We found these incredulous looking creatures enjoying some fun in the sun on the Beach on Petit Bateau, Tobago Cays.

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It all happened somewhere between shopping for provisions in Bequia and a sneeze on the beach later. It was one simple sneeze that instantly clogged my sinuses and threw me into a feverish fit of despair.

Like, a cold/flu? Really? WTF? And with a feverish mind and body I desperately fretted it wasn't Dengue or the new Chikungunya.



It wasn't a totally smiley ride (for me) as we left Bequia but it was fun to be back on the Sails, letting the Capt'N know, a few times over, that I was feeling rather weak and dozey and couldn't be counted on for much of any type of sail tweaking manoeuvres.

And as with all things, somewhere along the way, we found the winds much calmer then predicted and so we rolled the jib in, and decided to put the main out to help speed us along. Pointing into the wind and raising the Main, only halfway before something went a tad wrong. Doesn't it always? The Main Halyard somehow got wrapped on the outside edge of the starboard spreader. Like Really?

And took a bit of an unwrapping session to get unfouled. Always happens when one is not 100% right? What is it they say about meds "Don't operate heavy machinery when under the influence"? What about a sailboat in windy conditions?

After resolving that issue successfully, it was a fast and simple few hours later and we found ourselves anchoring behind Horseshoe Reef, in the amazing crystal clear blues and greens of the Tobago Cays.



We did swim with the turtles who were so busy eating sea grass that they never bothered with us floating gently overhead. There were too many rays to count and an impressive squid about the size of my shin hiding by our anchor chain. Never a photo when you want one, right?

The usual array of boat boys stopped to pay us a visit and welcome us to the Tobago Cays, and also inquire as to whether we needed t-shirts, jewellery, bread, ice, fish, you name it, they can get it for you. For a price.

The next day, just to get off the boat, we spent an afternoon at the Beach,



between the cut of Petit Rameau and Petit Bateau, where we met up with friends for a game of Wizard.



Even the lizards came out to play,



and the Mynah birds perched precariously on the palms, waiting for a morsel of pretzel or cracker to fall for their dining pleasure,



and if none were to be dropped, they were brazen enough to come get their own fixin's right from the picnic table plates we had out.

We were only here for two nights during which time many pills of "the sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever, so you can breathe" kind were taken and I stayed in a drug induced haze of amazement at the Beauty that is the Tobago Cays.