof and aft bulkhead along with the SSB ATU. A couple of days work in the tropics. Earlier efforts to remove the water via the vent tube had been reasonably successful as there was very little to clean up. But then it only takes a small amount to block the cooker burners.

And then there were the ants-the little fire ants whose sting is painful and if scratched the blisters go septic.

I was stung so much whilst I was rubbing down the hull that I had the yard move PS to a better spot. There was a nest inside one of the blocks supporting the keel. I was well advised when PS was put on the hard to grease everything that would provide a route onto the boat. Once aboard these guys are not inclined to leave.

I was not the only one under attack. A nasty bug got into my laptop despite the usual defences. Getting this put right was not a simple task in Trinidad. A further complication was a glitch with the Wirie wifi booster which had worked in the UK. This was not finally resolve until I met up with the designer on his boat in Grenada. The system is very effective and unlike many of its rivals supported by user friendly software. The after sales support I enjoyed was outstanding.

PS was launched 9 December and once again it was a skillful and efficient operation. I docked in the small harbour at Peake's to bend on the sails and provision. The mechanic made the final alignment check on the propeller shaft. I started passage planning for the sail north to Grenada.