Going to St. Vincent & the Grenadines (SVG) Grenada

The time has come to leave Grenada. For more than four months the Rivercafe has been moored in the marina of Port Louis, just next to the capital St. Georges. Protected from storms and sea monsters :-). Ka and I spent more than 2.5 months on the Spice Island, where even the lizards are bright green. Now we can leave again, for other islands. (Hard so say greener pastures).

The NHC (National Hurricane Center) has located no more potential hurricanes and so the hurricane season seems to be unofficially over. The Caribbean islands were spared devastation this year. That is the good news of the year.

We had just set our departure date – and then postponed it twice in the first hour. Monday was not possible because of the PCR test, which has to be fresh. Tuesday didn’t work either, because Monday was a Thanksgiving holiday and no people were being tortured with PCR tests. So Wednesday.

So Wednesday, 27.10.2021, is the official start of our new season. The start of our new sailing year. And the icing on the cake: the weather forecast promises moderate winds up to max. 5 Bft. and calm seas. What a rare stroke of luck.

Time in Grenada

It was beautiful, life in Grenada. Despite the C-restrictions. Every morning we took our dinghy to the Grand Anse beach for swimming and snorkelling. The squid family, turtles, the pufferfish, the school of sardines and the little blue triggerfish that always heroically chased us out of its territory – they all became familiar to us. We hiked, looked for turtle eggs (just to look at), did our shopping at our favourite shops. We had our vegetable supplier Jenny, our driver Georgie and our fruit freak Charles. Grenada

Occasionally we would jump in the marina pool in the afternoon or have odd conversations, especially with American sailors. We enjoyed the time with old and new friends. Ka played music with James, I went with Eirik to the yacht outfitters. Every now and then a meal with friends. It almost felt like we had moved in. Almost automatically there is a bond with a place. Chuck and a few other sailors have been here for years.

In no way do we want to get stuck and so it is time to leave. We need to get the boat and crew ready for sea again: Go through our extensive checklists, such as checking sails and systems, filling diving tanks, getting gas, buying fuel for the dinghy, cleaning the log and stocking up on plenty of provisions. It takes about 2 days until you are ready to go. Grenada

Then lots of paperwork, registrations, checkin and checkouts for the new and the old destination. On Thursday we had a farewell lunch with the six remaining ARC+ vessels from six countries, which will now all sail their way. And it was time to say goodbye to new friends and acquaintances, some of whom we will surely see again sometime, somewhere.

 

Impressions from our time in Grenada

St. Vincent & The Grenadines Grenada

Our first destination is “St. Vincent and the Grenadines” (SVG). This is the long name of the 33-island state with 110,000 inhabitants, which consists of more water than land. We want to visit a few places we already know and some new ones. In terms of C19, SVG is in a bad way. The incidence is over 600, while Grenada is back down in double digits. The vaccination rate in SVG is even lower than in Grenada, hard to believe that this is possible.

For entry we have to call at Union Island, because this is the only Port of Entrance in the south of SVG. The first trip of the season with 40 nm, past the underwater volcano “Kick ’em Jenny” (not kidding). Depending on current and wind, its 5-8 hours sailing time, great for getting into the groove. Grenada

Our next trip

In Union Island we will have to take another PCR test – the second within 48 hours – and stay in quarantine on the Rivercafe until the results are in. Hopefully only 2 days. Despite our three vaccinations, we have not yet been spared the PCR test. At least the price for the test, at least in Grenada’s official General Hospital, has been reduced from 150 USD to 50 USD p. P.

Coming up Tobago Keys & Mayreau

Once we have cleared Union Island, we have only 5 nm to our destination, the Tabago Keys (or Tabago Cays) and Mayreau Island. If the word “dream spot” fits a place, it’s this one. Turquoise water, palm trees, beaches, rays, sharks, grilled lobster on the beach – 30 degrees and sun. I think that’s fine. Anchoring in a dream spot. And if the weather forecast is right, then with pleasant winds and moderate swell.

We will probably spend most of our next few days in Caribbean waters. In the next article, we will report on how life in the Grenadines feels. / Holger Binz