Up with the sun, Put on the Sunday Best. In my case actual shorts not board shorts, and a clean-ish t-Shirt and flips of course and Christine in a new sundress and off to Xmas morning mass at the little church on top of Mayreau. Nice and cool, so slow trip up the hill so as NOT to break a sweat. The over achievers were the first to arrive so we peaked over the hills to see the boats out at Tobago Keys and all the boats crammed into Salt Whistle bay.

Great little service, crowded, a few baptisms, blessing of the kids, birthdays, anniversaries, and even a blessing of the visistors. Gave up my seat to the same lady from a couple of years ago. Some of the other ‘visitors’ finally started to give up their seats as the church got crowded, with visitors coming from the Windjammer cruise ship. Turns out they were planning a beach party on Saline bay.

Christine had brought me some new tools, a ratchets set, for the boat. So promptly put them to use, took the carburetor off the dingy and did what I could to clean it out. Doesn’t seem to have made a difference, it runs, but only fast, doesn’t like slow speeds, so at slow speeds, I have to pull the choke out a bit, we get there, better than paddling a dingy.

The beach party was complete with a Steel drums, so we lazed the day away listening to them, before getting motivated to sail over to Chatham bay, where we’ll anchor for a couple of days. With all the cruise passengers playing with paddle boards and hobbie cats and getting too close to us it was time to skedaddle on out of there. That sail is downwind and only about 4 miles. Windlass was doing good, up to the point it needed a break, and the poor guy swimming in the water with us bearing down on him thought we were setting the anchor, but finally we picked up all the chain and set the jib, turned off the engines and made a slow sail over to Chatham bay.

We dropped the fishing lines in, we weren’t going but 5knots, but it was peaceful easy sail and we were in no particular hurry. Sailed all the way up into the bay before furling the jib, and reeling in the lines.

Our normal spot was open, but there were lots of boats, almost 20 in our bay. How dare they. As we are doing our anchor dance, I spot a boat boy in waiting, I yell, whats up Suki. You see we always visit with em, he yelled back welcome back Sugar Shack, Merry Christmas. He is polite and waited till we had set the hook and started putting things away to come over for hugs and salutations. We told him we’d be here for a few days and at that time they hadn’t had any takers for dinner yet. I said, if you get some some, we’ll come eat, just don’t go cooking for JUST us, we can always do tomorrow, next day etc.

Got all situated, and couldn’t find the normal wifi signal from Aqua Bar and Restaraunt, so decided to go over and buy a drink and check the wifi from there. Wifi was good, but it didn’t go anywhere. So that was a bust and a crazy expensive island beer. The passcode didn’t change from when we were here last, the network just wasn’t up to working.

While sitting there, we saw Vanessa swing by our boat, since we had to told em to come by if they get folks, we now know where Christmas dinner is. Christine wanted to walk, I had the laptop/ipad/itouch/iphone/gopro, and didn’t feel like carrying that so I went back to the boat and she walked the beach stopping by Vanessa’s to place our order. Turns out the english couple (Terry and Sarah) we met at the Aqua, were also going to dinner. And a few other boats too. I picked up Christine at the other end of the beach, and made a cold beverage of course.

Topped off the drinks, thought about getting ashore before sunset, but didn’t make it, so took the dingy tour of the bay. Since you have to pull the dingy up the beach arriving with a full drink is not wise, so drove around a bit, Vanessa spotted us, came by and took a photo of us.

First to dinner, chatted with the cooks, Suki and Vanessa, played the ring toss game, then a Seattle family came up (Joshua, and his wife whose name I cannot begin to spell and their kids Atticus and Vendella). Chatted for a while, I tried to burry Vendella, their 5 year daughter in the sand, she was having fun. We also met a lovely family from South Africa Godfrey, Nora and their son Noah and his friends. Super great group for Xmas dinner. Rum punches for Xmas, whats not to love. Paced myself at first, then the awesome food arrived, more than we can ever eat. EVER, but its all so good. We had Ribs/Chicken/Fish/BreadFruit/Salad/Rice.. and then even desert.

Then it happened.
A dingy raced into shore, yelling a boats name, and catamaran, its dark, I spot our anchor light, looks to be in the same spot we left it. Then he said ‘dream-yacht-charter’, okay not us, but where is it dragging to? Someone knew they were down and Tim’s in the corner, and the dingy was off. Suki came back and said it didn’t hit no one and it was under control Remember I said these winds in this bay are freaky, can be as high as 40knot gusts from random directions. We always go overboard on scope, 10-to-1 is minimum here for us.

Then it really happened.
The tables were moved and the Rum Punch took over, Reggae dance Fever. The place was a jamming. If that wasn’t enough, the limbo poles came out, now thats crazy. The best part is the kids could just walk under the bar, while the adults tried their best.. Vanessa and Suki had skills. Best place to be on the beach by far, far out lasted the rest of the beach bars.

Rum punch filled to the brim, it was time to go. They helped us launch the dingy (drag back to the water) and I had a bit of trouble getting the engine all the way back down, thought it was hitting the bottom, but it was hitting the stop. Figured that out, the wind was blowing us away from the beach so it was all good, dingy fired up and we were off to the boat, with fresh rum punches for the road. Safely aboard, dingy raised, rum punch stowed for the morning breakfast.

Xmas in Paradise. Dun’t get much better than a day in Chatham bay, just don’t come here, its getting crowded. If you do come, visit Suki and Vanessa at the blue awning beach bar in the middle of the beach, tell em Sugar Shack sent ya. Super friendly, great cooks, great people.

Cheers,
Merry Xmas.

Christmas dinner at Sun, Beach, Eat with Suki and Vanessa