Tundra Travels from Fall, 1999 to Fall, 2000

After a stay in Venezuela we returned to the East Caribbean in 2005 to the Grenadines Click here to move onto this page location        Return to the Grenadines from Venezuela 2005

OTHERWISE CONTINUE ON FROM HERE

For the next 5 years we spent our time in the East Caribbean basing our selves out of Trinidad where we would haul Tundra  yearly in order to return to Canada during the Caribbean Hurricane Season thus to enjoy Canada's moderated  summer temperatures. In order to skip through this long page to areas of more  interest to you  follow links as posted below

                  DEPARTING TURKS AND CAICOS INTO THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN

                  SOUTH FROM THE VIRGIN ISLANDS YEAR 2000

                           ARRIVE DOMINICA AND MOVING FURTHER SOUTH

                 ARRIVAL TRINIDAD YEAR 2000

                 TUNDRA TRAVELS FROM FALL 2001 TO SPRING 2002

                 TRINIDAD BACK TO THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN TO MARTINIQUE 2002-2003

                 RETURN TO GRENADA APRIL 2003

              
Tundra Sails into the Millennium from Florida,Bahamas,Eastern Caribbean to Trinidad

Tundra Sails into the Millennium

This is a huge update and so much has transpired since June 99. We hauled out to do extensive preparations for our trip further south into the Caribbean and to leave Tundra safely ashore while we visited with family and friends in Canada. From June into July we worked every day. Brian relocated the batteries to underneath our main salon settee and built an acid proof box to put them in. Also he installed a new alternator and smart charger plus a new main engine exhaust. I stripped the teak and applied a Biowash Napier product which is environmentally friendly. It doesn't require all the wicked chemicals that some products dictate. We located all the marine stores nearby which we frequented for the next 9 months.

Mid July 1999 found us driving home to Canada. From Ontario we drove west to British Columbia and managed a good visit with all our families. Also we attended our nieces wedding on Galiano Island. En route back to Ontario in September we received email from Mystic to the effect that Tundra had fallen off her stands and was down in the yard as a result of Hurricane Floyd.

Tundra above neatly puts her back stay between two posts avoiding damage. Other boats were on their side as well.

 Alarming news when one is so far away! We arrived to find Tundra sitting in a cradle at the front door of Westland's yard with minor injuries apparent. A surveyor assessed her and reassured us that no structural damage had been incurred. The jumble down below was dreadful and it took us weeks to sort, dry, and clean everything. Rainfall which arrived with Floyd did us no favour either.

It was apparent that the shock of the fall had been considerable. Shards of glass from my Pyrex bread bowl were embedded in the teak on the other side of the cabin. We lost a few minor items to mildew, but were fortunate to have good friends present at the time. Pete and Lani on Marnel, who had evacuated with all the area population, rescued our inside cushions and kept us informed of goings-on. Bridgit and John on Mystic were in touch as well and removed our batteries averting acid spills. Through Oct, Nov, and Dec we moved into a nearby motel to retain our sanity. In October we witnessed the fury of Hurricane Irene first hand. It was good to be there as Tundra may have gone down again. Pete and Brian checked the stands every few hours and one was blown out. They could hardly walk against the winds! (Miniatures that they are-hah!)

 
 In November 1999 we headed to Sarnia-our home base- for our daughter, Courtney's marriage to Greg Kirby. It was a wonderful couple of weeks and a good visit with all. My sister, Eleanor and husband, John, returned with us to Titusville and helped us immensely. They buoyed our spirits as well as waxed the topsides and painted the cove and boot stripes. Many of you will recognize them on Galiander from our first year of cruising together. When they left, Windswept IV stood by and loaned us their car and moral support for the next month. Alberg 37 friends in the yard kept us cheery as well - Karen and Marcel on Southern Cross.

Late in December 1999 we moved on board Tundra amidst the turmoil and Murray and Heather sailed south. Several couples from home dropped through- the Mees, Melons, Doyles and Clemons. Also we paid a visit to

    
Bev and Murray's place on the west coast of Florida.

 December 19th 1999 was Tundra's big launch day. We sat at the dock at Westland for the holidays and until we left. We joined the yard owners for a lovely Christmas dinner at their son's house and enjoyed visits with Marnel in the adjoining Titusville Marina on a regular basis. They were wonderful moral support. In the frigid cold of winter- down to freezing several nights, Merry Way arrived. Bob and Helen lent us their car for the month of January into February. What a boon! Our son Rod came to visit in late January and despite freezing temperatures we had a wonderful time. A tour of Cape Canaveral and the neighbouring wildlife refuge was a wonderful diversion from the 8 am to 8 pm work on Tundra.
Additions to Tundra included an air marine wind generator, a Pur 80 watermaker, a 4000 auto helm, and a major epoxy job over our bilge keel area. All tanks were removed and cleaned. Brian beefed up the glass around the rudder post and backstay chain plate area. We painted on a nonskid deck finish of gel coat. A new Profurl roller furling system was necessary as a result of damage in Floyd. The radar dome was refurbished and Brian re installed it. Rain had damaged it. Finally we cast off our lines and headed south.

The Gulf Stream was very kind to us this year and we landed in Lucaya the end of February. From there we tracked overnight down to Allen's Cay south of Nassau. In tandem with Windswept and Marnel we moved to Big Majors just off Staniel Cay. Here we stopped for several days while Butch on Rachael helped us all with our on board email systems. Also Windswept helped us with our computerized navigation system. We had a water maker setback here and finally ordered a rebuilt unit delivered to Georgetown. Once installed it has worked like a charm. Stress, yes, can you believe, stress caught up with us in Georgetown and Brian was quite ill for several weeks.

On route to the Turks and Caicos a stop was made at Conception Island where Spanish lobsters were in abundance as seen in the photo

Upon recuperating we moved on to the Turks and Caicos where he had a relapse. Being weathered in for 2 weeks there was a blessing and wonderful amateur radio friends ashore as well as Marnel applied great TLC. Brian was treated by a local doctor who was very helpful and we're on our way again.

  MOVING  FROM THE TURKS AND CAICOS HEADING INTO HE EASTERN CARIBBEAN FOLLOWS

Due to our late departure we skipped the Dominican Republic except for a brief overnighter in Samana while Marnel fueled. The scenery was drastically changed from the low, dry Bahamas, Exuma and Turk and Caicos Islands. High steep mountain ranges cascaded to the lush waters edge. We watched a man and his donkey bathe happily in our backyard (i.e. view from our cockpit) after a hard days work. What a sight! The donkey was soaked and braying and they enjoyed themselves for several hours to our delight.

 It took us several overnighters and a wonderful full moonlit night across the dreaded Mona Passage to make landfall here in Puerto Rico. We cleared customs in Mayaguez climbing up huge rubber tires at their commercial dock. We Canadians had also to check in at immigration - a hot mile walk away. Oh well. It gave us a chance to practice our Spanish.

We rounded the south West tip of Puerto Rico and stopped for a night off the Ponce Yacht Club. Next day we anchored off Isla Morte where Brian's Dengue took a turn for the worse and after a stressfull overnite passage Kathy single handed us to Salinas where with the help of cruisers we found a doctor who knew how to deal with Dengue Fever. Within a few days Brian was on his way to recovery. Something that other Doctors said was not possible.

 Left the Le Ponce Yacht Club above and below my Doctor's office in Salinas

                                                                 Below is an Overall Chart of the Eastern Caribbean

We spend a good part of our days studying the weather and listening to our Caribbean weather guru, David, in the Virgin Islands. He advises boats daily regarding the best times and days to travel in various areas of the Caribbean Sea. Up to this point we have followed Herb, the Canadian weather expert, located in Mississauga, Ontario. Every day is definitely a new adventure and some days we wonder why we work so hard. Yes, it's starting to feel like fun again and we are heading for Trinidad by early July. We are traveling in tandem with Marnel and meeting folk from all over the world.

It is indeed interesting learning to live and sail in the constant trade winds. We listen to the Caribbean Security Net on 8104, the Caribbean Weather Net on 12359-62, (Also, Herb's frequency) Caribbean Ham Net on 7241, our Canadian Ham Net on 14121, and our Turkey Net, which is starting to fade, on 7298.5

Tundra's Christmas Letter 1999
Xmas 2000 Looms Right Around The Corner
The dawning of the 21st century has been a memorable one for Brian and I. Several hallmarks have graced our lives since we corresponded last. We celebrated Courtney and Greg’s wedding in Sarnia on November 6th ’99 and Titania and Rod presented us with our first granddaughter, Wilde on July 12, 2000. Yes, her name is Wilde and she is wonderful. These were particularly happy occasions for us and we love being grandparents.

In September 1999, Tundra was knocked over by hurricane Floyd in a boatyard in Titusville, Florida. Note in the above photos We worked on her until the end of February 2000 and departed for the islands via the Gulf Stream, exiting US at Lake Worth (Palm Beach) and arriving in Lucaya.

Tracking fairly quickly for Georgetown, Exuma, found us there in time to renew acquaintances with old friends and greet northerners before moving on to the Turks and Caicos island chain en route to the Caribbean. The Thorny Path provided quite a challenge as we beat to weather in the 15 to 20 knot easterly trades.

With our late start we only afforded an overnight in the Dominican Republic before sailing across the well respected Mona Passage to Puerto Rico. Here Brian was successfully treated by a Spanish doctor for dengue fever. We think he acquired it from stagnant water in the boatyard in Titusville and we were finally able to get a correct diagnosis and treatment in Salinas, P R. See photos above of Ponce Yacht Club and Brian outside Dr's Office in Salinas. This is a mosquito born disease prevalent in the Caribbean countries and moving into Fla. along with immigrants from Haiti and such. Brian was a very sick man and I’m lucky to have him alive.

Recovering and moving as quickly as we could to escape hurricane season below 12 degrees latitude and before July, we bee lined for Trinidad with short stops and fleeting glances at Culebra, the Virgin Islands, across the Anegada Passage to the French Islands of St Martin/St Marten (Dutch), St Bart’s, Nevis. and Guadeloupe. St Eustatis, Nevis and St Kitts are Dutch entities.

We anchored at Charlette Amalie in the USVI Before moving onto the BVI. In the BVI we stopped over at Marina Cay and also at the Baths. Since we had bareboated several times in this area in previous years we didn't feel compelled to explore it any further.

                                                                             Above photos show a view of Marina Cay and the Baths

TUNDRA MOVES ONWARD SOUTH FROM THE VIRGIN ISLANDS YEAR 2000 FOLLOWS

We exited the Baths early morning the next day to transverse the Anegada Passage which had a reputation for rough passages. Our passage proved to be quite benign. We anchored at the French side of Saint Martin and did some island exploring of both the French and Dutch side mostly by dinghy.

We moved over to the Dutch side for our next day departure for St Bart's. We motor sailed out of the harbour there for an easy passage but discovered we had a power problem.  So after a quick dive overboard I discovered Tundra's prop had fell off the shaft and was fortunately jammed in the aperture. Otherwise we would have lost the prop. I slide it back in the shaft as best I could and we then sailed back into the anchorage where I was able to re secure it. So same day again we took off  for St Bart's and landed on it's north shore to discover a nude beach. A pleasant surprise indeed !!  :-) Unfortunately I have no photos to show. We also found some fine dining on St Bart's that we enjoyed with Chris and Chip who just happened to be visiting the Island.

Next stop was the Netherlands island Saint Eustatius also
known as Statius. To our starboard we passed another Netherland Island Saba. It protruded from the sea as a single pointed mountain with no good protected anchorages around it. Best to visit this interesting island by ferry. We will put it on the list for the future. On Statius we again enjoyed the lush vegetation and hiked to it's own volcano in the center of the Island.

 On the side Kathy hiking up the Volcano to it's top.

Every Island in the Caribbean has a fort

 Above typical island vegetation

 Next stop was Nevis where we climbed to the top of the mountain to see our first monkeys. We also couldn't resist a cold one in the famous Club Ed.

 
From Nevis we moved on to the north end of Monserrat as we were unable to beat against the strong east trades to comfortably make Antigua our intended destination. At this time Monserrat was experiencing a menacing  volcanic eruption by Mount Soufriere that we would prefer to avoid.. We felt trapped here at our unaffected by the volcano anchorage. The volcanic ash was spilling to the west and landing as far as 15 miles to the west of the island into the sea. With the strong wind we did not want to go too far west and have to make our way back east to make land fall in Guateloope. We decided to hug the west shore at full speed hoping the ash would go over our heads before landing on us. It proved to be a good decision as we experienced no ash fallout and had a first hand view of an island in turmoil. A whole city lie in ruins among the ashes with lava still encroaching on the Island along with numerous whirlwinds of ash swirling about. below are a couple of photos that really doesn't do the scene justice.

Left as we leave our anchorage at Monserrat looking at the Volcano erupting that we plan to sail under close by.

                                                                     Above Volcano Soufriere in her fury as we pass close by.

En route to Guadeloupe our wind generator packed it in due to a short caused by the vibration from the strong wind.

Note on the left Des Hais Bay anchorage on the south end of Guadeloupe

Leaving Guadeloupe we made the short passage to  the Saints where we explored the Borge as shown to the right.

A Diagram showing the relative positions of the Islands of the Eastern Caribbean.

Dominica was a beautiful mountainous island influenced by tropical rainforest. It was amongst our favorites because of its lush tropical growth and had the most beautifull waterfalls in the Eastern Caribbean. The verdant plant life was huge and prolific. Here we stopped long enough for a wonderful tour.

 
                                                                         
      A Canon Ball Tree is shown  above      

                                          Above two of the three waterfalls on Dominica

We pose for a photo on our River Cruise

St Lucia was our first marina experience, so we stayed several days in protected waters. Here we had our most colourfull fruit merchant.

Above we sail past the famous Pitons of Saint Lucia en route to the Grenadines where we make an overnight stop in Saint Vincent and next day on to Bequia where we meet up with friends from home. They spend a few weeks in Bequia every year and so were able to give us a full guided tour of the island. We hiked around this beautiful island, visiting the turtle farm and many other points of interest. We realized a return trip to Bequia would be in the making. Below we get photographed as we make our approach to Admiralty Bay Bequia 

                                                                        Above a Chartlet shows our route.

                                                   Tundra Sails in the Eastern Caribbean

    The Turtle Farm proved most interesting as we viewed both Morocoy or Land Turtles that we encountered on our hikes, as well as the Hawksbill Turtle that was being raised in mass to be let free to repopulate the area with this endangered species. On future snorkels over the next few years we definitely noticed the increase of sitings of this beautifull animal.

Left Kathy Views juvenile Hawksbills as they swim about in their pen.

                                                                                             An almost mature Hawksbill  Turtle above

                         Above a Morocoy Land Turtle

 Leaving Bequia with tropical depressions starting to surface we tracked quickly through the Grenadines and on to Grenada. Several days here in the Grenadines and Grenada were just enough to convince us that we want to visit again soon. It’s the island of spice. With only one more overnight passage to make to Trinidad we set off.

 That night, in the deepest dark, our head stay broke loose and caused general mayhem until we were able to lash it to the shrouds and shackle on the secondary headstay, an experience we won’t forget soon! Next day we towed our friends with a faulty transmission through the Boca’s into Trinidad.

                                 ARRIVAL TRINIDAD YEAR 2000

                                                    Above is a chartlet showing our entrance into the Boca of Trinidad

Upon arrival it did not take us long to familiarize ourselves with Chagaramas and Trinidad. Our favorite Taxi Driver was Jessie James with his fleet of Members Only Taxis that inexpensively bused us Yachties safely from place to place.

                                        Above Tundra is hauled and trailered off to her resting spot 

After we hauled out Tundra we left her sitting in Peakes Marina boatyard and flew home for a family visit. We plan to flying down to Trinidad to join her soon for hopefully a quieter and healthier season this year.

Grandma Aleta moved into a seniors apartment complex in Brigden, Grandma Margie is well cared for in Oliver extended care and we celebrated Grandpa Jack’s 91st birthday before returning to Ontario. All in all, it’s been an action packed year and we’re going south to put our feet up! To be continued below

                                    Tundra Travels from Fall 2000 to Spring 2001 Follows

Tundra's approach to Trinidad Carnival 2001

Brian and I have been in Trinidad for 2and ½  months working on our sailboat, Tundra and gradually becoming acquainted with the area.  Peakes is the yard where we left Tundra for a few months while we returned to visit family and friends in Canada and Tardieu Marine is presently home while we do further in-water work. Footloose and Saliander have very kindly been leading us around and Brian's back is responding well to physiotherapy by Joanna Smith in Maraval. At the moment we are awaiting 2 more parts from the US to complete an anchor windlass installation.

We are hiking Cano Ventura Road in attempts to get in shape. These bodies must be 'fit' for carnival. Lots of friendly Trinidadians are doing the same thing with us. Great fun. At the top of the hill is this left over Russian Satellite Tracking Station. Also at the top is the home of North Coast Trinidad Radio who put out a powerful signal over the South Eastern Caribbean. We got to know them well during our many hikes up the eight miles to get there. As you will see later  they were very helpful in our rescue in Tobago.

  On super bowl Sunday, Russ and Carol, of Pelagic, walked with us to TTSA to visit friends. Spontaneously we witnessed fete goers arriving at the Poison fete at Mobs. While enjoying a roadside hamburger we were impressed with the volume of music, the number of people arriving and festive mood in the air.

 TRINIDAD CARNIVAL WAS FAST APPROACHING AND MUCH PRE PREPARATION WAS UNDERWAY 

There were many events to attend as the hype for Carnival  escalated. We attended a few of them as listed below.

January 30th 2001 we attended the Calypso Spectakula Tent. There was an air of merriment in the air even before the performers started to entertain us. Brian understood most of the numbers, but I was straining to follow their lively repartee. What I did understand was hilarious. The locals were in hysterics at some of the bantering back and forth obviously enjoying every minute. As we meet more Trinidadians we are becoming more familiar with their patois and colloquialisms.
Seminar 2 introduced by Jack Dausend on January 31st was a presentation on vintage and extempo calypso. Rhoda explained the origins of calypso as a hybrid mélange. The original calypso developed in the fields as the African slaves broke up the tedium of their work and the drumbeat set a pace for their communal efforts. It was a medium for passing messages in their own patois often unbeknownst to and ridiculing their overseers. They complained a lot, often with good reason, and expressed their feelings in song, bantering back and forth. The Spanish culture added a Latin beat with dancing and maracas and the French were polished in feting. Kalinda is a combination of dance and song. Calypso tents appeared in the 1900's and became a form of 'newspaper', thus a new form of communication.

                            Above we attend a preparation Party at Crew's in. In the fore ground is Mike from the Catamaran FOOT LOOSE.

Several styles of calypso music evolved. Soca is a hybrid of soul and calypso while  chutney soca was an East Indian addition in the 1940's. More recently, American and Jamaican dance hall music has had an influence as well. Calypso ex tempo is an impromptu art of lively repartee to 'sans humanite'. Singing 'off the cuff ' often insulting people and policies is acceptable during Carnival and draws great laughter from the crowds. Lord Relator and Short Pants had us rolling in laughter. Paul Keens Douglas, an accomplished local storyteller explained his art and familiarized us with expressions such as 'pic pac, monkey break a back'. He told us  a touching story of  the origins of pan music and we all wonder where the hammer went. Delightful.
Big B and Lavellin MacIntosh presented calypso extempo regarding Jack Dausend's short pants (shorts). The lively exchange even brought Rhoda to the stage for a very clever retort, witty and hilarious.
Food for the evening was interesting and delicious. It included corn soup, pastelles, shark and bread, pork souse and lots of free rum. We are learning gradually.

Saturday, Feb 3rd 2001 
David Rudder 'Under The Trees' at the Normandie Hotel was a true sensation. He opened his show with a tribute to Lord Kitchener and moved on with several numbers filled with patriotism. Ganges of the Nile, I'd Rather Be In Trinidad, and Song For Lonely Souls. During the second half, he had us jumping and wining, then finished off with the very moving Man From Laventille and patriotic Democracy. He responded to two encores before moving on to his next engagement at the calypso tents. A CD is a must for us.
Our before show buffet was delicious and we thoroughly enjoyed meeting new friends from U K and gamming in the open court to an evening guitar player.

February 6th 2001

Asa Wright Nature Center just north of Arima was a wonderful overnight off the boat and provided great bird watching and relaxation. Our faithful maxi driver, Jesse James of Members Only, was the perfect driver for the precarious mountain roads. En route he pointed out many flora and fauna and treated all 10 of us to breakfast of doubles, saheena, eggplant and potato pies. Exploring on our own the first afternoon was very pleasant. Next morning we were up bright and early to see the first light of day and enjoy bird sightings off the lovely big veranda. Many very experienced people shared their telescopes and knowledge with us.  Birds that entertained us were : violatious euphonia, silver beaked tanagers, toucans, blue crowned mot mot birds,  anshripe, grey celtators, white lined tanagers, green honeycreepers, blue gray tanagers, white necked jacobian, ruddy quail dove, a chestnut crested woodpecker, crested orapendula, common black hawk, grayfooted dove, and elusive bell birds.

 Above an Aghuti nibbles at the bird feeders as viewed from the balcony at Ashia Wright. These rabbit like creatures are native to Trinidad and are reputed as being quite tasty.

 That afternoon, our guide, Mukesh, took us on a very interesting nature hike in pursuit of birds. He presented the history of Asa Wright, then continued to show us numerous trees, etc. A blossoming powder puff tree was located directly in front of our cabin window attracting a myriad of birds. In the trees he pointed out bromyliades which are epiphytes and not parasites; trees such as cipe, mountain immortelle which was brought from south America to shade the coffee and cocoa plantations, wild cane (used as a purge), hurricane or bamboo palm with very deep roots, the jacaranda tree with its beautiful blue blossoms, (the new bark can be used to cure skin diseases), Malaysian apple, melastome (provides food for the mannequin bird), Guyana vines or monkey ladders, and wild nutmeg with its beautiful buttress roots and mimosa shaped leaves. Flowers included the antherium or paper plants and hot lips. Mukesh also pointed out a golden tegue, which is a cold blooded reptile with gold and black stripes. He was perfectly camouflaged and resting with a full tummy!

Another interesting phenomena was a huge nest of bachax or leaf cutting ants busily doing their daily work. He also explained the black bulldog ant.
Bausch and Laum 8/42 binoculars are 'the cats meow'. Another visitor treated us to a peek.

Arapendulum Bird Nests Hang from the trees,

                                               

 
  We got home just in time to attend our 3rd orientation seminar with Jack and Rhoda. The treat of the night was an introduction to pan history and music by Junior Howell of the Caribbean School Of Pan. He advocates pan music as one of the wonders of the musical world. Pan originated with the African drumbeat. Hollow sticks were used by the descendants of slaves. This practice was banned with colonialism. Trinidad and Tobago is very cosmopolitan. From Europe came the Spaniards and conquistadors. The French were invited by the Spanish. From Asia came the Chinese, Indians, and Portuguese.  In the 1920's tamboo bamboo bands including graters, glass bottles, cross booms , ping pong, and barrels  were outlawed. Next gin bottles and spoons, scrap iron metals were introduced. Then came the percussion element with biscuit tins. In the 1930’s the slaves moved from plantations to urban areas. Along with the second world war arrived oil drums and the beginning of pan as it is known today. Simon, in 1946, took the pan from convex to concave with a stone, discovering tuning methods and thereby more melody.  The tenor pan has a 16 note soprano range. Band warfare was a common element until corporate sponsorship demanded no fights in the early 50's. Warring names such as Invaders, Desparadoes, Cassablanca, etc. still prevail. Pre-war, the bands were male only and developed from an environment of adversity. Trinidad became home to over 10000 service men who were 'oversexed and overpaid.' Thus spawned prostitutes with loose morals known as jammets. In the 50's the oil fields drew men from other islands. They took pan music home with them to the other Caribbean islands. In 1951 the steel band association was formed and sent a band to England including Joseph Griffith, Williams, and Simon. A steel band has 90% of the capacity of a symphony orchestra.

February 14th 2001
This was our final orientation evening and was delightful with presentations of moko jumbies including several brave yachties, Bernie and Faith. We were told that they were directed by the God of Vengence so we must be careful around them!  What a visual treat.  Also Kezel Jackson, an actress from the south, entertained us with some dynamic storytelling, typical of early years in Trinidad when ideals and grievances were passed on by word of mouth. An amazing limbo demonstration by Nydia Byron had us spellbound watching such agile bodies. Generous door prizes were presented. We thank Jack Dausend, Rhoda of the Boca and Boaters Enterprise for a super 4 seminar 'Taste of Carnival' orientation program. It has been wonderfully informative and entertaining.

Later February 14th 2001
Lesley of Virtual Solutions and her delightful daughter, Maya, and good friend, Rosemary took us to the Invader Pan Yard for a firsthand look at the concentration and effort behind all their great music. It was an absolute treat for us. They also had some good tips on how to survive Carnival. Local knowledge is definitely a boon. Wear comfortable shoes. Do not carry large amounts of money. Put your money in your shoes.  Take your own drinks and food and lots of water to prevent dehydration. Take a chair to sit on the side of the street. Wear hats and suntan lotions. Have your transport prearranged. 

February 17th 2001
Children's Carnival was a truly delightful experience. It was our first event at the Savannah. The effort and originality that is put into costuming is phenomenal. It must consume the better part of the year to imagine, plan, and prepare the costumes. They're wonderful. The children certainly cannot lose their cultural roots with such devoted parents.

February 18th 2001
We attempted to see Viey Lacou, but arrived at the wrong 2 locations! A boat project needing attention dictated that we find this event on our own. Now we know where it was and will try to see it another year. The bonus was arriving at the Savannah while Panorama 2001 was on and listening to several pan bands on the track. En route home before dark, we met Johnny, of Flash maxi taxi, who took us on a side trip to Diego Martin for a look at the homes of Lord Kitchener and Sparrow, before driving us back to Chaguaramas. All's well that end's well! Friendly Trini's and experiences like these never cease to amaze us.

February 23rd 2001
The King and Queen Semi Finals at Queen's Park, Savannah were truly a feast for the eyes. The costume competition exuded creativity including wire bending, wheels, feathers, sequins, and much more. Participants sporting a myriad of colour, themes, and special effects paraded one by one across the stage for hours on end. It must be a daunting task for the judges to select only one king and one queen from all that talent!

February 25th 2001
We had the pleasure of accompanying some Trini friends to a private fete. Here we limed with very interesting local folk, were treated to delicious food, and danced to soca before retiring early.  Following their advice we arrived at 4 pm and left at 800 pm leaving ample time to have a good few hours sleep before our 300 am launch into J'ouvert.

February 26th 2001
J'ouvert is daybreak in French and, literally, the start of Carnival.
Yes, at 300 am we were picked up by Trump Tours and escorted to their lovely house on Ariapita avenue where they made us breakfast and layed down some ground rules regarding our safety. We kept an eye on green tree branches they carried and attempted to stay between them. Arnold and Annette and their competent staff guided us through the dark streets and kept a watchful eye for us as we danced our way to Savannah and back, joining merrymakers along the route. A psychological high prevailed as we were willingly painted many different colours and slithered in mud. Addictive merriment prevailed. As always, time flies when you're having fun and we couldn't believe it when dawn started to break over the horizon.  Eight a.m. coffee and more breakfast was warmly welcomed before they delivered us home. And sleep we did!

Kathy and Lillian  all painted up during J'ouvert

                                                  The girls above painted during J Overt and on the left as we return to the marina in the early morning.

February 27th 2001
This was the second day of the parade of bands-a grand parade of costumed masqueraders and pan bands through the streets of Port of Spain. That morning, bright and early, we had guests arrive from Vancouver. We packed a lunch and headed for the parade route; walked miles, took pictures, sat on curbs, borrowed chairs, snatched a piece of shade here and there, wined to the music and loved every minute of the day. Jesse James of Members Only and his capable maxi drivers organized our transport to and from events. Worry free we were.
Hint: Take a disposable camera. It doesn't hurt so much if one loses it. Also, most of the camera shops have great pictures for sale after it's all over

    Above are Kathy's Uncle Ches and Aunt Winn who arrive to Trinidad on AMAZING GRACE their cruise ship for a few days to view the carnival with us. They had been cruising on this unique ship that was occupied by mainly yachties, that had swallowed the anchor, and were reminiscing their cruising lives. Ches and Winn were renowned  off shore racing and cruising sailors from the Canadian West Coast in their 44 ft Spencer sloop "WINSOME". Kathy and I had the pleasure to sail the BC Gulf Islands with our family years ago on WINSOME. 

                                                                    Below are some off the costumes we saw during the main day parade.

                Above left the King of the Carnival displays his impressive costume and on the right another impressive costume.

 Almost a month has zipped by since Carnival. Activities never cease and a few I have delved into include drawing lessons with Wulf from TTSA, visiting the local orphanage to help with darling children, (yes, I am a grandma), and attending one most enjoyable meeting of the local Canadian Club for Women. With boat details mostly completed we are ready to sail again. Trinidad has been very kind to us and we now have an appreciation of the ethnic origins and colourful history that have shaped this nation. It's been a privilege to winter in Chaguaramas and experience the warmth of the climate and the population. During this time we took aside trips to hike the more remote hillsides in the Rain Forests in Trindad. We also did a night time trip to the west coast to view the lrge Leather Back Turtles as they landed on the beach to lay their eggs. Our timing was such that we witnessed the hatchlings as they rushed into the sea. Below are photos of some some of the scenes of the fun we had.

Below we visit the turtles on the west shore of Trinidad

 

 

At left a large Logger Head Turtle makes her nest on the beach on the west coast of Trinidad

 

 

  

                                                                    Below she lays her eggs

                                   

                Before heading north Again into the Eastern Caribbean we did other land trips on the mainland of Trinidad.

                                                   Photos of our visit to the Caroni Swamp shown below

                                          
                                                                    We travel up the River to the Swamp


                                           

                                                    We  spot a Boa Constrictor hanging from a tree above us on the way

                                                 

                                 Scarlet Ibis are flying about in abundance in the early evening in the Caroni Swamp

       A visit to the Trinidad Nature Wildelife Trust with it's vegetation and a Chacachacari Butterfly that are commonly seen in Trinidad seen below

                                              

                                                                                  Vegetation as seen in the Park

                                                 
                                             

                                                                             Above a beautiful Chacachacari Butterfly

                               Soon after these adventures we return to the Islands of the Eastern Caribbean

 RETURN TO THE ISLANDS OF THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN FROM TRINIDAD 2001

April, May and June 2001 were our cruising months. We sailed overnight to Union Island in the Grenadines. On our way off the Grenadine Island we spot a whale's tail in the distance. Though in our travels we occasionally spotted whales it was extremely hard to catch a photo of one.

                                                                                                                    

On our arrival to Union Island we dug our anchor solidly into beautiful sand under Petite St Vincent. While exploring Petite Martinique just across the channel, we found a lovely beach side restaurant with great food. Most notable were the number of dogs and goats in the midst of this super dry island

            

We spent fun time exploring the beautiful Union Island as you can see Kathy dancing with the fun loving school girls on the Island. Snorkeling  and swimming in the beautiful, blue waters in the anchorage  at the of the Tobago Cays  was a highlight of our visit to the area.

Bequia race week was grand entertainment. Their winning fishing boat, Perseverance, had just caught 2 whales the previous week. In company with Avemare, we sailed up to Young Island Cut, St Vincent where several land explorations up the leeward and windward coast by local bus, presented friendly people and breathtaking scenery.

The French Island of Martinique was our next stop. The  language was an interesting challenge for us as we practiced our long lost skill. We loved the variety of cheeses and bagels, not to mention the plentiful and good selection of wine.

  

Bait fisherman fish in the anchorage above and Kathy sits with our young female entertainer who performed with her guitar

Several weeks later Tobago an Island belonging to Trinidad beckoned and we joined the crew of Sage to participate in the Tobago race week. A two day sail to the Island in light winds and against the current gave us lots of time to enjoy the beautiful calm waters of the South Atlantic.

Much to our delight Sage won the cruising comfort class. Below you see the happy crew aboard Sage after a race celebrating the race results. On the right below you view Sage under sail.

       

After race week and while exiting Store Bay in Tobago Tundra's shaft slipped out of her coupling which necessitated a rescue for us by the Trinidad Coast Guard. We were adrift  without steering capability as a result of the  slipped shaft and a strong off shore wind in rough seas slowly making our way to Venezuela. The Trinidad Tobago Coast Guard Cutter came to our rescue and towed  us back to the safety of the harbour at Store Bay.

                                                  
                                                   

                                                                  The T&T Coast Guard prepare Tundra for a tow back to Store bay

Here we quickly discovered the problem and I was able to make a temporary repair to to reattach the shaft to the coupling.  After this repair done in Store Bay  we wound down with some bird watching, and a leisurely cruise up the leeward shore of Tobago.  We spent a week cruising the shores and exploring the mainland of Tobago.  This large Island provided an amazing habitat for many species of tropical birds. On a tour of a small island off the windward side of Tobago we came across this Red Billed Tropic Bird on it's nest. Believe it or not this bird is sitting on an egg. We often spotted them soaring above us at sea presenting their remarkable long streaming tale behind them. They have to land on a cliff as they are unable to take flight from flat ground' but must launch themselves from a cliff which one was located just ti the right of the bird. This Island was truly one of the best bird sanctuary's that we have encountered on our travels in the Caribbean.  An island that  Kathy and I would recommend for a visit anytime.    The whole Tobago experience  was a fitting holiday before heading back to the boatyard in Trinidad. 

After a great down wind sail from Tobago to the main island of Trinidad. After our arrival we prepared the boat for storage for our return to Canada.
 

   Below Tundra at the dock at Peakes Boatyard located in  Chagaramus Harbour Trinidad awaiting haul out.You can see an oil rig in the back ground a common site found in Trinidad as oil is big factor in their economy.

                In late June 2001 we flew back to Canada, with Tundra safely 'on the hard' for hurricane season.

Tundra Travels From Fall 2001 to Spring 2002

Reports from November 14 2001 until April 2002

On November 14th we arrived back in Trinidad and have been readying Tundra for the water at Peakes Boatyard in Chaguaramas.
While on the hard we fulfilled the necessary annual preparations for launch, plus epoxying and fiberglassing the rub rails. This was quite a feat in Trinidad's tropical weather. It managed to pour rain at least once a day necessitating the use of tarps-up and down at regular intervals. Meeting new friends, Christine and Adrian on Quadrille, helped to lighten the drudgery of yard work.  In spite of having flu shots before leaving Canada, we managed to contact a nasty local virus that hung with us until Xmas. After our 3 week in the yard, Tundra splashed on the 12th of December 2001.

In order to test systems and enjoy a little 'R&R' we moved to Coral Cove Marina intending to stay only a few days. But, while servicing the engine we managed to break the shift lever controls. Parts ordered from the States at this time of year had a delayed delivery time so we enjoyed the festive season socializing with yachties of all nationalities, some of previous acquaintance, and making new friends.

BACK NORTH TO THE GRENADINES AS FAR AS ANTIGUA 2002

To go direct to our arrival at Antigua 2002 Click ARRIVE ANTIGUA 2002

On January 8th 2002 we departed the marina heading north for the Grenadines. One robust passage took us to our check in point of Union Island 24 hours later. Here we relaxed and hiked from Clifton up over and around to see Chatham Bay, then to Ashton. Being tired, thirsty, and hungry we thoroughly appreciated Jante's restaurant in Ashton.

Mayreau is a lovely small island with Saline Bay being our choice anchorage. Cruise ships and charter boats stop briefly at regular intervals making for interesting people and boat watching.  One fabulous, 360-degree view of the surrounding islands is to be had from the peak of Mayreau.
Leaks had been plaguing us en route, so we removed and reaulked our starboard ports. (We thought we had solved the problem in the yard by replacing the gaskets.)  Success.
Passages between the islands most often promote water over the cabin and a dry ship is so much more comfortable.

Mid January 2002 found us anchored in good holding under a bluff in the main harbour, Admiralty Bay, Bequia. This became our 'home away from home' for the next 6 weeks as we toured the Grenadines from north to south with guests aboard.

   My sister and hubby, Eleanor and John Coulthard, joined us at Young Island Cut, St Vincent for 2 weeks. During a brief tour of Kingstown, St Vincent, we enjoyed the excitement of the fish and vegetable markets and toured several lovely cathedrals of 16th and 17th century vintage. The trades were piping so we sailed up the lee of St Vincent to acclimatize a little before venturing south. A rugged hike inland to Trinity Falls turned into a great adventure in the rain forest plus a first hand exposure to mountain farming techniques and living conditions. Snorkeling along the shore was warm and interesting. The sea life and corals never cease to amaze us. Here Eleanor saw a lovely golden spotted eel. Jellyfish stings were a problem here. They act much like an exaggerated mosquito bite with accompanied stinging and itching. Treat stings with rubbing alcohol and vinegar immediately, then meat tenderizer.

                 Above  Brian and Kathy are on the top of Mayreau and John and Brian Ham it up with the Boley Fruit

With all secured we had a rollicking sail south, through the Bequia Channel, past Canuoan to Mayreau. Hiking ashore was pleasant and we all enjoyed a craft making session with Boley Fruit. The locals originally used them as water dippers and functional tools. Today they are carved and decorated in many ways and sold to tourists. A full moon over Mayreau was nothing short of spectacular. Musical interludes with John and Brian playing the guitar were delightful.

While hiking Union Island, we all enjoyed a lobster dinner at Jante's. His vegetables were plentiful including tannin, eddoes, green beans, and pumpkin i.e. calabash squash, and grilled eggplant with peanut butter! Delicious. A local environmentally friendly art gallery tour rounded out the day.

The finale sail to Young Island with Eleanor and John was comfortable and kindly. The Kennedy's ferried up to meet us and sail back to Bequia. Here we enjoyed a few days of onshore activity with them.

  

A flower in the Botanical Gardens located in St Vincent and here Christine on  Quadrille plays with a small Boa Constrictor

Our next crew, Greg and Courtney (our daughter and son in law) arrived in St Vincent on the 10th of February right on schedule. Again we toured the town in brilliant weather, ate delicious creole food in the market restaurant, learned that blackfish is whale meat. Not delectable, but interesting. Fort Duvernette at Young Island is a 17th century fort on top of a pinnacle. Yes we hiked to the top for a spectacular view of Bequia to the south and St Vincent to the north. Cannons on the top attested to earlier guard duty. An introductory snorkel to exclusive Young Island was great fun with Greg diving below us most of the way.

We made a stop at Young Island on our way north and here we hiked to the top of knoll on the Young Island that provided a view of our anchorage. Also Greg and Courtney visited a church nearby

Next day, with the trades at their normal 10-15 knots we sailed the Bequia Channel south to Mayreau. T-shirts were plentiful with cruise ships anchored out. Here Courtney had her hair plaited with lots of merriment and onlookers. Then we hiked off to town experiencing the wonderful view and a delicious creole lunch in the midst of a tropical downpour. Boleys were great fun again and a hike along the windward shore was spectacular. Crystal clear waters abound.

            Above Greg and Courtney search Mayreau for Boley fruit  as well as a view of our anchorage in the Tobago Cays

The Tobago Cays beckoned just across the channel, so we hauled anchor and arrived bright and early to assure a good anchorage. And indeed it was. On our first snorkel, Greg spotted a shark and a turtle. We all enjoyed the colourful reef fish swimming in between the coral heads endlessly.
Boat boys in this area like to sell one almost 'anyting ' for a price. And so the adventure began. They arrive each morning with bread and fruit, calling "Hello my friend, I would like to do business" In the evening they arrive with fresh fish and lobster. Yes we did have lobster and it was delicious. They cleaned it for us by chopping it in half and cleaning out the awful. A great lesson. Greg and Courtney barbecued it and it was, indeed, sweet and good.

Our next snorkel experiences were located where the dinghy passes approach the Atlantic on the north side of the Cays. The colours of fish and coral were marvelous. Greg followed and touched another turtle, which in turn followed him back to the dinghy. Great fun. Courtney was diving deep for close up observation and I loved every minute.

Again we returned to our little spot in Bequia and more visits with the Kennedys. The Hawksbill Turtle Farm was an educational experience. Mr. King has been protecting and nurturing this once endangered species for a number of years and filled us with turtle facts as well as local knowledge. Hiking home we happened across a ceramic factory located in a restored sugarcane mill.  What a treat.

        

Another hike over the crest of the island to Hope Bay on the Atlantic shore was spectacular and rugged. Once there we body surfed in the huge waves, had a picnic lunch and hiked home.

Shopping, viewing the Rastafarian vegetable market techniques, snorkeling, swinging at Friendship Bay, dining on lobster with the Kennedy's, completed our visit in Bequia.

The upwind sail across to Young Island found us hanging on for dear life. Yes it was boisterous! In the midst of all, humpback whales surfaced and blew a farewell to Courtney and Greg. It was so sad to see them off. We waved and waved and waved as the airplane took off right over us.

 Reprovisioning in the Grenadines is relatively easy. In St Vincent we shopped at Greaves downtown and by the airport, while in Bequia we found Doris' on the main street and Knight's on back street to be well stocked. Also we enjoyed the open-air markets that were very colourful, presenting a good selection of local produce. It has been fascinating learning to use local fruits and vegetables in our menus. Christophene, a squash, marrow-like vegetable and local pumpkin have become some of our favourites. Papayas, locally known as pau pau, were a dietary mainstay in the Windward's. They are so refreshing cubed on their own, on cereal, or in salads with a dash of lime. Pineapples were another luscious treat. Golden apples were available in the Grenadines. They have a prickly core and have a blended taste of pineapple and apple. Mangoes and avocados are just coming into season.

Creole cooking very often incorporates many items in one dish. Fish and chicken are their mainstays with exotic spices and flavours. I have been into various combinations of jambalaya. Amazingly enough a great pot of soup starting with local beans or lentils, then incorporating vegetables available, often fills the bill. Pizza from scratch is delicious also. Very often I use fresh pineapple for one of the toppings. In the French islands, we baguette our way to and from town. Cheeses are supreme, plus little extras such as figs and dates.

Feeling a little lonely we sailed back down to our Bequia anchorage and enjoyed the last few days of Jerry and Joan Kennedy's holiday with them. Fernando's Hideaway on Lower Bay was an interesting culinary treat. Reserve well ahead of time as Nano fishes daily for his catch.

A hike along the south coast of the island availed us of the Whaling Museum. Here we learned of their whaling industry. They are aloud to catch 2 whales a year, which they share throughout the whole community. Humpbacks, sperm and pilot whale are most prevalent during their migration period from February until April.

Several days of cleaning, resting and reading found us in great spirits when SAGE sailed in on us unexpectedly. Moe and Chris are friends from Vancouver whom we raced with last year in Tobago. Several hikes ensued. One marathon walk up to Cinnamon Heights presented a spectacular view of the Bequia Channel, then we proceeded down through an amazing subdivision to the ceramic factory and the Old Sugar mill at Spring before heading home.

The next day we followed the trail from Port Elizabeth down to Lower Bay to visit the Furlottes from Sarnia. Terry and Sue and their daughter, Jennifer were staying in a lovely open-air house close to the beach. A tour of Jackie's garden on Lower Bay was a bonus. She is a local lady who has a large well-groomed plot and studied horticulture in Britain. She sells her produce to the locals and found some 'rocket' lettuce for our salad. Amazing lady.

The 7th of March 2002 found us tracking north with Sage. They were heading to the US and our intention was to meet SCRAMMIN' on her way south and go as far as Antigua before returning down the leeward and windward chain to Trinidad.

  Above Sail Vessel SAGE shows her stuff under sail with Chris and Moe aboard as crew. We catch a Wahoo during the passage North

We anchored only overnight in Rodney Bay, St Lucia, then moved on up to St Anne, Martinique. Engine problems found us anchoring under sail. Promptly, Brian and Chris diagnosed and operated. We had taken water in our exhaust, so they drained and dried all and we ran her to take every precaution. Next day, Brian installed a shut off valve that we now close when making inter-island passages. Sailing in the trades provides lots of robust, rollicking sails. Everything must be battened down well.

In St Annes, we caught up with KEYANOU, also heading back to the States. GINSENG and EASY STREET are friends who were just sitting and enjoying the French culture and hospitality. There is a most pleasant shoreside community here with French cuisine abounding, stimulating hikes to the far shore, and great shopping. Mahi mahi from the local fish market was fabulous.

Clearing customs in Marin is very straightforward and pleasant. Our next anchorage was on a shelf in front of the historic town of St Pierre. Here, in 1902, Mt Pelee spewed volcanic mud and ash over the city basically eradicating a population of 30,000 people. Some of the original walls are still standing. New structures have been built onto and around the old walls and it is once again a thriving metropolis.  It is an eerie sight, especially from the water.

An early morning departure provided enough time to get comfortably settled in Portsmouth Harbour at the northern tip of Dominica before green flash time
The waters are breathtakingly clear and warm for our evening bath overboard followed by a fresh water rinse in the cockpit. The Saintes, our next stop, and Guadeloupe are under the same French jurisdiction. Moe and I thoroughly enjoyed the quaint atmosphere ashore and some great shopping.  A walk to the Atlantic shore took us through charming, flower filled, narrow streets, with gingerbread trim accenting many of the houses.

 ANTIGUA 2002

A brief rendezvous with LES MEILLEURS reinforced our enthusiasm to discover Venezuela next year.
It was an easy motor sail up the lee shore of Guadeloupe to Des Hais Bay. The church tower and bells added a special touch to this lazy little town.

To our surprise "SCRAMMIN" sneaked up on us into the harbour under sail, right out of the sunset. What a happy sight and what a joyous reunion followed! All the years we've talked of meeting in the Caribbean materialized. Yes, dreams do come true. Tired they were, from all the beating to weather. Leaving them to rest up and with our sights set on seeing Antigua we headed north to Falmouth Harbour. This open ocean stretch was kindly to us. An initial brisk sail turned into an eventual motor sail. Enough so, that the captain could read his book underway. That's a first.

Checking into customs in English Harbour was a treat. The whole area of Falmouth and English Harbours are connected and within walking distance. History is reenacted here in bold British fashion. This has been a British stronghold since the early 1700,s and the original Lord Nelson's Dockyard is still present. Ships were careened here easily and put back into service quickly. Shirley Heights commands a spectacular view of the surrounding islands of Montserrat, Guadeloupe, and Nevis. Truly, 'on a clear day, you can see forever'. We hiked to the top with Sage, than sailed around to Jolly Harbour on the west side of the island, where we parted company. They headed for St Barts and north. We'll stay a few days, rest, and collect mail before turning south again.

                                                                                Above we explore ashore viewing the local sites

March 23rd, we rode the local bus up to the capital, St John's. This island reminds us of the Bahamas, as it is drier and lower than the southern islands. Lots of cactus abound. Our walking tour included the historic Redcliffe area, which was a former slave market sight.-now a cruise ship center. Slavery was abolished here in 1834.  St John's cathedral is a wonderful sight. Built in the 1800's it is an ongoing restoration sight. The main raised alter is all polished mahogany. Saturday evening the choir was practicing. I could have listened for hours.

We have moved inside Jolly Harbour onto a mooring buoy to get out of the north-northeast swell. This is a large protected area, which has all the amenities one could wish. Again we're meeting familiar faces. This cruising community is small and very caring.

April 2, 2002 Update
While in Jolly Harbour, Brian managed to step in a fire ant hill and spent several days of discomfort as a result. The little monsters hide in the grass and one is usually well bitten by the time one feels the first bite. You should have seen him dance and fling his shoes. The treatment includes bathing the area in alcohol or vinegar, then applying cortisone cream. It takes a good week to get rid of  the itch and pain. This episode took place while we were looking for our perfect barbershop in the shade.

Antigua has a rule that stipulates no more than 3 cruising days are to be in a main harbour, so we anchored in Five Islands Harbour for 3 days while awaiting our mail delivery. The beaches abound in sea shells-every shape and colour, but the water was murky and not conducive to swimming. We relaxed and did some reading. Flies were a nuisance here making our screens a necessity.

We sailed back to Falmouth hoping to pick up our mail. No way! Customs had detained it and we would have to pick it up in person at the airport or pay a broker $70 US to retrieve it for us! Needless to say we stayed another day. We caught the morning bus to St John where we were able to get a taxi to the airport. No buses run to the airport!  My experience at customs was totally humiliating, plus the chief inspector wanted to charge me another $15 US to release my mail. The result was a tearful happening. I didn't pay the $15, thanks to his very kind, polite, and helpful assistant. I asked the chief inspector's name. He would not tell me nor would anyone else. Needless to say, we will not collect mail in Antigua again and probably won't hurry back. We did enjoy one more interpretive hike to Fort Berekley Point. It commands a beautiful view of English Harbour.

Highlighted were the century or dagger plant, which only bloom once in 7 years, then die. The hardy, upright stem was used by the caribs in raft construction. Huge aloe plants and turban cactus are plentiful.  Also turpentine trees withstand the arid climate. With mail in hand and a good weather forecast we eagerly departed on Good Friday.  Quiet seas made for a motorboat ride across to DesHais Bay in Guadeloupe. Humpback whales breaching and showing us their flukes were wonderful entertainment en route. We kept our distance from these amazing animals. A small plane buzzed us several times, so we waved and wondered who it was.
While snorkeling the anchor that evening in 30 feet of crystal clear water we were joined by a family of squid. They seemed to be guarding the anchor chain. A tropical downpour washed all the salt off our rigging and we collected water to the maximum. What luck.

From Guadeloupe we retraced our tract to The Saintes anchoring in Anse Fideling to facilitate an easy, early departure next morning. It was a good idea, but noisy neighbours, a smoky beach party ashore, and an annoying swell fouled our best laid plans. Oh well, we enjoyed hearing their laughter across the water and they had me giggling several times. Several eels and a little ray were enjoying the grassy bottom underneath Tundra that night.

An early departure found us motor sailing, in unusually quiet weather, all the way to Roseau, Dominica. We were still sighting and dodging fish traps in 150 feet of water off the coast. We thought taking a mooring was a great idea and would facilitate an early depart again. Here one depends on boat boys and ours was Fitzpatrick. He sold us our mooring and helped us onto it. Three hours later, the owner of the mooring came back! Oh, oh! Fitzpatrick came rowing out and said 'no problem' and took us over where we could anchor and tie to a palm tree. Fortunately this little charade all took place before dark, and we were happy. He promised to be up at 0700 to cast us off. Needless to say he never showed. Another early riser helped us off. All's well that end's well.

Yesterday we motor sailed again to Grand Anse d'Arlet, Martinique. This is a lovely bay and Easter celebrations were underway. Lots of music and lovely warm breezes welcomed us across the water. Great fun. Today we will check into customs in Marin and join our friends, Tom and Yvonne, on SCRAMMIN in St Anne.

On April 2nd 2002 we motor sailed around spectacular Diamond Rock at the south end of Martinique and headed up into the trades, dodging fish traps on our way to Marin. Brian was checked into customs by the chief inspector's 10 year old son! He reported a very courteous job done efficiently at that. Launched into our francais we moved 2 miles down to St Anne. The headland provides a wonderful hike along the shore to Anse Saline. This is probably our favourite beach in the Caribbean. Brian loves the scenery and I enjoy the comfortable ambience and soft sand.

                                            Above is an inside view of the Catholic Church and an outside look at the museum in Fort de France,

The four of us bused to Fort de France, the capital city where we experienced some interesting shopping, toured several historic sites, and ate delicious French fare. Our last stop was an ice cream parlour with extravagant flavours. Yummy! The French architecture, lively markets ( fish and vegetable) and delightful culture are not to be missed. Yvonne and I even enjoyed an art session ashore sketching. There is also a club med in St Anne very close to the cruisers anchorage.

On the 7th April 2002 we reluctantly hauled anchors and had a lazy sail over to St Lucia. It was a pristine day with blackfin whale sightings and a real fishing bonus. We landed a 10-15 lb wahoo fish. It was quite a struggle, but great sport and absolutely delicious dinner+ Needless to say, that evening at Reduit Beach, Rodney Bay we barbecued the catch and had Scrammin' for dinner. Mmmmm.

                                                                           SCRAMMIN makes her way south heading for Trinidad

With the weatherman forecasting a lengthy low for the area we moved into the Lagoon of Rodney Bay Marina and are enjoying quiet sheltered waters for a few days. Here we have reacquainted with FRIENDSHIP, Bob and Peggy. Also BON ACCORD, FORTH, and HIDEAWAY, plus others are mostly heading for Trinidad. An island tour included magnificent scenery, a tour of botanical gardens and Diamond waterfalls and hot springs, plus an amazing tour of the Soufriere volcano sight, which was spewing sulfur dioxide, and black bubbling pools of effervescence.  From the east coast of St Lucia is spectacularly beautiful, we were driven through the lush horticultural area. Bananas are their #1 export. In 2006 the industry is expecting a economic crash as Dole and such under price them in the world markets. This will be tragic. Canada is importing mangoes, papaya, dasheen and avocados in an effort to avert this crisis. Have you ever tried banana ketchup? It's delicious. Rain has been unusually plentiful and we don't mind a few days of cool.

                                                Vegetable delivery in the Rodney Bay Lagoon  by local boat to Tundra and a view of Rodney Bay

Sunday, April 21, 2002
Blowing in the breeze in Tobago Cays. The trades are piping and we are supercharged with power from the air marine wind generator plus the solar panels.
St Lucia has much to offer and we took several more side trips before departing. The capitol of the island is Castries, which supports most of their 170,000 population.. It is located on a well protected inlet on the lee side of the island just south of Rodney Bay. Most of the inhabitants speak a French creole patois amongst themselves. Their fish and vegetable market is colourful and bright. Great numbers of vendors have their produce layered out on blankets, some use vehicle trunks or truck backs, and a few have tables in a covered building.

On a walking tour we discovered many styles of architecture as a result of a devastating fire in the 1950's. We did notice a definite shortage of restaurants and wonder if this results from being a cruise ship destination. Does everyone eat on board? North of Rodney Bay is Gros Islet. It is well known for it's street party at nighttime. As a group we attended this evening of food and music. Once is enough.

Our final tour of interest was Rodney Bay Fort. The information center is very informative and well kept. Canadians be proud. You have supported it.  360-degree views from the mountaintop are spectacular. It was a British stronghold against the Spanish and mainly the French. It vacillated between British and French rule some 14 times before the Treaty of Paris established British rule in 1814. In 1979 it became an independent nation.

                                We  climb to the top of the St Lucia Soufriere Volcano and a view from offshore of the Pitons

We found everyone very hospitable and very few tourists present. In fact, the Hyatt Hotel closed the week before we arrived. This is a sad commentary re their tourist industry.

        Brian in Castries and also overlooking one of our anchorages in St Lucia MARIGOT BAY

In the wee hours of the 15th we sailed along with SCRAMMIN' , south past St Vincent, to Bequia. Anchoring off Princess Margaret Beach was like being home again after all our exploration of this island earlier in the year. After checking into customs and touring the town with Scrammin', we welcomed MARNEL. They had just arrived from Antigua. What a great reunion, as we haven't seen them since a year November, in Trinidad. After a brief tour to Friendship Bay we were all ready to move on. I am particularly glad to leave the sea ants behind. I'm wondering if the nutrient rich water attracts them. Once more I have many bites, which itch and sting.
We now have a flotilla alongside. After a wonderful sail past Canouan into the Tobago Cays we look forward to great snorkeling again. LA MEILLEURE, our South African friends have just arrived as well.

May 3, 2002
The snorkeling in the Tobago Cays is probably the best in the Caribbean. Marnel saw a reef shark on their first tour. We snorkeled and relaxed away 3 days before moving on to Union Island. A walk around' to Ashton reestablished our shore legs and it's a wonderful place to reprovision. A small open market has all the fruit and veggies one needs and there are 4 small supermarkets, one of which is gourmet, catering to the charter boat industry here.

            Brian and Kathy pose first overlooking the Tobago Cays and then Mayreau both located in the Grenadines

Scrammin' discovered a fried chicken stand so we all patronized it royally. Lobster dinner at Jante's left a lot to be desired this time around. It is the end of lobster season and I think he didn't want to miss our business by telling us of his shortage. C'est la vie. Live and learn.

It was a short sail over to Petit St Vincent with the fleet.  Our first snorkel on the open reef was quite challenging with lots of current. The full moon was presenting particularly high and low tides and lots of current. Apparently the moon was lined up with 4 planets and causing tides rivaling 15 years ago. Next day we swam close to the shore and saw several new fish species. A short dinghy ride to Petit Martinique for provisions was interesting. They now have a very substantial new docking facility. It was under construction during our last visit.

We're back into using Eastern Caribbean dollars now. The Euro is used in the French islands. The euro is the common standard for 12 European countries now. They are Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.

On the 28th of April 2002 we moved a short distance to Chatham Bay on the other side of Union Island where we enjoyed our dinner of lobster barbecue.

The first unannounced tropical wave of the season is making its presence known off the shores of Africa. Our weathermen are predicting rain. It is very hazy as well. " Haze usually follows a wave", they have coined and it is evident. All asthma sufferers are advised that Sahara dust will be a problem for the next few days. James, who is a native of Union Island, prepared an open pit dinner of mahi mahi ashore. The heavens opened up with a full show of stars. Ambience at his basic beach table was lovely. KEN B from Ottawa joined us for dinner.

With a good weather window open for Trinidad we decided to head south on the 30th of April. We checked out at Union Island arriving in Trinidad before noon on May 1st. With customs check in complete we sailed to our Scotland Bay anchorage just off of the Boca de Monos where we are now enjoying some R&R listening to the howler monkeys, and thinking of laying up soon. Boca de Monos is the pass we traverse between Trinidad and Venezuela. It means mouth of the monkeys. It's hot, humid as usual and good to be back in Trinidad. Our home away from home.

Before leaving for the north we planned Mother's Day hike in the rain forest . This was the way Kathy wished to spend her Mother's Day so I reluctantly obliged her and agreed to the adventure. A day that will remain in our memories forever.  Our guide was to be "Snake" a supposedly renowned Trinidadian Guide who was to take us into the jungle of the rain forest. All excited we departed that day at dawn for the forest not realizing what we were in for. Arriving at the forest we met up with fellow hikers and proceeded into the lush green forest. Some of the hikers along with us were fellow Yachties along with a few local Trinidadians. As it turned out our three hour hike turned into a full day of a grueling hike of several hours, We did not arrive back to our bus to head back till around dusk. Snake had decided to treat us to three of his hikes into one unannounced to us. A grueling task for sure. All the hikers returned totally exhausted. Musket, one of our favourite bus drivers ended up carrying one of the Yachtie children back to our departure point.

                                      Below you can see me cooling off in the stream with some local children after our strenuous hike with Snake.

                                                

                    Soon after this we returned back to Canada to spend  the summer of 2002 full of memories of this years adventures.

RETURN TO TRINIDAD FALL 2002

Tundra Travels from Fall 2002 to Spring 2003 north from Trinidad back into the Windward Islands of the Eastern Caribbean as far as Martinique then returning again to Trinidad in 2003 go to the link below.

                                    2003 RETURN TO THE WINDWARD ISLANDS

December 29, 2002

Trinidad is indeed still experiencing her rainy season. It pours around noon each day, so we have been planning our projects carefully. On the hard, here in Peakes yard, it is quite interesting with boats hauling and `splashing' daily. Our present neighbours are from Britain and South Africa. Air conditioning was a boon. We found Tundra in great shape and did the usual bottom painting, polishing the hull, and commissioning tasks while slowly acclimatizing. Refinishing the head was added to the list. We ground off all the peeling paint and painted on a white coloured epoxy finish. I stripped the brass pumpfittings and we've decided to let them weather naturally. This means the bronze will take on a few salty green areas. Paint just wasn't adhering with all the scrubbing. Then Brian installed our newly reconditioned throne. Our propane tanks (steel)have seen a better day, so we bought 2 new aluminum ones from Budget. Not an inexpensive feat here in Trinidad. Brian spentseveral days enlarging our propane locker to accommodate them. Yes he is indeed Mr Epoxy! We will have a complement of 4 now - two steel and two aluminum. The steel need scraping and painting on a regular basis. Friends in Trinidad were very pleased to take the other two steel off our hands.

We `splashed' on November 25th 2002. That's a Trini launch. Then off to Coral Cove Marina for a few weeks to await parts and service on our hart inverter. While waiting I worked on the teak and tarps while Brian installed a new bilge pump and worked over the engine. We spent several days installing the new Garmin GPS 152, rewiring and such. Then the new task was to figure how to make it talk to the computer. Thank heavens my captain is multi talented.

Entertainment abounds in Trinidad.

A trip to their famous Pitch Lake site south of San Fernando was very interesting. They extract and ship out tons of tar a day! Our guide walked us around the various layers of maturity in `the mother stream'. Needless to say, we stayed very close to her. A bulldozer goes out onto the surface to be taken and loads the pitch into mining rail cars. Sulphur fumes abound.Several times we played dominoes and I loved playing some bridge with other yachties.

      

                                Above you get a view of the Pitch Lake Tar Flats as seen 0n Nov 12 2002 

One long hike to North Coast Radio on top of our local mountain was my birthday treat. I love the rain forest and we were lucky enough to see howler monkeys.

 

Above at the Top is the North Coast Radar Tower as well as the tower placed by the US to track Russia's Satellite "Sputnick" the first satellite ever launched and as a result embarrassed them because they were beaten to the gun by the Russians.

I attended a Lydian singers concert with Yvonne of Scrammin' and Christine of Quadrille. It included wonderful four part harmony singers, some interpretive dancing, a school choir, fireworks and native drum serenades. Masters were encouraging and nurturing the many different cultures in Trinidad.

A Christmas concert just before our departure featured steel band music with classical and carol pieces. This was a fundraiser for one of the local orphanages.Finally our part arrived, Friday, the 20th. Brian installed it on Saturday. On Monday we were ready to check out of customs.With fuel topped up and Scrammin' alongside we powered around to Scotland Bay to tie all down and reef the sails. We sail with double reefed main and our working jib.

RETURN TO THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN WINDWARD ISLANDS 2003

We departed Trinidad on the 23rd of December 2002 at 1800 with Scrammin' and experienced our most boisterous sail ever, en route to Grenada, arriving here in Prickly Bay at 1000 in the morn of Xmas eve. Marnel and Mima had a welcome ham dinner for us and we fell into bed. We now know the meaning of Xmas winds. Tundra pulled us through, but we both stayed awake all night huddled in the cockpit getting drenched and hanging on! Of course we wore our life jackets and our harnesses were secure.

                                        Having Christmas fun in the pool with Tom and Yvonne while we spend some time off the boat

Over great food and wonderful visits, Marnel and Mima told us of the wonders of Venezuela. We hope Chavez will step down and let the country regain a sound economical base for all. On this Xmas eve politics reign supreme in many areas of the world.We enjoyed Xmas Brunch at Secret Harbour in Mt Hartman Bay with many other cruisers and were treated to a lovely swim in their pool. Xmas night was on Marnel and we hosted a traditional Canadian boxing day on Tundra. Many stories later, we've decided to cruise the windward islands in the new year and try Venezuela when it's safe again.

                        The Picture above shows the relative positioning of the Windward Islands that we visited on this cruise

January 27, 2003 (Grenada)

Grenada is the Spice Island with a population of  100,000. Being of volcanic origin it has mountain peaks with rain forest as well as beautiful sandy beaches. Most of the protected anchorages are on the south end where the water is fairly murky this time of year. Our swimming was limited to shower time mainly with one snorkeling excursion to a shallow reef. Several days later fisherman pulled in a sizable shark from this area, so we opted for land travel and exploration. Apparently shark breed and feed in shallow water this time of year!St Georges, in a natural lagoon on the lee of the island, is the hub of business. Colourful it is in many ways. Brightly coloured restaurants, stores, and warehouses surround a bustling harbour. Cruise ships, tour boats, cargo carriers, windjammers, and cruisers jostle for position.

The most reliable mode of transportation is the maxibus. It is a minivan which has about 11 seats, but carries up to 23 passengers!!!!!! That is the most extreme we experienced. First we traveled the perimeter of the island with stops at Goyave to tour a nutmeg factory; at Sauteurs on the north, to view the Caribs leap; then down the windward coast to Glenville and back through the central rain forest area. My last roller coaster ride many years ago would give this steep competition. All the maxis mesh at the market so we loaded up on delicious local grapefruit and some veggies before heading back to Tundra. My special treat is to have them whack open a coconut so I can drink the yummy coconut milk with a straw. The nutmeg factory is labour intensive. We were able to view the sorting and drying procedures. Grenada is number one in the exporters  of the worlds nutmeg.

                One of the workers at the Nutmeg Factory does some sorting and Brian helps out with the raking and drying

The Carib's leap is a very high cliff where the last of the Carib population is said to have jumped to their death rather than succumb to British.The rain forest proved its merit. A group of us caught a luxury bus by chance into the interior to hike to seven falls. We went from brilliant sunshine into rain. No great surprise. It proved to be a fairly steep hike initially through a plantation of nutmeg, banana, and breadfruit trees. The falls were lovely to swim in and contained some voracious little fish who polished off our lunch crumbs gratefully.

Hog Island anchorage was home with convenient maxi stops just a dinghy ride away at the Moorings, Mt Hartman Bay, and a dock at Lower Woburn.A local, Roger, had a little bar on the Hog Island beach. Here we spent New Years and enjoyed many chicken barbecues, thanks to his cook, Bubba. Prickly Bay is home to Spice Island Marina which all you SYC folk will recognize as John and Joyce Blunt's original establishment. The complex houses a small Budget Marine, a Mini mart, a sail loft, plus a restaurant. Just recently they have expanded their hoist and yard facility to the head of the bay next to the coastguard area. Freddie welded our davits in the present facility and we were very pleased. Two welds had let go on our brisk trip up from Trinidad.

It's a delightful hike from the Moorings facility over the ridge to Prickly Bay. We enjoyed the flowers and foliage while going for mail drops and supplies.
On the 23rd of January, one month later, we hauled anchor, sailing around to the lee side of the island. The water was much clearer here and a delight for swimming. One can see the bottom in 20+ feet.

After an overnight in Grand Mal Bay we sailed for Carriacou. Here we are enjoying clear water and meeting the friendly folks on shore. Scrammin' is alongside. Also Blue Star and Tiger Lily. Blue Star laments having to leave Venezuela. Every anchorage is crowded.

On the 29th of January 2003 we moved north again and checked into St Vincent at Clifton, on Union Island. Union Island is one of our favourite places to anchor. It has shelter from all directions. One just has to move around the island. We had sunset cocktails at Jante's new bar on Newlands Reef-literally in the middle of the reef, built of conch and cement. Here began a week long run of green flashes for us.The market has great variety. Locally they produce papaya, (one of my favourites) and bananas. Much is imported from the big island of St Vincent. Hiking up to see Fort Murray provided a sensational view of all the Grenadines islands, north and south and surrounding reefs. Chatham Bay is on the lee of the island and wide open with good snorkeling and hiking. It is remote, but sports a wonderful sandy beach. James of Shark Attack, will provide fish or lobster dinners on the beach by request.

On the 4th of February, we moved over to Mayreau to explore and anchor at Windward Bay behind the reefs. A snorkel proved wonderful over protected reefs. Viewing large coral fans and formations still intact provided afternoon exercise. Early next morning we were rousted out by fisherman wanting to net our spots. Saline Bay just around the headland was a protected anchorage, but not quiet. Cruise ships are stopping regularly. Next morning Marnel and ourselves ran back down to the south of Union Island to seek shelter from a strong frontal blow.

A dinghy excursion to Bloody Bay around the corner uncovered a five year old, deserted drug estate with ruins of an adjoining dock. One never knows what is just around the corner! Apparently it was owned by Italian interests. The only inhabitants in residence at this point were wasps. On one of our hikes over the hill to Clifton we found the Bigsand Hotel which has just opened on Belmont Bay. It is remote and pristine.On the 4th of February, we moved over to Mayreau to explore and anchor at Windward Bay behind the reefs. A snorkel proved wonderful over protected reefs. Viewing large coral fans and formations still intact provided afternoon exercise. Early next morning we were rousted out by fisherman wanting to net our spots. Saline Bay just around the headland was a protected anchorage, but not quiet. Cruise ships are stopping regularly.

On February 11th 2003, we listened to the nets forecasting more heavy weather moving our way. With Eleanor coming on the 17th to Bequia, we all decided to move north in comfort. Anchors were down in Admiralty Bay, Bequia by dusk. All are glad to be here. The winds and seas are up and we are making lots of amps to charge our batteries. I am even able to run my sewing machine here, so Tundra is sporting freshly covered cockpit cushions and a repaired dinghy cover.Jerry and Joan Kennedy are ashore on Lower Bay. Valentines Day was very special at De Reef with them. Scrammin', Marnel, Bluestar, Matador, Page 1 and ourselves lunched and danced the afternoon away. Joan took us for a fabulous tour to Claude Victorine's Art Studio. She is a delightful French lady who paints on silk. She also displays her daughter's watercolours.

February 16, 2003 (Grenadines)
Tyrell Bay is a wide open, comfortable, anchorage on the lee side of Carriacou. Here we had a rendezvous with Bluestar, Ken and Dorothy, who helped us out immensely when Brian had dengue fever in 2000. Together with Scrammin' and Bluestar, we hiked to the south coast enjoying spectacular views of Saline, Frigate, and Large Islands. A maxi tour to Windward with Leo was informative. He pointed out a beautiful, insidious, pink flowering vine, called snake vine. Apparently it is spread by the birds and takes over any free space. Glorious cedar which they use for fence posts actually takes root again. It has a pink flower this time of year. Sandy Cay is one mile off Hillsboro. Anchoring off Sandy we had a delightful snorkel for the afternoon, then over to Hillsboro to check out of Grenada. Our lunch at the Sandy Island Café was a beautifully presented local treat. It consisted of delicious provisions with fried chicken, conch stew, or fried snapper. Yvonne and I found a local bakery across the street, then the Master Craftsman gift shop with local crafts.

Next morning Marnel and ourselves ran back down to the south of Union Island to seek shelter from a strong frontal blow. Anchored under Frigate Island provides the best of both worlds, so to speak. One is out of busy traffic, but it's only a short hike to Ashton or Clifton to get supplies. The lady at the Clifton supermarket taught me how to prepare snapper in the pan. It was delicious with fresh fish from one of the Ashton boat boys. Scrammin' and Bluestar headed for Saltwhistle Bay where they experienced anywhere from 7 to 35 boats alongside from day to day!

Brian has just diagnosed and fixed an outboard failure. I marvel at his many talents.
Eleanor arrived right on schedule. We really look forward to a few days on Bequia with her while we wait out this blow.March 31, 2003 (Bequia to St. Lucia)

My sister, Eleanor arrived in Bequia on February 17th, right on schedule. Bluestar and Scrammin' ambushed us at the Frangipani with a royal welcomefor Eleanor. Great fun and friends. With high winds prevailing we decided to just enjoy Bequia ashore. Several excursions involved hiking. The pottery factory in Spring is several miles north on the island and the artists were delighted to have us tour their premises. They are located in the restored ruins of a turn of the century sugar plantation. Another day we hiked past Spring and Industry to The Old Hegg Turtle Farm. A local resident, Brother King, has set up a sanctuary for hawksbill and land turtles. Joan took us to visit Claude Victorine's Art Studio on Lower Bay. Claude, herself, does hand painting on silk. She also displays her daughter's paintings, some of which, portray political comment on modern day ecology. Moonhole on the southwest tip of the island was a `Fred Flintstone' experience. An American had created several rugged homes out of the rocks mid century. It presented a simplistic lifestyle tending to seclusion.

We opted for the easy way to get to St Vincent by taking the local ferry. A tour included the botanical gardens in Kingstown, the Montreal gardens in the Mesopotamia Valley, a tour of the Black Point Tunnel, and lunch in Georgetown on the windward coast before our driver raced us back for our return trip to Bequia. The tunnel impressed upon us the hard work and drudgery imposed upon the slave population when sugarcane industry was in its prime. Several afternoons, Eleanor and Yvonne were able to enjoy watercolours together on the beaches. Needless to say the scenery is ever inspiring. Our holiday together included some guitar and singing and went all too fast.

Security is always an issue on the high seas. Excitement and tension ensued in Bequia as a stolen boat, Carib, appeared in the harbour only 500 feet ahead of Tundra. It's identity was broadcast on one of the early morning radio nets and yachties had it in hand promptly. The biggest challenge was to hold it until the caretaker arrived to claim it. All's well that end's well.

A tour included the botanical gardens in Kingstown, the Montreal gardens in the Mesopotamia Valley, a tour of the Black Point Tunnel, and lunch in Georgetown on the windward coast before our driver raced us back for our return trip to Bequia. The tunnel impressed upon us the hard work and drudgery imposed upon the slave population when sugarcane industry was in its prime. Several afternoons, Eleanor and Yvonne were able to enjoy watercolours together on the beaches. Needless to say the scenery is ever inspiring. Our holiday together included some guitar and singing and went all too fast.

Sylvia K arrived from the north affording a power visit with Karen and Allen. I was able to return Karen's wonderful book, Caribbee by Thomas Hoover. It's a history based fiction of Barbados and the buccaneers in the 17th and 18th century. Great reading. With a good weather window forecast, they headed for Trinidad and we hauled anchor on March 3rd for St Lucia. A delightful overnight sail took us to Rodney Bay, St Lucia where we caught up with Scrammin' and Blue Star. The Lagoon is a perfect spot to relax away from forecast north winds and roll. There is a good autohelm dealer in the marina. He serviced our 4000 and found the problem was a stuck pin. Great! Also Brian shopped for a new fresh water pump, but in the end was able to clean our existing one and it's running perfectly again. It had built up a good measure of lime crystals. Our mainsail cover needed some attention. While blowing in the trades in Bequia, several areas chafed right through. My trusty sewing machine has been a real boon. Also I was able to make some colourful mats from my Trinidad material. My pleasure.An evening street party at Gros Islet afforded us some time to visit with Donna D, Debbie and John, from Edmonton. They were involved in the `Carib' incident with us, so it was good to have a less stressful rendezvous. Unfortunately I connected with a bad flu bug somewhere. The locals say it's around and a result of recent rains. Rains are a blessing in that we collect water and come out sparkling clean again. In this dry season we've been fortunate to collect a good amount of water to supplement our water maker.

Tom and Ken stood by while Brian went up the mast to replace our radio antenna. Our radio transmissions have been suffering. The antenna literally blew away in some of our high winds. Good results and clear contacts are wonderful. We love our radio.

Sylvia K arrived from the north affording a power visit with Karen and Allen. I was able to return Karen's wonderful book, Caribbee by Thomas Hoover. It's a history based fiction of Barbados and the buccaneers in the 17th and 18th century. Great reading. With a good weather window forecast, they headed for Trinidad and we hauled anchor on March 3rd for St Lucia. A delightful overnight sail took us to Rodney Bay, St Lucia where we caught up with Scrammin' and Blue Star. The Lagoon is a perfect spot to relax away from forecast north winds and roll. There is a good autohelm dealer in the marina. He serviced our 4000 and found the problem was a stuck pin. Great! Also Brian shopped for a new fresh water pump, but in the end was able to clean our existing one and it's running perfectly again. It had built up a good measure of lime crystals. Our mainsail cover needed some attention. While blowing in the trades in Bequia, several areas chafed right through. My trusty sewing machine has been a real boon. Also I was able to make some colourful mats from my Trinidad material. My pleasure.

Mid March 2003 we headed south to explore the St Lucia coastline and ready for the Malo's visit on the 16th. They arrived at Hewanorra airport in Vieux Fort on the south east coast. It is a beat to weather in current at the best of times, but it sounded interesting and we were anxious to see the area. It's off the beaten track. First night out we anchored in Vigie Creek. It is a bustling area which is home to the fleet of Carnival charter catamarans, plus Sandals boats, and two restaurants: Froggy Jacks and The Coal Pot. The Vigie airport is a stone throw away as well. Here we experienced a waxing moon and the neighbouring tree frogs serenaded us for the evening. Dog `humdrum' destroyed a night's sleep, but that's the price of local colour.

Castries is the main harbour which receives 2 and 3 huge cruise ships at one time. It is only a short walk or taxi ride from Vigie, so we did a light reprovisioning a the JQ supermarket. The harbour is home to a huge outdoor market as well as the Pte Seraphine cruise ship duty free area.Only 3 miles south was the picturesque harbour of Marigot Bay. It has an extremely beautiful enclosed anchorage and an outer entrance channel. By noon, both become a zoo of local vendors in skiffs, 75 foot Carnival catamarans, the 100 ft sailing Brig schooner, Unicorn, plus many large power and sailboats. The combinations that invade this little harbour are incredible. As evening embarks, most settle slightly and several restaurants vie for one's business. We had a lovely lunch overlooking the harbour at Chateau Maygo. It has a second story view and the approach is through gardens that rival any on the island, tended by Mark. Mark named the lovely Angel Trumpet Trees that Eleanor had recognized as the Datura Tree in St Vincent. It has a beautiful pink trumpet flower. We had a nice visit with Bob and Kathy on Bon Accord over lunch.

From Marigot we motor sailed south and east to Vieux Fort. Rounding the SW tip of the island, one instantly gets into current and any trades prevalent. Consequently we got a good dousing of salt and spray before setting the anchor in Doyles appointed spot! Two hours later we moved over into the lee of Moule a Chique to avoid uncomfortable swells. What a treat to be in a quiet anchorage with only one other vessel.

 That evening Bluestar arrived with daughter, Angela. An evening of merriment was in order before moving on to Marigot and Rodney Bay to see the sights and hope for a sail. We've haven't seen such quiet in a long while. With snorkels at Anse Cochon and Soufriere our week with Liz and Paul came to an end. A taxi ride to the airport from Soufriere was easy to organize. We were sad to see our guests go and took a day to regroup before moving up to Rodney Bay to help welcome Scrammin's guests, Bill and Margaret.

What a glorious night. The Pitons are volcanic peakes of 2700 feet looming out over the sea. Truly a wonder. Moving only a short distance, we landed another mooring ball off the town of Soufriere next day. The fishermen took care of our dinghy while we toured the town square and read about their history in the churchyard. Gingerbread was evidence of the French origins. A creole patois is spoken by all. Lunch at Bon Appetit with Shirley and Louke was a real treat. Shirley, the proprietor, gave us her rendition of the war in Iraq. She is delightfully outspoken. Food was delicious creole. That evening Bluestar arrived with daughter, Angela.

March 23 2003
An evening of merriment was in order before moving on to Marigot and Rodney Bay to see the sights and hope for a sail. We've haven't seen such quiet in a long while. With snorkels at Anse Cochon and Soufriere our week with Liz and Paul came to an end. A taxi ride to the airport from Soufriere was easy to organize. We were sad to see our guests go and took a day to regroup before moving up to Rodney Bay to help welcome Scrammin's guests, Bill and Margaret.

Next day we headed north to Martinique with Bluestar. On March 26th we sailed across to Marin with two blackfin whale sightings. The first pod of 6 to 8 whales took turns diving under our keel and popping up on the other side. These pilate whales, known locally as blackfin are about 15 to 20 feet long and hunted locally. Only one barracuda took my fishing line, so we it let go. We still question ciguatera.Comfortably settled in the Marin anchorage we spent several days removing, cleaning, and recaulking our center hatch and port inner sheet track. Lunches and showers ashore were a real treat. The dining is unbelievable. Le francais is a wonder and it's fun to challenge our language skills. Beatrice and Richard from Holland, on Weatherly sailed in, so we had some catching up to do.

Yesterday, April 1st 2003, we sailed down the channel to St Anne to join approximately 60 other yachties in the anchorage. Cop Out and Bluestar welcomed us last eve. Today we hiked to one of our favorite Caribbean beaches, Anse de Saline. Weather seems settled for now, though north swells are forecast for the weekend. There is lots of shelter here. Tomorrow we plan to play boule ball with the yachties and renew some acquaintances.

The market has great variety. Locally they produce papaya, (one of my favourites) and bananas. Much is imported from the big island of St Vincent. Hiking up to see Fort Murray provided a sensational view of all the grenadines islands, north and south and surrounding reefs. Chatham Bay is on the lee of the island and wide open with good snorkeling and hiking. It is remote, but sports a wonderful sandy beach. James of Shark Attack, will provide fish or lobster dinners on the beach by request. A dinghy excursion to Bloody Bay around the corner uncovered a five year old, deserted drug estate with ruins of an adjoining dock. One never knows what is just around the corner! Apparently it was owned by Italian interests. The only inhabitants in residence at this point were wasps. On one of our hikes over the hill to Clifton we found the Bigsand Hotel which has just opened on Belmont Bay. It is remote and pristine.

Anchored under Frigate Island provides the best of both worlds, so to speak. One is out of busy traffic, but it's only a short hike to Ashton or Clifton to get supplies. The lady at the Clifton supermarket taught me how to prepare snapper in the pan. It was delicious with fresh fish from one of the Ashton boat boys. Scrammin' and Bluestar headed for Saltwhistle Bay where they experienced anywhere from 7 to 35 boats alongside from day to day!

A tour included the botanical gardens in Kingstown, the Montreal gardens in the Mesopotamia Valley, a tour of the Black Point Tunnel, and lunch in Georgetown on the windward coast before our driver raced us back for our return trip to Bequia. The tunnel impressed upon us the hard work and drudgery imposed upon the slave population when sugarcane industry was in its prime. Several afternoons, Eleanor and Yvonne were able to enjoy watercolours together on the beaches. Needless to say the scenery is ever inspiring. Our holiday together included some guitar and singing and went all too fast.

Security is always an issue on the high seas. Excitement and tension ensued in Bequia as a stolen boat, Carib, appeared in the harbour only 500 feet ahead of Tundra. It's identity was broadcast on one of the early morning radio nets and yachties had it in hand promptly. The biggest challenge was to hold it until the caretaker arrived to claim it. All's well that end's well.

An evening street party at Gros Islet afforded us some time to visit with Donna D, Debbie and John, from Edmonton. They were involved in the `Carib' incident with us, so it was good to have a less stressful rendezvous. Unfortunately I connected with a bad flu bug somewhere. The locals say it's around and a result of recent rains. Rains are a blessing in that we collect water and come out sparkling clean again. In this dry season we've been fortunate to collect a good amount of water to supplement our watermaker.Tom and Ken stood by while Brian went up the mast to replace our radio antenna. Our radio transmissions have been suffering. The antenna literally blew away in some of our high winds. Good results and clear contacts are wonderful. We love our radio.

Beatrice and Richard from Holland, on Weatherly sailed in, so we had some catching up to do. Yesterday, April 1st 2003, we sailed down the channel to St Anne to join approximately 60 other yachties in the anchorage. Cop Out and Bluestar welcomed us last eve. Today we hiked to one of our favorite Caribbean beaches, Anse de Saline. Weather seems settled for now, though north swells are forecast for the weekend. There is lots of shelter here. Tomorrow we plan to play boule ball with the yachties and renew some acquaintances.

April 22, 2003 (Return to Grenada)

The first week of April in St Anne we explored the hiking trails around to Anse Saline. A picnic with Blue Star included Poulet Roti, a local rotisserie chicken in succulent juices which only the French have perfected. The yachtie community here is well developed with get togethers ashore, bocce ball tournaments, hiking, water aerobics and much more. Brian particularly enjoys French beach activities! We met several more Canadians heading south including Cheshire Cat and Itza Purla.

With Cheshire Cat alongside we departed for Souffriere, St Lucia, en route to Bequia. Weather cooperated and we had two days of beam reach sailing. It doesn't get much better.
After one more delicious dinner at Fernando's Hideaway with the gang, we said goodbye to all in Bequia and headed south to explore Canouan with Scrammin', Chesire and Purla. Canouan is parched dry and easily hiked in a day. The south of the island is native population while the northern half has been bought and developed by an Italian consortium. It appears hugely out of place on this serene island and is gated off to the general public. The harbour area is home to a dozen or more moorings from the Moorings charter boat industry. This appears to be an ideal place to charter a boat for the Grenadines. Provisioning was almost non existent, but the local people were very friendly. One young man swam out to Tundra with previously ordered lobster. Unbelievable! They were a treat and I'm sure he had worked very hard to get them. Brian gratefully dinghied him back to shore.

Tobago Cays were as beautiful as ever. We snorkeled and enjoyed the pristine clear water, played bocce ball with new friends on Midnight, from St Marys, near Sarnia, and Dakare, heading to the Pacific. Our full moon night we spent in Saltwhistle Cay with Scrammin'. As the sun set we had a sensational green flash and on into a magical night. This was a reward for a harrowing morning dealing with our shaft coupling. It had come loose. We discovered it with a huge clunk as we backed down on the anchor! It couldn't have happened at a better time. All was quiet and calm inside the anchorage. Brian was able to ascertain the problem and find the right bolts and nuts in his good old `bolt box'. Thank heavens for spare parts. They are a necessity out here. Moving a little faster we sailed over to Chatham Bay for a last beach snorkel. A spindle shell was my prize find. It appears that it may be quite rare. Reluctantly we checked out of the Grenadines at Clifton, Union Island and sailed across to Hillsboro to check into Grenada. An evening at the Callaloo restaurant was great fun. Williwaws shrieked down on us in the morning so we moved along to Tyrrel Bay before breakfast.

Along with the wind came welcome rain showers and I laundered all. Most islands are parched in this dry season so rain is truly a blessing. While waiting for the winds to abate, we explored more of Carriacou and gammed with Midnight and Windborne lll from Canada.  Easter Sunday I went to church with Tom and Yvonne. The catholic service was quite familiar for me. Music was lead by a guitarist. Her accompaniment was a tambourine. The priest and congregation were very friendly and uplifting. What a lovely experience. Easter Sunday and Monday, the shore music was boisterous to say the least. It was obvious that local Lenten fasting was over.

Today we were glad to haul our anchors and head for Grenada. We're safely anchored in Prickly Bay, the original home of John and Joyce Blunt's Charter business. (John, now deceased, was a charter member of the Sarnia Yacht Club)

April 25th 2003 (Grenada to Trinidad)
Our passage of 15 hours from Grenada to Trinidad was one of our better. Seas and winds were kindly as our first tropical storm, Ana, out in the Atlantic, is holding back the highs, thus lower trades. Every star in the sky was out and the Southern Cross was fabulous. Alongside were Page One, from Ruby, Michigan and Scrammin'. The Trinidad Immigration and Customs have stepped up their vigilance. They required 5 copies of our crew list. Perhaps these are results of worldwide politics. One wonders. Our haul out is next Wednesday. We hope this will give us enough time to take care of our coupling dilemma before heading north.
Trinidad is unusually dry to the point where the hills around our anchorage here in Chaguaramas are on fire. Apparently spontaneous combustion isn't uncommon in this situation. In spite of this, the nights are mercifully cool.
Tundra is resting comfortably on a Ysatt mooring ball and we are de-salting all. Brian pickled the water maker this am and I will be able to apply more teak coats easily in the dry weather.

Tundra Travels: Fall 2003

Tundra Pre Christmas Message

November 12, 2003
Hello All,
It's getting chilly and we're ready to migrate south. This year we'll board Tundra in Trinidad and if the political climate is friendly we're hoping to sail to Venezuela and perhaps on to Bonaire in the Dutch Antilles. 2003 has been action packed for us. Grenada provided lots of wonderful hiking. We toured the island enjoying the flora and fauna and rain forest very much. One highlight was a guided tour of a nutmeg factory. Grenada is known as the spice island. Spices and fragrances are literally in the air. Another interesting experience was hiking through the Italian Villa that consumes the northern half of Canouan. What a surprise!Martinique was our northernmost destination. We love the Francaise exposure and lovely people.This summer was a busy one on Beacon Court. Brian and I both enjoy the north-south rhythm very much and fell into our gardening with enthusiasm, coached by Aleta. (Mom Marsh). A wedding reception for Mat and Melissa, young friends, was great fun on the front lawn. Dad and Kathie came to visit for a week - far too short. Dad is 94 this year. In august we camped our way west to Dad's in the Okanagan. Visits followed with Dad and Kathie and my mother, Margie. On the coast Greg and Courtney took us by boat to see their new recreation property on St Vincent Bay on the Sunshine Coast. It is pristine with clam, prawn and oysters at hand. Magnificent views abound. Also Rod and Titania and Wilde settled into their new residence on Bowen Island. We had some great vistas and warm visits as fall approached. Before heading back east, I was able to spend some beautiful sunny days in the garden with Mom.Brian reached a hallmark year and was feted royally at 60 by all the family on Galiano Island.Our northern stints keep us abreast of local and international politics.
With this in mind, we wish you all a peaceful Christmas and New Year.

WE RETURNED TO TRINIDAD LATER IN DECEMBER OF 2003,  LAUNCHED TUNDRA AND THEN QUICKLY DEPARTED FOR VENEZUELA. TO FOLLOW US FROM HERE INTO VENEZUELA GO TO PAGE LABELLED VENEZUELA OR CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW BELOW

                    MOVING ONTO VENEZUELA IN 2003

JANUARY 2005 TUNDRA RETURNS TO THE GRENADINES  AFTER DEPARTING FROM VENEZUELA

From the anchorage it appears that Grenada is business as usual with cars and trucks bustling through the Carenage, but Hurricane Ivan is still evidenced by many blue roof tarps. Surprising it was to see 3 cruise ships in the harbour. The island has lost 80 percent of their nutmeg industry, but it’s good to see that tourism is alive and providing support here. Clear blue water and skies are a welcome site again. Clearing into the Grenadines at Union Island we started to meet friends from years gone by and have enjoyed renewing acquaintances ashore, too. Snapper from the boat boys has been delicious. We lime it and prepare it in green herb sauce. Grapefruit are sweet and juicy.

Sailboat Viva with Pam and Steve arrived from Venezuela.

 We enjoyed gamming in Petit St Vincent. Moving on through the Tobago Cays we met Sassie and Quadrille. Great reunions. The Cays are hugely busy, but just as wonderful as ever. Snorkeling, bocce and dominoes were great fun with all.