Caribbean Christmas

Merry Christmas for last year and a happy welcome to 2020


Jane flew into Barbados via Doha  and Miami and in her newly retired frame of mind 36 hours of actual flying was taken in her stride. The heat and humidity took a bit of a toll but being members of the Royal Barbados Yacht Club which sold cold beer and anchored in clean swimming water over lovely sand eased the pain.

Reunited at Royal Barbados Yacht Club

We then spent a week moving between different anchorages on the 15mile long West (leeward) coast. Very busy with charter boats, jet skis, swimmers and houses or resorts the whole way.

But lovely water, a bit rolly in the anchorages, and easy access to the shore (except for the small shore break so wet crew occasionally).

 The highlight was the friendly locals. All would say hello and happily engage in conversation. At first the thought was that they were after something but it became apparent that it is pure friendliness. Just happy to talk and this has continued throughout the various island stops.

East coast of Barbados

Jane looking a bit frazzled walking the coast

Father Xmas at Speightstown

A mural that really looks like a prehistoric cave

We cleared customs and sailed off to the island of Bequia which is part of St Vincent and the Grenadines. Our knowledge of geography is quickly growing! The clearing in and out of countries is a bit of fun but time consuming.
It is probably worth looking at your atlas to get your bearings.
Jamaica is so far from where we are but all are part of The West Indies.

On Ma Peggy ,the highest hill in Bequia

We found Bequia to have a great harbour with 130 yachts at anchor and a spot we could celebrate Christmas. A local restaurant was closed for the day but let the yachties have a pooled (potluck to Americans) lunch. We joined a Scandinavian table some of whom we had met before. A great day.

Our Christmas dinner at Fig Tree Restaurant on Bequia

We spent a few days at Tobago Cays. This consists of four islands up to a few hectares in size, sandflats for anchoring and a protective horseshoe reef offering swell protection. A managed National Park there were plenty of turtles to swim with(and touch, ssh, don't tell anyone), lots of fish and fair coral. Not as good as the Marshall islands but enjoyed it very much. The lobster dinner prepared by Swedish friends Tore and Maude was a bonus.

Also had New Year's eve buffet feast with the same Scandavian yachties.  We joined  them on Union Island Chatham Bay a truly tropical beach anchorage so celebrated New Year's Eve with a lovely bunch, lots who are from Gothenburg in Sweden.

Apparently the biggest sailing boat in the world!

Every where we go we see lots of boats (I shouldn't say too many as we are visitors ourselves) but I am almost overwhelmed by the size of some of them. Charter cats are 45 to70 feet long. Most modern cruisers are over 45 feet and superyachts of 120 foot plus are common. But our 34 footer is comfortable and we sail well. Locals in each country still have wooden boats and in Carriacou, Grenada  we found a fellow who  has nearly finished a traditional trading boat 67 feet by 18 feet carvel construction to be launched off the beach by the whole village in the next few weeks. But he admitted that it was the last big build.

Bequia Sealink?

The $20 lobster that Ants couldn't fit in the saucepan

Not a patch on our Pelicans but still quite cute

Lots of turtles seriously everywhere

Looking at Union Island

Another bloody sunset!

At each anchorage boat boys would come around in small timber speedboats, all in timber, very bright colours and very pointy bow. They would sell fish, lobster, bread, ice, water or whatever you wanted. Not pushy but always around.

Always well  looked after  local boats

Here is a RIB base with plywood additions. Innovation!

Traditional boat on Barbados

We spent New Year's Eve at Chatham Bay on Union Island with a slap up bbq put on by the locals with all you could eat lobster, chicken, fish salad and veg with Rum Punch and a steel band. We actually saw in the New Year (1am actually) and a slow start to 2020.

New Year's Eve steel band

Welcome 2020 with Champers

We are now in Tobago, part of Trinidad and Tobago but a bit independent. In Trinidad and Tobago the country clearance is the most onerous and we even need a visa even though it is a Commonwealth country. But we don't have a visa so had to buy a visa waiver for 400 TTD each. That is only $80 AU but a bit if a surprise. We have to clear out of  Charlottesville to go to Scarborough (still in Tobago) and clear again to go to Chagaramus in Trinidad where we are leaving the boat out of the water for 9 months.

This is the first wet tropics so far and we will venture into the rainforests over the next week or so.

After the Australian winter we will fly back to Trinidad, antifoul and service the bits in need. Then towards Oz. Very rough plan is Grenada, Netherlands Antilles (the ABC's), Colombia by mid November. Then via San Blas Islands to Panama by New Year 2021. Galapagos looks to be a difficult, expensive (very bureacratic) so maybe Marquesas by February. Tuamotos and French Polynesia by April. The trip to Oz from there could take 3 months or way longer but thinking quickly across the Pacific to be home (well Queensland) by Octoberish. If you think you want to be part of any of this let us know. Some challenging legs, some long legs, but maybe you are interested so seriously think about it.

Can't ignore the fire situation in Australia and particularly our home, Kangaroo Island. From what we know our house is currently safe. Some friends have lost sheds, boats, lifetime of work in gardens and maybe a house or two but no injuries. Lots of you have asked about and we thank you for the concern. There is nothing to say that this might be the new normal! When we get home in 3 weeks, assuming we still have a house, we will certainly look at our fire safety as far as fuel load near the house and improve our water supply.

Cheers Ants and Jane