SEA BEAR

An easy downwind sail passing between the island of Ile Fourche and the rocks of the Groupers took me me to Sint Maarten. In coastal waters here past Great Bay the water was a beautiful turquoise but I am still finding it a little unnerving after all these months in the Caribbean seeing the bottom so clearly even at 20 meters depth. Anchoring in Simpson Bay I dinghied in to complete formalities. The guy behind me in the queue was a bit pushy and got a good telling off from the lady official, good one lady.

Next day I moved in through the opening bridge to the Lagoon, I fancied a quieter anchorage away from the constant ocean swell where I could get some jobs done more easilyand perhaps the best chandelries in the whole Caribbean are here. One job was to fit a stereo, iPods are all very well but the bit of music I wanted to listen to never seemed to be on the pod. The stereo I fitted could play the radio, music from iPod and also music from a usb device so I could have access to my entire collection – great.

The other job was to complete the hull cleaning, with being in the water a full year now there was a certain fuzziness to the bottom. I rigged a rope under the boat fastened off side to side by the stanchions and with its aid could dive under the boat and bracing my feet against the keel , scrape off the bottom. It cleaned off easily.only trouble was there is only so much you can scrape with one lung full of air so it took some time and was quite tiring. From time to time the rope had to be repositioned but eventually after several session it was done.

I didn’t much care for the Dutch side of the island at Simpsom bay somehow, all ribbon development along the busy roads, so I went around to the French side and anchored off Marigot. Seemed a nice little town this, I could have stayed longer but I had it in my head that it was time to turn around and head south. The forecast for the next week was good lighter winds and easterly looked ideal.

The new stereo

I knew it would be an uphill struggle to get back against the wind to St Barts, didn’t quite figure that it would take all day, hard on the wind , lots of tacking and a wind and sea state that belied the forecast. However I got back to Anse du Colombier before sunset and picked up a mooring in time for a swim, good after a head day.

First light the next day I slipped the mooring bound for St Kitts, I knew it would be another long day Close hauled I could hold the desired course and rounded the north end of the island in good time but then a long succession of beats down the coast took ages until a race against the sun setting took me to White House Bay to anchor.

Monseratt was the next destination, first I had to sail past Nevis then it was hard on the wind, 20 25 knots of it – what was this about light winds in the forecast and there was some south in the wind too so with that and punching into the waves i couldn’t hold the desired course. I had thought of anchoring off Little Bay but was pushed too far south and in late afternoon a quick mental calculation of miles to go with tacking and time before sunset it was apparent that I wouldn’t make it. The course I was on would clear the south of the island so be it, a night passage to Guadeloupe  it would be. I did give me a fairly close look at the ruins of Plymouth destroyed by the volcanic eruption 20 years ago and yes the volcano was still smoking after all these years.

Ruins of Plymouth Monseratt

It was a long night, catnapping was difficult due to the number of ships about , none came close but I like to keep tabs on them. I had shortened sail before dark – it was blowing 25 knots mind, preferring comfort to speed but probably overdid it and when the winds eased later perhaps should have set more sail. It was a slow passage and dawn found me still mile away from Guadeloupe. Things were not helped by rain squalls which blotted out all visibility. I had though to make for and anchor at Deshaies but had been pushed to far south so settled for making for Pigeon Islands and anchored in the bay there early afternoon. Time for a nap. Waking I wasn’t quite happy with the anchorage here, the wind was shifty, swinging room was limited by other boats and holding not too great so I up anchor and moved 5 miles down the coast to Anse du Barque – much better. and had a very peaceful night here.

Raising anchor the next morning was hard as in swinging the chain seemed to have wrapped itself around a rock but eventually I got it up and was of. But what was this A southerly wind of 20 knots and I wanted to go south down the coast. I am never ever going to believe in weather forecasts ever again. It has been wrong every day. Plan A had been to make it to Dominica, scrapped that go the Les Saintes instead, this lies further East so more tacking but not so far to go and from there should give a better slant on the wind for Dominica. Plenty of vacant moorings in Bourge les Saintes.

I remained here the next day, it was cloudy with rain but I fancied a stretch of legs ashore. I walked up to Fort Napoleon , very well preserved and lovely views and I also saw Iguanas – fantastic animals, wouldn’t mind a couple in my garden.

Bourge les Saintes from Fort Napoleon

Net mending Les Saintes

Beach picture

Iguana

Iguana

Onwards then to Dominica, but so much for a favourable slant of the wind which had gone to the SE. Then halfway across the wind died. I slopped about in the residual swell for what seemed like a decent interval then resorted to the motor. Anchoring in Prince Rupert Bay I noticed that Harvey and Rita’s boat was here, I’d seen them last in Antugua, and later bumped into them ashore at the Blue Bay Bar. Barely ashore this, you land on a slightly wobbly wooden jetty and the waves lap at the front of the bar terrace, a nice spot.

Moving on to Roseau was a strange wind wise day, everything from flat calms to gentle sailing breezes and 25 knots and from all different directions, made it difficult to get the sails right and I lost count of reefs in reefs out, yankee furled away yankee unfurled. Made for a frustrating day. Picked up one of Sea Cat’s moorings once at Roseau. But the strange SW swell that we have been having for the past few days made it anything but a restful night. I had planned to stay a while and visit the interior but in view of the swell I left early next morning. The forecast was for Easterly 15 knot winds- which would have been lovely. Passing Scotts Head at the south of the island was gusty as might be expected but then it settled down to a steady SE 18 knots. Well I could live with that even though it meant being closehauled rather than on a more comfortable reach for the 26 miles across to Martinique. Later the wind dropped to average about 13 knots and a gentle sea state but after a hour or so of this the wind was up to 20 knots plus and the sea a bit more agitated and then 25 lots of wind and then later everything from 5 knots, virtual calms to 25 knots, difficult sailing. Eventually we were in the lee of Martinque and no wind but a slop of a sea. Never mind not so far to St Pierre to anchor.
St Pierre was the site of a big volcanic disaster in 1902 when the Mt Pele erupted, engulfing the town, at the time the biggest in Martinque, in a fireball of superheated gas. There were just 2 survivors, an estimated 29,933 people died and 12 ships at anchor in the bay were destroyed. Today many ruins remain, still blackened around the edges, the population is about 6,000. the town is quite interesting and Mt Pele is quiet.
After a couple of days here it was on to Fort De France. A strong wind onto nose so tacking. It was May day so everything was shut but the beach and park were humming with activity.
Another day I took a “taxi collective” (the equivalent of a bus) out through the busy outskirts and across the middle fertile agricultural part of the island past plantation of bananas and sugar cane fields to La Francoise, a quiet little town – not much there but it enabled me to see more of the island.
Time to leave Fort de France, supplies bought, sail covers off, all made ready to hoist the anchor but the weather thought otherwise, blowing 25 knots in the anchorage and the bay a mass of white horses. No I thought I don’t have to go, so I didn’t.
Forecast was better for next day so dawn saw me hauling in the anchor. Nice sailing breeze across the bay and down the coast but thereafter if was 22 knots plus, mostly more like 25 knots for the rest of the day. 2 reefs in the main and just the staysail up. The wind kicked up quite a sea at times and at one point a wave joined me in the cockpit, breaking over my head. Still one advantage of Caribbean sailing is even the water is not cold and you soon dry off, albeit a little salty. Made it to the shelter of Marigot Bay, St Lucia and anchored outside the lagoon. A scenic spot this, decided to stay over next day.
Next stop was off Soufriere, just 10 miles down the coast, a most beautiful coast I must say. Soufriere Bay is dominated by the Pitons, two wonderful volcanic peaks. I moored off the bat cave but it was a little rolly here so later moved across the bay hoping it would be quieter off the town.

Marigot Bay St Lucia

The Pitons

Soufriere

Soufriere was the jumping off point for crossing to St Vincent. A dawn start saw me away, motoring as it was calm across the bay and past the Pitons. Rounding Gros Piton point I had wind, gentle at first and could set a course for St Vincent. Later the wind strengthened a little, but a nice beam wind this and not too bad a sea and Sea Bear responded by showing 6 knots on the log, go Bear go, there were 40 miles to go so great to get good speed. I even saw some dolphins, the first I have seen in the Caribbean.
Much later as we neared the north end of St Vincent the wind picked up again, to expected as it accelerates around the end of the island and the sea a little livelier so I put the first reef in the main. A bit later I felt the need for a 2nd reef in the main and furl the working jib as it was getting a bit of a handful. However no sooner than I had done that the wind dropped and then a calm. We were in the lee of the island, thereafter it was a little fitful but we slid calmly along the sea being flat in the lee and entered Wallilabou Bay. This was the main setting for “Pirates Of the Caribbean”. Mooring bouy picked up and a stern line led to the old pilings with the aid of a boat boy and Sea Bear was snug. I had been a good fast passage. Time for a swim then later a beer ashore. Meet and chatted with the lovely American couple of the cat moored next to me Lew and Bev. and we ate together- lovely grilled fish, Amberjack, never had before, very tasty.

It was so peaceful and lovely here, I walked for about 4 hours the next day firstly up the valley then back to the beach.Hear I watched some strange ritual involving 3 corpulent ladies a man with a bell and book and a bag of what I think were flower petals, much anointing with sea water, bathing dunking and bell ringing. It went on a long time and gave some amusement to a man who came down to bathe and who I chatted with. I continued the walk along through Keartons and to Barrouallie the next village along the coast. All very scenic and interesting, got the impression that they don’t see many tourists or “whities” around these parts.
St Vincent is a pretty poor island, you can tell partly because the boat boys and fisherman have little rowing boats, not the big piroques with big outboard motors like other islands, some of the boat boys that sell fruits just paddle around on a surf board . The fisherman row 3 miles or so out to see in these little boats to go fishing, its quite incredible. Ashore some of the tiny shacks that people live in too speak of poverty

St Vincent was beautiful, loved it there and to think I nearly passed it by because it has a bad reputation for boat boys and robberies from boats

Wallilabou

Wallilabou Bay

Wallilabou valley

It was just a short hop to Bequia, part of the Grenadines. Sailing down the coast of St Vincent I had fickle winds but like the stubborn fool I am at times persisted in sailing rather than resorting straightaway to the engine. Clearing the coast the wind freshened, time to shorten sail, I settled on staysail and double reefed main, quite enough with the wind at 22-24 knots and gusting higher. Admiralty bay I am glad to stay is big with plenty of room to anchor, I was glad of that in the conditions. I headed for what I thought might be the calmer part of the bay and as luck would have it anchored quite by chance next to Lew & Bev’s cat.
In the night it really blew and rained too. I was glad of the rain as it washed all the salt spray off the boat, she had become a very salty Sea Bear.
With the salt washed off I took advantage next day to clean up the stainless of “Martha” which badly needed doing. It was still very windy and the sea choppy so I didn’t bother blowing up the dinghy to go ashore, plenty to do aboard. In the eve Lew & Bev gave me a ride into town, advantage of a big boat is a bigger and hence drier tender. We had a few drinks, some food and listened to some guys playing guitars and singing, a very pleasant eve.
Other days I explored the town, didn’t take long and walked over to Industry via Spring estate. At Industry, strangely named, you couldn’t imagine a more peaceful place was a turtle sanctuary run by a delightful old guy. Nice to see turtles close up and he is doing a great job to help preserve this endangered species.

Admiralty Bay Bequia

Close up to a Turtle

Left Bequia just after dawn, ran out of the bay and rounded Grand Cay. A wrecked freighter here reminds ones of potential dangers sailing here. A lovely broad reach with moderate winds took us to Canouan which I passed by carrying on towards Mayreau passing between the Baleine rocks and Catholic Island with its shoals. The wind was picking up a little, time to furl the jib , only it wouldn’t so a quick trip to the foredeck to haul it down and lash it to the deck. Then it was past the eastern side of Union Island, avoiding all the reefs of Palm Island and into the reef ringed harbour of Clifton. Forewarned that the holding was not good for anchoring I took a mooring bouy. Felt strange to be on the east side of an island facing the Atlantic with the ever present roar of surf on the reef, but the reef absorbed all the waves and it was calm inside. It had been a good passage, 30 miles in 6 hours. A visit ashore to complete departure formalities as I was leaving the St Vincent Grenadines, the next Island being Grenadian.
In the morning I walked up Fort hill above the town for some great views, although it was a little hazy towards the Tobago keys. Back to the boat , time for a swim of course then off for the short sail to Carriacou in the afternoon.

Clifton harbour from Fort Hill

Main St Clifton

I had anchored off Hillsborough the previous eve, only 1 other yacht here but there was a couple of Venezuelian fishing boats. One could have been a fishing boat from anywhere, but the other was very distinctive in style with a very high prow and a covered foredeck.
Ashore Hillsborough was very sleepy, it was a Sunday but formalities soon completed at Customs in the police station. Seems no buses on a Sunday so put off a visit to Windward till the next day. After a bus ride to Windward I saw wooden boats being built in the traditional way on the beach, lovely to see. Apparently they have quite a party when they launch them, would be good to be there for that.
In the afternoon I moved around the corner to Tyrrell Bay, this is the favoured anchorage for cruisers at Carriacou, so lots of boats here.
At Tyrrel Bay there is a mangrove lagoon or swamp which is a protected area for mangrove oysters so I took the dinghy there and rowed up it. Supposedly there are iguanas there but I didn’t see any.
Last minute as ever I arranged for some boat storage in Trinidad. The first place I emailed an enquiry too said they were full, which put me in a mild panic, have I left it too late?, what if they are all full? However the next two places I contacted said they had room so I reserved a lift out for 1st June, official start of hurricane season – just have to get there now.

Hillsborough beach

Boat building at Windward

Union Island from Windward

Dawn saw me away from Tyrrell Bay to make the passage to Grenada. The direct course to the West coast of Grenada passes over a submerged volcano, Kick ‘em Jenny, around which there is an exclusion zone, the size of which depends on the current level of activity. It was quiet at the moment. I thought I might pass to the east of the zone passing close to the island of Isle de Ronde and the rocks of the Sisters. There was however a strong current setting to the west and to counter act it I would need to be hard on the wind, so instead I choose to free off a little and pass Kick ’em Jenny to the west
I closed the Grenada coast near Gros Point and under it’s lee the seas were quieter and the wind lighter and more fickle. Looks a lovely island, forested mountains tumbling down to the sea. Eventually we arrived off St Georges at which point the wind picked up to 25 knots. Isn’t always the way , nice winds all day then coming up to anchor the wind decides to blast away! Just to make life interesting I guess. Anyway lots of room so anchor down in 5 meters and lots of chain out so holding well.

No anchoring is allowed in the Lagoon anymore, its been developed for a marina, and the Carenage is reserved for fishing boats so the anchorage is quite a dinghy ride out of the town but worthwhile for a look around. A few days here and I moved on to Prickly Bay just a few miles around the corner. This is the favoured anchorage for cruising folk. Here I had a chance encounter with another Vancouver, this a 32 “Naomi” with Ian who had recently completed a solo circumnavigation over 4 years. Had tea with him and a good gam. He too was on his way to Trinidad to store the boat for the hurricane season.

Leaving Carriacou

Rum Barrels

It is 80 miles from the south coast of Grenada to the north coast of Trinidad, too far for a daylight passage, so an afternoon or evening departure was the way to go, but what time exactly. Leave too early and with a fast passage it would still be dark on closing the Trinidad coast, something to be avoided, leave too late and with a slow passage the risk of arriving as eve falls the following day. So a noon departure was fixed on, the forecast looked good and leaving Wednesday should ensure an arrival before the weekend so we wouldn’t have to pay overtime to customs and immigration. Ian decided to leave at the same time.
Raising the anchor I headed out to sea, taking care to give a good clearance to some offshore rocks, the Porpoises, sometimes hard to see but identified by the breaking waves over them. Once past I could set a course, allowing for the west flowing current. It soon became apparent that the current was strong so I had to adjust the course to windward, not the nice beam reach I was hoping for but a close reach about 60 degrees off the wind, which was nice and steady at 15 to 17 knots and the sea state was kind. Time to settle back and enjoy the passage, “Martha” seeing to the steering I just had to monitor progress and watch for shipping. Indeed about 3 hours out 2 ships appeared, one in front and one behind, in the event one passed safely across my bows about a mile off and the other overtook me on my port side about a mile off.
Sunset and although it was cloudy the moon, about three quarters full, shone through them so the night was not dark and it was a pleasant sail.
There are a couple of gas platforms about 25 mile north off the Trinidad coast and they provide a good seamark, lit up like christmas trees they can be seen miles off. Dawn saw us about 10 miles off the coast but gradually the wind was dropping, a little later I spied a sail and then the AIS beeped, it was Ian in “Naomi”. With him being a bigger and faster boat I was very surprised to see him again and be so close after such a long passage. Transpired he had been worried by the set of the current and gone a good way to windward to avoid being set to the West whereas I had sailed a slighter shorter course.
Calm fell so we motored the last miles. closing the Boca de Monos, a passage between the mainland and Monos island. The coast was very dramatic, steep wooded cliffs falling to the sea and there were hundreds of pelicans flying in formation. Through the channel and then turned into Chaguaramas bay, threading a way through all the boats large and small we tied up alongside the customs dock to report our arrival. 80 miles plus, the log had stopped working awhile probably blocked by seaweed, there has been a lot of pelagic Sargasso weed this year. Ian had logged 100 miles.

Boca de Monos

Chaguaramaras

Chaguaramas was where I had decided to haul the boat out and lay her up for the hurricane season. It is a busy commercial shipping area but ashore there are several boatyards with very good layup and work facilities, everything from sailmakers to steel fabricators and several chandleries. A couple of days were spent on a mooring buoy in the bay, a bit rock and roll at times because of all the wake from passing boats but then it was lift out time. First I wanted to fill with diesel, a full tank limits condensation forming in the tank leading to water in the fuel. 7.30 Monday morning though there were two fishing boats alongside the fuel jetty and they didn’t look like they be moving soon. There was room inshore but space was tight, I thought I could get in OK but could I get out again? Hell lets try! I manoeuvred in OK , got tied up and filled with diesel. Getting out was even tighter than it had looked at first, well it had to be done, crunch time you might say only I managed to avoid the crunch and turn around unscathed with inches to spare. Next stop the lift out dock where the yard hands were ready to take my lines and soon Sea Bear was hoisted from the water and on stands in the yard. It felt very strange to be on the boat and it was not moving.
The next few days were spent laying up – hosing the boat down to wash all the salt off, stripping off sails and rigging and washing them, general cleaning, polishing the stainless work. I did take a day off to take the bus to Port of Spain for a look around, visited the botanical gardens etc but that was the limit of exploring Trinidad before catching a plane back to UK. There should be plenty of time to explore later when I return to the boat later in the year. Meanwhile I am back in the UK for a few months, to enjoy the English summer? and catch up with family and friends.

Ashore in the hoist

Fruit stall, Port of Spain