Barbados
Relaxed.. Yes. Still can't believe we crossed the Atlantic!
As has happened a couple of times this season we actually had to slow down in order to ensure we made landfall in daylight. In the case of arriving in Barbados we also needed to time our arrival with the customs office opening.
We could see the light loom of the island from many miles out. Compared to others we have seen Barbados is low lying, and you can see why in poor visibility mariners of old could have sailed straight past it.
In order to slow down we reduced our genoa to almost nothing, a shame really as conditions for sailing were good, and in fact the swell made it a little uncomfortable to be going at just a few knots.
We made landfall at Port St.Charles. Having called up on the VHF we were told that the customs was not yet open and we should anchor off the breakwater outside the marina. This we did and eventually they allowed us to come in. Had we not needed water we could have just launched the dinghy, but instead we took Azzy onto the customs dock. We made a brief enquiry about getting water on our way to the administration buildings, but were advised that we would need to pay for it. This was going to be a problem as we had no EC dollars and there was no cash machine on the complex. In the end a kind man called Robert Ward paid for 300 litres out of his own pocket. He even phoned Regis Marine in St.Lucia to start the ball rolling on our water maker repairs, what a welcome to Barbados!
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| We have officially arrived |
Checking in was a bit long winded although as we would discover down the line, far easier than checking out at Bridgetown.
Once the formalities had been completed we upped anchor and headed down the coast to our base for a while, Carlisle Bay. Having sailed downwind for the the last 16 days it was a novelty to find ourselves heeled over on a close reach. The view was fantastic. Not only was Azzy flying, but just a short distance to port was mile upon mile of white and golden sandy beaches and palm trees. Shame about all the developments though. The wind sort of came and went along the way for no reason we could make out. Normally a big hill or mountain will have an effect, but none really existed, most odd. Anyway before too long we found ourselves in Carlisle Bay and dropped the hook. We popped the anchor alarm on and left the AIS on so that the others (Nautilus, Cara Mor and Blue Lilly) would know where we were.
And so to rest and catch up on quality sleep. Going ashore would wait for a day.
Carlisle Bay maybe really famous around these parts but it is not the best anchorage we have ever stayed in, and best described as rolly, however after 16 days at sea you tolerate it. We did sleep OK eventually, although it did take some getting used to not having to be on watch. Our body clocks were in meltdown from our shift pattern and swapping from UTC to local time. Fortunately the anchor alarm did not go off as no one likes to re-anchor at night, nor have an interrupted sleep.
The next day we went ashore in the rib to the careenage near the centre of town. This handy spot enabled us to secure the rib and be in amongst things, without having to land on the beach. Before we had even taken a hundred yards, we had been asked half a dozen times if we needed a taxi! Surprisingly our land legs returned straight away and it was good to get some exercise. Our first task was to locate a mobile phone shop and purchase a local wifi sim. Once we found one it took us two hours to get served, but at least we had free wifi whilst we waited, with the added bonus of air conditioning.
Once that was sorted we meandered back to the careenage via a restaurant called 'De Office'. Here we sampled ice cold beers, and treated ourselves to lunch out. Lynne had a Flying Fish sandwich, a treat she used to enjoy when in Barbados during her flying days.
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| Flying fish sandwich. Yummy! |
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| Steve decided on a burger |
We sat out on the balcony which overlooked the busy main high street, trying to absorb all the sights and sounds after so long at sea. The high street was very busy with tourists from the cruise ships looking for duty free bargains in the shops, and locals doing some last minute Christmas shopping.
After a period of settling in we began making plans for exploration. High on the list was a visit to Oistins on a Friday night. Oistins is located in the South and is a major fishing community. It is famous for the Fish Fry, a get together on the beach where one can eat well and soak up the diverse atmosphere. We took a bus from the nearby bus depot and crawled through the rush hour traffic. Upon arrival we were greeted by the almost surreal scenes of a giant outdoor barbecue, with tables and benches occupied by locals and tourists alike. We never did find out how many establishments we could have chosen from, but decided to choose 'Mo's' as it had good reviews on Tripadvisor.
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| Oistins Fish Fry |
The food was very good indeed, fast and to a very high standard. The swordfish was especially good.
Once the meal was over we strolled along the beach and passed by the many vendors. The stalls are popular with holidaymakers, but frankly we have no room on the yacht for souvenirs.
Perhaps even more stimulating than our experiences at Oistins was the journey back to Bridgetown. Instead of the normal bus, we thought we should try one of the white minivans. According to locals they will take you almost anywhere for just two dollars. As we waited one such bus came along, the side sliding door flung open and we were beckoned in. It was almost full when the 6 of us entered but somehow room was found. The door closed and we set off at great speed with reggae music at full volume, and some kind of subwoofer producing almost body shattering bass as our internal organs moved to the beat. On the inside of the roof was an array of various coloured LED lights to add to the atmosphere. Please bear in mind us yotties are used to travelling at a quick walking pace, with only the sound of the sea and an occasional bird. The journey back in our reggae van was a sensory overload. By the time we alighted in Bridgetown we are all in a state of semi-shock.
Our next excursion was more sedentary. We caught a proper bus and paid a visit to Bathsheba on the rugged East coast of the island. Here we walked along the beach for a while marvelling in the sight of the Atlantic rollers. We also stopped for a nice lunch before getting the bus back to Bridgetown.
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| Steph's Creole shrimp lunch |
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| Lynne's Mahi Mahi |
Of course no visit to Barbados would be complete without a trip to the Mount Gay rum visitor centre. Here we learned about the rums fascinating history and it's almost accidental discovery, as for years the molasses, a by product from the thriving sugar cane industry, were thrown into the sea. It was also interesting to learn that the distillery now stores the rum in used barrels that previously held Jack Daniels.
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| John (Cara Mor), Steve & Ian sampling some rum |
Our time in Barbados was coming to an end as we wanted to press on to Bequia. It is an interesting place to visit, and has more to offer the casual tourist than just duty free shopping and sandy beaches. Oh and the weather is not too bad either, and the people are very friendly.
We left Carlilse Bay just as it was going dark. Frankly it was a bit of a relief to escape the rolly swell. Our leaving was marred by a couple of minor things. The port navigation light did not work. Upon a quick investigation it appeared as though the housing was damaged. This now explains the clunk we heard in Port St. Charles when an enthusiastic line handler pulled us up to a pillar near the end of the pontoon. The other was some discarded plumbing that had become entangled on the shank of our anchor. With the light fast fading we managed to get a rope around it and later discard it out to sea.
Bequia
The passage to Bequia was lively through the night with not much to concern us. We did call one ship up to make sure we and Nautilus could be seen, but all went without a hitch.
As daybreak came so did the rain, or at least a couple of squally showers. As we approached the island we spotted a yacht chasing after its dinghy which had become detached. To make matters worse it appeared the yacht was single handed. We stood by to offer assistance but the lone yachtsman managed to recover it. We arrived and anchored in the busy bay whilst Lynne swam down to check the anchor had set, where she was joined by a mother and baby turtle!
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| I swam with turtles! |
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| Annecam |
We last saw Cam and Anne in Almerimar in 2014, so it was great to catch up with them again. They kindly showed us the best place to leave the rib and took us to check in, a much simpler process than in Barbados. After that we relaxed, shared a few drinks and a bite to eat.
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| Cheryl from the Fig Tree restaurant with Annie & Cam |
After we checked in we could take down the yellow Q flag and hoist the local Bequia flag, and the one for St.Vincent and the Grenadines. The whale on the flag is poignant as Bequia was once heavily involved in whaling, and it was a big and profitable business. Even with widespread bans on whaling, Bequia has a special dispensation and is allowed to catch 4 whales per year, but only using traditional methods so actually very few are caught.
Bequia, and maybe now is a good time to point out it is pronounced Beckway, is a small island of some 7 square miles. Tourism is the main industry judging by how many cruise ships come and go. Of course this being the Caribbean not all cruise ships looks like cruise ships. A couple of examples below and a view of the anchorage.
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| Delightful Anchorage |
It was clear from just a short while being ashore that we would enjoy Bequia, and it would be a fitting place to spend Christmas and see in the New Year. We also had a special treat as guests of Mike and Taryn, good friends of Ian and Steph, who got married on the island. What a perfect setting, especially from their villa on top of a hill overlooking the bay. They also kindly invited us back to the house for a New Year's Eve barbecue.
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| Villa Alamanda (The Wedding Venue) |
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Taryn (the beautiful bride) with Annie and another guest Ron
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Ian, Cam, Steve and Groom Mike enjoying rum punches on the veranda
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During our stay we did a little island tour and stopped off at a plantation house, as well as visiting a turtle sanctuary.
All too soon it was time to leave, but we will definitely be back to Bequia.
The passage from Bequia will take us to Rodney Bay in St.Lucia where we have some special visitors waiting to greet us...
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