We’re very eager to set sail on Friday morning, curious to find out if the interior of our boat is now without any creaking and crackling since the bulkhead repairs should have taken care of this very annoying issue. And indeed, it is much quieter now and we’re pleased, although there is still some noise that remains.

We waive goodbye to Grenada as we marvel at the two cruise ships that came in overnight and are docked at the large commercial pier. They are now finally allowed back again after 18 months, much to the delight of all the restaurants, souvenir shops and tour operators I’m sure. This is a major part of Grenadas economy and must be a welcome sight for them.

It’s a fairly pleasant sail to Carriacou with no major rain squalls or wind gusts getting in our way, however, Opus’ tacks leave much to be desired as going to weather is not our best point of sail. After six-and-a-half hours, we ultimately give up and motor for the last hour so we get in to the harbor and anchored up before sundown.

Crazy Beach Corner in Tyrell Bay lures us in with live Saturday night reggae music. It’s a toe-tapping and hip-swinging kinda evening and the small bar is abuzz with music loving locals and cruisers alike.

Tuesday marks Jim’s 60th birthday and I had arranged a dinner reservation at Paradise Beach Club, situated right off the beach across from Sandy Island. The proprietor and most gracious host, Allison, had our table decorated with flowers and balloons for the very special occasion and the Lobster Thermidor was excellent. Not a bad way to spend a great milestone away from home and family.

A few days anchored at Sandy Island was a blast. Finn enjoyed the desolate beach, putting down his race tracks in the soft sand and cooling off in the crystal clear, turquoise water. He even did a couple of dog paddles while trying to get closer to us as we were swimming out a bit farther. For those of you that don’t know this, even though Finn is a lab mix, he detests the water. So for him to be chest deep in the ocean is huge!…

One of the most threaded situations and stuff sailing nightmares are made of is that one’s anchor could drag or the mooring ball a boat is tied to could come loose and render your boat adrift. Luckily so far we’ve not had it happen to us, but we’ve come close to another boat drifting into us in Croatia in the early morning hours. While anchored at the end of the mooring field at Sandy Island in a constant strong breeze, we notice a monohull past our port stern after night fall. Funny that someone would come in to anchor after daylight, but it happens almost daily. We then observe how the mentioned monohull starts motoring around us without any navigational lights on and proceeds to anchor up ahead. Interesting, yet not alarming. Anyway, the next day we actually learn from the owner that while he was at Paradise Beach Club enjoying a nice evening out, his mooring line had chafed through and the boat started drifting throughout the entire mooring field luckily without hitting a single vessel. Someone had jumped into action and was able to prevent the boat from continuing to drifting off into the open sea and also miraculously find and alarm the owner of what was happening. All ended well but it is definitely a reminder to always be vigilant and simply put, don’t let your guard down.

One of the allures of the Grenadines is their famed beach barbecues. Tim at Anse la Roche at the northern tip of Carriacou has a reputation of serving up a great barbecue experience. We of course had to put it to the test. Tim had a full size bar with an expert bartender mixing umbrella drinks and rum punches and before dinner was served a great sunset added to the relaxed, yet lively vibe. Grilled lobster, salad, rice, potatoes, vegetables and fried plantains were delicately prepared and enjoyed by everyone. Sitting barefoot at tables set in sand with tiki torches ablaze, the evening was magical!

Our last few days on Carriacou were dictated by submitting an entry application for St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), getting PCR tests and waiting for the negative results to come in via email, obtaining a health certificate for Finn from the local veterinarian clinic and then clearing customs. Covid makes moving from one island nation to the next a bit more challenging, but we seem to have now all our ducks in a row and a quick phone call to SvgArrivals confirms that we are cleared and good to go. Anchor up and off we motorsail to Union Island, which is just a short 1.5 hours away and part of St. Vincent and the Grenadine island chain.

Wow, we finally cleared all the hurdles! Opus is now in pretty much decent ready-to-go shape. Finn got his one remaining stitch taken out today by the vet at GSPCA (1 out of 4 was still intact and not chewed up…) and despite the open, self-inflicted gaping wound he got a clean bill of health. The freezer just got a nice addition of freshly caught fish today while motoring from Clarke’s Court to St. George’s, so we are ready to finally set sail tomorrow morning and head up north to Carriacou.

As a recap, this is what we kept ourselves and several local guys and businesses busy with for about six weeks since we launched the boat: re-charged our refrigeration and freezer systems, resurrected the water maker pump from its frozen state, but blew up the filter canister in the process (now we have to wait for a new part to replaced it), troubleshooted the generator system and replaced fuses and the impeller (still need to find a new pump though), repaired some canvas work and zippers, replaced the water pressure pump that decided to go out on us one evening at 4:30 pm, set Opus One up with a local internet service since T-mobile blocked Jim’s phone due to excessive international data roaming (aka Facebook addict…), had a growth on Finn’s right hind paw surgically removed and also his teeth cleaned at the same time while under anesthesia, re-caulked all the windows and toe rails, and finally after waiting for about three weeks for parts, replaced the headstay due to a small crack at the top that was found by the rigger while putting up the genoa and main sail. Boats just DON’T LIKE to sit idle in a boat yard for months and months on end…things just either stop working or fall apart, unspoken law of a boat?

In between all the waiting for parts and getting work done, we interspersed our time with re-visiting anchorages, trying out different restaurants, swimming, snorkeling, and sampling rum punches, (Le Phare Bleu serves the BEST one bar none in our opinion), and meeting or re-connecting with other fellow cruisers. All in all it wasn’t just work, work, work; we definitely had some fun and relaxing times as well. After several weeks though, repair and wait-for-parts fatigue set in and I felt like there was no light at the end of the tunnel for us. Somehow it did happen after all and, as of tomorrow, we are pulling the anchor and start our Caribbean cruising season #3!

Well, a few days at the dock turned into a week, as we found more and more essential stuff not working properly, such as our refrigeration system for one. Finding a competent mechanic is easy, for them to find time to analyze the problem and then finding another day to actually getting the repair or maintenance work done is another matter. Let’s just say, they live and work religiously by island time! The water maker becomes another issue, as is our head stay when Damien, the rigger, finds a crack at the top. Sailing off into the sunset will have to wait!

In the meantime, as we wait for parts to arrive from Martinique, we motor around to the west side of Granada, up to Moliniere Point. Jim’s trolling a couple of new jigs he had brought with him and with the absence of Sargasso weed, he hooks a Sierra on the shiny new pink jig. It’s too skinny and small so we give him another chance at life.

Picking up a mooring today almost goes off without a hitch, until the dock line mysteriously ends up on the inside of the life lines, wraps itself around them and it’s another fail! Jim has to run up to the bow and help me untangle the mess I have created. All I can say is, “I need more practice, Captain!”

Once settled in and lunch and breakfast dishes have been washed up and put away, we take the dinghy around the point and secure it to a mooring so we can don our snorkeling gear and explore Grenada’s world-famous underwater sculpture park created by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor.


Source and Excerpts from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park is a collection of ecological underwater contemporary art located in the Caribbean sea off the west coast of Grenada, West Indies. Taylor's aim was to engage local people with the underwater environment that surrounds them using his works which are derived from life casts of the local community. He installed concrete figures onto the ocean floor, mostly consisting of a range of human forms, from solitary individuals to a ring of children holding hands, facing into the oceanic currents.
The following quote states Taylor's original intention: Vicissitudes depicts a circle of figures, all linked through holding hands. These are life-size casts taken from a group of children of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Circular in structure … the work both withstands strong currents and replicates one of the primary geometric shapes, evoking ideas of unity and continuum. … The sculpture proposes growth, chance, and natural transformation. It shows how time and environment impact on and shape the physical body. Children by nature are adaptive to their surroundings. Their use within the work highlights the importance of creating a sustainable and well-managed environment, a space for future generations. --Jason deCaires Taylor


Since it is a very calm day, visibility is good and we thoroughly enjoy finding many of the sculptures. Besides Vicissitudes, my favorite is the Lady sitting on a Bench holding out her hand (maybe clutching a cell phone and taking a selfie?), Jim’s favorites are Christ of the Abyss, looking heaven wards through the water with outstretched arms and The Lost Correspondent. What an interesting and culturally inspiring experience! For once it’s not the colorful reef fish, coral heads and starfish that are the focus and attraction, but something very unique and memorable. It makes it even more special that we’re the only one’s there this afternoon and don’t have to share the space with hoards of tourists.


Photo Credit: https://www.jmpeltier.com/travelogues/wp-content/uploads/Grenada-20151219-05891-1.jpg

It’s launch day! Always a nervous time when your boat, aka home, gets picked up by a crane or travel lift and transported to the launch area. When we arrive at the boat yard this morning, the travel lift is in action launching another catamaran, so Opus One gets to go on the transport mule towed by a Fendt tractor instead and gets gently lowered into the water at the launch ramp. The guys at Clarke’s Court really know their job and everything goes well without a problem. She’s afloat again! The engines start up at the first try and we can make our way over to the marina docks, where we will spend a few days to test all systems, get our batteries fully charged, sails, halyards and lines re-rigged and our house operational again. We enjoyed eating lunch at the Cruiser’s Galley every day while working on the boat for the last ten days, but now that Opus’ galley is open again for service it’s: Hello cooking, good-bye daily lunch specials!

The first day at the dock blesses us with a heavy rain squall that lasts all afternoon. It’ a very welcome event, as it cools us down considerably. It feels good to sleep in our bunk again, albeit the squeaky dock lines are annoying and there is not much airflow at night. Luckily fans help circulating the air and keeping us somewhat comfortable. But for ultimate comfort, Jim convinces me that the the air-conditioning system aboard needs to be tested and exercised as well and he let’s it run all night. Comfort indeed!

As Monday approaches, we are poised to drive to Clarke’s Court boatyard to go to Opus One. It’s a short 15 minute drive, but on a narrow, two-lane road with cars parked alongside the shoulder and having to jot around them makes for a very intense trip. Did I mention that they also drive on the opposite side then what we’re used to?

The bulkhead repair work is complete, but Driftwood Co. still has to reinstall all the interior parts, doors and cabinetry that needed to be removed during the repair process. The boat pretty much looks like a construction site. Everything is wrapped in cardboard and plastic for protection and all the cupboards and drawers are taped up to minimize dust intrusion. Oh boy!

Around mid-day, Rolando, Grenadian pet sitter extraordinare, drives in to the boatyard with Finn in the back seat. He (Finn) seems happy to see us and bounces back and forth between Jim, Rolando and myself with his tail wagging at 100 miles per hour. We’re so happy to see you too, Finn!

Everyday there is progress made and we work on re-commissioning the boat little by little. At first we can only do minor things but by Friday we have cleaned up and put together the dingy and placed it back up on the davits. The gelcoat polishing is also complete and all the stainless steel polishing will be done by Saturday. She’s starting to look good!

With the weekend lockdown now being lifted, we take Sunday off to explore some more of Grenada. Our drive takes us along the southern coast up to Mount Carmel Waterfalls. Somehow we fail to find the actual waterfall so instead we turn at a sign leading us to a beach where we’re hoping to find a picturesque picnic spot. We have learned that there are hardly any places open for lunch on a Sunday, so bringing a bag lunch is very advisable. As we park along the road, a local minivan drives up and comes to a stop. People start spilling out by the dozens, no joke! There are moms with little toddlers, kids of all ages, teenagers, young guys, older guys - I wish we would have taken a video! Didn’t think a van could hold that many passengers!…Obviously, no seat belts required!

We all clamored down to the beach, us finding a tall wooden bench to sit on and them spreading out at a picnic hut and along the beach. It was fun to watch young and old play soccer, trying to knock down coconuts and kids running into the water. Nobody was playing on theirs cell phones, except to take some selfies here and there. Good old-fashioned Sunday beach fun.

Our next stop is La Sagesse Beach for a swim in the warm ocean to cool off a bit. Even thought it’s like stepping into a bathtub, the water still feels very refreshing. Before our half-an-hour drive back home, I change out of my damp bathing suit in the car and forget to pick up my brand-new Teva sandals in the sandy parking lot. Of course, it’s not until we arrive at our place that it hits me like a brick wall that I left my sandals behind. Dang it! Tired, but determined, we drive all the way back to the other side of the island, praying and hoping and wishing that they are still where I left them. And…incredulously, they were! The parking area was almost empty and nobody had picked them up to give them a new home. Happy and grateful, once again we make our way back home. A relaxing Sunday with a bit more excitement than we had planned on ends with a pretty sunset over Grand Anse and the promise of a busy week ahead.

We got released from quarantine yesterday afternoon after 24 hours of being in Grenada. Woohoo! Today we’re moving from our hotel room to a close-by Airbnb, where we will stay until we can launch Opus One. Reggie’s car rental drops off a car for us and our first priority is a run to the grocery store since the island-wide weekend lockdown starts as of 5 pm this afternoon, Friday, until 5 am on Monday. There is a long line at IGA Supermarket to get in the door, but after about 20 minutes we’re at the front entrance and allowed entry. The shelves are fairly well stocked and our survival is guaranteed…

Dwayne, our Airbnb host, stops by in the later afternoon to welcome us and ensure that we’re set for the weekend. The only thing we’re missing is a coffee maker and we’ll have to make due with instant coffee until Monday before he can set us up with a Mr. Coffee. We joke that it was easy to find his place without an address. The directions and mentioned landmarks, UB’s Restaurant, the Timber house, and a construction container across our place were very helpful. Of course, he could have mentioned that we will have to navigate up a very, very bad road just before getting to our destination and we would have had no problem finding it! lol!

We settle in for the weekend, rummaging through our five pieces of luggage to find necessary things. Netflix is a good distraction all weekend as is cooking three solid meals each day and enjoying cocktail hour on the patio overlooking Grand Anse with a glimpse of Prickly Bay to the south. It is very relaxing and quiet here and we’re enjoying the solitude after a hectic final two weeks of getting moved out of our house at home and spending the last few nights on a mattress in the living room.