Porlamar, Margarita, Venezuela June 19

Margarita is an island about 40 miles from the coast of Venezuela. It is a resort island for Venezuelans. The anchorage is surrounded by many high-rises reminding us of Miami. As has often been the case, there are many buildings that are in disrepair and lots of construction of new buildings. Gas and water are very cheap here, but we have found them hard to get, an unexpected situation. When we say cheap, we are talking 11 cents for a gallon of gas! Now of course that doesn't include the taxi to get to the gas station--$5 round trip. Bottled drinking water was about $2 for 5 litres and beer is 20 cents a bottle in stores--50 cents at the marina. We are informed that inflation is 30% here and prices are going up, up, up.

Water for our tanks was obtained from a fellow named Carmelo, who promised faithfully every day for two weeks that he would bring us water. Finally, the day before we left, he arrived. He fills tanks on his pirogue, a type of boat used in many islands by the locals.

Clearing in here was an all-day affair. We had to turn over our passports and boat registration to our agent at 9 a.m.. (We were informed it's much better to pay an agent to take care of clearing in because you would spend the same amount using a taxi to get to all the appropriate places not to mention the amount of time it would take.) We were to return at to sign documents and get fingerprinted. We were to return again at 5 to pick up the documents! Whew! Juan Baro who runs Marina Juan and was our agent, has a small shop at the end of a long dock. There he has a book swap and mini-mart. Three days a week he provides a bus to a local shopping mall. Since it was Friday and the bus was there, we went to the mall. Of course, we had yet to obtain any Venezuelan currency, bolivars. Sadly, we found that no one would change our American dollars unless we had passports. Finally, we discovered that we could in fact use our credit card or an ATM card, which we had been avoiding because of the foreign currency transaction charges of 2%. When we returned, Juan told us whom we could see to change our dollars into bolivars. Yes, another trip to town via taxi, but we were successful.

Shopping excursions are made available by Juan Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There is usually a full busload of cruisers anxious to replenish their stores. Purchases made by the cruisers are boxed at the grocery store by a store employee who labels them by the number on a pass Juan provids for the trip. Then they are loaded into a separate truck and delivered to the dock. They are stacked according numbers. Shoppers can claim their loot only when all unpacking has been done.

Then Pedro (in the straw hat), Juan's dockhand, assists each person to their dinghy with a hand cart. All in all, this is a good service and an enjoyable outing.

We met our friend from Grenada, Jose, who has building projects here and in Puerto La Cruz. He graciously carted us all over town to buy a phone and two air conditioners. Again, passports were required to buy anything and the phone company fingerprinted Mike. We had met Jose and his family in Grenada as we were hiking a very steep hill to the bus station when he offered us a ride. The next day his family visited our boat and we made plans to see them in Margarita and in Puerto La Cruz. Jose and Elizabeth prefer living in Grenada, they say, as it is safe. They feel unsafe in Venezuela and don't wish to raise their family there. They visit Venezuela frequently, though, because they still have homes and family here.

With his family still in Grenada until school is over, Jose and his friend Oscar took us to a very upscale mall, Sambil. Very impressive! It was new with all the stores one sees in the states (not the department stores, though) and huge.

Los Testigos to Porlamar, Margarita, Venezuela

Even though our crossing had been 14 hours and we needed some rest, we had to check in with the Coast Guard. Unfortunately, we could not find the papers clearing us out of Grenada--a must-have in order to clear into the next country. Mike went over anyhow, not knowing what else to do, while I tore our "house" apart. (We have heard tales of other sailors who have not supplied exactly the right documents who had to sail back to the previous port in order to clear out "properly. This was not an attractive option for us.) Finally, in thinking through more carefully where Mike had been when clearing out, I located the documents in the bag he carried fresh ice back to the boat! For whatever reason they simply were not put into the correct place. However, Mike was thrilled to hear me radioing him the good news. Of course, that meant a long dinghy ride back to the boat through a strong current, then back again to the Coast Guard. Mike enjoyed talking with the customs official who said he was a "subofficial". In fact, Mike spent two hours as the subofficial asked many questions in Spanish and Mike tried to understand and answer in broken Spanish. Mike was there so long that when a coworker brought in some pumpking cake, he even gave Mike a piece.

As we were pulling in and anchoring, we saw one of the other three boats waving and welcoming us. It was 'Ti Punch, some French friends we had met in St. Lucia. They invited us over later that evening where we had a nice visit and a tour of a French boat. Although Mark speaks pretty good English, Evaline does not. However, she and I enjoyed trying to converse with my broken French and lots of sign language. It was fun.

We snorkeled around a small island the next day and enjoyed another evening with fresh tuna and Mark & Evaline. Then we moved on to the next bay, Playa Real. There were a few more boats there, but there are no restaurants or homes outside of two or three shacks that seem to provide nothing more than shelter from bad weather. It was a beautiful island.

The next morning we wanted to set out for Margarita early as we knew we had an 8-hour sail ahead of us. What we hadn't banked on was the Coast Guard's not being available until 8 a.m. So, we cooled our heels for an hour attempting to call them repeatedly as we had to let them know we were leaving. Finally, underway at 8, there was hardly any wind. Finally, Mike turned on the engine. Haven't had to do that in quite awhile. The trip was still a slow one although we were entertained by a school of dolphin who played alongside us for about 15 minutes at noon.

As we approached Margarita, a cloud of haze shrouded the anchorage. It was the result of Saharan dust! Fortunately, we were able to anchor with about 60 other boats in a protected area. We were anticipating a tidal wave with some big winds and waves, but fortunately we haven't had much to worry about.

Grenada to Los Testigos, June 15 & 16, 2008

On Sunday, June 15, Mike went to the customs office to clear out, that required activity when leaving a country. Two hours after getting there, the customs officer showed up--unfortunately, a big waste of time for us with so much to do in preparing for an overnight crossing. However, we were able to get our chores done, moving the boat to a calmer location so Mike could clean the props and sail drives which he does underwater. That requires the use of our Brownie, known as a Hooka, which Mike hooks up to a belt worn around the waist and weighted down to keep him underwater and a face mask to which he attaches a hose that provides oxygen pumped from the motor in the Brownie on board. This allows him to work for extended periods of time underwater. We also spent time putting things away that might come loose and getting other things like life vests, jackets and snacks prepared for easy retrieval when needed. The weather reports indicated that seas were fairly calm and the wind would be favorable for a crossing.
At 9 p.m. we pulled up the anchor and carefully motored outside the bay to set our sails. It was a beautiful night with an almost full moon. The seas were somewhat lumpy but not objectionably so although I felt best wearing my life vest. We saw seven other boats at various times through the crossing, a good many more than we usually do on night crossings. These boats did not appear to be sailboats, rather a couple of freighters and work boats, three of which were anchored.

We arrived at Los Testigos at 11:30 a.m. Just as we were preparing to lower our mainsail, Mike began to pull in our Cuban fishing reel, when he noticed something shiny and silveryon its end. A bottle? A can? Suddenly, he realized it was a fish, a tuna! We were so excited. Hadn’t realized we had a fish because the reel didn’t snap as it is supposed to when a fish grabs the lure. Working quickly because of our need to douse the mainsail to prepare for entry into the anchorage, Mike poured rum (cheap rum) into the fish’s gills thus settling it down to its then calm demise. Ahhh… a great fish dinner long sought was in store!

Island Tour-Grenada, June 7, 2008

Time to get off the boat and have some fun. With most of our time spent trekking around town for groceries and boat supplies, it’s quite a treat to find some friends and explore the island. Today we decided to take a public bus and go to some scenic waterfalls and then maybe on to the east coast of Grenada. Bill and Soon Gloege of GAIA joined us.


We hopped the local bus and headed to the bus station. Armed with a map and a list of local buses, we hopped on one headed for the rainforest in central Grenada. Bill asked some of the people on the bus which waterfall we should visit and the opinion was that Seven Falls in St. Margaret, about a half-hour away, is the prettiest. So off we went in the usual jam-packed bus traveling at breakneck speeds--for the narrow, curvy, mountainous roads. After a little while, the bus came to a stop and people started getting off. We then realized they were moving to let us off--we were there! Who knew? The bus driver told us to walk up the narrow path for the entry to the falls. We checked to see when another bus would be by to take us onward or back and he assured us that many buses pass by.
Up the concrete road, we were greeted by a lovely woman who informed us of the entry fee of $5 EC (eastern Caribbean dollars), a little less than $2 per person. She also insisted that we take a walking sticks from a stack of sticks outside and use them! She further explained that the path can be muddy and slippery and is steep. Apologizing she said there are usually two guides on hand, but no one was there then. We assured her that was okay proceeded on our merry way. It was a beautiful hike, not unlike the one we made in Dominica to Chaudiere Pool. The forest was deep and thick with lots of bamboo, banana trees and bushes interspersed with the beautiful Hellegonia plants. As we trekked down the steep hillsides, we found steps cut out of mud, braced with rough-hewn wood which made the going in steeper spots a little easier. It took us about an hour to get there, but it was well worth the hike.

Two falls were close together; we had been told we could not go beyond the second waterfall without a guide.

These two were beautiful and more than enough for us to see and enjoy. Mike and Bill jumped into the pool, luxuriating in the cold, clear pool. Soon and I were more timid about our pool venture, but enjoyed a dip.

Afterwards, we climbed back up the mountain forever grateful for our walking sticks. Near the end, we spied some ripe bananas on a tree--a pretty unusual sight since they are always very green. Soon really wanted a banana so went in search of someone to grant permission to take one or to pay for one. Pretty soon, back came Soon with a banana for each of us. We passed a couple of grinning farmers who seemed delighted to have been able to provide what was a delectable snack after our hike.
As we left the park, the attendant told us that we’d probably have to walk to the next town as the buses that went by from St. George’s were always very full. We asked how far it was and hesitating, she said, “Not too far.” Actually it was probably a couple of miles, but after we’d walked about 15 minutes a flatbed truck, named CRAB (all the vehicles have names painted across the windshield) , offered us a ride.

Of course, we were thrilled since there had been no sign of a bus and we were already pooped from our hike. We hopped into the truckbed which fortunately was empty. We were delighted. Of course, two miles down the road in a little town called Birch Grove, the truck driver stopped and said he had to get a drink in the little bar by the side of the road. Bill and Mike decided we should buy it for him since he’d offered us the ride. Of course, we didn’t realize he was also going to play a game of dominoes before taking off. We waited awhile deciding we would either take the bus if it came first, or continue with the trucker if he other choices didn’t materialize. We were getting anxious to get to our next destination, Grenville, a good-sized town on the east coast, because then we had to get a bus back and we had discovered that most buses stop running at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Actually, we had hoped to go north to Belmont Plantation which our good friends on YOLO had recommended, but on the bus one of the passengers informed us that they were closed because they are Seventh Day Adventists and Satuday is their Sabbath. Good Information! This same passenger said that she used to work there and that we should definitely go! Some other time, of course!
We caught a bus about 15 minutes later ending up in Grenville, 20 minutes later. Things were hopping. It was market day, and the small, narrow streets were packed with vendors selling goods and fresh food. We even saw pickled pigs feet in a bucket. Hungry, we located The Melting Pot, a sports bar and restaurant, recommended to us as the place where locals go. It was up a set of stairs, as many restaurants here are, with buffet of stewed chicken, peas, callalou--a spinach-like dish, corn, rice, mac and cheese (a popular dish), green salad, pasta, etc. We loaded our plates then picked a table overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
As we left, we emerged into a full-blown political rally in the form of a parade, with horns blaring, loud music and lots of dancing people. It was wild! Not the first time we’ve encountered this exuberant political rally in the islands.

Our day concluded with a bus ride on the south side of the island and finally back home, getting caught in heavy rain. What a fun day!

Clarke's Court Bay, Grenada - May 24-May 30, 2008

Had to get away from the rolling! We moved to one of the many nearby bays further east on the south coast, Clarke's Court Bay.




It was much better in terms rolling. The bay was quiet. There were a couple of nice marinas there. One is the Clarke's Court Bay Marina run by Chris and Barbara on MoonSail. They also run the Coconut Telegraph at 8 a.m. in the mornings where cruisers can check in and announce their whereabouts. We attended the cruisers' potluck which they hosted on Saturday night. Had our first brownies in many a moon. Boy, were they good.



It was difficult getting to town though from this location in Lower Woburn. The bus ride was a little longer and one could only get the return bus from the downtown bus station as all of the buses are full along the route. The good news? The bus station is next door to the fish market. We found tuna and bangamary there for $7.50/lb. ec. Delicious fresh fish! Also, the market is nearby where they sell delicious fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, our favorites.



While anchored there, we met a Venezuelan and his family. They offered us a ride as we trekked up a steep hill to wait for the bus. Jose and and his wife Elizabeth have a home in Puerto La Cruz, where we're heading. However, they say Venezuela is not safe; so they prefer to raise their son and daughter in Grenada, a very safe place. We hope to get together when we are all in Venezuela as they will be going there later in the summer.

St. George's, Grenada - May 15-25, 2008

On to St. George's! We had been waiting a long time to get to Grenada. Having heard great things about it, we were anxious. We had a beautiful sail down the west coast and arrived at Ross Point, just outside St. George's Lagoon. Our mail was waiting--imagine that! We were glad to be in a larger area not unlike St. Martin where there are good boating stores and supplies, good supermarkets, a great outdoor market and lots of good restaurants. St. George's is the home of St. George's University, an international school of medicine. We enjoyed the town of St. George's carenage--a centre-city of sorts. Had a really fine lunch of grilled fish, eggplant, plaintain and salad for $30 EC ($10 US) at a place called BB's Crab-back. The chef himself came out to see what we thought of the meal. Mike even enjoyed the eggplant and plaintain--that says a lot!



After spending some time there, we went to Prickly Bay on the south coast. Although a little rolly, we were able to get pretty good internet service even though we had to pay for it. We had some research to do and wanted to spend some time on the internet so it was worth it. Though not as convenient as Ross Point from which we could dinghy to St. George's, we were able to gt around easily on the buses which work well in Grenada and are cheap. Buses, hmmmmm.... They are mostly minivans with about 5 bench seats that really seat 2-3, but are made to handle anywhere from 3-7. That means a busload is about 20+ people when full--which is often thecase especially when leaving the downtown bus station where they wait until full to overflowing. Cheap: the cost is $2.50 ec per person per ride--about $ .93 US one way. The downside is the speed with which they travel--very high--in crowded areas with people, children, and animals walking in the roadway. Such travels must be very hard on the vehicles with quick stops on sometimes very steep hills. Anyhow, we've learned to close our eyes or look at the scenery. If it's our time, it's our time!

Petit St. Vincent, Petite Martinique, Carriacou - May 9-15

Our Swedish friends on Maara had told us not to miss Petit St. Vincent. So we headed there next. What a beautiful island. It's a very small island, still part of St. Vincent, with an exclusive resort. Cruisers are welcome to have a drink at the bar as long as they're not too crowded. We didn't try. We just enjoyed the beautiful scenery, the crystal clear water and some pleasant walks on the white sand beach. Mike also cooked some delicious barbecued chicken while there.

We left to go to Carriacou, but first filled up with water at Petite Martinique because water is so cheap there. Petite Martinique and Carriacou are both part of Grenada so we also had clear in to Grenada, but not until we reached Hillsborough in Carriacou. Petite Martinique is a tiny island famous for boat building. The people were extremely warm and friendly. We were sorry there wasn't more to see and do there.

Then we moved on to Carriacou. Because we arrived on a weekend with Monday a holiday, WhitMonday, we didn't check in until Tuesday. We learned that we had committed a grave error. The immigration official insisted that they are always open; that had we checked, we would have found him. Therefore he was going to fine us for not checking in on Saturday. Fortunately, we got through that without a fine, and the official was pleased that we were sufficiently chastised. Hillsborough is a small town. We got a few things at the supermarket there and found a great new deli, Patti's Deli. We spent most of our time in Tyrrel Bay around the corner in an even tinier town. There we found some fun cruisers and a great restaurant--only one--with mussels and pizza. We enjoyed a few days there, then moved on to Grenada.

Union Island, May 8,2008

From Mayreau, we headed to Clifton Harbor on Union Island, only to clear out of St. Vincent, a requirement before clearing into the next country, in this case, Grenada. We spent a night in Clifton Harbor although it's not one of our favorite places. All the vegetables are imported so are very expensive. The harbor is not as attractive as other harbors as well. And, the last time we were here, a few years ago, we caught our anchor on an underground cable unmarked on our charts. It took quite a bit to get loose including some tangles with locals who wanted to make a few bucks freeing us and vied for our services. All in all, not good memories.

However, we did hook up with an old friend, Tafa, whom we had met on the earlier trip. He had helped us out in Tobago Cays where he works as a boatboy bringing people such things as ice and selling T-shirts. We were able to locate Tafa by asking another boat boy about him and his boat Desperado, which had formerly been spelled Desparado. Tafa came out for a visit which we thoroughly enjoyed.

Mayreau, May 6-8, 2008

At last we got to our favorite island, Mayreau. Salt Whistle Bay is a beautiful stretch of white sand with a few palm trees overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. A charming little town lies overa steep hill. We fell in love with this island several years ago chartering with friends and have been anxiously looking forward to our return. After leaving Bequia with an overnight stop in Canouan, we pulled into Mayreau at 9:15 a.m., hoping to be able to pick a great spot to anchor which we did. True to form, boats started pouring in to the anchorage. At noon, seven large catamarans with French flags bore down upon the anchorage at their usual high speed screeching to a halt just short of the beach. This entry was dramatic with their great speed and apparent disregard for us and others in the anchorage. However, no damage done. They rafted up in front of us resulting in a large barricade between us and the beach. No harm.





In the morning, a small jazz combo with bongos, etc., began playing on one of the French boats near us. Great music! We were quite excited as they played all morning. However, around 3 p.m. the raft began to break up with each boat peeling away. Now this would have been okay, but they had been partying hard starting early in the a.m. And in typical French charterer fashion, they started leaving the anchorage at high speed, narrowly missing us and others. In fact, many boaters including us quickly hung fenders over the sides as the French were out of control. Fortunately, we all survived--we hope they did!

We stopped at the Island Paradise Restaurant where the cook grilled fresh fish for a great lunch. Anita, our waitress, was so friendly, and we learned that she is hoping to start a grocery store in town with much more than is currently available. This seems like an ambitious endeavor for an island of 300, but she might well pull it off as the island does not have much in the way of provisions. We also stopped in at Righteous and De Youths, a Bob Marley style restaurant, where we had a pricey beer.
That night we were invited for cocktails on Dulcineau, a chartering couple from San Francisco. Bill, a semi-retired dentist, and his wife were spending their last night in Mayreau. They too had enjoyed the French antics as well as the mini-concert of the day.