Having checked out yesterday we can make an early getaway and at 6.30 am, Mike and John pull the anchor up and we head off towards Union Island. Allison and I wait steadfastly in our beds until tea arrives (me – Allison gives up on that one) or the risk of sea sickness from staying below drives us upstairs (that’s Allison).
Not wanting to be sick, Allison goes for all the precautions – drugs, wristbands and lying down in the cockpit with either her eyes firmly shut or open but fixed on the horizon. Something works because despite her concerns she holds on to her breakfast and once we are in the lee of Carriacou and the waves calm down a bit, she risks getting up and walking around.
Photo: Allison and John – posing at the helm
As Union Island appears close, I prepare some lunch. The cheese bread (actually they are huge rolls) come out with some rather delectable roast beef. In Clifton, the boat boys entreat us to pick up their moorings but we are going for the quick in and out so throw the anchor down instead.
Photo: “Are we nearly there yet?”
For once Mike makes it to Customs and Immigration during hours that do not count as overtime so the charges are less than last time although not as significantly less as we would have hoped. As soon as he returns John pulls the anchor up (he’s the anchor wench for the next week) and we head over to Mayreau for the evening, where Allison forlornly watches for one of the boat boys to approach us, salivating at the thought of huge lobsters cooked on the beach for us. Unfortunately none come. Maybe tomorrow we’ll get lucky in the Tobago Cays …?
Now I don’t know what it is about this boat and the UK TV series, Gavin and Stacy, but most people we have had aboard have not watched it, so major indoctrination has begun. It all started with Johanne and Steve a couple of years ago. They had seen a couple of episodes but not got into it. So we watched all three series on board (hence the frequent use of the word ‘Skiplah’ just to irritate Mike). Then we got the crew of Crazy Horse into it on the World Arc, then Heather and Joe, Ann and Terry and now Allison and John. Basically Mike and I have watched the whole lot three times in the last couple of months, and still roll around laughing each time. Welsh girl meets Essex boy – classic. Anyway, no guessing what we do for the evening’s entertainment!
We are up early and round to the Tobago Cays the next morning. There are only a couple of boats there and we anchor in our usual spot by the turtle sanctuary in front of the reef at Baradel Island. Allison and John take our snorkelling gear and go off in search of turtles but return much sooner than expected. It is a bit overcast so visibility is not good and this is made worse by the water being churned up and full of silt. Still, they both see at least one turtle, but again we are disappointed by the lack of lobster being offered. We have lunch and are lazing around on the boat when Mike suddenly shouts to close all the hatches as he can see really nasty clouds approaching rapidly towards the reef.
Within minutes we are hit by a ferocious squall. The reef offers protection from the waves but not from the wind which quickly picks up to over 40 knots. The holding is not good here at the best of times and Jeannius, despite being held by a hefty anchor and a lot of chain, starts to drag. There is only one other boat left by now so we are not in any danger of hitting anything but there seems to be no let up in the weather and Mike decides to cut our losses, get the anchor up and go for the relative shelter of Saline Bay, Mayreau.
The rain comes down so hard that it is like needles hitting your skin. Mike gets soaked at the helm and John gets soaked at the windlass. I think I have got away with a soaking but when we motor around the corner the wind gets under the large starboard side cockpit cushions and threatens to rip them off so I end up having to sit on them to hold them down. Allison turns out to be the only one who doesn’t get soaked after all! I hold the cushions down until we are in the lee of Mayreau but although we are protected from the wind, the rain continues on and off. Even if we had found someone to provide us with lobster, I think the arrangement would have been off!
Photo: Ominous skies – the setting sun is a ball of fire behind the blackness
The next morning we leave for Mustique. As we are preparing to leave, one of the ‘lobster lads’ turns up and offers it tonight. Allison is torn between her desire for lobster and her desire to see Mustique. The lure of Mustique wins and we depart.
It’s a decent enough run up to Mustique and we are able to sail for most of it. Typically as we arrive into Britannia Bay the heavens open and another tropical downpour begins. Also, typically, we arrive 5 minutes before the anchorage staff break for lunch but they have gone anyway (well, they don’t answer the radio) and because Mike doesn’t want the hassle we had last time (when Terry had to leap into the water to help us tie to the buoy) he gets John to set the anchor. Eventually it stops raining and Mike gets the dinghy down and goes to inspect the mooring buoys, finding one which has a line attached to it that we can hook as we normally do. The anchor comes up and we move, managing to tie up again before the heavens open once more. And that’s the pattern for the rest of the afternoon and evening, torrential rain on and off with brilliant sunshine in between.
Photos: Cuddles under the setting sun
Photo: The aforementioned setting sun
There’s no way we are leaving the boat so it’s more Gavin and Stacy after dinner.
Saturday dawns a little brighter. Allison, John and I go to explore the shoreline of Britannia Bay, something I meant to do last time. We come across a huge digger moving sand from the beach into lorries as they are transporting it to another part of the island to make a better beach there.
Photo: Getting the beaches ready for the season
The lorries drive up and down the same bit of road, making huge ruts in the sand covered concrete. Out of the corner of my eye I suddenly spot a tiny tortoise trundling along in one of the tyre tracks, a sure target for road kill the next time a lorry approaches. I pick him up and settle him back way into the bushes, hoping that he doesn’t turn around and head back as soon as I walk on. He is so cute!!
Photo: My rescued baby tortoise
Once past the diggers and lorries, we have the whole shoreline to ourselves. In the distance we can see more squalls passing by but luckily none pass overhead.
Photos: Beaches, squalls and photographic opportunities for posing
We walk the length of Britannia Bay then turn the corner to Lagoon Bay and walk the length of that too. When we can go no further we head inland a bit and attempt to walk around the lagoon itself but the vegetation presses in from all sides and in the oppressive heat the walk is not a pleasant one so after a couple of hundred yards we turn back and walk along the beach once more, this time looking for beach treasures. I find some dead fan coral in the water for Allison and then the most interesting conch shell I have ever seen. Instead of the normal pink and white interior, this one is mottled silver, black and grey, rather like a ‘goth’ conch. If space and weight in our luggage were not an issue, I would have taken these. Instead, Allison is the happy recipient although she continues to hunt for more.
Photo: Looking for just the right conch is like looking for a needle in a haystack
Photo: With one clutched in her hot little hand, Allison searches for yet another conch
We go to the supermarket to get a few provisions, passing the ice cream parlour on our way. Even this is shut for the season now and I just fancy one. Never mind. We walk into the fishing area to scour the huge wall of conch shells but don’t find one better than the one we already have. Even the girl in the supermarket was taken with the conch so we must have found something special in that one.
I call Mike to come and get us in the dinghy and when he replies he sounds in a filthy mood. I watch him get into the dinghy but before he comes over to the dinghy dock he heads over to the large supplies ship that is docked in the bay and I can see him having an animated conversation (and not getting anywhere) with some of the guys there. When he comes for us he explains. They are painting the boat and must have spilt some of the bright orange paint into the water. It floated like a slick until it found our boat and secured itself to the transom, the dinghy and its floating painter. He has spent the last hour trying to get it off. He is not amused.
Allison and John decide not to do an island tour and we spend the afternoon on board. As the sun starts to go down and while the weather holds out we go over to Basil’s for a drink. Last time we went I had a ghastly cocktail and unfortunately this time is no different. My pina colada is quite revolting. Methinks Basil’s is trading on its reputation! Still the sunset is nice from there.
Photos: Nice sunset, shame about the cocktails
We manage to get back on board just before the heavens open once more and give Jeannius yet another wash down. Well, it is that time of year!
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