I discover to my horror, that Mike wasn’t joking when he talked last night about setting the alarm at 5.15 am. When it goes off, I nearly jump out of my skin, but thankfully he tells me I can lie there a bit longer while he makes the tea.
Bev and Moe arrive just before 6 am to help us cast off. Poor Bev - as she stands there getting bitten by mosquitoes, I really know I am back in the Caribbean!
It’s a beautiful morning and the sunrise over St George is absolutely beautiful. The water in the bay is dead calm and reflects the colours back and it’s difficult to tell where the sky ends and the water begins.
On the way out, we pass the giant ship Eos, the largest private yacht in the world (if you count the bow sprit into the equation – if not it’s second to the Maltese Flacon). Eos is beautiful. We watched in awe as this 93 metre boat slid effortlessly into position in the marina yesterday.
The motor down to the south east tip of Grenada but as we turn the corner and head east, we are fighting the current and the headwinds although thankfully neither are that strong today. It takes us almost three hours to get there and we anchor in the bay outside. I can’t believe we have travelled so far since the last time we were here.
We get the anchor down and Mike calls the marina to tell them we are there. Although we aren’t due to be hauled out until 10.30 am they tell us we can come straight in so we get the anchor up and Mike motors over and manoeuvres Jeannius into the slip. A couple of guys come to take our lines and tie us in nice and tight then the Travel Lift arrives, making its peculiar musical pipping noise as it approaches.
The lift arrives and the thick band supports are lowered into the water below Jeannius and along her hull, then they start to bring them back up. One minute you are safely in the water and the next you are swinging slightly in mid air – it’s a peculiar feeling. The lift then reverses until we are able to step from the transom onto dry land and then reverses until it is fully over land so that it can be jet cleaned. They manage to get most of the green stuff off (and Mike and I thought we had done such a good job on the beach in Brazil) but there’s a bit left along with some barnacles.
Matt and Bill arrive to say hello. They had hoped that the work on their boat would be further along than it is – hey boys, welcome to the Caribbean!
As soon as Jeannius is cleaned she is moved to her permanent position for the next few days. We follow behind, me, as always, somewhat nervously.
Once in position, we wait for people to turn up and do some work. Of course they don’t. Well that’s not quite true. Martin from Turbulence, the sail makers, arrives to take our salon shades away for templates to make us new ones as the old ones are disintegrating and discusses the sail repairs. Of course, the sails and the window covers are the things that the boat does not need to be out of the water for. The antifouling and the new propeller seal are the things what need this and no one comes to look at these. Such is the order of things in boatyards!
I spend time sewing and taking washing to and from the laundrette. We eat on board and I pack stuff for breakfasts at the hotel. All too quickly the car arrives to take us to La Sagesse, along with Matt and Bill who are staying there too.
When we arrive, Rosemary and her sister, Maryann, are waiting on the beach for us. Matt, Bill and I go for a swim to cool off then Matt and I go for a nice long stroll along be beach. Once the sun goes down I head back to the room for a nice long shower.
In the evening we go down to the bar to join everyone for a drink. Annie and Jim are now also checked in so there’s a good group of us there.
Photo: Jim, Bill and Mike
Mike and I don’t stay for dinner but head for our room for a light snack then dive into bed. It’s comfortable and the sound of the waves right next to our room just yards away soon lulls me to sleep.
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