Oil Down

Carolyn and I have been wanting to go to an oil down and our chance came last week. A trip was organized by local cruisers to go to a local oil down and visit a nearby water falls on the way. We had a great time and ate plenty. Along the way we stopped at a local rum shop and had 3 beers for 10 EC (almost $4 US). Then off to the falls. The falls were very pretty and everyone had a dip, the water was actually cold and felt good.

Concord Falls

Oil Down.

OK, it doesn't look like much but it is actually very good. I had a talk with one of the cooks, Kisha, and she explained how it is done. In a large pot goes grated coconut and turmeric (known as saffron here in the West Indies) then meat (chicken usually), dasheen, breadfruit, other tubers if available, large dumplings and all of this is covered with callalou (a type of edible greens that looks like elephant ears) on top. Enough water is added till about half of the ingredients are covered, then it is covered with a lid and brought to a boil.
The coconut produces an oil that floats to the top and when it cooks long enough for the oil to mix into the rest of the ingredients (the oil goes down, hence the name oil down), it is done.

This oil down was done on the side of the road next to .... Yep you guessed it ..... a rum shop.

You've just got to love this place.

Kisha, one of the oil down cooks.

Grenada Holiday

It has been rainy almost every day, nearly all day. We finally had a break in the weather with some sunshine so I managed to do a few repairs including a trip up the mast to change out the navagation and anchor bulbs. Here are a few pics of what has been going on between sqwalls and thunder storms.

Thanksgiving dinner at Clark's Court Marina in Clark's Court Bay.

On our way to Clark's Court Bay from St. David's Bay. Dink is keeping up very well.

In St. David's Bay getting ready to sail west to Clark's Bay.

We went to Fish Friday in the fishing village of Guave. We had things like tuna on a stick, fish pizza, fried fish and coconut shrimp. There were all kinds of other dishes available also.

There was also plenty of cold beer available.

Grenada update

OK. Here are a few pics on the new camera. Seems to be working.

This is Grenada Marine from the bay. There are first come first get moorings on the west side but we chose to anchor on the east side of the bay because I found it less crouded and less rolly.

Apartments just on the east shore of the bay. These cottages rent for 600 US normally, but go for 140 US during the off season (like now).

The huge travel lift used by Grenada Marine to get all manner of boat in and out the water.

Here we are snug and secure just after we completed our bottom job.

Like I mentioned before, Grenada Marine and St. David's Bay is surrounded by high terrain and is very safe as a hurricane hole. But that same blessing becomes a real task when you try to do work on your boat yourself. There is very little breeze and it can be buggy.

Back in Grenada

Howdy to all.

Carolyn and I have made it back to Moondance after a 5 month visit back home in La. Grenada Marine (the boat yard in Grenada where we left Moondance on the hard) is OK. We were put well up into the yard a good distance from the water. This was good for hurricane season but not so great while we live on the boat and make repairs. It is hot, humid and nothing of a breeze except just before a rain.

The good thing is most everyone is very nice and helpful and the marine store is in the yard with most everything you could need. We should be finished with the fiberglass work (nicks, cracks, and filling in the holes left behind when I removed the old knot meter from the bottom of the boat) and the bottom job tomorrow. Then we start on a water tank leak and getting the engine back to it's prime. It will be nice to be back in the water. I'll take pics tomorrow.

Hurricane Season Count Down

Carolyn and I have thoroughly enjoyed our time back home with family and friends. We visited almost everyone and even made some new friends. We even had some friends that came over and visited with us. We look forward to getting back to Grenada and starting another cruising season and meeting old friends down there. We will get Moondance ready, including a little fiberglass work and a bottom job and be in the water as soon as possible and hope to take a few pictures of the process.

Yes, we purchased a new camera, so updated pics will be coming with our blogs. We hope to cruise back up the windward and leeward islands again, visiting some of islands we missed on the way down the first time and revisiting some of our favorite islands again. We have friends, Troy and Deana, and Steve and Pam who plan to get to the Dominican Republic by hurricane season next year and into the Windward islands the following cruising season. That means we will have to spend two more seasons in one of the worlds most beautiful cruising grounds, "life is good."

Friends

We had a visit by Bab's and Tim from Texas. They wanted to experience what it is like to go cruising so we left Grenada and sailed to other nearby islands. We stopped at Isle Rhonde, Terryl Bay in Carriacou and the Tobago Cays. Six days later we returned to Clark's Court Bay in Grenada and enjoyed some local sites like the Rivers Antoine Rum Distillery. After 11 days they had to return home. Everyone had a great time.

Now it is time to start getting the boat ready for a haul out and we will fly home for hurricane season.

Grenada cont.

After getting settled in Grenada we started seeing and doing things as we learned what was available. There is a lot to do and enjoy in Grenada. The first night out we went to De Big Fish bar and restaurant. There was a great band playing and we had beer and pizza with one English and two French couples. The next day was a walk to the stores and local bank. We walked for about 2 miles to the two different malls and had "fish water" in the park by the sea. Fish Water is like a soup with lobster, conch, fish, dumplings, potatoes and dasheen with a melody of seasonings and was very good. We ate this because one of the local schools was having a fair day in the park as a fund raiser. We are suckers for almost any kind of benefit like this.

Prickly Bay can be quite rolly and was, so we sailed from Prickly Bay to Clark's Court Bay. Still rolly but not as bad, so after we picked our little spot that was away from the other boats but still close enough to get to the marinas and beaches were things might be happening we dropped the main hook and I put out a stern anchor to hold us pointed to seaward. That cut down the roll to nothing except for when the rain and thunder storms would come through.

Clark's Court Bay is nice with 2 marinas and a third accessible by dinghy just around the corner in the next bay. A small village is right there with some groceries. So for we have been to movie night (free movie) where everyone brings munchies to share, hamburger night/ social, did an island tour and will be going to watch the big leather back turtles come ashore to lay their eggs at night. We have seen most all the spices grown locally and how they are processed for sale and consumption. We have also seen the last original water wheel being used for the production of rum in the western hemisphere. Rivers Rum Distillery is still operated the way it was since it started in 1785.

So long for now.

Grenada

After a week in Carriacou we sailed to Prickly Bay in Grenada and will explore the southern coast for a while. My computer wifi antenae is no longer working now so we have make use of whatever is available. At present we are using a computer at the local marina for short messages and e-mail. We will have have my laptop checked out when we get to the states.

Along the way.

We are on Union Island, part of the Grenadines. We will be here about a week before heading farther south. We were in Canuan when an older fisherman swam up to the boat and wanted to sell his catch. The reason was because he didn't have a boat. Every morning he swam out , fished and swam in to sell his catch. We bought 5 lobsters and a crab one day and 5 lobsters and a fish the next. We paid 40 EC each time (about $16 US) and gave him a ride in to shore. We also gave him cookies for his kids. After that we sailed over to Mayreau and went out to town for a cold drink, town was a mile away UP hill. Later we made the trip again to go to Dennis's Place for a drink and an appetizer of whale. Whale is still hunted in Bequia and we were lucky to be offered this local rarity. It looked like well done beef roast but tasted like fish. Very odd indeed. From Mayreau we sailed to the Tobago Cays and swam with the sea turtles and snorkeled the reef.

As our camera is still not working we uploaded some pictures that we took this year around the BVI's for your pleasure.

An actual working distillery.

Sour sop, a fruit.

Breadfruit, cooks like a potato.

Canouan

We are in Canouan, part of the Grenadines. We hope to move on to Mayreu and the Tobago Cays today. As we said before, our camera is no longer working so we added more pics from carnival in Port de France, Martinique. We got these from friends Bill and Colleen from Dolce Vita.

Covered in Molasses. We don't remember why.

Burning the effigy of evil.

We have posted a few more pics that we got from Bill and Colleen while on a road trip in Matinique.

Grand Anse D'Arlet

Depaz Distillery. Each tank is stainless steel and holds about 10,000 gal. of clear rum. This is how the clear rum is stored (outside). The aged rum is stored inside while aging.

Bill and Colleen in front of the Depaz Castle.

The Castle's back yard. Cricket anyone?

Painted wall in nLa Marin.

Easter

Hello Everyone, we are still in Marin, Martinique and will spend Easter here with friends on Dolce Vita and I Don't Know and then try to head south. The weather is nice but getting rough over the coming week again so we will sit tight and enjoy the food and culture till then. The duck pate is really nice. Hope all of you have a great Easter weekend.

Robert & Carolyn

New bedding

We are still in Martinique. We are expecting a new mattress for the boat to arrive Thurs. or Fri. Then we will prepare to head south provided the weather cooperates. We plan to skip St. Lucia since we've already been there and we do an overnight sail to Bequia. All of the islands are experiencing a draught as bad as anyone can remember for at least 25 years and St. Lucia is very hard hit with water being rationed and severe penalties with misuse by anyone. Some locals said they had been without running water for 2-3 weeks.

As you may have noticed, we did not down load any pictures. The camera gave up the ghost, I think from exposure to the harsh environment. We are looking for a replacement but may not be able to add pics till we get one in the states. I guess that means we may have to redo this area of the Windward Islands again next year instead of pushing on to the western Caribbean. It's a tough job but we are willing to suffer for our readers. Carolyn is headed up to the Post Office to mail B-day postcards while I sit here in Mango Bay restaurant/bar updating the blog and doing e-mail. Everyone have a great day.

Back in Martinique

Hey to everyone, we are back in Martinique. Actually we are in La Marin/ Ste. Anne on the SE coast of Martinique. While in St. Lucia we grew tired waiting for the southerly winds to ease up or turn more north easterly so as to make sail to Bequia. The sail to Ste. Anne was great and we can stock up on more good wine, cheese, chocolate, etc. From here we will sail straight through to Bequia overnite when we get a decent sailing window. Carolyn just bought an Irish Coffee (the real thing) so I have to help her with it. We will update as we go.

St. Lucia

We made it to St. Lucia. We are anchored in Rodney Bay and it is quite nice. It does get rolly at times but it is unusual. The weather is very dry and St. Lucia is going through a long draught as I write this. Water is rationed and expensive to buy at 20 cents per gallon US so we make do with as little as possible. Check in to Customs and Immigration is easy and $35 EC (about $14 US) gets you a month in St. Lucia.

Moondance at anchor in Rodney Bay with Pidgeon Island in the background. Pidgeon Island is a Park and historical site.

A group of mangoes along side the road.

Carolyn enjoying a really good Italian style pizza.

Local fishing boats pulled up for repair.

Sandals Resort near Pidgeon Island.

There was a dredge in the lagoon near the marina.

A junk rigged sailboat headed out of the lagoon.
We don't know when we will be leaving St. Lucia exactly but will not stay too long as we want to get down to the Grenadines and spend more time there.

Martinique cont.

A few more pics of Martinique. We finally got a window and made it a little farther south.

Pictures of St. Lucia will come soon.

Sunset near Anse D'Arlet.

Diamond rock on the southern tip of Martinique. During the French / English war, Nelson captured this small island and quickly commissioned it as a ship, the HMS DIAMOND. He had crew and cannons installed and began shooting at unsuspecting French ships coming into Martinique.
This drove Napoleon mad because his beloved wife Josephine was from Martinique and it was an insult for Nelson to do such a thing. Napoleon sent a naval fleet to recapture Diamond rock and engage Nelson. The French navy succeeded in retaking the rock but returned to France before Nelson could catch up to them.

Local racing sailboat.

Dormant volcanoes in the background.

Cane fields of one of the many distilleries in Martinique.