Rainbow Sunday morning

After a fast moving shower, this beautiful rainbow appeared.  Lucky for us Michael snapped this shot.  Thought i would share.  It rains here so often but usually the skies are dark when the shower passes, this one however was not.  Beautiful blue skies.

More in Grenada

Sunrise in Hog Island anchorage.  The pink clouds went around in a circle.  Was a really nice morning.  Most of the mornings are nice till the sun comes up and starts heating up everything in it's path.  With the clouds, mountains, breaking surf you would think you were in heaven if it were not so HOT

Kirk talking to Michael taking a break from the nasty, smelly job of cleaning the anchor chain and bridle

The line on the right has been scrubbed.  The one on the left has not.  And to think this used to be a white line.  

Check out the yuk on the boat.  i have been unsuccessful at getting the stains out of the shirt even after soaking it in clorox in the hot sun!

The chain was even worse.  Silly me did not get a picture of it, but the growth on it was about an inch around the chain.

OK so these are the green beans down here.  They are called bodi beans.  They grow up to 3 ft from what i can gather from google.  They are pole beans and taste like our green beans at home but a little tougher and the pea inside is more like a pigeon pea.

Minnows swimming by the boat in the morning.  They cause quite a stir as

Minnows on the fantail to escape the big fish

big fish

they make the bigger fish go crazy.  They slap into the boat and jump around.  Poor little minnows they were just gonna eat the tee tiny little shrimp that are living on the bottom of our boat (they are about 1/8th to 1/4th of an inch long) and instead these big ole fish come to eat them!   They make such a racket slapping the side of the boat with their tails and make big splash sounds.  yesterday Michael scooped one up with a net.  Kirk got our net out this morning.  Now i am ready for the fish!!!

Churned up water from the fish

Here is our arch that Kirk designed.  He is so smart.  See how my kayak is hanging.  So fancy!

Kirk has also designed many different styles of sun shades and rain protectors for both the front and back of the boat.  More to come on that.....

Public Bus in Grenada

So today was the new experience of riding on the public bus.  

In case you missed it when i got back i wrote about the taxi ride back to the marina and the winding, hilly, steep, sharp curvy, bumpy, swales in the middle for drainage, big ruts, some not paved roads.  Since then we have taken the private buses (really are like toyota vans that are long with bench seats) that are organized to take cruisers to the grocery store, hardware, chandlery etc.  you do get a little crowded sometimes in those if there are tons of groceries.

Today i really met some of Grenada.  Yeah.  we took the dingy to Whisper Cove Marina and hiked up a steep paved road to a paved road that then turned into a non paved road with houses right along the downhill side on the right. It then turned back into a paved road.   We were walking to the main road to catch the bus.  The houses had chickens in the yards and kids and anything else you could want.  When we got to the main road, you wait for a bus with the correct number (another post).  I must say the view from where we caught the bus was spectacular.  you could see all of hog island and i saw where i had kayaked with Rebecca when we went around the island into the ocean last saturday.  I could see all the reefs that we had to go around.  Next time i will take my camera…   another post.

So the bus comes, it does not matter which way it is going cause as we soon found out it goes down the road a bit and then turns a u turn at a main junction and heads back towards where we were picked up.   The houses we could see were fabulous in that they were carved into the land on the steep hills with gardens in terraced plots.  one even had old tires to hold all in place.  the soil is so rich here.  lots of banana trees.

So at a very fast pace, with much horn beeping (the driver blows the horn to let anyone else know that the bus is coming, i think he blows it when he is highballing around a curve to warn anyone coming the other way, which is every 20 yards or so) we wound our way to st georges.  Now let me explain one thing.  There is always room on the bus.  Just when you think it is full another person gets on and shifting of seats occurs.   we had three in the back seat and then #4 came on in.  the back seat is all the way across the back of the bus and the three seats in front of that are doubles on the right with a fold down seat (jump seat) attached to the left side of the bus.   ok so that makes three across.  but wait, when someone else wants to get on a little padded board goes from the jump seat to the 2 seater so now the 2 seater is a 4 seater. and you are packed in like sardines in a can.   no matter how big or small all get in the bus.   oh wait again.  kids are on the lap or standing next to an adult, they do not count for a seat. so here we all are, big and small, cruisers and locals jammed into this bus.  when we arrived in st georges there were 22 people in this bus.   oh i forgot to mention that there is NO leg room between the seats which actually keeps you wedged in.  It was just great.  most of the locals when they get on say good morning.  some do not.  Most are pleasant and polite.  It is almost like they sing when they talk, kind of melodious.  Kind and soft words with a big smile.  

the bus has a "bus boy" or a conductor.   Our first bus today had a "bus man".  he was a big dude. he directs where you sit and collects your money.  oh the fare.  the fare is 2.50 EC no matter how long you ride.  2.50 EC is less than a us dollar.  The conductor handles getting the fares.  He will be hanging out the sliding window or door if going slowly (only in town)(ha) hollering if anyone wants a ride.  the bus stops all the time to pick up and let out people.  you rap your knuckles on the ceiling of the bus to indicate that you want out.  hopefully the driver hears you over the blaring radio.

There are chicken bars on the back of the seat in front of you to hold on to.  even when you are packed in like sardines you still need to hold on cause you are going up and down hills, stopping and starting and careening around curves like no other.

So if the bus rider in the back seat needs to get out (we did) before everyone else, all have to pile out of the bus and then get back in.  it is musical bus seats.

Our second bus of the day was a lively one with a young bus boy who was drumming up business (that is how we got on the bus) (we were not at a bus stop, the bus was just going by), anyway there was an elderly gentleman in the seat in front of me  dressed to the nines and next to him was a lady with a matching hat and jacket.  super to see the culture.  we had to get out to let the people in the back seat out and it was musical seats again.

The hysterical part was our bus ride back was with the same bus driver that we rode in with, but he was much slower going back.

Many more firsts today,  i had a roti (just the filling) for lunch.  I will go in to detail about that in another post.  the bummer is i am pretty sure there was flour in what i ate as my elbows are itching and have hives on my legs.  bummer

sunday at whisper cove

our view looking out from the anchorage  two reefs to navigate  you can hear the ocean breaking at night.  reminds me of when i was a kid in ocean city.  

good ole Rogers Beach Bar  big cat named Shadowfax (for the Lord of the Rings fans) from St Davids almost on the beach

View down the anchorage.   if you look closely you can see the bridge we have to go through to get to whisper cove and clarks court.  there is only one section that has water deep enough to go through.  can get a little hairy at night

whisper cove marina  On sundays at 3 the local and cruising musicians get together and jam.  kirk gets 3 free drink tickets.  is a lot of fun.  i even did our laundry there yesterday.  notice the mangrove trees on the right.  they make the water yucky along with other polutants 

flowers all around

more flowers

i was standing under a flamboyant tree.  they grow all over the island.  the hills are dotted with these tress making for big red sections.  

greenhouse for the marina.  tomato plants at this end  pepper plants growing on the outside edge.  all sorts of herbs and such inside.  screen is for shade i would think as the sun is so hot it can burn the skin right off you!!!  or at least it feels like that.

more flowers.

kirk getting ready for jam

kirk with chris on his left and michael on his right.  there were about 12 - 15 musicians there yesterday. banjo, guitars, harmonica, drums, rattles, shakers, wooden block.  all sorts.

Donna and Rebecca kayaking around the anchorage at Hog Island in late afternoon when sun is not so hot and high in the sky 

We went out to the reefs where there are little breakers.  Did not see much coral, just rocks and black sea urchins.   I did see a turtle  yeah!!  we went around and checked out the boats that are tied to the mangroves in a small cove.  yuk  tons of growth on the lines.  

Back to Grenada

Home Sweet Home  

After being in the States for 3 weeks i really did not want to leave cause i love seeing everyone, including all the dogs, however, it was a good feeling to get back to the boat.

I arrived on a Tuesday night and the next day was the 4th of July. The ride back to the dingy was uneventful by Grenadian standards, however i was not used to the hills, tiny streets and hairpin turns so a little hairy for me, not to mention the driving on the opposite side of the road.

 There was a party scheduled to celebrate Canada Day (which was Monday) and the 4th at the local Burger Night with cruisers bringing side dishes.  i have never experienced a more patriotic 4th.  The building was decorated with American, Canadian and of course Grenadian flags and banners.  An American cruiser led us a cappella in the Star Spangled Banner.  Then we sang the Canadian anthem and then the Grenadian.  It was very moving as everyone clapped and cheered for each country.  My heart was filled.  Different countries all respecting and honoring each other.  

Thursday was our friends Michael and Rebecca of Zero the Cruising 9th wedding anniversary.  We celebrated with spaghetti.  Was fun to see them again.  Friday was a surprise birthday party for Rebecca at another spot that had a steel drum band playing.  That was fun.

Yesterday, we met a bunch of cruising musicians who play music at another local spot.  The musicians get 3 tickets for free drinks.  Was a lot of fun.  Kirk played and i believe was most happy.  He really has come out of his shell and sings.  So glad.

I have met wonderful people.  Was super to see Ross and Diana again.  The locals are very kind and helpful and most of the cruisers are fantastic.  The women are always ready for girl time which is great.  i do not think the men need the friendship as much as the women.  

We are anchored at the entrance of the Hog Island anchorage.  The water is not clear which is unfortunate.  The ocean is 100 yards away with a couple of reefs between us and the ocean.  i hope to go in the kayak and explore.  There is much run off and i believe sewage dumped directly in the cove down the way.  Bummer.

Kirk continues to chase down our vhf radio problem.  Most frustrating.  Yesterday we made a shade awning for the two front hatches and also to keep the rain out.  It had rained everyday up until yesterday.  The rain blows through and can last from 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

From our anchorage, you can see the rain forest where it is raining most of the time.  Is always hazy, cloudy etc over those mountains.

hopefully some pics will follow