Sunday 15 September 2019

Contacted Signal Station Port Control approaching Barbados at 0330, original ETA. We were alternately much faster and much slower than forecast so time averaged out. Officials arrive to work on Sunday morning at 0500, all in one spot (yowzer!). We got there at 0600, done and dusted by 0715. Everyone complained about the unusual heat and next few days are forecast rainy, but it's more comfortable than thirty miles up river in Suriname. They didn't seem to ascribe blame on us for bringing it along.

After getting sorted with friendly officials, motored around from Deep Water Harbor to Carlisle Bay, had breakie (brekkie, brekky - the Aussies have no approved spelling... one might reflect on reports that Queenslanders drink XXXX because they can't spell beer) and Jan napped while maintenance crew spewed email to get battery shipment sorted. Should have napped too as will probably fall asleep, face down in dinner after an adult beverage or two.

Monday

Barbados is in the Atlantic Ocean, ninety miles east of St. Vincent, but is considered a Windward Island and is in every way Caribbean. Feels like home. Soft island accents, friendly people, laid-back attitudes. Late lunch yesterday was a huge traditional roti: fish, potatoes and curry wrapped in that special, soft, flat-bread. Two local Banks lagers made it just right. Didn't need dinner, but spent evening in the Yacht Club sand bar watching the Rams clobber the Saints - American football. It's been years and we love our All Blacks, but it was fun. At risk of spoiling the sunny impression a relaxed approach also applies to service, but that's OK, it's part of the ambiance. Feels like home.

Today we'll weather the weather to get Digicel sim cards, arrange for a car and perhaps do some exploring. Hoping this atmospheric wrinkle only lasts a couple of days so we can give the place the attention it deserves while staying dry.

Friday

It did, we did. Liked it. Visited all the distilleries, two caves, some shrubbery (sometimes referred to as botanical gardens) and quite a few bars and restaurants. Drove around the entire island more than once, partly because Google maps hasn't quite gotten sorted here.

Mount Gay makes an excellent rum, but the best was from family owned St. Nicholas Abbey (having nothing to do with either red-suited rotundity or monks), which has some really great stuff, only sold at the distillery. They don't make sugar, which produces molasses, so cane syrup is used and it's all in one batch, not blended. The rum comes in rectangular, etched, numbered bottles and the five year old sells for 65 USD. Aging goes to twenty and you don't want to know the cost. Didn't understand why, since owners name is also Warren (uncle Larry?) the scion, cousin Simon with whom we had a great conversation, didn't see us a few bottles. Harrumph!

A tram can take visitors through part of Harrison's Cave (he owned the land, but never knew it was there) for a mile. At the lowest point is a tall chamber with waterfall and, lucky for me, one doesn't have to trek forever through bug infested, jungle vegetation, as is normally the case. We did, however, hike around a hectare of shrubbery with not a drop of falling water so some equilibrium was maintained.

Unlike sailing upwind from the Lesser Antilles, Barbados is a convenient stop when coming from Cape Verde (standard routing out of Europe) or South America to the Caribbean, but few stop. We were the only yacht in Carlisle Bay. Although coming across the lower North Atlantic in the heart of hurricane season is not especially clever or generally done, during normal winter and spring crossings most go straight to St. Lucia and boats from south go to Grenada or Trinidad. All the crews we met in South America gave it a pass. Too bad, it's a wonderful call.

Originally planning to stay through the weekend, we are nevertheless making way toward Grenada two days early. Not related to hurricane Jerry, a tropical wave will enliven Barbados by tomorrow and even effect Grenada on Monday. So, having enjoyed a sufficiency of three and a half meter seas (and higher) over the past year, decided to beat feet to a protected marina and get a jump on perhaps six weeks of maintenance. Batteries and rig check are the critical elements, but there's a gracious plenty additional to keep us away from pool halls and free of trouble into November.

Jack & Jan