Union Island
01 June 2012 | Grenadines-St. Vincent
Sue
I will add a picture when I have a better internet connection.
Sunday we motor sailed from Rodney Bay to Les Pitons (13 49.3338N 61 03.9664W). We've seen these picturesque mountains in magazines and in many movies but in reality....what an amazing site as you approach...then we were at a mooring between Little Piton and Big Piton....WOW!
Monday we left St. Lucia at 5:45 a.m. and arrived at Port Elizabeth, Bequia at 3:00 p.m. (13 00.0893N 61 14.7333W). We were pleased with our 52-mile run; the winds were 10-15 from the east, then 15-20, as we approached.
This second last leg of our travels is a chain of islands called Grenadines -St. Vincent; it encompasses the islands between St. Vincent and Petit St. Vincent (12 32.00N 61 23.00W).
We anchored in the south-west corner of the large bay and were about ¼ mile from town. This distance had no effect on the sound of the band that was playing...it's not the fact that it was so loud, it was the constant pounding of the base...we were joking about the people who had moorings near shore paying extra for the music or getting free ear plugs upon their arrival.
Tuesday morning before we went to shore to check in with customs, a boat boy shows up with fresh baguettes, croissants and banana bread...couldn't resist the warm baguette. We had a quick tour of the village and came upon a fruit and vegetable market that seemed out of this world! We loaded up on fresh lettuce, cucumbers, green beans (yes, actually really crunchy ones), fresh basil (dinner entrée of tomato, cheese, fresh basil and olive oil..hi Nancy) and a few other veggies.
We hauled up the engine then the dinghy and set sail for the Tobago Cays (12 37.8144N 61 28.4683W). We hadn't seen so many sailboats within a short distance in a long time; Dan counted 15 of them within a few miles....everyone had their canvas up. What a great sail it was for this 24-mile trip.
They say your last anchorage is always the prettiest until you get to the next one; this has been so true since we left the Virgin Islands but this one takes the cake....you'd think we were back in the Bahamas...finally that clear blue water that makes it feel as though we're floating on air.
Wednesday was going to be our day or snorkeling and relaxation but Mother Nature had other plans. We dinghied around the bay to find a perfect snorkeling spot, when a heavy wind picked up announcing that there was a storm on its way. We headed back to the boat hoping this would be a brief one but such was not our luck. The storm that lasted several hours had winds of 34 miles per hour at its peak and the rain was so strong, we could barely see the boats next to us.
Thursday morning was warm and sunny but a similar storm as yesterday is forecasted for this afternoon. We decided to head to Union where we could check out of Grenadines-St. Vincent. Another great little village with the quality of the fruits and vegetables improving as we head south; unfortunately, so are the prices.
Friday, we head to Carriacou where we'll check into Grenadines-Grenada; this area comprises Grenada and several smaller islands. This is the area we plan on spending hurricane season. They say you get bored spending six months in Grenada so you venture to the smaller islands when the weather permits.
To all our boating, camping and travelling family/friends...have a great season!
To all my former co-workers I'm sure you're happy to see another school year come to an end; I'm certain Ron, Sandy, Sheila, Linda and the rest of the business team will be relieved to present their budget to Board!
Dan will be drafting a blog after we arrive in Prickly Bay, Grenada.