Leaving the Lagoon
19 September 2007 | Saint Georges
Randy
After wrapping up some heavy internet usage on the boat we prepped for departure. The lagoon is the only place around Grenada that we have found good internet access while aboard (and free at that). Prickly Bay has service but it is a little tough to lock in on the boat. Others have been down when we tried them. I'm sure things are a bit more functional during high season.
The wind was gusting a bit in the lagoon but generally 10-15 from the east. We were getting a late start at 16:00. We could have sailed south down Grenada to the point but it isn't much more than 2 miles and once around the point you are dead into the wind and also getting the pleasure of a one to two current setting directly against you along with the cape effect cranking the wind up 5 or so knots.
So off we went on a short motor. We headed south along the coast trying to make the shortest path to the point. Long Point Shoal is charted at 5 feet so I suppose we could sail right over it but I just get the heebee jeebees going over anything less than 10 feet at more than a crawl. We cut it close enough that the 10 foot depth alarm went off but left the really shallow stuff to port.
We made good time to the point averaging around 9 knots. As soon as we cleared the point it piped up to about 25 knots and got choppy. Most of the water you traverse on the inside when heading to Mount Hartman Bay is less than 30 feet. This doesn't help the chop any.
This was my first time entering Mount Hartman Bay using the western most entrance. Having been through in the other direction twice, both tracks still visible on the plotter, I felt pretty good about following my nose in. The pier and Tara Island are my main above water visual marks, but the water color is important as well. If you have good light it is a pretty easy channel to find. Like all of the narrow southern entrances here in Grenada you have to really watch the current, which viscously attempts to set you upon the leeward reef.
Upon later examination, my third track followed a course quite a bit to the east of the two exits on file. This is probably partially attributed to paranoia but also to the strong current. I had a COG and heading about 45 degrees apart for a bit.
We arrived at the dock and it was like we never left. Kelp Fiction, Blue Star, Odyssey and Monaco were all still there, along with the standard uninhabited boats.
Fred and Cindy helped us back onto the dock. The wind was blowing us straight off of the dock at about 15 knots and it took me a couple of tries to get her in tight enough, bow and stern, to tie up. We bid all of our friends a fond hello and began prepping for our departure from Grenada.