2026 Off To A Great Start

 It has been a long time since my last post, and in that time we have done quite a bit of exploring without covering very many miles.  In preparation for our granddaughter’s annual visit we had to decide where we would meet them, and which places we wanted to visit during their three week stay. This happens to be one of the most stressful situations for me…the planner, weather specialist, and navigator.  Realistically, I would like to purchase airline tickets 6 weeks in advance. However, six weeks is too far away to accurately pinpoint where we might be, at that time. 

 Could we make it to the Virgin Islands?  Do we want to rush through so many islands to make that deadline? What if weather doesn’t cooperate, and we get pinned down for a few weeks? Ugh…in the end, I decided that the best meeting location would be St. Vincent, which would avail us to wonderful exploration opportunities in the Grenadine Islands.  However, this meant that we had six weeks to travel 150 miles, which isn’t very much ground to cover for that amount of time. There are numerous islands in the area, but most were islands we planned to return to once the girls arrived.

In the end, things worked out perfectly, and we had the flexibility to take our time and enjoy our surroundings. We also were able to complete quite a few boat projects during our down time.

From Tobago, Keith and I traveled to Grenada. During our last visit to Grenada we had trouble finding a protected anchorage that wasn’t rolly from ocean swell.  This time we decided to spend the first few days in a Marina, to make hide from strong winds and make provisioning easier.  

Grenada did not disappoint with the amazing fruit selection at the roadside stand.

On the day we were scheduled to leave the marina we ran into a slight issue. We originally requested three nights, which the marina approved and said we couldn’t stay longer, because they were totally booked with ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) boats just completing an Atlantic crossing. This was fine with us since we aren’t really marina people, but we wanted to see some of the ARC boats arrive. However, as we prepared to leave we noticed they had tied a trimaran directly in front of us…so, I was off to find a marina dock hand. 

He accompanied me to the boat slip, and proceeded to tell me that he thought we could squeeze out😳. There were boats on both sides of us, tightly sandwiching us in place. We both told him that was not an option, and we would not start our engines until the boat was moved. This turned into quite a pissing match (sorry for that visual, but that is the best way to describe it). I walked to the manager’s office, explained the situation, and showed her the pictures. She said she would deal with it right away. This time 4 men showed up at our slip and said they would place dinghies and their bodies between the boats, but they were not going to move the trimaran. Our answer…NOPE! Move the boat or our engines don’t start.  The ridiculous part was that all they needed to do was pull it back 7 or 8 feet (there was nothing behind it) and we would be able to get out safely.  Finally, when they realized we weren’t budging, they said they would need to find the owns to get permission…so again we waited. After several waisted hours, they pulled the boat back a few feet, and we left🤯…people can be exhausting!

We spent the rest of our time, in Grenada, on a mooring ball in Grand Anse Bay and thoroughly enjoyed the sunsets!

Next, we were off to Carriacou, where we would check out of Grenada. 

No luck fishing…our only catch was this large barracuda.  Even though we have heard that barracuda are delicious, we have been very concerned about ciguatera poisoning.  I have read (and been told) that ciguatera is not a problem south of Puerto Rico we were not willing to take the chance, so this guy went back into the water.

We spent a few days relaxing at Carriacou. It’s a nice stop.

This little cutie was super excited to show me her shells😘

Then it was off to Bequia…

We actually spent close to three weeks in Bequia, waiting for the girls to arrive on Jan. 6

We stocked our freezer with lobster, and I spent a lot of time cooking to fill the freezer with premade meals.  The girls like to spend so much time in the water it feels like the afternoons are rushed and exhausting…so this year I am trying a new strategy - heat & eat👍

We also has a lot of time to explore the islands and beaches around Bequia, and of course, a lot of snorkeling was involved.

Bequia is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy people watching. There is always a lot happening in the harbor!

Bequia harbor contains the most diverse group of cruising nationalities I have ever seen. I was intrigued by the variety of flags, and it occurred to me this would make a great homeschool geography assignment when the girls arrived.  Each day they selected one flag to research. They drew the flag in their journal, had to be able to show me the country on a map and verbally describe its location, and give two interesting facts about the country👍

We attended a beach bbq to sample local dishes, and I must say, this Goat Water (that’s the real name) was a hit. It was a very flavorful soup with goat (ALWAYS watch for bones), veggies, and small dumplings.

Finally, it was time to get in position, at St. Vincent, to pick up the girls. We experienced very rough conditions (at Blue Lagoon) last June, when we were there to pick up Matt, Beth and Anna so we decided to look for a different place to anchor.  We hit the jackpot with a mooring ball at Young Island!

From this view, Young Island is on the right and we are standing on Duvernette Island. Home of Fort Duvernette. The other wonderful thing about this spot was our ability to enjoy marvelous snorkeling right off the boat!

If you look closely you can see where the 250 step are cut into the side, which lead to the fort at the top.

The fort did provide a beautiful view.

Everyone was excited when it was time for our first snorkel👍

This isn’t the best picture, because Keith was trying a new underwater filter (which turns everything red in shallow water). Nothing was actually red, but this little trigger fish thought he owned this mooring ball, and was actually biting us. The girls named him Little Killer🤣

Since Nicole was only staying for a week, we decided to remain in St. Vincent during that time. I was excited to share my favorite part of the Caribbean with them, which happens to be the little villages and hamlets along the west coast of St. Vincent.  First stop, Chateaubelair♥️. 

We were so excited to see Nieem again, and he did an excellent job of collecting fresh coconuts so we could stock up on coconut water, and have plenty of meat to make fresh coconut milk.

Fresh fish delivered to the boat.

This time, we hired John (our ‘go-to’ fruit man) to guide us to a local waterfall.

Love the people we meet!

…and snorkeling right off the boat!

After a few days in Chateaubelair, it was time to visit Cumberland.

Cumberland is smaller, but also better protected from swell.  Here, boats have to drop anchor in fairly deep (50’) water and run a stern line to a tree so the boats don’t swing on anchor.

When Nicole originally asked the restaurant I would most recommend for authentic Caribbean cuisine I knew visiting Christine at Mojito’s was a must!!

Throughout the entire three weeks the girls were with us, snorkeling was phenomenal! We saw a total of four octopi in those three weeks…in addition to almost everything, except sharks. We did not see one shark in three solid weeks of snorkeling🤷‍♀️

After Nicole flew home, it was time to explore the Grenadines with Lucy and Maggie. Since we were island hopping we stopped at some islands on the way down and the way back…so this part isn’t necessarily chronological, I am grouping photos with the place not the time.

Canouan was 90° destroyed by hurricane Beryl in July 2024.  They have made amazing progress in rebuilding. Apparently, in large part thanks to Ian Wace, a wealthy homeowner on the island who donated $25 million U.S. dollars to the rebuild efforts.  A woman working in one of the new shops told us that he was the owner of a large portion of the island, in addition to two resorts. However, my Google search went down a strange rabbit hole that left me confused about who he was, and what is intentions were.

Either way, everyone agreed that he did amazing things for Canouan, Union, and Mayreau islands. He paid for a shipment of heavy equipment and building materials to be brought to Canouan.  

They used the empty containers to build harbor front businesses, and you will notice that they reclaimed everything they could to reuse in the new construction. From the corrugated metal from old roofs to the reclaimed telephone poles holding up the roof overhangs, the new construction does an excellent job of honoring the old, and making it an important part of the new look and feel.

The souvenir shop is decorated with before and after pictures, as well as satellite images. This one shows how many roofs were replaced with funding from Ian Wace.  Every dot represents a replaced roof…the colors do not have a meaning. When I asked she said they only had one pack of dots and had to use all of the colors🤣

The next island on the tour was Mayreau. I was very excited about this one, because we had never been. We had cruised past it a few times, but had never stopped. I really wanted to take Anna there last June, but the wind was too strong making it dangerous and uncomfortable. This time I carefully planned our arrival to be at the beginning of the nicest three days the girls were with us.

https://www.moonholecompany.com/mission-and-history

Terrific Tobago

 We absolutely loved our time in Tobago. I would rate this anchorage as my second favorite in the Caribbean…only behind Chateaubelair, St. Vincent.  The island was peaceful, beautiful, and well kept.  They seem to be making an extraordinary effort to make this island attractive to tourists.  In my book, their mindfulness pays off!

The landscape is beautiful!

This flyer sums up my feeling of how this community is working to make tourism a priority. However, not in a big resort ‘bring in the big bucks’ vibe, but more in a down to earth ‘make people feel comfortable and welcome in our village’ way.

This hillside cemetery is right next to the immigration office.

This island had the most friendly and polite Customs and Immigration officials we have met anywhere in the Caribbean!  After checking in, we asked where they would recommend for lunch.

This is the view from Sharon & Phoebe’s

The food was delicious!  Customers only need to choose the protein here. Our choices were fish, chicken, or shrimp, and Keith and I both chose shrimp. All of the sides come on every plate, which seems to be common practice in the southern Caribbean.  Also, these sides are the standard in T&T (Trinidad & Tobago)…rice, pigeon peas (usually cooked in coconut milk), mac&cheese, and a small salad.  This plate also included some steamed mixed veggies, but this was the first time we have seen mixed veggies included.

Back in the anchorage…

Dash was the first one to visit our boat. He makes a living as a fisherman, and a fish tour operator. We agreed to hire Dash to take us fishing the following morning.

It was a very rough trip out, and we didn’t realize, until later, that Dash has one of the smaller boats! Keith ended up being drenched with salt spray. I’m not sure if I chose the right side of the boat, of if Dash is a gentleman and intentionally took the waves on Keith’s side…either way, I was thankful🤣

Things calmed down, a bit, once we got behind some small islands.

Time to transfer fuel😳

The way they fish is very basic, but effective.  They use a hardline (there are no rods & reels here) wrapped around a ring, and they hook the line to a bamboo ‘outrigger’ so they can run a line on the other side of the boat, as well.

Unfortunately, we didn’t catch any fish that day, but we had a very enjoyable and educational experience.

The next morning Dash visited our boat with his catch.  We were happy to buy this tuna from him, and a few days later we bought a Mahi Mahi…yum! Our freezer got a nice protein boost in Tobago!  

I should have asked more questions, but there seemed to be a code between the local boats that once we hire one to do something for us he becomes our ‘personal concierge’, so to speak.  Dash checked on us every morning to see if we needed anything. At the time we were waiting for new membranes for our water makers (which had to be ordered from the U.S.), and he expressed great concern about the status of our package, and whether there was anything he could do to help us. Also, during our time there no other local boat ‘cold called’ us for the purpose of sales and services…interesting!

And this is Joe…

We actually met Joe first while admiring some local art, in town. Joe explained that he had a boat and would like to visit our boat, but he was preparing for a family funeral and didn’t know when he would be available. We invited him to stop by the boat whenever he was free. So, a few days later he came out to see if we wanted him to take us snorkeling to a spot very few people visited. Of course we said yes!

Side note: during our time together he shared the funeral ‘protocol’ for the village.  At first light the men gather to dig the grave. It usually takes about four hours. During this time the women are preparing food. Once the grave is ready, everyone meets at the grave for the service. After the service the women set up food, at a local house or in the church, and the men close the grave. After the grave is closed, “everyone get fed!”

And this might be why few people visit this snorkel spot…

The ride out was quite treacherous! Keith and I were questioning the wisdom of this trip.  We would not classify these conditions as compatible with snorkeling!  Joe kept reassuring us that he knew of a spot that was calm. 

Ultimately, he was correct. He approached the leeward side of a large island, which is home to a huge nesting frigate bird population. There was a small area that was protected from the huge waves and swell wrapping around the island. 

It was a decent snorkel spot with a diverse population of fish. The water was surprisingly clear considering the extreme turbulence happening close by.  At the moment we are experiencing underwater camera issues…so we didn’t get very many good photos.

The other thing I find incredibly endearing about the people of Tobago is the great care they have for their boats.  All of the local boats are well maintained, colorfully painted, and spotlessly clean!

This is also the first place, in the Caribbean (outside of resorts) where we have seen tourists wearing life jackets!

Can you find Right Hand in the Popeye picture?

Love the positive and upbeat names!

Thankfully, the anchorage offered several easy access (and beautiful) beach opportunities…

This is Diamond. She is one of several young lifeguards hired and trained to patrol the anchorage and beaches (on kayaks and paddle boards). Diamond stopped to chat several times while making her rounds. She is a personable and inquisitive young woman. This initiative is another example of Tobago going above and beyond any other island, we have visited, to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for visitors👍

We were finally able to track our package to a town on the southeast side of the island, and decided to rent a car to retrieve it.  Having it delivered to Charlotteville was an option, but we really wanted to catch a weather window to cross to Grenada, the next day, and didn’t want to lose track of the package.

During this trip, I felt like a live participant in a 1980’s driving video game. The roads sharp twists, turns, and switchbacks gave way to the checkered warning walls which sent the visual message of probable death if you missed the turn🤣

The scenery was beautiful for the passenger, but the driver dare not take his (Keith was driving) eyes off the road!

After retrieving our package from a house with a tiny FedEx sign in the driveway, we set out to find lunch. Doubles is the ‘must try’ food item while visiting T&T, and we were very lucky to find Sue’s for our Doubles experience.

Doubles is a street food made from a flavorful chickpea stew (called channa) scooped onto two small yellow flatbreads (called bara).  The channa is topped with a splash of green sauce (shallow benny- mixture of herbs) and a splash of tamarind sauce (adding slight sweetness). The combination is AMAZING!  👍👍 for Doubles!

After we each had a doubles, Keith opted for a second

While I ventured further into the culinary experience by opting for a chicken pie. It was delicious, but unlike any chicken pie I have ever tasted. It was more like a thick curry sandwich. The bread, which they call a bake, is made from fried dough🤷‍♀️ You are meant to tear a piece of bread and scoop some of the filling.  Warning: never attempt to eat anything (that contains meat) like a sandwich, or you will break a tooth! If you order something with meat it is guaranteed to have bones. My chicken pie contained several smaller bone pieces, and an entire leg bone.

A beautiful sunset for our last night here.

With our water maker membranes onboard, it is time to take advantage of this weather window (calling for 4-5 foot waves at a 7 second period😬) and head for Grenada.  It was sad to say goodbye to Tobago!