Grenada and Trinidad lie on the southern edge of the hurricane belt and cyclones here are very rare. Tropical storm Gonzalo was tracking straight towards us but was forecast to deflate by the time it reached us – that was the plan. We tied up to our mooring, stripped the decks, dived to check that the mooring was attached to something big and heavy, and then we waited. The centre passed just south of us; there was plenty of rain and gusty wind but we were relieved to record maximum winds of only 27kt . . . phew!
Apart from hurricane watching, life in Grenada has a steady but unhurried tempo. In the morning at 7:30 there is a cruisers radio net which announces the weather, boat movements, social events, advice on where to get parts and services, and local businesses can make a brief call out. My favorite part is the “treasures of the bilge” where cruisers offer equipment, tools and various other tidbits for sale or trade or to give away. We have picked up some great bargains including a new halyard and a VHF radio.
We also got a great deal on a pre-loved stove as our old one has been gasping along shedding rivets and rust flakes on to our cheese on toast for several years. Parts are impossible to find so it was time for an upgrade. The installation especially ensuring it swung freely and hung level on the gimbel had Neil scratching his head a few times. He rose to the challenge and now I am enjoying cooking in an oven with temperature control.
There is an active music scene in the southern bays with live music being played somewhere almost every night; either jamming on the beach at Rogers Bar or a more amped up performance at Nimrods Rum Shop Jam on Thursday night. Musicians arrive from boats and from the island with guitars, sax, accordion, djembe drum and fiddle. Neil has been enjoying playing with them. The music ranges from blues, jazz and rock and roll to Irish jigs and French café music which wafts you away to a bistro in Bordeaux.
Because of the Covid situation boats are not moving around much so we have got to know our neighbours in the anchorage fairly well. I have started up a yoga session on the lawn at one of the marinas a couple of mornings a week. I’m not a teacher but I can guide a session and I now have five or six regular participants. It was all going well until the heavens opened last week as we were finishing the session with the corpse position (but we carry on breathing). We all got soaked but lying on the mat with rain drops splattering on our eyelids was a bizarrely enjoyable experience.
We’re getting to know the island fairly well now, or at least the southern part. It’s very green and very hilly, the only flat part is at the airport. The narrow roads snake up the sides of steep valleys dotted with brightly coloured houses – some are wooden, some concrete but all stand on long stilts high above the ground. There are few road names and no house numbers, the only landmarks are churches and jerk chicken stalls. How people find their way around beats me.
Last weekend we were invited up to Jenny’s farm. Jenny runs a farmers market each week in the three bays along the south coast. She provides cruisers with fruit and veg so fresh the earth is still clinging to the roots. Other vendors come along with yogurt, ice cream, eggs, and various pickles, wines and chutneys all flavoured with nutmeg. (Nutmeg chocolate is to die for!) Last Saturday she opened up her home and garden for visitors. We went up and had a lovely picnic sitting in on her lawn looking down at the bay and ocean beneath us.
Boat jobs are also keeping us busy. We have gremlins in our electrical system which Neil and Aaron, a marine electrical engineer from one of the other boats, have been trying to get to the bottom of. It is still a work in progress but currently our wind gen is inoperative and the batteries are under investigation. It’s all magic to me! I have made a new awning which covers almost half of the boat. It was quite a struggle hauling 15sqm of canvas through my little Jenome sewing machine but its up now and helping to keep the sun off the cabin roof and rain off the rain out of the cockpit.
Not much more to report. We have just renewed our cruising permit for three months so will be here until mid-November and probably to the end of the year. We’re hoping that the Covid crisis calms down a bit so that we can fly to Europe for Christmas but who knows what will happen. Strange times but couldn’t be in a better place.
Lovin’ Grenada!
Suzy and Neil