Log #41J Back to Trini & Off to Grenada

Written at: Saline Bay, Mayreux Island,  St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Nov. 22, 2006



We had to motor the 67 miles from Pendernales to Chaguaramus, into force 5 head winds and uncomfortable seas most of the way, although it only took us 12 hours, arriving at the Customs Dock by 0546. Straight arrow Judy insisted that we check in immediately, risking $100TT overtime charges. However, Customs do not charge such, and Immigration would not be there until 0800, so we could legally wait, have breakfast and check in with no overtime charges. Immigration gave us a bit of static about not having had our passports stamped into Venezuela, but finally accepted our explanation about the River Police check in. We stayed at the Customs Dock for most of the day as it was large enough to accompany a couple of other boats, and it allowed us to dinghy around the anchorage getting odd jobs done before going out to anchor. These included picking up a 45 pound CQR anchor that another boater was throwing away, as it was rusted and he had a new anchor to replace it. We also picked up 150 feet of new chain, as Judy felt our older chain was unreliable. We also got rid of one of our CQR anchors and half our old chain by advertising it on the daily VHF net. In the afternoon we went out to the anchorage.
 

Results of crude oil spill	Chaguaramus

We took a YSATT mooring buoy, and paid for just one day as we hoped to head off to Scotland Bay just around the corner next day. An unfortunate delay! That day, an abandoned fuel barge which had been alongside for several years started to leak crude oil, and the anchorage was covered with the black, sticky, gooey muck, and mucking up the waterline of all the boats in the bay. This was crude oil, not the lighter diesel oil, and regular solvents would not touch it. Our waterline was a black scummy mess. I saw one white hulled boat that had a wavy black line extending at spots two feet above his waterline, where waves had washed the crude onto the hull.

We left that afternoon for Scotland Bay, a nice secure tranquil anchorage. This bay was the recreational resort for the local US military presence during WW II. This reminds me that I didn't describe the very interesting time we had at the Trinidad Military Museum. It was a 20 minute walk from the dinghy dock, and we were the only visitors the first day, and even the second day when we went back, it was so interesting. It had very good explanatory bulletins describing the various military efforts in Trinidad, as well as the contributions Trinidadians made as Black Regiments in the British Army in the 1800's, up to their contributions as members of the British Empire and Commonwealth in WW I and WW II, and as members of British and Canadian forces especially on Peace Keeping duties. The strategic importance of Trinidad as the gateway to South America played an important role from the time of the Spanish Conquistadors right up to WW II when it was the largest US military base outside of the continental US. It is a very interesting museum.

In Scotland Bay we met up with our Zimbabwean friends Robin and Sandra on Ngoma who were anchored there. This is a lovely bay that we intend to utilize when we are back down this way next year during hurricane season. After a couple of nights there, we motored back over to Chaguaramus to the Customs Dock to check out of Trinidad. While we were there, we got a special solution, free of charge from YSATT and the Trinidad Coast Guard, to clean the crude from our waterline, a greatly appreciated gesture to help the boaters caught in the oil spill. In addition I went to the Duty Free shop with our exit papers and stocked up on rums, wines and beer at prices 66% to 75% less than regular stores. Most Trinidadian rums are quite drinkable.

We returned to anchor in Scotland Bay for supper and a night departure for Grenada. As we left at 1830, we were hailed by several other boats with horns and waves and calls of' "Bon Voyage". We were off, back to Grenada. It is an 80 mile passage which took 15 hours, during 10 of which we had some glorious star-filled night sailing. To complete the enjoyment of the trip, I caught a two foot barracuda which we enjoyed for breakfast once we were anchored back in Prickly Bay.

It was like a homecoming, returning to Grenada where we had spent five months during the spring and summer. A complication developed when I tried to take Wave Dancer over to the Customs office to check in, in that the motor stopped half way across. I had to row back to Veleda, not an easy job, as RIB dinghies are not designed for rowing. We called our friend Greta, the manager at Enza Marine, who arranged to pick up the motor and rented us a small 5 horsepower replacement. As they could not look at our motor for a day or two we took off to our favourite anchorage at Hog Island for the weekend. I was saddened as we approached the island, as the entire west side of this formerly pristine, uninhabited (other than Roger's Beach Bar for Sunday afternoon barbecues) island was now denuded of trees, bulldozed up and burned to make way for construction of a condominium/resort complex. It was a sad sight. However the anchorage and Roger's Beach Bar hut were undisturbed and the devastation inland and on the western side could not be seen from that side - Yet!

Again it was a homecoming, as several boats we knew from before were still there, including a couple of Canadians, Raft and Avalon V. It was very comfortable!

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