Monthly Archives: June 2015

Sailing the West Indies

Sorry to leave you all hanging for so long.  After we left Rhonde island, we headed to Molinère Point, the underwater sculpture garden off of Grenada (click the link to see pics), we grabbed a mooring ball (no anchoring) and enjoyed the entertainment of watching the charter boats come in and try to grab their ball.  We did not motivate to actually snorkel the gardens again, but rather just relaxed on the deck, watched the sunset, and sipped on a drink (or three).  This usually is a pretty isolated area as not many people know about the garden as there are no signs, no mention in the guide books, and no indicators that there is a spectacular underwater treasure just below you.  But, this evening we shared our special spot with 2 other boats.

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Matt decided it was time for a little fun so he rigged a super cool swing using our fender tied to our jib.  It took “wrecking ball” to an entirely new level.  Despite the fact that Matt had to help me up onto the ball–I had a blast!

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Tuna Tuesday

Time to move on. Lazy arousal. Time to clear out, over to Clifton under motor find boat boy this time recognizes us and doesn’t bother us very much. We pull in the deeper side and head around the reef thats in the middle of the anchorage, and find what looks to be a decent spot to drop the hook to refuel / drop some garbage / and do the customs paperwork.

First drop, the hook doesn’t stick, so can’t leave the boat like that. Second attempt it sticks, tho with the scope we are really close to a mooring with a large mono sailboat. So we watch the wind shift for bit and see what it really is going to do. Yup its close, but we aren’t spending the night or anything. Head ashore to do the dirty.

Turn in 4 cases of empty bottles and stock up on 2 more, just enough to get us to Grenada where the brands change over to Stag. Last trip, I tried to be good, and use Carib which is available on all islands, but they only recycle the bottles from the same islands, seems the glass changes color and the bottles have different imprints. So much for trying.

Got in trouble at the immigrations office at the airport, seems that for the last 15 times here I’ve been doing it wrong, we should only use the airport after hours and weekends, there is another place in town closer to the dock that should be used. After some apologies, and promises to do it correctly next time, he checks me out.

Back to find the crew who was out refueling. Evidently they had to search multiple locations for our sundries but they found our necessities (capers, cheese, beer, eggs).  Found em, loaded up the dingy then decided we needed some decent internet so chilled at the Yacht Club bar, and made a last minute hotel reservation for while we are on the hard working in the yard.

Have hotel room, time to move on. Downwind, set the jib and headed to clear into Grenada.

Made a short trip of the 9 miles to Tyrell bay and cleared in, lots of paperwork but well still had plenty of day light so picked up the hook and kept on heading south. The wind was light the waves were light, so we headed to a place thats known as rolly and a day stop. Christine and I stayed here last xmas for a night, and given that the conditions were 1000% better this time we’d do it again.
I started thinking about what to cook for dinner, we are fully stocked with food still, so lots of options. I didn’t actually bring it up yet, and then it happened. That wonderful sound, ziiiiiiinnnnnnnng. The Real was singing the dinner bell for us. Slowed the boat down, increased the drag on the reel and the fight was on. Wayne assumed the position and brough the Mahi Mahi on board .. pretty good sized on too.

Then filet’ed it up as Christine and I dropped the sails and anchored the boat behind the Rhonde Island, a deserted island nothing but a couple of fishing skiffs out in the water. It was hot, not enough wind, but after we found some shade on the bow, it cooled off. The wash down pump isn’t able to suck the ocean water up, need to figure that out, something is blocking the line, maybe a barnacle or something. Checked the internet… We are 7 miles from what ever access point I found, but we have the internet so used it to find a quick Mahi Mahi recipe.

Rice and Seared Mahi Mahi over some wilted spinach is what we chowed on, with a nice Nip of the Chairman’s rum, you know.. to fight off Scurvy.

Since we are in the bay all alone, we prentended to be on Lake Austin, powered up the green glow, and broke in the new speakers with some 80s rock ballads. That settles it, time to bring the mullet back. A great day till the touch battery ran low and had to turn down the tunes so Christine could get some sleep.

Tomorrow, a quick jaunt down to the sculpture gardens, a swing into St Georges before heading round the bottom of Grenada, winding on down.