Sailing In The Grenadines!

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Let’s Go Sailing In The Grenadines!

We loved our time pet-sitting at Port Louis Marina and learning the rhythm of marina life, building friendships with fellow boaters, and exploring the island.  Getting to go sailing with Doug and Amy after their return to Black River was the icing on the cake!  After being at the dock for many months during hurricane season, there’s plenty to do before shoving off. It’s a good thing Doug and Amy are well-versed in managing transitions on their boat. We were happy to lend a hand.  In short order, Black River was ready to go sailing! The Grenadines are a favorite sailing spot for many cruisers. We’re excited to see it! “Goodbye, Grenada!”

Time to leave the dock!

As we started out of the bay, I felt my excitement mounting. I felt a tickle on my inside but nobody was tickling me. It’s because we’re going sailing!  I think there’s something special about being out on the water in any type of boat. It doesn’t always matter if you’re in a canoe, kayak, dinghy, sailboat, motorboat. But, I must admit I prefer sailing, and sailing fast like on Black River, is probably my favorite.   Some of our sailing days were clear skies and sunny and other sailing days were overcast and stormy.  I enjoy them all! 

Cruising With A Pet

We’re learning the ins and outs of cruising with a pet through our friendship with Doug and Amy.  We didn’t realize how cruising with a pet brings a whole additional sub category of the cruising lifestyle, especially internationally.  Going from one country in the Caribbean to another with a pet is a multi-step process.  While in Grenada, Amy brought Crew to the vet for the appropriate tests and paperwork to enter St Vincent and the Grenadines. And she completed the online portion with the vet in St Vincent. 

After leaving Port Louis Marina, our first order of business related to Crew (their dog) was to clear him in with the vet at St Vincents.  Then he’d be good to roam and explore the islands of the Grenadines.  From what I hear, this experience of meeting a vet to clear a pet in to an island can vary from country to country and maybe even day to day in the same country.  On the particular day that Amy brought Crew to meet the vet, well let’s just say it was a test of her patience and good manners.  She was her polite self and all worked out in due time and we were on our way to Bequia before dinner.    

While Doug and Amy were patiently waiting for the vet, Tony and I walked the nearby beach and explored the marina grounds a little.  It was Thanksgiving so we sent a happy Thanksgiving message written in the sand to our family and friends.  The beaches in the Caribbean seem to vary in color.  Some are naturally darker colored sand or naturally lighter colored sand and some have sand brought in and shoveled onto their beaches such as one of the resorts we walked by on St Vincents.  Back at the marina, we got a chuckle out of a parking sign “Warning! Falling coconuts!  Park at your own risk.”

Blue Lagoon

Blue Lagoon Marina; where Amy had arranged to meet the vet, has a narrow entrance between markers that guide you safely through the reef.  Before the entrance, we first passed by a huge rock island “Fort Duvernette” (also known as Rock Fort).  As we got closer to the markers, Doug paid close attention to the current and the wind.  He guided us through the entrance with no problem!  A mooring ball owner met us in his dinghy and assisted us with getting tied up. 

We got a closer look at For Duvernette when Doug brought us by dinghy to tour the nearby shoreline and islands (while Amy waited patiently for the vet).   There were snorkelers near one side of the rock. Although I was tempted to jump in and join them, I could see plenty of sea life right from the dinghy using their “look bucket”.  It’s a big bucket with a clear plastic bottom so you can put it in the water and see beneath the surface.

Happy Thanksgiving

What do you have for Thanksgiving dinner while living on a boat in the Caribbean?  Lobster of course!  Amy had thought ahead for this special meal and purchased lobster from Adrian – it’s the best lobster!  I added to the menu by buying and hiding in their freezer a few slices of cake (coconut and chocolate) for our Thanksgiving dessert.  Yum, yum all around!  With the the serene ambience of eating in a cockpit while at anchor with beautiful Bequia in the background and having meaningful conversation with good friends, it all combined to make this Thanksgiving a memorable one! 

    

Beautiful Bequia!

We started and ended our sailing trip at Bequia with visits to Canoun, Tobago Cays, and Mustique in between.  

Restaurants

Bequia has a wide range of restaurants to sample and experience.  We enjoyed everything from casual to upscale dining and with a range of service from young, carefree, forgetful servers to more of a militant style waiter.  Our times eating out at diverse venues created memories including some delicious, unique food and sometimes mishaps and good humor.   

Cheri’s Tapas

We were not familiar with the concept of Tapas or small bites before going to Cheri’s.  At Cheri’s, they combine local ingredients from their gardens or local farmers with their chef’s skill and background to create unique and delicious tapas.  The location of Cheri’s is on a rooftop which provides a gorgeous landscape view.  To get there, we walked through a cemetery with many grazing goats. 

Plantation Hotel

We went to Plantation restaurant for a meal, but if you want a land-based place to stay in Bequia, they also have a nice hotel. It’s right on the bay with beautiful gardens throughout their grounds and a nice beach area to play with Crew.  

Mac’s Pizza

Another restaurant along the walkway is Macs Pizza.  They are known for their fresh and delicious pizza!  It was hard to choose which pizzas to order, but who doesn’t like leftover pizza?!  Tony likes it cold for breakfast. 

Market Shops

Bequia is the place to get reusable shopping bags!  I had been using and envying Amy’s nice grocery bags while in Grenada and now I could purchase some to bring home.  They are made by locals using heavy duty feed, flour, and other bulk delivery bags with some added decorative material as trim.  We chose a few bags with turtle decorative trim on them. They are working great for our grocery shopping in Red Wing. We can’t wait to use them while cruising on our new-to-us boat on Lake Superior.

Ferry

Traveling between St Vincents and Bequia is easy with the frequent ferry service. We enjoyed watching the ferries pass by while sailing. We also were passengers on the ferry when it was time for us to fly home from St Vincent. 

Laundry Time

Cruisers have options for doing their laundry. They might use a bucket to wash and then hang dry on the lines. Or, they may plan to do laundry when staying at a marina. Some boats have a washing machine on board and use it when they have ample power and water.  Here in Bequia, there’s yet another option!  There’s a laundry service that will pick up and deliver your laundry from your boat while at anchor.

Water Delivery

Black River’s watermaker stopped working during one of our stays in Bequia.  No problem, the laundry service that comes to your boat also can delivery water.  That was a perfect arrangement for Doug and Amy while they figured out getting the parts to repair their water maker! 

Waterfront Walk

Bequia has a lovely and well-maintained walkway along the bay.  It runs from the main town area, past some restaurants, and up and down a hill through the woods.  We love to walk and especially along the waterfront! 

Canoun

When we stayed at Sandy Lane Yacht Club in Canoun, we were surprised at how few boats were here.  It’s a gorgeous marina with upscale everything; restaurants, pool, walkway, shops, gourmet grocery store, and clubhouse with showers and laundry.   We could walk around the marina or take our dinghy around the bay to get to the store or restaurant.  The service at the restaurant was top-notch, the best that we’ve experienced!  It’s unusual for Tony and I to lounge poolside, but we easily adapted and had some R&R at Sandy Lane.

Golf Cart Tour

To explore beyond Sandy Lane, Tony and I took a golf cart for a spin around the island. One thing we learned was not all the roads on Canoun are open to the public.  We came to a gated area at the bottom of a steep hill and learned we couldn’t continue that way.  Instead of making Tony reverse up the hill, the guard opened the gate so we could go through and turn around to return up the hill forward.  So nice!  Our golf cart ride gave us a nice overview of the neighborhoods, we saw some wildlife, stopped to admire the scenic vistas from atop hills, and we stopped at the airport

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Canoun Airport

After reading in a cruising guidebook that Canoun airport was one of the most beautiful airports with a thatched roof, I wanted to stop and check it out. Sure enough, it has a thatched roof!  I took a brief look around before we headed back to our marina.

Mustique

Mustique is often referred to as an island for billionaires.  With that in mind, you never know if you might see a celebrity while you’re eating dinner at Basil’s Bar.  In addition to enjoying a meal at Basil’s Bar, we browsed the gift shops and took a walk down towards the beach.

There is an adjacent park area with shade trees and covered picnic tables.  What a great place to play with crew, rest a bit, and admire Black River looking pretty at anchor in the bay. 

Mustique Dinghy Dock

Securing the dinghy to the dinghy dock was the main challenge during our visit to Mustique. There were some fairly large swells that could easily wreck havok with the dinghies using the dinghy dock.  Doug was prepared for situations like this and set out a stern anchor to keep our dinghy well away from the dock.   

Tobago Cays Marine Park

The Tobago Cays Marine Park is a protected area located within the Tobago Cays.  It is a national park known for its population of turtles and protected coral reefs. 

The Underwater World

I enjoyed a day of snorkeling at multiple locations with Tony driving the dinghy from site to site and sometimes joining me to gaze at the underwater world in awe.  Swimming around and seeing different coral and fish is an activity I could do for hours.  After hours of snorkeling, we returned to Black River waterlogged and looking like prunes, but filled up with the wonder of the underwater world! It’s nice to have a souvenir from this special place. A T-shirt vendor stopped by the boat before we left and now we are all sporting Tobago Cays sun shirts!

Back to St Vincents and Bequia

As we were exploring the different islands of the Grenadines, Crew developed a rash under his armpit.  As a temporary deterrent for him to lick his skin raw, we fashioned one of my old T-shirts with a doggie tank top.  Crew might become an online influencer for doggie fashion! 

All of us were concerned for Crew, so we cut our time in Tobago Cays a bit short and headed back to St Vincents to see the vet.  Let’s get Crewie back to good health and his vibrant self! 

Amy’s background as a nurse was evident as she diligently followed the vet’s instructions for treating Crew’s skin rash.  

“Until Next Time”

We spent a few more days of exploring and enjoying beautiful Bequia before it was time for us to pack up and head home.  It’s always a bit challenging for us to make transitions like leaving Black River after such a wonderful trip.  To help keep our spirits up, we made a plan to check out a waterfront coffee shop together before leaving on the ferry. 

Sugar and Spice; Coffee Shop and Bakery

On our last morning on Black River, we went to Sugar and Spice for coffee and breakfast before boarding the ferry to St Vincent to catch our plane home.  We sat out on the patio which overlooks the anchorage.  On the side lawn, a father and daughter were getting some exercise by jumping rope before starting the days homeschool assignments.  Jumping rope is a great way to get a workout while living on a boat.  It reminded me of a friend on the docks in Grenada who would jump rope early morning before the heat of the day. 

Sugar and Spice was the perfect place for us to sip our coffee or smoothie and eat breakfast while chatting about our outstanding time sailing together in the Grenadines.  All too soon it was time to head to the ferry, give hugs, and say “goodbye”, or more accurately “until next time”. 

Our Flight Home

We flew from St Vincent’s to Toronto with an overnight layover there before continuing on to MSP.  There was a mix-up in our understanding about our luggage.  We thought we would be retrieving our luggage in Toronto since we had a long layover there.  Turns out, each airline and/or airport have different procedures for flying internationally and when you retrieve your luggage vs. having it checked all the way to your final destination. 

So, after a long wait for our bag at the carousel and then a long line at guest services, we went to our hotel room without our luggage.  The airline gave us a cute little package for this situation which included a large white T-shirt (all purpose PJ and change of clothes?), toothbrush & toothpaste, hair comb, and other travel essentials. We took the airport tram to our airport hotel.  We had wrongly assumed our hotel would be connected indoors. Although it was just a short walk outside, without a winter coat it was a bit chilly!  “Let’s go cross country!”  Straight across the lawn we went.  “I want to take a picture!”  I know it doesn’t make sense to take the short cut to the hotel only to stop and take time to take a picture.  It’s all part of the adventure!    

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