2026-06-14 Trinidad and haul out

Well, plans change quickly sometimes.  We were planning on hauling out on the 18th, but we kept looking at weather to go to Trinidad, and it did not look pleasant, except for sailing overnight on Tuesday the 9th.  That would give us about 8 days to hang out in Trinidad on the water before being hauled.  Not something we wanted to do, as the anchorage here can get lumpy, and it is protected from wind and hot.  

Plus, we were just getting tired of sitting and waiting so - change of plans.   Called our yard, and yes, they could haul us on the 12th instead -6 days earlier than planned.  So Monday we headed to town in Grenada, back to the RAM store, and got more groceries.   

Nice dinghy dock in Mt. Hartman Bay

Lots of pretty flowers along the walk

Like how at a small pharmacy we stopped at they don't sell the whole container of M&M's, but bag them up into small bags to sell.

The Ram grocery store - biggest and newest one around

Nice they have put in recycling for plastics - which seem to be well-used

Walking back with full backpacks and bags with groceries

Tuesday we got the boat ready, went and checked out of Grenada and went out for a nice lunch, and then set sail around 7:00 p.m. for Trinidad

View of Prickly Bay anchorage

The Cove restaurant - where we went for lunch

Woburn Bay anchorage and haul out yard in background

Sail to Trinidad was OK, little lumpy at times, then nice and smooth, then thunderstorms and rain, then no wind, then put in a reef, then take it out - you know the drill.  But overall gentle seas and most importantly, all from behind, wind and seas - which was the goal.

Sailing overnight you can see the gas drilling rigs from a long way off

Coming into Trinidad in the morning, through the Bocas del Dragon cut.

Trinidad check in was still an incredible experience.  They have added an extra step that you must do online now for immigration - so we thought it might be easier - but it actually took longer this time than last time - although we did fill out about 3 fewer forms, but lots more time stamping and dating the forms, and then at least 15 minutes to process the "online" form.   So about an hour just for immigration, and we were the only ones there when we started.

After check in complete, we went out for a nice lunch at the "expensive" restaurant.   $34 USD for two panini sandwiches, two cokes, and a side of fries.  

Every outdoor restaurant here has at least one cat around to help clean things up and keep the birds away.

Our fancy lunch out.

Thursday the 11th was Dean's birthday, oldest he has been.  We went into the yard Powerboats where we will be getting hauled, and filled out our paperwork, then stopped at the little store in the yard and bought 2 Mountain Dews for his birthday treat.

We decided to make a dessert for his birthday - so dug in our baking stash - and found a bag of something.  When we buy desserts like brownies in a box - we remove the items from the box, cut out the instructions, and put it all in a zip lock bag.  It stores better and protects against bugs.   Unfortunately, we forget to write on the bag what it is on the inside, so this time it was a surprise for a while until we smelled lemons - so then we knew it was lemon bars for dessert.

Mystery desert, instructions, but no idea what it is until you open the bags and start cooking

Pizza and Mt. Dew for birthday dinner

Friday the 12th was the haul out.  Spent part of the morning fending off our boat from hitting another - as the moorings here are tight, and during tide changes the currents swirl a bit and everyone faces every which way.    After the tide changes everyone settles and it is no problem.    

The harbor here is not big, and a mix of industrial and pleasure craft.  There are a lot of permanent boats moored in the area in various states of falling apart.

Watched this large ship designed to lay cable come into the harbor

Chagauramas harbor

Chagauramas harbor

Cable boat in Chagauramas harbor

At 3:00 we motored over, and got hauled out.   By 4:30 we were out, blocked, and had our air conditioning installed.

We rented an air conditioner while here.  It is window style A/C, but they have built custom fiberglass mounts for them designed to direct the air through a deck hatch.   They work well.

Trailer is already in the water, we motor over to it, then the 4 people in the water, and three on land carefully maneuver the boat onto the trailer and position the lifting supports

On the trailer, maneuvering into position

They spend time with a level to get the boat just how you want it - bow up, down or level.

Our A/C unit installed in the hatch

Kris started working Friday night, draining the oil on the starboard engine while it was still warm.  Dean scrapped the hull down, getting all the small barnacles off.

Saturday the work began.   Both sails off the boat, folded and stored.  Both forward lockers emptied, cleaned and dried.  Removed one leg of bow pulpit as it was leaking, cleaned polished and re-sealed it and re-installed.  Oil change on starboard engine finished, and prepped engine and guest room to remove the sail drive.   Props off the starboard side, and sail drive to hull fairing removed.  Cockpit cushions cleaned.  Sling seat removed and ready clean.  New lock installed on dinghy outboard.

Today started rainy - so we will see what we can get done.  That is one negative about Trinidad.  This time of year you get rain almost every day.  Sometimes it 15 minutes and done, sometimes hours.  You just have to work around it and plan your projects accordingly.

2026-06-06 Grenada, and just hanging out

 Sorry, not good on the photos this week.

Spent a couple days in St. Georges.  They only allow mooring now, so we did not stay long, as the anchorage got a bit rolly as well.    It was cloudy, and lots of  Saharan dust in the air. 

Cloudy days in St. Goerge's

Sarahan dust makes for red skies at night

We went to town to get groceries, and stopped at two stores, but ended up not getting anything as the fresh stuff did not look that great - guess we timed it wrong as the shelves were a bit empty looking.   We went for a walk to stretch our legs.  Took some photos of typical houses in St. Georges.  All the photos below were taken on the same street within 1/2 mile of each other.

Putting a small restaurant in the front of your home is very common.

Monday we left St. Georges and motored down to Prickly Bay.   Prickly was a bit rolly, but not bad, until of course nightfall, when it got worse.  We had to defrost the freezer again, as it is getting icy every couple of weeks now since our fan broke.   We rigged a temporary fan, but it is allowing the freezer to ice up a bit more.

Defrosting almost done, ready to put food back in

Tuesday we walked to the Ace Hardware store and got some supplies in preparation for our upcoming haul out.  We stopped at the large Ram grocery store as well, and we upstairs where they have bulk groceries.  Spent some time taking photos of food, with prices, so we will know if we want to stock up there or in Trinidad when we come back after hurricane season.

$75 EC for a 12 pack of Mt. Dew - that's $2.31 per can.  Won't be getting it here.  Dean is out of Mt. Dew, but this was too much to pay - so we did not get any

After groceries, we went in for a nice lunch, and then back to the boat, to enjoy the choppy rolly anchorage.

Wednesday we left Prickly, and went to Woburn Bay and looked for a good spot to anchor, but it was mostly boats on mooring balls, or anchored in deep water, so we went back to Hartman Bay, and anchored there.   There is a bit of chop and roll at times, but not near as bad as Prickly Bay.

Friday we took a walk to see the new haul out yard here in Hartman bay,  and continued down the  road to the bridge by Hog Bay to check it out.  Not a scenic walk.  Mostly gravel road, and then a dirt road.  No cars, but lots of trash along the road that people have dumped.   Oh well still nice to get out and stretch the legs, but it is getting hot now, so it is a very sweaty time just walking.

One of the nicer sections of the walk

View of Hog Island Bay from the bridge

New haul out yard in Mt.  Hartman Bay

We will hang out here as long as the anchorage stays calm enough until time to head to Trinidad probably on the 15th.  We haul in Trinidad on the 18th.

2026-05-31 Hike on Bequia and then heading south

We hung out on the boat all day Sunday, as it was rainy off and on.  Monday we decided to hike up to Peggy Rock.  This is a rock outcropping at about 800 ft in elevation.    We invited Monica and Jason on Breathe to go, and Chris and Teresa on Heihei Rere - another Manta 42 to join us.  The trip up was very steep, and it was quite humid.   Dean was getting a bit lightheaded on the way up, so decided to not go - which was a smart move.   Kris continued on with everyone else.  Nice views from the top, and the trip back via a different route was not bad at all.

Steep trail on the way up

At the top at Peggy Rock

Anchorage at Bequia

When we got back, we all went out for a nice lunch together, and then back to the boat to shower and relax.

Tuesday Dean felt good, so he decided he wanted to do the hike, so set off alone, but was soon joined by a nice dog, that went with him all the way up.  Some other hikers were at the top, and Dean talked to them a bit, and then lost his dog companion, as the dog followed the other hikers back down - which was good, as Dean went back the other route.

Dean's hiking companion

Dean at Peggy rock

Bequia airport from up near the top near Peggy rock

Went to town on Wednesday and checked out, walked around a bit, and had some ice cream out with Breathe.

Thursday we left Bequia, and sailed to Carriacou.  Got in, had lunch and then headed into town to check in.  We went to Customs office by the ferry dock, but they said we had to do immigration first, so back in the dink and over to immigration, which was closed.    Immigration is next to a restaurant, and they said the office would be back open in 20 minutes.  So we ordered a drink (coke) and relaxed.   Another cruising couple showed up as well, so visited with them.   Immigration came back, and we did our papers and then took the dink back to Customs.   Customs went smoothly, and when we got back to the dinghy dock we had quite the experience.   

We met a most unpleasant woman, who proceeded to tell us (us and the other cruising couple we had met) how rude and stupid we were for locking our dinghy up and blocking the stairs to the dinghy dock.   Well, we had not, and there were 4 dinghies at the dock, and she had no idea which ones were ours.  Ours were in fact the ones not blocking the stairs, and the other ones were slightly, but not much.   She went on and on without stop. Telling us we were stupid, and even explaining the exact steps she thought we should take to dock our dinghy.  We went down the stairs - having to navigate around her groceries which were in the center of the stairs taking up 2 of the steps.  We got our dinghy's unlocked, and got in and left.  I asked the woman (not a lady for sure), if she was a cruiser, and she said  "NO, I live here"     Once in the dink we motored out a ways, and the unpleasant woman's husband came roaring in a dinghy with two large barking dogs.  (Pit bull or similar breed).   

We spoke briefly with the other cruising couple about the unpleasant woman, and then headed back to our boat, and was the unpleasant woman, with husband and barking dogs go to an anchored boat the bay not far from us.   It was quite the experience, never had we met a real life "Karen" before, but this woman certainly met the stereotype.     We apologize to our good friend Karen who shares the name, but is one of the nicest people you will ever meet - no offense intended.

Friday was a boat day, did not go ashore, but did some cleaning and laundry.

Saturday we upped anchor and headed south again to Grenada.   Lots of rain, and everything from 5 knots to 30 knots, so kept busy sailing the 31 miles.   Got a mooring by St. Georges, and will most likely spend a couple of days here.

Sorry about lack of photos, will try to do better.

 

 

 

2026-05-23 Touring St. Lucia, and then on to Bequia

Monday we went with Jason and Monica on Breathe seeing sights in St. Lucia.  Had rented a car, and drove a couple of hours south to the Tet Paul Nature Trail.  Short trail but very nice views of The Pitons, which are two volcanic spires on the coast of St. Lucia.

Enjoying the view

Kitty could care less about the view

We followed the short hike, with lunch at a traditional St. Lucia food restaurant, with views of the Pitons.

View from the restaurant "The Beacons"

Next door to the restaurant we walked through the Maranatha Gardens, which is a "prayer sanctuary".  Did not feel the need to pray, but enjoyed the beautiful gardens.  Liked them almost better than the botanical gardens.  We were the only ones there, so it was quiet, and very nicely landscaped while still feeling a bit wild.

In the garden

Dean enjoying the garden

Lots of these guys in the garden

Nice view of the Pitons from the garden

The last stop was to a place where you could see the St. Lucia Amazon - which is a parrot found only on St. Lucia.  Jason and Monica enjoy birding, so we spent an hour or so looking for parrots at an overlook owned by a local fellow.   We enjoyed talking to him, as he had some strong views on life in general.   Dean finally spotted the parrots flying over, and he took a photo with his phone.  Compare that to the photo Jason took with his birding camera - quite the difference.

Those little black specks in the sky are the parrots

And when you have a super telephoto lens, this is the same parrot

Next day we headed out again to the Millet Bird Sanctuary.  We found out when we got there that closed toe shoes are required due to snakes.    It didn't make sense that they needed close toe shoes if shorts were OK, but they explained it was government rules since there were snakes in the area, notably the St. Lucia pit viper, which was poisonous.    We were quite happy not to walk the trail knowing that.  So we instead hung out at the visitor center, and spotted a couple birds that Monica had on her list to see, so not a wasted trip.    Rounded out the day with groceries and lunch.

Hanging out on the deck of the Millet Bird Sanctuary

Snakes, mud, cliffs all dangers on the trail

Kris's favorite bird of the Sanctuary - it did not move fast, and was fun to watch

Wednesday we went and hiked Pigeon Island Park, and had a nice hike. Only when we got done the park ranger said it was still closed.    We were told the previous week it was open, so a bit of confusion, but no worries, she was nice, we paid are park fee and all was good.

View of the St. Lucia anchorage from Fort Rodney on Pigeon Island

Pigeon Island

Fort Rodney on Pigeon Island

Thursday was boat day, but went in and checked out, got final groceries, and then later went back in to have dinner with Breathe, and Alex and Lisa on Hahalua who also own a Manta catamaran.

Nice dinner out

Friday we left early, and did the 70-mile sail from St.  Lucia to Bequia.  Made good time, and were in before dark.   Saturday we went in with Jason and Monica, and checked in, and went for a short walk-up to Fort Hamilton.  Really just an overlook on a short hill with some cannons.

Nice rainbow on the sail south

Dinghy dock entrance in Bequia.  They are very supportive of the cruisers here

There were a ton of these caterpillars on a frangipani tree we saw on the walk.

Relaxed on board the rest of the day.

Will be here in Bequia a couple more days before heading further south, as we need to be in Grenada by June 1 for insurance.