Carriacou

June 2 - 7, 2014

35 - Martinique,  36 - St Lucia,  37 - Bequia  38 - Mayreau,
39- Tobago Cays,   40 - Union Island,  41 - Carriacou

A - Tyrrel Bay,  B - Hillsborough

Carriacou, Petite Martinique and Grenada make up one country.  When we checked in on Tuesday it was our last customs and immigration stop until next Fall.  We are anchored in Tyrrel Bay.  It is well protected and has given us six comfortable days and nights.  

Barb & Chuck at Slipway for lunch.

For the first time on our travels south, we entered the bay to find  three  boats that we knew.  After so many months, totally on our own, it's nice to see familiar faces.  Moosetracks and Trudy Mae are here along with Barb and Chuck on Tussen Takk II, a 48 foot Krogen that was built the same year as ours.  Barb had given us lots of recommendations early in our trip, but we didn't meet until now.  When we returned after lunch, we noticed that our anchor had dragged about 75 feet.  This has never happened before. Thankfully, we were still a reasonable distance from all of the other boats.  When the anchor was pulled we found a very large piece of canvass wrapped around it.  Apparently, out of all the water, we managed to drop the anchor right on this hazard!

OK, we've seen sheep, goats, horses and chickens
in towns, but never cows!  These two were strolling
down main street of Tyrrrel  Bay.  We were the only
ones that thought it was a bit odd.  

Small shops on the main street.

Wednesday we ventured out on the local buses again.  This was much easier than our experience in Martinique.  Although, again, I was in the middle of the street waving my arms like a windmill to get the driver's attention.  We went to Hillsborough, the biggest city on the island.  Like many of the islands it is underdeveloped with a very friendly population.  Most of the people make a living by farming, fishing or working on boats.  According to our guide book, "this is an island with over a hundred rum shops and only one gas station."

Patty's Deli is a gourmet shop and bakery.  Guess
who sampled the pastries?  

Walking to the bus stop we found a market with
vendors selling produce and crafts.  

The Mancheneel tree grows wild on most of the
islands south of the BVI.  It's fruit looks like a cross
between a small apple and a lime. The stems, leaves
and fruit contain a sap that is  extremely toxic.  It
causes  severe burns and can blind if it gets in the
eye.  Eating it can cause death.  Don't even stand
under one in a rain storm as the water that runs off
is highly corrosive.  Sounds pretty dangerous.  We
stopped to buy tomatoes from a woman in town and
where did she sit with her produce displayed?
 Under a Mancheneel tree!

Lunch on the deck at the Lazy Turtle with a beautiful
view of the bay.

I just finished reading A Trip to the Beach.  It is about an American couple that fall in love with Anguilla and decide to open a restaurant there.  A quick read that gives insight into what it takes to run a business on a small underdeveloped island.  After our bus ride to Hillsborough, we came back to have lunch at The Lazy Turtle.  The couple that own the restaurant are from Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, (between England and France).  They have been here for eight months and are living a life that replicates the book.  They are charming, the food was delicious and the restaurant is classic Caribbean!  We can only say wonderful on all counts!

The view from the back of the bus.

Brian worked on our batteries for two days.  Isolating each battery, testing and desulfating them.  I don't really know what that means, but he's happy.  It seems to be giving them more life.

Our last bus ride was so successful, I convinced Brian we should try it again.  This time to Paradise Beach.  It was about half way back to Hillsborough.  I have been looking for Fidel's shops, which always seem to be in remote locations:  on beaches or small boats.  He sells original art by Caribbean artists.  I finally found one and it was definitely worth the effort.  They carry high quality pieces that have Caribbean style.  Now I know that they also have a shop at the Port Louis Marina in Granada.  I'm sure I will be checking out their inventory.   

The store is a cargo container that has had
windows and awnings added.  So cute!

           







Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!

The island is suffering from a draught.  May should
have been the start of the rainy season. So far -- no 
rain.  Rufus grows all of his own produce.  He told us that
he drips water on the plants.  That is all he can afford
 to use on his garden.  There are no wells or desalination 
facilities on the island.  All of the water is collected in 
cisterns from the rain.