HOLIDAY SAILING IN THE LOWER CARIBBEAN
By: Barbara Collins, "INTUITION"

Beat the Holiday Rush
When Mel and I decided to spend the month of December cruising the Caribbean, we had two things in mind: take advantage of the "low season" prices offered by Moorings Yacht Charters; and get a real taste of live-aboard cruising. We achieved our goals and have many rich memories as a bonus.

We picked up our Beneteau 413 at the Moorings Grenada base in Secret Harbor on December 3rd. The plan was to motor sail north to St. Lucia as quickly as possible in hopes of catching some of the ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) boats arriving in Rodney Bay. Then, we would take our time sailing back, visiting all the islands in the Grenadines, with lots of time for inland exploring and snorkeling.

Best Laid Plans
Our estimated trip time of four days to St. Lucia turned into seven days. Six and eight hour days pounding upwind left us ready for an early dinner and bed soon after we picked up the mooring each evening. But what a ride! Fifteen to twenty knots of wind with ten and twelve-foot waves were the norm on passages between Grenada and Union Island, and St. Vincent and St. Lucia. On the passage between Bequia and St. Vincent, waves reached twenty feet at some points.

On our seventh day we reached the Moorings base in Marigot Bay, St. Lucia. We took advantage of the Moorings policy of free docking, fuel, water, and ice, and used the day to do laundry, (a task that Mel has taken on as his "specialty") and chat with other sailors. We decided to cancel our sail to Rodney Bay after hearing other sailors talk of cramped anchorages and a lack of moorings due to the ARC boat arrivals. Actually, many of the race boats had already left Rodney Bay and were anchored in Marigot Bay!

Now to the "Relaxing"
Part After two days in Marigot Bay we began our downwind return to Grenada. What a difference! Sunny days of broad reach sailing, with consistent winds of fifteen to twenty knots and waves on the stern pushing us along. On the trip north, our first overnight stop in St. Lucia was the Soufriere Marine Reserve. On the southbound trip we chose Jalousie. Both offered excellent moorings with the Piton Mountains in the background.

Moorings had suggested that we bypass St. Vincent entirely, citing aggressive boat boys and recent break-ins on unattended yachts. The only anchorage they could half-heartedly recommend was Petit Byahaut, a tiny bay with hillside "campsite-style" lodging and an excellent gourmet restaurant. It was the perfect stop for the tough northbound schedule, but on the southbound trip we took a tip from someone in Marigot Bay and stopped in Cumberland Bay. The campfire dinner of red snapper and mashed potatoes served by Maxwell and Joseph will remain a highpoint of our trip. I think the candles in tuna fish cans and the toilet paper roll for napkins set a new tone for "fine dining"!

After our more rustic stops, Bequia seems quite cosmopolitan. You can check your e-mail, make phone calls, do your banking, and choose from a variety of provisioning shops. You can also take advantage of the roaming fuel and water barge, and laundry pick-up and delivery service. Bequia is also known for their boat-building history. Boats "in-progress" line the beach, and sail makers, nautical bookstores, and boat supply shops line the streets.

Mustique was our next stop. This is a private island…a fact you notice immediately. There are no boat boys hovering around to hawk their wares, the streets are clean, and there are no pitiful stray dogs digging through the garbage. Princess Margaret no longer lives here, but her home, along with the homes of Mick Jagger and David Bowie, are on the tour. We had a drink at the famous Basil's Bar and dinner at the oh so nice Firefly Restaurant. Groceries were very expensive, but if you did some serious provisioning before you arrived, this would be a great place to hang out for a while!

Three days were planned for the Tobago Cays, but we only stayed two. Yes, the reef protects you from the wave action, but when the squalls and gusts get up to 35 and 40 knots, you rock and roll! In three weeks of sailing, the only really bad weather we encountered was during this leg of the trip. With the wind and wave action so strong, getting to the snorkeling spots was difficult. And, when the water is rough, who wants to snorkel in shallow water around sharp coral? Not us.

We passed up Mayreau and Canoan in favor of time on Union Island and Carriacou before returning to the Grenada base. Union Island is the check-out point for the Grenadines, and a good spot for e-mail access, fresh fruits and vegetables, and other supplies. Carriacou is the first check-in point for the country of Grenada. Unlike many of the other islands, it is very agricultural, with rolling hills of cattle, goats, and corn. The windward side of the island is known for their boat building.

Saving the Best for Last
To top off our adventure, daughter Laura and "GM" Anne joined us in St. Georges, Granada, for the Christmas weekend. Having arrived a few days earlier, they had time to do some sightseeing and relaxing, and were ready to share their stories and hear about our trip. It was a truly memorable visit full of laughs, relaxation, and much good food. We even sported "Christmas in Granada" tee shirts, (courtesy of Laura, and the graphically talented Tony) to Christmas dinner. We were quite a site!

A Message of Interest for our "Yachty" Friends…….There Were Glitches
During the morning engine check before setting off for Grenada, Mel found the bracket holding the alternator belt had broken. By 8:00am, we were on shore calling Moorings. Mel had pointed out the loose alternator bracket when we stopped in Union Island on our third day. The base manager there said it was, "within acceptable range", so Mel kept his eye on it during the trip. By 9:00am, we had a Moorings captain on board. We sailed directly back to the Mt. Hartman base, (not what we had planned) and lost the last day of our charter. Moorings compensated us by paying for the extra day at the hotel, including transportation, which was fine with us.

This was not our first problem. When I dove to check our mooring at Union Island on our third day, I found the bottom to be really dirty. Mel confirmed my findings, and we called a diver to clean the bottom, telling Moorings we would expect reimbursement. While cleaning, the diver found our prop nut was missing. It had been gone so long, the area was corroded! In fact, the corrosion kept the prop from falling off! It was then that we also noticed the loose alternator belt. Needless to say, we had been given a boat that was way overdue for a haul-out and some major maintenance work! Mooring handled our complaints, but the experience became a lesson in chartering for us. We will closely check the maintenance records, and definitely dive on our next charter before leaving the base.

Some Things We Learned
Traveling in "low season", (12-1 thru 12-16) brings more than just half price charter rates. Fewer tourists mean less crowded anchorages and better haggling for goods and services. Customs and Immigration can impact your schedule and your budget. When they are closed, they are closed, and you wait until they decide to open. Checking in and out of a country runs between $20 and $40 US Dollars.