This is soo perfect.  We are on an island called Canouan.  I'd never even heard of it until a few weeks ago.  It is a picture perfect caribean island.   We took a mooring this afternoon (with much difficulty due to not having been ready) and soon after dinghied to the dock.   This resort is lovely; low key and yet with just enough nicety.  We have a room in the building furthest from the office and restaurants but 2 doors away from the spa.  I got a revitalizing swedish style massage shortly after arrival.  Nigiri, my masseuse, was a bright interesting woman whose teacher parents are looking after her 7&10 yo children in New York.  Meanwhile, poor Peter was dealing with our dinghy which got swamped on its way from the dock to the beach  We showered, then went to happy hour (our bartender's sister is in the  US army and lives in Colorado Springs) and had a lovely dinner of seafood brochette.

During our stay at the resort we met quite an international group of people.  One evening we had drinks with a lovely italian couple, a flight crew from England, a couple from Budapest and another from Rio.  We relaxed, had our laundry done, took a brief tour of the island and enjoyed being pampered.  

Internet activities down here, while possible, are slow and unreliable.  Because of that we  needed the greater part of one day to print, sign, scan and email a couple simple documents needed for our condo association's annual meeting.  It was a dose of reality in our paradise. 

After 3 glorious nights ashore--one which included my birthday celebration--we longed for the boat and so bid adieu and sailed off to Mayreau.  We sailed past Mustique, a private island which we had learned was "closed" until Jan. 9 or so--Matt Damon or someone was staying there and didn't want to be bothered.

After an afternoon and one night at anchor off Mayreau in windy conditions and we took off for Union Island.  It is now January 8 and, while the winds have been in the twenties, we are LOVING it here.  We are in Chatham Bay which is a picture perfect caribbean anchorage.  There are a few little beach bars and one nicer restaurant/bar.  The water is that splotchy aquamarine/deep blue melange that you see in travel magazine photos.  There are a few flat rock faces jutting out of the thick tree covering on the hills of the island.  It is magnificent and so remote.  

We have met a German couple, Karl an Patricia, who spent the past 2 years on their boat off Brazil.  Last night we  had drinks aboard another catamaran with the Belgian owners, Sonja and Johann.  What I can't figure out is how were all these europeans familiar with this part of the world and to us it's all new.