Dragon Bay to St David’s Bay, Grenada

How wonderful.  I slept through the whole night – boy did I need it!  My tummy is still uncomfortable but it didn’t disturb me during the night and is certainly no worse.   We have to check in this morning and have read in Chris Doyle’s cruising guide that we can do this in Prickly Bay.

First though, we decide to trundle around St George’s Bay, the bay which is home to the capital of Grenada.  To our amazement, a cruise ship is in port which really is an indication that we out of the normal hurricane belt.

Photo:  A cruise ship comes to town

Through the binoculars we can see a line of white Toyota people carriers – local taxis – with gleeful drivers waiting for the disembarkation of its load.

The boys are also in town, in the form of a Royal Navy Auxiliary ship, with a fancy helicopter on the back.  It takes off a couple of times while we are trundling, then comes back.  Probably doing some sort of exercise.

Photo:  RFA Fort George

Photo:  Navy helicopter about to take off

There are some very fancy resorts around the south part of St George’s Bay, as  well as what appears to be an eco house.  It is built into the ground with grass on its roof.  I am amazed to see one here.

Photo:  An eco house in St George’s Bay

We go around the corner, passing the airport, which like most of the islands, ends out to sea.  As we are watching, a Liat plane lands.  It’s probably late!

Photo:  Liat arriving in Grenada

We pass the enormous university and medical school.  What a view these students have.  It all looks brand new and from a distance I originally think that it is a resort.

  Photo:  Grenada’s university and medical school

We arrive in Prickly Bay, anchor and Mike goes off to check in.  Prickly Bay is a very pretty anchorage, with expensive looking houses along one side and a very fancy condominium development on the other.  It is crowded with boats although most of them see to be minus their owners at the moment, just laying there waiting for the hurricane season to finish.

  Photo:  One of the fancy houses in Prickly Bay

Mike comes back rather quicker than I would have expected.  “Were they at lunch?” I enquire.  But no, it was worse than that.  Although it is a port of clearance, you can only check out here, not in.  Apparently there were two bored looking customs officials with nothing to do.  Why can’t they do both processes!  So, it’s back to St George’s Bay.  Eventually we are checked in and legal, but by the time we get to St David’s Bay where the boat will eventually be hauled out, it is past 5pm and we have basically wasted a day.  What a bummer.  Mike will definitely be dropping Chris Doyle a line about that one.

We anchor a couple of times until we get it to set right then have our usual cup of tea.  There is a very good restaurant here so tomorrow, my last night, we will probably go out to dinner.  Tomorrow will be a busy day getting the boat ready inside so I will be glad of the opportunity not to cook.

We eat the last of our black fin tuna from the freezer in a tomato and coconut milk sauce.  Within minutes, my stomach, still not fully mended is rebelling.  I do wish I knew what was wrong.

Just before I go to bed I ask Mike to help me put the stern cabins back together so that I can get going in the morning doing the tidying and cleaning.  We refit the starboard side but on opening the cabin door on the port side, an ominous smell comes out.  Immediately Mike steps into the room, he knows the source of the problem.  The floor is hot, the smell is sulphur dioxide therefore the problem is the port engine starter motor battery.  We immediately turn the generator off to stop charging this battery as it is obviously not cutting out when it has enough charge, and leave the problem until the morning.  Mike is hopeful that we just need a new battery as it is quite old.  As we go to bed, the delightful aroma of rotting eggs fills the boat, just to add to the queasy feeling in my stomach.  Great!