We said our goodbyes, had our last game of Boules (accompanied by rum punches) at the Sand Bar with Jim and Wendy of Merengue (who never let us win),
Bill of Demoi and Princess
and her owners Guy and Christine of Princess of Tides, and took off to Carriacou on what was be a leisurely sail with 10-15 on a beam reach (not 18-20 on the nose).
We motored the whole way (we are not ones to tack) and made it in good time. Like our quick trip to Trinidad to buy paint, we did get to sail for about 20 minutes on the six hour trip. We grabbed a mooring buoy at Sandy Island and settled into new cruising season.
We snorkelled off the back of the boat, strolled leisurely along the deserted beach of sandy island
made it across to Paradise Beach where we visited Fidel Artisans and bought some T Shirts then stopped at the Banana Joe’s Bamboo Brunch Bar for a beer (American and not as good as the local)
and finally found the right spot to enjoy a sundowner
at Joy and Joseph’s Hardwood Bar. The rum punches are very good – up there with the Sand Bar’s.
So the start of the cruising season sounds like it is going to plan right? Wrong, in the background there is a large weather pattern called Invest 91 that is proving to us that the end of the season is the end of the season! We wait for the weather report Friday morning to find that it is shaping up to be a Tropical Storm so we have to decide what to do. The forecast tracks were split 40% saying it would go trough Trini and Tobago and the other 60% saying it would head to the north of us between St Vincent and Martinique – so nowhere to run… We talk to some Scottish people on an Horizon’s Charter Boat that we met at Hardwood the night before and Horizon had instructed them to go into the mangroves. We discussed it and talk to Bill from Demoi and decided that that is what we should do. We had already stripped the genoa and started preparing the boat for strong winds when I called Jim and Linda on Opus who we had met in Grenada and they suggested we get round pronto as it was high tide and a good time to get in.
We dropped the buoy and headed round to Tyrrell Bay and were met by Jim and his daughter Jennifer who helped us navigate into the mangroves and tie up. We nudged Where II up into the mangroves with the bows well in – probably scratching our new bottom paint and Jim set the lines in the mangroves and then help set a kedge anchor off the stern.
Once tied up we relaxed with a “we’re tied up in the mangroves” beer – a new variation on the traditional “we’re here” beer and one that I hope I never have to have again.
Once Jim and Jennifer left we finished preparing the boat, meaning we threw all our docking lines at the mangroves and tightened halyards etc and then gradually started bringing in the soft stuff so the boat was bare. We also watched the procession of boats coming into the mangroves – local boats as well as boats from as far away as Martinique! There must have been about 50 boats in the mangroves,
including the Hallalujah Bar previously frequented by Al and Boofa of Pascoe Vale South!
When we were satisfied, we were going to head into town for pan music and the fish fry, but Karen decided that it would be more appropriate to play dominos to take her mind of what was happening (go figure, Karen wanting to play dominos!). There is a charter boat across from us who were definitely in a party mood so after I could take no more of their music I fired up Tex Perkins, ACDC and Casey Chambers to give them a good dose of eclectic Australian music!
We continued to check the weather (Karen even getting up in the middle of the night to read and re-read the weather reports) and Tropical Storm Tomas has moved to the north and will pass just to the north of St Vincent, which means on Saturday we are sitting with no wind, a bit of rain and trepidation as to what the SE quadrant will bring for us as Tomas moves into the central Caribbean as a Hurricane tonight. All our information is mid-20’s with gusts that could be storm force, but I think we are on the very edge of the quadrant so I am hoping it will not be too bad. So to take her mind off it – Karen decided we should play dominos! The Americans and Scots on the horizon’s boats opposite us decided to team up and party with drinking games early in the afternoon which meant lights out was early for them.
The night was fine – wind gusts peaked at 21 knots and we hardly moved an inch in the mangroves. So despite a restless night all was good when we awoke Sunday morning. Having been tied up for three days, it was time to venture out into the bay and into town as I had run out of beers (hurricane nervousness (and umpteen games of dominos will do that). Well we certainly came to realise the benefits of the mangroves as we exited into the bay. While we were getting very little wind on the boat, it was whipping across Tyrrell Bay and it was quite choppy but not a lot of swell. Having secured the beer we dropped by Opus to invite them to guess what - that’s right play dominos, had to keep Karen’s mind off getting out of the mangroves now!
The girl’s were keen, but Karen got impatient and started without them. Jim came by later and said that he had spoken to Denise and the Hallalujah Bar was opening in the mangroves that night, so we would see them there. So Sunday night was a few rum punches on a boat bar, a sea gypsie braclet for Karen made by Jennifer and back to have dinner and finish the dominos!
Boats had started to leave on Sunday, but being extra cautious (I think Karen was angling for another game of dominos), we decided to wait for weather on Monday. After checking the weather, Karen put me up the mast for the annual rigging check and to change the anchor light as I didn’t think I would see such flat water for a while. Jennifer came over to say they were leaving and they would see us at Sandy Island. So once the few squalls past we started climbing in the mangroves and untying Where II and motored around to Sandy Island.
Here I snorkelled around the boat and found some minor stains on the port bow and about a 1cm round patch on the port bow where the antifouling (my nice new black bottom) was damaged – not bad for our first hurricane! I also found a nice stingray mooching around under the boat so I called out for my camera and did a Steve Urwin but at a safer distance.
Later in the afternoon Opus came round and Jennifer paddled across taught Karen how to make do the bead thing and made her a second purple anklet before Linda popped up on the back stairs and the girls were all there chatting.
Jennifer also made me a sea gypsy anklet so I wouldn’t feel left out (but in all honesty, Ii think it looks very cool with the Rastafarian “united colours of Africa” green yellow and red beads!
Tomorrow we will check out and head to Union Island to chill for a couple of days in Frigate and Chatham before heading north – still watching the weather very carefully!
Oh and by the way, Karen just did a google search and apparently the official end of Hurricane season is 30 November! Whoops!
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Silke
URL: http://www.la-palma-sailing.com
DATE: 11/14/2010 9:26:55 PM
Ooopss, ohhh ... on rare occasions I don't know what to write. Guys I am happy you are fine. I like your posting very much! 1. It warns us a little of what we might experience once we join (;O)) you over there and 2. it tells a little about sailors life. Thanks so much - we keep on following your steps. Big hug from La Palma - had a huge BBQ today (yes, mid of November, not too bad, eh?!) XX Silke + Patrick
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Penny O'Loughlin
DATE: 11/15/2010 6:17:05 AM
Hi Karen & Matt,
Hope you are both doing well!! Photos look amazing. I've left Greenevent- so just wanted to re-subscribe with my new email address.
Cheers,
Penny
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mum
DATE: 11/15/2010 9:08:35 AM
Good to get this blog Matt and see what was really happening with Tomas and happy to know you are safe and again your way. Take care, no more risks
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Boofa
DATE: 11/16/2010 6:05:01 AM
Ahh dominos, you haven't got a 2 have you Matt
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