Tobago Cays Marine Park - The Grenadines

In our Windward Islands guide, these are the words that are used to describe the Tobago Cays:
-unblemished natural beauty
-tranquility
-waters with their ever-changing kaleidoscope of blues, greens and seemingly limitless shades of aquamarine
We would have to fully agree with the description given.
The Tobago Cays are the most beautiful natural environment we have ever encountered.
We safely anchored overnight, tucked in behind the pounding surf of the horseshoe reef, in 30 knot winds.

Bequia - boat builders and whalers

Bequia is boat building, whether it be model boats, whaling boats, fishing boats, schooners or racing boats - they're building them all and they're doing so by hand.
Our anchorage in Admiralty Bay off of Port Elizabeth offered us a chance to investigate some of the boat construction underway.
We were delighted to have the opportunity to visit with Wayne Gooding at his home. Wayne is a native boat builder, as was his father. He proudly showed us his 19' racing creation "Green flash", which he said was known all over the islands for her speed, having won Bequia's Easter regatta 5 years in a row. As well, he proudly told us how his 28' design "confusion" had won the regatta in Carriacou - she came in a full 5 minutes ahead of the fleet.
We greatly enjoyed chatting with Wayne as he shared with us his passion for boat building and racing.
Whaling is still underway in Bequia. Their season limit is 4, either humpback or sperm whales. A crew of 6 men, armed with harpoons, head to sea in a 26' boat. Wayne told us they had succeeded in landing one, so far, this season. -unbelievable

St. Vincent to Bequia

When we are underway within a few miles of shore we always are vigilent to keep a close look-out for any area fishermen that may be on our track. We're sure that fishing alone in their small boats on the open sea is enough challenge without dodging passing sailboats. We have been especially careful lately as the fishermen are propelling their boats with just oars.
As we moved along St. Vincent's south shore we noticed that something was making quite a commotion in the distant water. Our closer inspection found us in the midst of 40-50 porpoises. We "danced" back and forth with them for quite some time. It appears Elvis Stoyko may have taken some inspiration from them as they wowed us with their triple and quad spins in the air.
While moving, with the porpoises along-side, we passed a local fisherman who sat with his oars in hand, steadying his boat, as the whole pod swam under him.
When we changed course and headed offshore the porpoises stayed behind.
On our approach to Bequia undersail, a man standing in an inflatable dinghy, zoomed around us taking photos. We would discover the next morning that he is Kenmore Henville, a professional photographer with extraordinary talent and balance. Thanks to him we have the special treat of photos to commemorate our arrival to the Grenadines, one of the world's most beautiful cruising grounds - our dream destination.
Anchor to anchor - St. Vincent to Bequia - l8 miles - 6 hours

Dennis

Dennis escorted us, by foot (his were bare), on a tour of Darveo Falls in St. Vincent's rain-forest. During our hike together we discussed, amongst other things, the local environment.
Dennis told us of the disease in St. Vincent that is plaguing the banana trees. As well he shared with us that he was a farmer and planted mango and orange trees. He also had worked on a government project building houses that they hoped some day to sell to foreign investors. The 6 houses, sitting together, were all still unsold but a local did have a job watching over them. As well, Dennis said he was a fisherman and liked to catch red snappers. Dennis also shared with us information about some of his siblings that were living out of the country (mostly U.S.), as well as those that had found employment in St. Vincent (nurse, postal worker).
Dennis had no shoes and his feet were in a very unhealthy state. He asked if we had any extra shoes that we could give him.
In exchange for Dennis escorting us to the falls and the oranges, we gave him 45 EC (Eastern Caribbean dollars - approximately $20.00 Canadian), a new pair of Barry's flip-flop shoes, a can of corned beef (his request) and 4 cans of beer. He felt that was a fair deal but we felt very much the richer for the time we shared with him.

St. Vincent

Anchor to anchor - St. Lucia to St. Vincent - 12 hours - 47 miles

Even though we couldn't see St. Vincent Island when we arrived in the dark, we most certainly could smell it. This is the first island where we noticed a distinct green, earthy aroma from offshore.
We lay anchor in Chateaubelair Bay at 2230 hours.
In the morning, a local fellow (Dennis), swam out to bring us oranges. That afternoon he escorted us on a hike through the rain-forest to Darveo Falls.
To reach the falls we crossed a swinging bridge made of bamboo tied together. We were sure to hold the wire railing tight as we made our way across the slippery wood in the rain.
The falls were magnificent, set amongst gigantic bamboo. While there we were in the company of several youths playing cricket in a clearing, while a woman washed her 2 small children in the fresh water of the falls. On the walk to the falls we passed women doing their laundry in the stream, banana trees and a huge length of water-pipe (made of wood) which wound its way to the hydro plant.
The plants in the rain-forest were of gigantic preportions.
The restaurant/bar that we were anchored off of hosted the "Queen of the Carnival" competition that night. We enjoyed the excitement during dinner there, but left before the finale of the festivities, after an amazing day of discovery ashore.

Martinique to St. Lucia

It was 1500 hours when we left Martinique. The sailing conditions were perfect for a run to St. Lucia.
We set sail confident about anchoring in the dark upon our arrival. At 2030 hours we lay anchor in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia tucked in behind Pigeon Point. In the morning we were surprised to find we lay almost in the swimming area/beach of a Sandals resort. oops Anchor to anchor - Martinique to St. Lucia - 22 miles - 5 1/2 hours
We coned the coast, past the lovely Windjammer resort, Marigot Bay and along south to St. Lucia's famous Pitons. We would have liked to stay awhile here, but this popular area was a jumble of mooring balls (mostly full), so at 1500 hours for the second day in a row, we set sail for the next island south in the Windward Chain - St. Vincent.

Rigging Repairs - Martinique

We were grateful that we were in Martinique when we required repairs to our rod-rigging (lower shroud). As they have huge yacht charter fleets operating out of the island, all yachting services are available; which is certainly not the case on many of the other islands.
Jacques at Sea Services in Fort de France was unable to work on rod-rigging so on his advice we rented a car and took the rigging down to Caribe Greementin in Marin on the south end of the island. In order to assist they needed us to bring them the fitting off of our mast. We drove back to Fort de France to retrieve the fitting but were unable to remove it from the mast (try as we may!). The next day we drove the boat, under-power to Marin (23 miles - 7 hours), where we joined the approximately 3 hundred yachts already there.
The rigging repairs were started and a new fitting for the mast was fabricated. 600 Euros lighter and 3 days later we set sail for St. Lucia with new lower shrouds.
While we waited in Marin it was great to have the time to catch up on some calls and emails. As well, we enjoyed some fabulous French cuisine (cheese, baguettes, espresso and wine).

Dominica to Martinique (The Windward Chain)

Saturday, June 2nd was a very long day for us.
We were underway from Dominica before 0500 hours.
We heaved-to half way to Martinique in 20-25 knot SE winds (l0 foot seas) to put a line on our Johnson outboard, as we feared the unexpected high wind and seas would cause our dinghy to break free of us.
Our approach to Martinique was extremely difficult as the winds were strong and gusting causing the waves to be up; both on the nose, accentuated by the erratic currents at the end of the island. At this point the lower starboard shroud broke (rod rigging, 2" below where it joins the mast, reason unknown). We remained on the port tack as we beat into the wind and waves, but dropped the main sail when we had to change direction. Under power, with just the geneo sail up, we were making between 2-3 knots progress along Martinique's coast.
At l800 hours we wound between the multitude of wind-surfers and day-sailers, that were playing in the bay, to lay anchor off the main street of Fort de France.
Anchor to anchor - Dominica to Martinique - 55 miles - l3 hours

Guadeloupe to Dominica (end of the Leeward chain)

In Guadeloupe we tucked into a small bay (Anse a la Barque) along with 25 brightly painted fishing boats and a lighthouse. Here we swam as we gave Sea Star a much needed bottom scrub.
On the morning of June lst, we enjoyed a sail as we slipped past Iles Des Saintes islands and made our way for Dominica, the end of the Leeward chain.
Anchor to anchor - Guadeloupe to Dominica - 53 miles - ll hours

Montserrat

As we approached Montserrat our information on the island was both limited and dated, but we did know that the active volcano of Soufriere Hills is on the island and that it started to erupt in l995. At that time the main town of Plymouth was evacuated.
We approached Montserrat from the north in day-light and coned our way down the coast. We noted the settlement of Little Bay at the north end of the island, however, as we progressed south-ward the island's many elaborate homes, along the coast, started to have an abandoned look about them.
We were anxious to catch a look at the volcano and as we continued along the coast, the top came into view revealing steam and smoke rising all around.
As we continued farther along we were shocked as the abandoned city of Plymouth came into view.
We wept at the sight of this city that was buried deep in ash and mud. A huge fissure lay open in the earth at the city's edge. It was truly one of the saddest and most moving sights we have ever seen.
We took a turn back north to lay anchor in Old Road Bay. Here we found a golf course and club-house that were abandoned and over-grown. A herd of stray cattle grazed on the course before they strolled the beach in the evening. A neighbourhood of elaborate homes surrounded the golf course. At night the street lights came on but not one house light shone out on this deserted area.
It was very eerie and very sad, however that night on a local radio station (out of Little Bay), we heard a discussion on how this former "gem of the English isles" was attempting to stimulate tourism back to their island.
The blue moon that steered us on our way from Montserrat to Guadeloupe that night, seemed somewhat appropriate.
Anchor to anchor - Montserrat to Guadeloupe - 48 miles - ll hours

Nevis

Anchor to anchor - St. Martin to Nevis - 90 miles - 22 hours
We anchored in Nevis off of the palm-lined beach of the island's main town, Charlestown.
We used the services of a taxi to re-fuel (three trips with the jerry cans).
It was interesting to get a peak in to the local agriculture when we visited the open air market in town.
We lifted anchor at 0500 hours on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 for Montserrat, passed the Kingdom of Rodunda at noon and arrived in Montserrat at 1500 hours.
Anchor to anchor - Nevis to Montserrat - 35 miles - l0 hours