Kurukulla

Kurukulla
Kurukulla, anchored at James Bond Island, Thailand

Friday 27 July 2018

St Lucia to Trinidad via St Vincent the Grenadines, Grenada and Tobago.



SE coast of St Lucia
With Rodney Bay being at the northern end of St Lucia, and the international airport at Hewanorra at the southern tip, we decided the best way to get from one to the other was a hire car. The cost of the car for the day was roughly equal to the taxi fare but provided much greater flexibility. For the outward journey we crossed the island from west to east, as far north as possible, just south of Castries the major port of the island, and then on my return leg, a week later, we negotiated the much more tortuous route across the south of the island and all the way up the west coast. Both took us through astoundingly beautiful countryside and provided some breathtaking views.

Departing Rodney Bay marina
The funeral, for which I had had to return to UK, all went off smoothly and exactly a week later I was boarding my return flight to St Vincent, via British Airways. After two more days in the marina, sorting out a few minor repairs, it was time to move on; poor Christoph, my crew, had been stuck onboard in the marina for 10 days!

On the 25th of May we motored out into Rodney Bay to anchor for the night and then the next day, following lunch, we set sail for the anchorage at Marigot Bay.
Departing Marigot Bay
It was an easy 9 mile sail and despite the slightly variable winds in the lee of St Lucia we made reasonable time arriving at 1530. A quick recce of the inner part of the anchorage revealed it to be full of moorings and rather noisy hence we chose to anchor in the outer part with a dozen or so other craft.

Next day we took the dinghy in to take a closer look at the inner area and to have a bite of lunch ashore. Although very touristy it was nonetheless a pleasant enough place, very picturesque and still displaying a degree of original charm. It was not however a place we were tempted to stay long term! By 1530 we were back onboard and shortly after we sailed off the anchor towards the anchorage at Anse de Piton, one of the landmark features of St Vincent and the feature after which the local beer is named (must be good!).
The Pitons
We ghosted into the anchorage, just as the sun was setting, and were met by the usual collection of local boat boys offering to find us a mooring; there were more moorings vacant than there were full! Notwithstanding this we engaged a pair of brothers who dutifully assisted us in picking up the mooring of our choice for the princely sum of EC$20, i.e. £5. Although this payment is totally optional, (i.e. it has nothing to do with the mooring dues), it seemed like a way to repay their politeness, support their initiative and contribute to the local economy.
Anchored under Petite Piton, St Lucia, in the rain!
So impressed were we with the surroundings of the Piton anchorage that we decided to stay two days, enjoying the swimming and snorkelling in the local waters. The smart hotel at the opposite end of the bay was all but undetectable other than the boats on moorings lying off of it.

Two days later, on the morning of the 29th of June, we motored the mile or so from the Piton moorings into the bay at Soufriere in order that we could do some re-victualling and get our clearance out of St Lucia.
Anchored under Petite Piton, St Lucia
Again we were met by boat boys keen to assist with the choice of mooring and guard the boat for us; at a price! The whole checking out process was expeditiously completed by the most sociable and efficient Customs Officer I have met so far; after which we were able to enjoy a final morning in St Lucia, chatting to the locals and sharing a beer or two before heading out for the 34 mile crossing to St Vincent. The forecast was not great, 20kts gusting to 50kts but in the event it was a much more sedate crossing; initially under double reefed mainsail and No 2 genoa but finishing with the full mainsail and No2.
Soufriere, St Lucia
The only minor downside was the frequent torrential rain showers but even they had their upside producing some splendid rainbows. Sing-alongs to "Singing in the Rain" and "Somewhere over te rainbow" seemed to suddenly become popular!

On arrival off St Vincent we headed for the anchorage in the bay at Chateaubelair. Our arrival was just as the sun was setting but notwithstanding the late hour we were still met by the welcoming committee of boat boys in small boats or on paddle boards (of sorts – mostly old windsurfers!).
First view of St Vincent
Within 15 minutes we were securely anchored at the north end of the bay, close to the coast, in a well sheltered spot recommended by the boys (another EC$10!), their services also included advice on where to find Customs and Immigration and the various shops and bars in town (not that there were many!). Given the hour we decided to defer clearing in until the next day; however, unbeknown to us our arrival had been spotted by the local Customs official who, next day, took umbrage at our slow presentation of ourselves at his waterside office. We were again escorted to his office by a kid, but this one was of the goat variety, a delightfully friendly goat apparently a pet of the locality.
Anchored in Chateaubelaire, St Vincent
After some reading of the local regulations (which of course you are expected to know before you arrive in the country!) and much feather smoothing, we were in. From here on all went well. We met up with a local who had just returned home from 10 years service in the British Army and he was a font of local knowledge, from where best to eat to the prices of properties in the locality (Christoph was heart-struck on a derelict school for sale in the village).

Christoph's dream house, Chateaubelaire
Two days later we reluctantly departed Chateaubelair bay, via the narrow gap between Chateaubelair Island and the mainland of St Vincent. From here it was a 4 mile sail to Cumberland Bay our next port of call. It was another place to fall in love with. A tranquil bay with a quiet beach backed by a few bars and restaurants; the local cricket ground was behind the beach and a very small local shop up the hill.
Anchorage at Cumberland Bay
What more could one wish for? This time, because of the steep profile of the shoreline we were constrained to anchor in 20m and tie back to the palm trees on the shoreline. We had chosen the quieter southern end of the bay. No problem, that is what boat boys are for!
Cricket match and anchorage at Cumberland Bay
Another EC$20 but probably good value as it saved us swimming ashore onto a sea urchin festooned foreshore. On day two in this idyllic place there was to be a charity cricket match between St Vincent and Trinidad in aid of the people of Dominica who are still struggling to recover from the damage caused by hurricane Maria almost a year ago. It was an interesting afternoon spent trying to explain the rules of cricket to Christoph; he is Swiss and has never watched a game of cricket in his life; let alone played the game! Trinidad won but given the spirit in the ground that was almost an irrelevance!
Anchorage at Cumberland Bay

On our final day we opted to have a coffee ashore in what had become our favourite venue; the “Rough and Rugged Bar”. As we said our goodbyes we were presented by the lady owner with pineapples, one each, which I have to say were the sweetest and most flavourful that I have ever tasted.
Rough & Rugged, Favourite bar at Cumberland Bay
Thank you. On departure we headed south for one mile to Wallilabou Bay, where some of the shore scenes of the Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed. The difference could not have been more stark! We motored into the bay, took a long look, and motored out again.

Commercial and unwelcoming are the two words that spring to mind! From here we sailed south to Layou bay where we anchored for a late lunch (and to grab some free Wi-Fi for weather forecasts) before moving on again to the deserted bay at Petit Byahaut.
Anchored in Petit Byahaut
This anchorage is small, enough for two boats at maximum, but we had it to ourselves. There is no road access but behind the sandy beach are the remains of an old campsite which we later found out was established by a German group who ran it for several years before it folded, only to be taken over by some Americans who also finally gave it up five years ago; it is now all but reclaimed by nature and not much remains. The anchorage however is delightful and we again spent two days anchored in this idyllic spot before heading for our last stop on the main island of St Vincent, Young Island anchorage.
Lost campsite at Petit Byahaut

Young Island anchorage is the nearest pleasant anchorage to the capital of St Vincent, Kingstown. Although anchoring in Kingstown Bay is possible it is far from welcoming with extensive commercial traffic and little space available. We gave it a miss! As we approached the anchorage we called the local agent,“Charlie Tango”, on VHF Ch68 and arranged a mooring for the two days we wanted to spend there. Our plan was to spend day one visiting Kingstown and doing various bits of administration (like getting a St Vincent data SIM card – a process which alone took over an hour and a half!) and re-victualling. Day two was to be a conducted tour of the East Coast of the island guided by Jimmy, Charlie's son.


The moorings and anchorage off Young Island
With”Sparrow”, one of their employees, providing the water taxi service and Jimmy acting as driver it was to be a day of sitting back and letting the others do the work. Jimmy took us the length of the east coast of St Vincent pointing out all of the notable places en route. We covered everything from lava flows (now used as a source of sand and building material), to natural salt pans and tunnels cut by hand of slaves to facilitate export of molasses. It was fascinating to see all of these sights first hand and by virtue of Jimmy being mixed race, (his father is Portuguese) we were able to have a frank and open discussion on the wrongs of slavery. Jimmy had not realised that many more slaves were transported to Arabia than were shipped to the Americas, the difference being that those male slaves, unlucky enough to be transported east, were almost without exception deprived of their manhood and thus there were virtually no descendants. That said slavery in any form should have been seen as abhorrent from the start, most especially amongst the various religions who gave it their support.

Black Point tunnel, built by hand to aid export of molasses
Our journey with Jimmy also took us across the central southern part of the island known as the “Breadbasket of St Vincent”. The Vigle Highway weaves through villages with names such as Mesopotamia, Evesham, Belmont and Ashburton and indeed in many ways it reminded you of the beautiful valleys of Dartmoor with the river coursing through the valley bottom, only the vegetation was different. By 1600 we were back at the jetty and, after a swift beer at the adjacent bar, Sparrow ferried us back onboard. He is a treasure; next morning he arrived at 0900 with a bag of ice to send us on our way.

Kurukulla at Port Elizabeth, Bequia (aka Bekway)
At 0945 we motored off the mooring and set sail for the island of Bequia (pronounced Beckway) our first port of call in the St Vincent Grenadines. By 1400 we had sailed on to the anchor in Lower Bay, part of Admiralty Bay, which contains the only town, Port Elizabeth. Here we were to stay for 6 days enjoying the peaceful surroundings and sitting out some rather unwelcome strong winds from the east. Bequia is a small island, some 7 square miles in area; the people are delightful and our welcome was warm.
Princess Margaret Bay, Bequia
We twice “hit the town” for provisions and once went for a walk to the east side of the island to look at Friendship Bay to see if it was tenable as our next anchorage, a walk which saved us a wasted voyage, it was far from tenable in the prevailing conditions. On day 7, early in the morning, we summoned the water barge to top us up and then set sail southwards to visit our next island, Mustique.

Mustique was the favourite retreat of the late Princess Margaret and as you approach the only anchorage allowed on the island you can see why. Manicured lawns right down to the white sand beaches; this combined with well laid out moorings and a small ferry slipway. That said it is certainly not for those without deep pockets. The charge for a mooring was by boat length, with a minimum charge of EC$220 (£50) per day for a boat of 70ft (22m) in length, only later did we discover that this charge allows you a further two “free” days on the mooring!
Arriving Mustique
After a slightly heated debate with the mooring master as to how to tie a mono-hull to a mooring without the very smart stainless steel fittings on top of the buoy gouging lumps out of the side of the hull we finally agreed that we could take moorings head and stern which had the added advantage of holding us bows on to the slight swell entering the bay. The Mustique Company, being the owners of this private island, control very tightly the access allowed to non residents. The foreshore of Britannia Bay (the permitted anchorage) and a small area to the north accommodating the “village” of Lovell are the only areas where free access is permitted , that is provided you pay your EC$40 (£10) per head landing fee at the office. The beach bar was closed (out of season) and the organised tours of the rest of the island were similarly not running. Given that none of the facilities were available (other than a workers bar and local shop in the village) we decided not to set foot ashore but to enjoy the views of the island from the anchorage which we did, for three days!

Charlestown, Canouan
From Mustique it was on to Canouan, another small island 14 miles to the south west; an easy sail in the prevailing easterly winds. We departed at 0915 and by midday we were securely on a mooring in the northern end of Charlestown Bay. John, of John's Marine Services, rapidly appeared to collect his EC$50 (£13) per night, we opted for two nights. As an island Canouan has only been “discovered” relatively lately and it shows! There is a marked lack of planning control and the view from seaward is far from pretty. On forays ashore we were later to witness building sites everywhere (many apparently abandoned), much unfinished infrastructure and languishing construction machinery left to rust.
Coconut Bar, Charlestown Bay, Canouan
All of that said, the people were lovely and we spent a very enjoyable afternoon, in a locals bar, hearing all of their woes over the degree of control their government had given the companies building the resorts on the island, they were not happy! We also chose to dine ashore at a local restaurant; our first tasting of Conch, the local delicacy. Judging by the mountains of conch shells on almost every beach there is certainly no shortage! We also enjoyed several rum punches at the Coconut beachside bar during our stay and I even ended up being challenged to a billiards match, in another local bar late one evening; I lost two frames to one...not bad!

On our day of departure we headed into the village for some fresh victuals and a final look around before heading out of Charlestown Bay and up the coast a mile to the anchorage at Rameau Bay. Here we spent the afternoon but poor holding, increasing amounts of cloud and with thunder storms threatening we made the decision to return to the more secure surroundings of Charlestown Bay, just as night fell. A good decision! The night was horrid, rain, wind and thunder. Moving onto a buoy again saved the necessity of anchor watches and a disturbed night.
Tobago Cays
Next morning we were underway early, well 0900, heading for Tobago Cays, the most famous sailing grounds in this part of the Caribbean.

The Cays are a group of islands almost surrounded by a protecting coral reef. The passage in is shallow in places but not difficult to navigate; wonders of GPS! We sailed most of the way in, opting for the engine for the final entrance into the strait between Petit Bateau and Petit Rameau, where we picked up one of the Marine Park moorings. As ever we were approached by a succession of “boat boys” trying to sell everything from beach BBQs to 'T' shirts via ice and marijuana! We declined all but the ice.. Moorings were a reasonable EC$65 (~£16) per night, which included the park entry fee for two people. The snorkelling was fantastic, multitudes of fish from the many brightly coloured varieties in and around the coral, to medium sized rays on the bottom and even the occasional shark (fortunately only about 4' long). In addition we had several encounters with a turtle which seemed to loiter in the same area as the mooring we had chosen.
Kurukulla anchored in Tobago Cays
All magical! On day two we decided to take a wander ashore on Petit Bateau and from there to get a better view of the rest of the Cays, again spectacular views looking out into the Atlantic over the reefs surrounding the Cays.

On the morning of day three we set off on a circumnavigation of the island called Petit Bateau followed by a leisurely sail, downwind, under genoa alone, to the island of Mayreau, the most westerly of the islands and by far the largest. Here we picked up a mooring in Salt Whistle Bay, the most northerly bay of the island, amongst a dozen other boats, and settled for a quiet afternoon; somehow,
Salt Whistle Bay, Mayreau
in the process, we also accepted an offer of a booking for dinner at the beach restaurant run by the family of Alex, the boat boy who had assisted us onto the mooring (whether we wanted help or not!). Dinner was simple but fine, choice of fish or ribs with potatoes, rice and coleslaw all washed down with Hairoun, the local beer, EC$65 (£17/US$26) per head.

Today's catch, Salt Whistle Bay, Mayreau
In the afternoon of the following day we set off for the one and a half mile sail to the most southerly bay on the island, (the island is not large!) and anchored in Saline Bay 75m off a most wonderful white sand beach. Despite its reputation as a BBQ venue for the cruise liners, (the beach is backed by numerous tables, chairs and BBQ pits), were the only boat in the bay for the first two hours before we were joined by a French catamaran who anchored 50m away! The bay is only 1000m long.....
Saline Bay, Mayreau
That said by next morning we were one of five vessels anchored there so it was not so bad and not a single cruise liner came in. In the afternoon of day two we ventured ashore to get some victuals only to discover the “supermarket” was closed from 1200 to 1600 thus it was that we were forced to enjoy a beer or two at the local bar whilst sheltering from the torrential rain and waiting for the supermarket to open; the afternoon did not go quite as we had planned!
Bob Righteous' restaurant

The next day, Sunday, was not dissimilar. Late start, quiet morning followed by a midday walk to the highest summit of Mayreau, to get another spectacular view the Cays and a look at the local Catholic church which has considerable history behind it. It was not only built as a church but also included water catchment such that it was the source of running water for much of the population in the village; all the project of Father Divonne, a reclusive character who eventually retired to St Vincent but is now sadly deceased.
Catholic Church of Mayreau
The walk was followed by an excellent fish lunch at Bob Righteous' restaurant, an eclectic venue serving very good food! Once back onboard we decided that we would depart late the next morning but “the best laid plans”!

Two of the residents of Mayreau asked whether they could hitch a lift to Union Island with us to which we said yes; what we did not realise at the time was that this involved towing their boat across as well! Thus it was that we sailed off the anchor at 1400, boat in tow, heading for Clifton anchorage on Union Island.
En route Mayreau - Union Island - with guests and boat in tow!
By 1445 we were secured to a mooring in the inner anchorage at Clifton, half an hour later we were ashore enjoying a beer or two at the “Stress Out Bar” with our new found friends before they took us on a walking tour of the island over to the only other village of significance, Ashton. As you approach Ashton you overlook the remains of an enormous marina development which has never been completed . One wonders what the income earning potential of a large marina might have done for the lifestyle of the local people; sadly it is now mostly in ruins and only provides an anchorage for passing yachts, just inside Frigate Island.
The redundant marina project and Ashton town
By 1900 night was falling and so we jumped aboard a local minibus/taxi to get back to Clifton. Here we enjoyed another beer before the four of us returned onboard for supper. Having enjoyed their sail across with us so much they now wanted to stay with us for the sail to Chatham Bay the next day!

Before we could depart next morning it was another trip ashore, this time to check us out of the St Vincent Grenadines and to get some victuals. We set off for Chatham Bay at midday arriving at 1330; it was a fast reach round the south side of Union Island but a slow windless beat into Chatham itself, not helped by the fact that we were still towing our guests' boat.
Chatham Bay, Union Island
It was from here that they took their leave and headed back to Mayreau leaving us to enjoy the solitude of Chatham. We were one of only four boats in a large, tranquil, sandy bay. Our stay overnight was probably illegal given that we had already checked out of St Vincent but no one seemed interested!

At 1400 the next day we sailed off the anchor heading for our first island in the Grenada Grenadines, Carriacou; 10 miles away on an easy beam reach. Although Hillsborough is the capital and the most obvious place to check in/out it can be a somewhat uncomfortable anchorage and for this reason we chose to head for Tyrell bay, an alternative outpost of the Immigration and Customs authorities.
Tyrell Bay, Carriacou, Grenadines
On arrival it was obvious we were not the only ones to have made this choice. The bay was full of anchored boats! We wove our way in, under sail, and dropped anchor as close to the Tyrell Bay Boatyard as we could get to make the transits to and from the authorities as easy as possible. Here we stayed for three days; not that we needed that long to check in but the stay enabled us to avoid a spell of strong winds forecast to pass through.

By the 30th of June we were ready to depart and, if I am honest, Carriacou had little to tempt you to stay other than a very secure anchorage.
Sunset at Halifax Harbour, Grenada
Perhaps we were just getting island fatigue? At midday we sailed off the anchor and ghosted out of the anchorage easily clearing Tyrell Bay and setting course for Halifax Harbour in Grenada (not so much a harbour as a lovely deserted bay tarnished only by the three derelict hulks lying in there). The anchorage here is picturesque to say the least; tucked in the northern arm of the bay you have almost complete solitude. One fishing boat on the beach and a small restaurant perched on a rocky island protecting you from any swell. Fantastic. The only downside, if it can be called that, is that at the head of the bay, hidden from view by the lush growth, is the local rubbish tip! We were unaware of it until I looked at Google Earth!

St George's Harbour with C&N Marina in distance
After two days in this idyllic spot it was time to move on. We needed water and were tempted by the prospect of a road tour of the east side of Grenada. For this reason we headed to St George's, the capital, and berthed in the very smart, but underutilised, C&N Marina in the “Lagoon” there. From here it was easy to walk into the centre of St George's (passing the very hospitable yacht club bar en route). St George's is a very picturesque town with many historic buildings spread along the waterfront; a delight to meander through and in the process we visited the chocolate museum and the local history museum, gaining a rather better insight into the history of the island.
St George's, Grenada

On day two we hired a car and, after a trip to the local traffic police headquarters to get a local driving permit (a form of tax on visitors who hire cars – several of the islands do the same), we were off on a circular tour of the southern half of the island. Our most northerly point was the town of Grenville on the east coast; unlike St George's it did not seem to be anything like as well organised or maintained; it was full of local character nonetheless. Next morning we used the car to re-victual from the local supermarket and to visit the local chandlery to acquire a new windlass handheld control to replace the one onboard which was beyond repair (more of this later).
St George's, Grenada
By 1230 we were ready to depart and headed the short distance out into Grande Anse Bay to anchor there and spend the coming night. It was an ideal opportunity to fit the new controller; however....... first problem the socket fitted in the anchor locker of Kurukulla and the plug on the controller did not match – answer simple cut the moulded on plug off and fit the original plug to the new controller. Done! Now test it – down works, up does not! Check with multimeter – wiring all good but new unit defective. Having cut the moulded on plug off of the new ($EC 600 - £160) unit I was certain it was going to be a battle royal to get them to make a refund!

Thus it was that next day we motored back into the lagoon and anchored 50m from the door of the chandler. A short row ashore, leaving Christoph to mind Kurukulla, and I was there. Did they have a second replacement – no they didn't. Would I like a refund – yes I would, and that was it!
Departing St George's, Grenada
They could not have been more efficient or pleasant. Twenty minutes after anchoring we were on our way back out again! This time destined for Clarke's Court Bay on the south coast.

The passage to Clarke's Court Bay was an easy beam reach until we rounded the SW corner of Grenada but from there on it was wet and miserable, not only were we beating to windward with a brisk wind and lumpy sea but we were also drenched by frequent rain squalls as well. Two and a half hours and 16 miles later we arrived in Clarke's Court Bay, anchored at the south end of Petite Calivigny Bay, and settled down for a well earned cuppa! So pleasant was the anchorage that we opted to stay three days and again missed some less than pleasant weather in the process.
St David's Harbour, Grenada
Our next destination was St David's Harbour where we would be able to register out of Grenada in preparation for the passage to Tobago. The passage eastward from Clarke's Court to St David's was equally unpleasant. We had set off in bright sunshine but that lasted only until we had exited the bay, from here on it was a repeat of the conditions on the previous passage; less than 5 miles took an hour and 30 minutes motoring against a foul current and up wind (we needed to charge the batteries – well that is my excuse for motoring!). Our choice of St David's harbour was to give us the best starting point for our passage to Tobago and by 1600 we were secured to a buoy, drying out, and enjoying a cup of tea in the sunshine! Typical....

In the previous three months every boat we encountered who had been to Trinidad or Tobago warned us of how difficult it was to deal with the Immigration and Customs authorities there; for this reason I was determined to get our departure from Grenada right. Our first foray ashore was to pay our mooring dues to the Grenada Marine boatyard and to discover the opening hours of the Customs and Immigration offices. Fortunately, despite the advice in the pilot book which said that they were on station Monday to Friday 9 – 4 we discovered that they were there only two days per week, Tuesday and Thursday and mornings only. It being Monday evening we had struck lucky! After a pair of Rum punches we returned to Kurukulla and settled for the evening.

Next day, at 1000, we rowed ashore again and headed for the Customs and Immigration office; the Customs officer was there but no sign of the Immigration (Police) Officer! It eventually transpired, after a lot of obfuscation, that the Immigration Officer was absent, attending to one of his “girlfriends”! The Customs Officer cleared us out and informed us that he had contacted the Immigration Officer who would return in about 30 mins. That done we took the opportunity to walk to the local bakery, which we were assured was about half a mile away; what they did not tell us was that it was a normal house with no signs outside; hence we walked a further half mile beyond it before asking for advice and being escorted back by a very helpful local. On arrival at the “bakery” we discovered that the owner was away apparently doing deliveries, and the premises were unoccupied and locked! We returned to the boatyard bread-less and in less than good humour only to find that the Immigration Officer had not returned and, apparently, was not now answering his phone! He was obviously being kept busy with other things! Given the situation the Customs Officer did not want to “drop his mate in it” and so resorted to telling us that he had cleared us out and that was enough, we could leave! I was not happy with this and insisted that he at least stamp our passports with the departure stamp to give us proof of legitimately leaving. The necessary stamp was of course in the locked desk of the Immigration side of the office! Realising that we were not just going to disappear he had to think up another way of avoiding alerting his mate's superiors to the unauthorised absence.
En route Chaguaramas
Thus it was that he delayed until past 1200 when his mate should have departed and then telephoned from the bar where we were waiting (call not traceable back to his office) and, unbeknown to us, anonymously informed the Immigration Headquarters that there was a boat at Grenada Marine urgently needing departure clearance. At that point he quickly assured us that we were “Good to go” and departed. I had already come to the conclusion that we would have to wait 48 hours to get immigration clearance before departing, what I was not expecting was the arrival of an Immigration Officer some 90 minutes later. He had been despatched from the next office along the coast at Le Phare Bleu marina, Calivigny, about 200m from our previous anchorage at Clark's Court Bay! After some confusion we worked out that he had no idea that we had been trying to clear out for four hours and we had no idea why he had suddenly appeared out of the blue! Of course he had no keys to the Immigration Office at Grenada Marine; it was not his place of duty! The next question became who was going to pay his overtime and travel bill! At this point Christoph was losing his cool and I sent him on a short walk whilst I climbed into the Immigration Officer's car and we headed back along the coast to his office where the formalities were completed at a cost of $EC50, i.e. £14. He then drove me back to Grenada Marine and we said our goodbyes hoping that was the end of the saga but it was not; on clearing in at Tobago they asked why, according to the stamps on our forms, we had cleared Customs at one place but Immigration at another when departing Grenada; fortunately they were amused by the explanation and pursued it no further.

Charlotteville
We were now three hours late departing Grenada which in itself was not a problem but it did mean we faced a stronger foul west going stream as we headed south east from Grenada, hard on the wind and on Port tack. We were steering 135° and made good 175° for the first 8 hours! This took us more or less down the rhumb line connecting Grenada to western Trinidad, exactly the area where Venezuelan pirates are known to operate! For this reason, at nightfall, we did not put on navigation lights and simply surged along at 5 – 6 knots in the pitch black; exciting to say the least. As we drew south of Grenada the current eased and we made a better direction such that when we arrived off the coast of Tobago we were only 10 miles to leeward of our intended destination at Charlotteville where we needed to clear in. Those 10 miles, against wind and current, took three hours but eventually, at 1500, we sailed on to the anchor in Man of War Bay, off Charlotteville. It was time to do battle with the authorities once again. We rapidly inflated the dinghy and set off ashore only to find that both Immigration and Customs offices were locked shut. The supposed opening times, without paying overtime fees (which in Trinidad and Tobago go direct to the Officer concerned!), were 0900 – 1600, and they insist that you clear in on arrival irrespective of time of day or night. That is on days other than World Cup semi final days! The cleaner kindly informed us that she had already spoken to both organisations on behalf of another crew and that we should return tomorrow at 1000. There would be no one here until then!


Thus it was that we returned again the next day. All of that said, and despite the stories in the online pilot/guide of difficulty with officialdom, both the Immigration and Customs Officers were charming, helpful and efficient. It was the system they were forced to operate that insisted that you fill in a total of 7 forms, mostly in quadruplicate, in the process of entering their country; not their fault! The Customs Officer also gave me a very friendly briefing on how the tracking system works when in T&T waters. Due to the threat level from Venezuelan pirates operating in T&T waters they keep a very close eye on the movements of all pleasure craft and their crews. This means that you have to be prepared to check in and out of Trinidad and/or Tobago each time you move from one to the other and have to submit a detailed cruising plan for the anchorages you intend to visit before leaving any port of entry/exit. Dates of checking in/out are declared at the previous visit to Customs and are non negotiable. It requires planning but it is not an impossible constraint.

Bloody Bay, Tobago
After discovering that Charlotteville, the second town of Tobago, did not have a mobile phone shop we decided to take a minibus/taxi south to Scarborough, the capital of the island, where we expected to find either Digicel or B-mobile. The hour plus drive south, along the length of the island, was spectacular ($T&T16 = £1.80 per head). The main road crosses the high ground separating west from east coasts before heading south down the east coast. We dropped off in the centre of the port area of Scarborough and here we asked at a kiosk advertising Digicel “Top up” “where was the nearest Digicel shop”. We discovered that it was not in Scarborough but in a shopping precinct 5 miles further west on the edge of the airport. Another taxi and we were there. The process of buying the data SIM, discovering it did not work in my Mi-Fi, procuring a new 4G dongle, and paying the bill took two hours plus by which time we had seen enough of Scarborough for one day; two taxis and an hour and a half later and we were back in Charlotteville, arriving just as night fell.

Englishman's Bay
After spending the majority of the next day relaxing in Charlotteville we decided to move, in the late afternoon, to Bloody Bay (named for the blood and corpses that resulted from the British victory in battle over the combined French/Spanish fleets in 1666). We arrived at 1730, anchored off the beach and settled in. At 1900 the reportedly abandoned “Beach Facility” came to life and for the next seven hours gave a demonstration of the power of their loudspeakers, setting our rigging vibrating. Very enjoyable and considerate! Why music has to be at deafening volume defeats me; perhaps I am just getting old!

Next morning we moved on again, not wishing to risk another sleepless night. The next bay we wanted to experience was Parlatuvier Bay, described in the pilot as well sheltered and with a small village behind. The only problem was that the entire anchorable part of the bay was full of small boats on moorings leaving virtually no space for visitors.
Englishman's Bay
We moved on and settled for Englishman's Bay instead, a much better option; we had the bay to ourselves stand-fast a small bar restaurant on the beach. So delightful was this anchorage that we enjoyed two excellent lunches ashore ($TT140 = £13 per head including 2 beers!) and spent two nights there before regrettably having to move the two miles along the coast to the next anchorage Castara Bay.

We arrived in Castara Bay at 1700 and here again the shelter from the wind and swell was good, and the surroundings very pleasant.
Castara, Tobago

A small village behind the beach promised the opportunity to top up on some victuals and that was exactly what we did whilst taking a stroll ashore the next day. We combined a leisurely lunch ashore, at the restaurant on the beach (£20 for two including 4 beers!), with a mid afternoon stroll, a visit to the supermarket and a late return onboard. Next morning dawned to torrential rain showers interspersed with periods of sunshine.
Castara, Tobago
Choosing our moment to avoid the rain we upped anchor and motored off to our next anchorage in Great Courtland Bay, some 6 miles away. In the absence of any wind it was to be a motor boat excursion and we rolled heavily on our way down sea as we made ground towards the western end of Tobago. We were now only three days away from our officially declared departure date from Tobago.

Although it was a pleasant enough anchorage there was not much at Great Courtland to tempt you ashore and hence next morning we motored on again (in zero wind) south westwards to Mount Irvine Bay, our next planned anchorage.
Great Courtland Bay, Tobago
On arrival we were met by a local fisherman who very kindly indicated the best spot to anchor to avoid both the reef and the swell; it was just to the east of the laid moorings. We again took the opportunity to step ashore and eat at the “surfers restaurant” before a short walk up the hill to the nearest supermarket for some essentials (we had run out of beer!). Supper was a light meal onboard followed by an early night and an 0730 start the next day. We had to be in Store Bay and in a taxi to Scarborough early in the morning. We were a day behind schedule checking out of Tobago and, if needed, I wanted to convince them we had been in Store Bay the night before!
Mount Irvine Bay, Tobago
As it was the check out was extremely easy, the Customs officer even changing our time of arrival in Store Bay from 1800 (as I had declared) to 1600 in order not to charge us overtime for out of hours clearance! The fact it was now 1030 the next day and in normal working hours seemed to have passed everyone by! By 1100 we were back in a taxi and heading back to Store Bay with all the paperwork stamped and signed. Once back onboard we moved the mile distance to Pigeon Point, another of the picturesque anchorages in Tobago, for our final night before setting off next morning at 0730.
Pidgeon Point, Tobago

As planned we sailed off the anchor at 0730 and headed for Grande Riviere Bay in Trinidad, the nearest tenable anchorage on the north coast as you head west. With the wind behind us at 10 – 15 kts we made good time and, despite the dog leg needed to avoid Drew Bank, we arrived in Grande Riviere at 1445. The bay is deep but totally open to the north, hence the swell rolls in and it is difficult to find a comfortable anchorage where you do not roll your heart out.
Grande Riviere Bay, Trinidad
We opted for the east side of the anchorage not far into the bay and tucked up as close to the cliffs as we dared. This worked well until 2100 when the anchor cable snagged around a rock and with each passing swell tried to pull the bows under! After 20 minutes of manoeuvring in the darkness we managed to unravel the tangle and move slightly further out into the bay hoping to find clear sand to anchor on, we were lucky! The night then passed without further complications.

La Vache Bay, Trinidad
Next morning we set off westwards again for the anchorage at La Vache Bay, 27 miles away. This was a much better protected anchorage, albeit the anchorable shelf at the edge of the bay was quite narrow. We anchored on the east side, close in, and enjoyed a night in spectacular scenery. The bay is stunningly beautiful and unspoilt.

After a slightly slower start next day we motored out into the middle of the bay, hoisted sails and set off through the gap between Saut Deau Island and Medne Point.
Departing La Vache Bay, Trinidad
From here it was a 17 mile sail to Chaguaramas, our final destination and planned refuge for the hurricane season. The sail through into the bay separating Trinidad from Venezuela was spectacular and notwithstanding the quantity of industrial activity going on in the vicinity of Chaguaramas it still felt welcoming as we pulled into the Customs Dock to clear with Immigration and Customs before moving across to our final resting place, Coral Cove Marina. All was achieved without angst or incident!

En route Chaguaramas
The plan is now to remain in or around Trinidad and Tobago until November when we will set sail for the ABC Islands, Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, where we intend to spend Christmas. More blog articles when we leave Trinidad …........







Chaguaramas, the shiprepair facilities in the approach.




Kurukulla in Coral Cove Marina