Paradise Beach, Carriacou

Since my last posting we’ve been so buys with doing the rain shuffle, moving the boat around, watching the regatta plus the following potlucks, liming with Paul and Karin and ordering a heat exchanger for our motor. Yes, the heat exchanger is leaking, it’s not all too bad yet so we can run the engine and keep our batteries topped off to keep the fridge and freezer going. Part is underway but we hope it’ll get here before this weekend as next week Carnival starts in Grenada and during that time nothing is open and no body works and our part has to go through Grenada, we’re holding our breath. Actually I almost want to say it’s not going to happen, so let’s wait and see. In the mean time we had many rain showers until the day the regatta started since then it’s been just beautiful. Yesterday was the end of the 4 day regatta activities and go figure we are doing the rain shuffle again. We took part at a few of the festivities and watched a few races but most of the time we’ve been liming with Paul and Karin. We sailed the boat around and took their mooring in front of their beautiful home. You have to see this place to believe, http://www.lastortugasvilla.com/index.htm

the villa is built halve way up the steep hill and is overlooking the northern part of Carriacou with Hillsborough a few islands, one of them which is not even a mile across from the mooring called Sandy Isle, what a jewel then the view passes beyond Sandy Isle to Union island and all the rest of the Grenadine Islands. The color of the water varies on depth and shows all the blue and turquoise shades you can just imagine. It was a happy reunion meeting them in their house plus a surprise, Mark and his family whom we met on the Trinidad Hashes is vacationing with Paul and Karin. Can’t get away from the Hashers! Since then we’ve been pretty much liming with them. Where we were moored was a bit bumpy so the following day we moved over to Sandy Isle which is a sliver of a sandy spit at parts over grown with some almond trees and ice plants the sand is white and very fine and the scenery just breath taking. We anchored in 8 feet of the clearest water, so clear even at night you can see the bottom. We had a couple of good limes on the beach with Paul and company plus his parents and other friends who sailed their boats up from Trinidad as well. Sunday we all were invited at some other friend’s house Toni, Laura plus on the other side of the island and so the boats moved back to Tyrrel Bay and we all organized a taxi van to get us to the party. What awaited us there was the most beautiful view over flat calm turquoise and blue water protected by a big reef which surrounds the north and east side of Carriacou. Carriacou by the way means reef. Beyond the reef about 3 miles away the two islands of Petite Martinique (PM) and Petite San Vincent (PSV), just breathtaking. Not just that along the beach the BBQ was hot and ready for the most delicious baby back ribs followed by seared fresh tuna. A local group with native drums showed up and entertained us, we all had a blast. Unfortunately time went by way too fast and the taxi was already back to drive us back to Tyrrel. Early the next morning Paul picked us up, drove to their house, climbed down to the beach and sailed his boat across to the same reef where we picked up Laura from there we sailed across to PM and PSV. The two islands are joined by a big reef with deep enough water for boats to anchor. We anchored off the beach at PSV which is a privately owned island with only one resort which is frequented by the rich and famous. After along day with loads of swimming, liming, drinking champagne we sailed back to the drop Laura off then the boats decided to spend the night there. Laura drove Sid und me back to Tyrell since we had to run the engine to recharge the batteries. We had way too much fun in the last few days so we will not join them today for another fun lime somewhere in these beautiful waters. We need a general health day to recoup!