SEA BEAR

I spent  some of the summer time in the UK. It was was nice to catch up with friends and family and also to be able to get out and ride the bike. Besides some good rides in the Peak District and elsewhere, I also rode the Devon coast to Coast route from Ifracombe to Plymouth, there and back again. Hilly in parts, laden with camping gear but a great ride.

Back in Trinidad and at the boat my first task was to make a list of jobs to be done. I quickly filled a sheet of A4, some essential maintenance like service the seacocks, other more cosmetic like repainting the red sheer line band. But it was a daunting list and I was glad I had plenty of time before the end of the hurricane season. Back in UK boat maintenance, mostly done in March was always a cold affair, bundled up in many layers to try and keep warm in a boatyard on the edge of the Straits with a cold NE wind blowing.

The novelty here was that it was hot, almost too hot, but so much easier to tackle washing the boat down clad in just shorts and a pleasure to turn the hosepipe on oneself. Painting too much easier, no worrying about minimum temperatures and such like.

First job I tackled was the red band, it had never looked smart even when I bought the boat. I decided it had to be sanded down, an exploratory attempt made me realise the magnitude of the task with no power tools and led me to enlist some help. I contracted Rawle  to do  the job and after agreeing a price he set too. He would turn up at 6 in the morning because he wanted to get started before the heat of the day. I’d make tea and we’d chat a bit. A few days later the band was repainted, and small GRP repair to the bow effected and the topsides cleaned down, buffed up and polished. Sea Bear was looking OK for a 29 year old lady.

Red band repainted and hull polished

Not all work no play.

I’d missed my bike so when I flew back one item of my baggage was a bike, a folding one so that it would stow more easily aboard. One morning I cycled up  the road though the forest to Morne Catherine at 540m – well actually it was hard work but nice all the same passing through the forest, a multitude of different types of trees and vegetation and lots of noisy birds and insects, with plenty of butterflies. A glorious freewheel downhill for 6 miles led back to the coast.

Another day I cycled along the Tucker valley to Macqueripe Bay on the north coast. Here I swam along with plenty of pelicans who were fishing unconcernedly amongst all the bathers – quite an incredible experience.

The other day I decided to have a roti for lunch, time passed in  queuing at the roti shack watching an iguana in the trees nearby and a butterfly as big as my hand with flashes of incandescent blue, flitting about the shack. Mmm the roti was good too.

Bamboo cathedral

Bathing with pelicans

bathing with pelicans

Macqueripe bay

Before I leave Trinidad some miscellanea that you might find interesting.

A nutmeg gathered from the forest.

Nutmeg

The bike came in useful – looks unwieldy but I managed to pick up two sails from the sailmakers.

Loaded Bike

The coast from the road up to the old tracking station.

N Coast from tracking station road

A trail through the forest.

Forest track

Some fruit and veg bought from a roadside stall, soursop, grapefruit, portuguals, favour peppers, pumpkin, squash, hot peppers, tomatoes, capsicum, maize, courgette, onion, garlic, bananas.

Fruit & veg

Finally managed to see some monkeys in the forest which was a nice thrill.

After all the work, all the worry, Sea Bear is back in the water. I always find it a nervous business watching the yard staff move the boat with the stacker to transfer to the hoist. Then there is always the thought of have you remember everything, will there be no leaks. Added to that this time was moving to a bow to berth in the dock in the little creek around the side of the yard. A tight space to manoeuvre into with boats either side and a pile to avoid and stop in time  not to bash the hard dock!

Well I managed it OK, great relief. Had a beer at sundown to celebrate.

Being picked up
by the stacker

View of the dock

In the berth

Finally everything was done, the rigger had adjusted the rigging as the forestay was a little on the loose side. In the morning immigration and customs visited, duty free Gin and Rum purchased and provisions bought with the last of my Triny dollars. Noon and time to cast of the lines and reverse out of the dock. I’d been a long time in Trinidad. I motored out through all the moored and anchored boats in Chaguaramas Bay and then through the Boca passage to the open sea. It was a bit windier and the sea a little rougher than I would have liked for a first sail after such a long lay off but you just have to deal with what the weather gods send you.

It turned out to be a long hard passage, hard on the wind the whole way and with leeway and a very strong westerly current I had to point 30 to 40 degrees to the east to achieve a heading of north. No sleep, cooking was dismissed due to the conditions so just cold snacks. Plenty of spray came aboard but at least it wasn’t cold. 22 hours later I sailed into Prickly Bay Grenada and anchored. No rest yet though, the dinghy to inflate and ashore to visit customs and immigration then a hot walk to the bank for funds. Later Martin and Martha, a Dutch couple I had met in Trinidad came by and took me to happy hour at the bar and then it being Sat night half price pizza. So fed and watered so to speak I could retire to my bunk 36 hours after last lying down.

Anchored here in Prickly Bay.

Prickly Bay

Took some buses up into the mountains. Visited the Grand Etang lake and walked a bit in the forest, cool up here and a bit of a rainy day but some nice views.

Grand Etang Lake

Grand Etang forest

Vendome view

Ged arrived and we went to a dinghy concert, a band on a tug us on a big float bobbing about in Phare Blue Bay- lovely.

Later we visited St Georges and the the Grand Anse, a very lovely beach, swam and had barbecued jerk chicken.

Grand Anse

Pulling up the anchor to leave Prickly Bay we were amazed at how much weed had grown on the chain after such a short stay. We left the chain on deck rather than stow it in the anchor locker so we could clean it..We made a short hop up to Dragon Bay on the west coast of Grenada and had time here for a spot of snorkelling before our sundowners.
First light next day we were underway, up the coast then across past Kick ‘em Jenny and Diamond rock to Tyrrel Bay Carriacou. Ashore later we had a very nice fish dinner in the Slipway, fresh Tuna for me and Mahi Mahi for Ged. A visit to the mangrove lagoon then a walk to and along Paradise beach finishing with drinking rum with the locals at Banana Joe’s, a very laid back character.

Sandy Island

Moving on we moored off Sandy island, just a strip of coral and sand with a few palm trees. It was very windy so the snorkelling not so good as it could have been. On to Hillsborough, a bus over to Windward to look at the boat building and a walk towards the North of the island.
Next stop was Petite Martinique a more laid back island would I think be hard to find in the Caribbean. No other yachts here, no tourists, no whities.

Petite Martinique

On to Union island, here we bought fresh tuna steaks from a fisherman delicious they were and walked up Fort hill for the views towards our next objective the uninhabited Tobago Cays. Careful navigation is needed to visit these surrounded as they are by reefs but they are a fabulous place to visit. We swam, saw iguanas ashore and treated ourselves to barbecued lobster.

Tobago Cays from Union

Still strong winds for our passage to Bequia, 25 to 30 knots with a lively sea. Leeway, wind, waves, current all pushing us westward so it was hard work to gain the easting we needed.
We discovered the hard way that the holding in Admiralty bay was not great, the bottom being sand & rubble when we were awoken at 3.30 by the anchor alarm that we were dragging. Not much fun that time in the morning re-anchoring. Later for peace of mind we took a mooring buoy.
Christmas day was spent here, lunch on the terrace of a restaurant overlooking the bay followed by a walk along the beach, swimming and rounded of with rum punch at a Rasta spot.

Christmas lunch view

Another rough but thankfully short passage took us to St Vincent. In the lee of the island all much calmer and we arrived at Cumberland Bay to anchor with Joseph the rastaman taking a stern line ashore tied to a tree on the beach.
A walk ashore confirmed the friendliness of the locals with greetings and chats . One love man.

inland Cumberland Bay

We both wanted to stay longer here in St Vincent but Ged’s plane from Martinique would not wait.
Cleared out from Chateaubelair further up the coast, a desperately poor place this but the locals super friendly and helpful.
By the time we arrived in St Lucia we were very salty from spray and motoring the last miles into Soufriere was a race against the dark. Sometimes you can be thankful that there are boat boys and they helped us to a vacant mooring buoy, anchoring is not allowed here as it is a Marine park. One good thing about this passage was the catching of a small tuna by our trolled line, it provided a tasty eve meal.
A pleasant sail on flat water took us to Rodney Bay. Its the sort of place I normally avoid, big marina with condominiums, holiday resorts etc. but located on the North of the island an ideal jumping of spot for crossing to Martinique.

Martinique is north from St Lucia so at least we did not have to fight to make easting. Calmer seas and a beam wind we flew along surprising both of us by our speed and the ease of it. So we arrived by midday to anchor in Grande Anse d’Arlet. Jean Mitchell who I had first meet in Northern Spain over a year ago was here and spotting Sea Bear rowed over to invite us for t punch later. There are lots of turtles here so Ged eventually got to swim with a turtle when snorkelling.
We went to a Creole restaurant on the beach before the short hop to Fort de France. Ashore a lot going on, music, bands, loads of people. We had to keep checking we were not a day out and it wasn’t New Years eve already. Back on the boat there seemed more boats at anchor and lots of motorboats arriving in the dark, it was a bit chaotic but a boat patrolling in front of us stopped boats passing beyond us. The reason was a grand firework display from the fort and on our boat we had front row seats as it were. Told Ged it was arranged specially for a grand send off for him.
In morning it was time for Ged to catch the bus to the airport to fly home

With Ged departed I made my way back to Grande Anse for a relaxing couple of days before feeling the need to move on. A day sail then took me to St Pierre for an overnight anchorage before the passage to Dominica. Decided not to stop in Dominica this time, the weather was a little unsettled very rainy just a couple of overnights anchorage at Rosseau and Portsmouth. Bit of a blow was the stove not working one morning so no tea as the fuel line had developed a leak, not surprising really I suppose as it was probably the original hose and it had perished. Evening meal problem solved by eating ashore, seared tuna on a bed of spinach and lentils, delicious. I was able to buy a new piece of fuel hose in Portsmouth next day though so was back in business.
On then to Guadelope, by passing Les Saintes this time as I had visited then twice before I headed for Pointe de Pitre. A quiet anchorage here but not the most scenic in the Caribbean with container docks and the like. Still it enable to give my dirty washing to the laundry for a much needed wash and stock up on supplies from the supermarket. It being France of course that meant cheap French wine and cheese mainly.
On the to Saint Francois out to the east of the long thin peninsular that sticks out to the Atlantic. Endless tacking that day but the wind was light and the seas flat. For that I was grateful for the entrance to St Francois is through a narrow passage in the reefs, fortunately well buoyed but with breaking waves both sides. Anchoring in the lagoon was very peaceful. I hitched hiked to Point les Chateaux next morning, it being Sunday and no buses.

Point des Chateaux

A spectacular point and walked along the coast, found myself on a nudist beach so not having taken swimming things with me I available myself of the opportunity for a skinny dip. Further on past Pt des Gourdes another beach and a welcome beer in a bar before hitching back.

Bullock cart Marie-Galante

Marie-Galante was next stop, had to motor but not too far as the winds have deserted us. Anchored in St Louis Bay, a wonderful wide shallow bay with water so crystal clear. Its like the island that time forget, bullock carts used to take the rum from the distillery down to the beach and put on a raft out to a two masted barque at anchor in the bay.
Walk along the coast here around the headland to Anse Canot, just another lovely Caribbean beach. Ate ashore, “Aissiette de Creole”.
The wind was back for a passage back to the main Island, light at first so rigged the big red and white cruising chute. It got a bit of a handful when the wind piped up later and I handed it just short of rounding Pt a Launay at the southern tip of Guadeloupe. Round this and in the lee it was flat calm so motored to Riverie Sens, where I anchored off a black sand beach. The holding here was non too good, very weedy so on signs of dragging at dusk I moved on to a vacant mooring buoy.
A walk to Basse Terre, a bus to St Caude and hitched up the car park at the start of the track up the Soufriere volcano. At first through rain forest it emerges onto drier savanne before tackling the final ascent of the cone. It was a little bit misty on the top so the fine views were missing but the craters vents and fumoroles were impressive with a fine suphurous smell, well worth the effort of ascent.

Les Saintes from Soufreire

Soufreire
Soufreire volcano

Next day on to Deshaises at the North of the island. Ashore time to search out Madame Sorbet with her delicious coconut flavoured sorbet. A long queue to complete departure formalities then a beer on a terrace overlooking the bay. Back at the boat time to deflate and stow the dinghy for an early start in the morning to make for Antigua.

Had a reasonable crossing to Antigua although the wind was very variable so lots of sail configuration changes. Arrived in Freeman’s bay English Harbour, spotted Harvey & Rita’s yacht so said hello before finding a spot to anchor. They invited me to dinner and drinks later which was very nice.

Highlights of the next few days were a beach barbecue, a walk up Shirley Heights with Rita & Harvey.

English Harbour from Shirley Heights

A walk over Middle Ground to swim at Pigeon Beach, a cycle ride to Bethesda (as you may know I lived in Bethesda N Wales for a long time) just had to visit .

Bethesda

There was also the donkey sanctuary there to visit.

At the donkey sanctuary

A tot and toast at the Naval tot club followed by fish Friday then a long bike ride to Carlisle Bay down and back up Fig Tree Drive, a bit of a beast of a hill in parts and hilly the rest of way too, legs pretty tired after this little excursion.

Time to move on so when the winds eased and the seas were calmer, as it had been unsettled and squally for a few days. I weighed anchor and in two long tacks made for Green Island and then into Nonsuch Bay through the reefs, eyeball navigation this for which the sun very unhelpfully hid behind a cloud, you need good light to see the reefs, but through OK and anchored in Ayres Creek, just had to go there didn’t I?

Screen shot, Sea Bear in Ayres Creek

Very little there but a quiet place, I was the only boat anchored there. When leaving Nonsuch bay there was quite a swell on York Bank built up by the strong winds, so not so much fun but Sea Bear coped well as usual. Then a fast run just under yankee, rolly and with breaking waves past English Harbour, through the Goats head channel between Cadie’s reef and the mainland past Pelican Island and into the lee of the west coast to anchor off Jolly Harbour. I will make my departure from Antigua here.

Weighed anchor in the predawn for the 45 mile crossing to Nevis. Calm at first but a bit offshore and we picked up a following or Soldiers wind. After a while calm again so engine back on but later we had wind back, about 15 knots.  Later when plotting position we had gone further than the log read, either  it was under reading or more likely the current was given us a helpful push westwards of I knot. Late morning we came into soundings again when passing over the bank to the north of Redona, a useful confirmation of position. The afternoon became cloudy and the wind dropped to about 10 knots but nothing threatening. Closing the coast of Nevis at the southern tip, Dogwood point it is easy to misjudge how far off you are. At first I though I was a mile offshore but realised what I thought were trees were just bushes and I closer inshore and the depth shallow. Easily corrected by a slight course change but a reminder to be ever vigilante. At least one yacht has been wrecked here. A little later I picked up a mooring buoy off Pinney’s Beach. 10 hrs for a 45 mile passage, not bad considering the light winds.

Pinney’s Beach is a lovely spot to just chill out and relax, a beautiful long beach, clear waters and some nice beach bars. One is owned by another Vancouver owner, so it was good to pay him a visit again, have a beer or two and catch up on things.

There was a beautiful modern classic 56’ sloop moored near by, “Spirited Lady of Fowey”, the skipper, Susie, dropped by one morning. Mark had mentioned that I was thinking of going to Cuba and that was her intention too. I was invited to her boat for a meal and we swopped notes. It was truely a lovely boat but must be a bit high maintainance with acres of teak decks and varnished woodwork.

Next day she took me to the hot springs, the existence of which I was unaware. The water was very hot, like a very hot bath, just bearable but on getting out you felt a little chilly in contrast although the air temperature was in the thirties, a strange feeling but slightly odd to have salt free body again.

One day I watched for ages a big shoal of little fish no more than about an inch swim about the boat, all changing direction at once just like you might see on a nature programme on the telly then some bigger fish perhaps 8 to 18 inches dart in to quick to grab a mouthful of them.

Oh and I saw a turtle that morning, thought they might be about here but that was the first I’ve seen here.

Another day I went for a cycle around the island. This time the opposite direction to last year and enjoyed it, legs bit tired afterwards – they don’t get enough use!

Would be so easy to stay here for ages but I felt the need to move on again, a long way to Cuba from here and first I want to go to St Maarten to stock up, it’s a duty free island and then I’ve a mind to call in at BVI.

It was 3 am when I slipped the mooring at Pinney’s beach, but the wind had gone so I motored the first hour before it returned lightly 10 – 12 knots. Daylight saw me passing Brimstone hill and then I was at the North end of the St Kitts. Here I was becalmed for a short while but the wind returned a bit stronger this time, up to 20 knots. I passed Statia and set the course for St Maarten, arriving here and anchoring in Simpson Bay after a passage of 15 hrs for the 61n miles.

Sunset on ancient & modern Simpson Bay

I left clearing in until the next morning, then later when the bridge opened I moved into the lagoon.

One of the nice things about St Maarten is the bar Lagoonies, happy hour here and a bottle of Presidente beer is just 1 US$, current rate of exchange about 68 pence. Lagoonies is set on the edge of the lagoon with its own dinghy dock and is a lively place often with live music.

Lagoonies

The island being duty free booze is amazingly cheap so we stocked up.  Rum at 5 US$  a bottle a bargain and since I am bound for ex pirate islands next we needs some rum aarh!

Stocked up too on provisions so two big supermarket shops, one on the Dutch side and another on the French side, staggering back each time with a full rucsac and two laden shopping bags, should have the staples for a couple of months or more.

A street in Marigot – French side of island

The other thing the island is good for is Chandelries there being a big Budget Marine and big Island Water World, so I was able to get some necessaries including a pilot book and some charts of Cuba.

A few little jobs on the boat done and I was ready to move on again before I became a permanant fixture propping up a bar stool at Lagoonies!