report from S/V Charlotte D in Tobago

This is our second post for the cruising season 2011-2012.

We sailed into Man-O-War Bay, Charlotteville, Tobago on Nov 20 after the 17 hour crossing from Grenada. With all hands on deck we inched carefully into the anchorage in the dark and got settled at anchor on our second attempt.

Man-O-War Bay is a lovely anchorage and Charlotteville is one of our favourite places in the islands. Check it out on Google Earth at 11-19.8N 060-33.2W.

We hired a driver to transport us to the trailhead of our Rain Forest Hike. Too far to walk to the trailhead and the bus doesn't go that way.

The rain forest hike with guide Shurland James (contact her on her cell 868-294-3740) is always spectacular. Of course, we were rained upon (that's why they have a rain forest), but the beauty of the forest and it's inhabitants more than made up for walking in rain and mud.

Shurland (aka “Eagle Eye”) points out so many interesting features that we would have missed if hiking without her. How could we ever find the burrow of the trap door spider?

On the other hand, the nests of the leaf-cutter ants are obvious from the bits of freshly cut foliage scattered about. They drop their load and scurry away when it starts to rain.

Only an expert guide could have explained the biology of the ground honeybee. What an amazing nest they make in the clay bank!

The waterfalls are coloured by the mineral-bearing strata over which they flow.

Charlotteville has a wonderful fish market, right on the waterfront. The Yahoo steaks were off our charcoal grill less than an hour after we bought the fish direct from the fisherman. Lobster was available direct from the trap puller.

However, we do fear that all may not be right with the fishery. It appears to us that the average size of landed Yahoo, Tuna and Marlin has been decreasing over the last several years that we have been stopping here. Not a scientific sample, but worrisome if true.

Catherine got her hair braided here again on Kaleisha's front porch. It is a cool hair style, in both meanings.

There are many choices of eatery in Charlotteville. We enjoyed Jaba's, Kosa's, Marilyn's, the Beach Club, Sharon and Phebe's, and Clarence's for an interesting variety of excellent local foods. But the most fun was Lyda's.

She has been operating her one table restaurant and bar for 38 years in the same small building on the waterfront. She is cook, waitress, bartender, dishwasher and just interesting.

Catherine enjoyed a cooking lesson from Lyda. Together they prepared our lunch. It was an East Indian dish called Buss Up Shut (it looks like a “busted up shirt”). Besides the “bake” there is chicken, channa, potato, stewed green mango, carrot, celery, tomato, split peas, pumpkin and onions spiced with shadow benny, thyme, brown sugar, peppers, garlic, green and hot pepper sauce, curry and garam masala.

The waterfront and the adjacent main street are the centres of action in Charlotteville. The local fishing piroques land their catch on the beach and the fish cleaning/selling co-op is just across the street. Nets are piled on the beach and in the almond trees, but most of the fishing is by trolling skirt lures with hand lines.

Fortunately, just by chance we were there for the first annual Charlotteville Piroque Fest, held on the beach. There were surf fishing contest, sand castle contest, row boat race, raft race, greased pole climb, piroque races, loud music, wet t-shirt contest, food and drink. The weather was perfect and the enthusiasm of the community was infectious.

There are several local walking paths. One leads up to the site of Fort Cambleton with spectacular views of the bay and a most delightful hammock in the shade; perfect for recuperating the day after the Piroque Fest.

Pirate's Bay has a pristine uninhabited beach a short walk from “downtown”. Peter lost his hat in the surf there, and formed a turban from his shirt to protect his bald head from the sun. Kosa declared him “The Muslim”.

On Dec 10 we sailed away from Charlotteville, with just the two of us aboard. We had perfect conditions for the 320 nm sail to Iles des Saintes, Guadeloupe. There was a magnificent 6 hr spinnaker run on the second day of the three day passage, with the sea so calm Catherine could fiddle in the shade on the foredeck.

Our next blog will report on our layover at Iles des Saintes. A bientot.

“It is an error to suppose that you have tasted huckleberries who never plucked them.” Henry David Thoreau, 1854.

Report from s/v Charlotte D in Grenada

This is our first blog of the 2011-2012 cruising season. posted dec 2011.

On Oct 26, 2011 we returned to the S/V Charlotte D which was left secure ashore in Grenada for the Hurricane Season. We were pleased to find the boat clean and tarps intact, but, as usual, there was much maintenance awaiting us.

We applied anti-fouling paint to the bottom and replaced the zinc anodes, mended our winter sunshade tarp, removed and remade one mizzen mast shroud, replaced the broken VHF antenna, installed a section of new chain for port side anchor, and purchased and installed new laser printer.

It had been 7 years since we installed our batteries, time for new, along with new battery charger (also seven years old). When knocked down we confirmed that one alternator was pretty well gone (bearings, brushes, springs, internal regulator all toast). We installed our spare. Fortunately, we were able to swap over the pulley for the old alternator; we did not have to get new V-belts.

We cleaned all raw water strainers and replaced the impeller of the Perkins raw water pump. Then decided that it was time to install new heat exchangers as well.

We launched on Nov 7 and continued the recommissioning afloat where it was much cooler. We slowed our pace markedly. It took us a week to bend on sails and stock provisions (including 20 bottles of wine).

Our friends from Cedar Key Florida arrived on Nov 13 and we were ready to shift to the play mode. However, more problems surfaced. We had not properly decommissioned our Honda generator in the spring, so had the fun of cleaning the varnish from the carburetor bowl and jets. Thanks to fellow cruiser, Ian, for pointers on that repair. Cleaning of the float switch for the bilge pump did not make it operate properly. We replaced it with a new switch.

Finally we could start to play.

We enjoyed live music and dancing at “De Big Fish”.

There were pizza and good times at the Tiki Bar on the other side of the harbour.

The Beach at Grand Anse is always a pleasure. We discovered the roadside sugar cane juicer on the way to the beach, delicious.

Peggy got a special treat in the park just behind Grand Anse Beach.

We formed a group of fellow cruisers for a trip downtown for an Oil Down at Nedd's Place and to see old friends there, Nedd, Narlene, Martelle & Nicky . Before dinner, with pan music, this group of cruisers from Texas, Isle of Man, Ireland, and Florida played pool and solved the world's problems with the assistance of the local brew, “Stag”.

Aboard the Charlotte D we established an agreeable division of labour. Peter was the breakfast cook.

Catherine usually prepared lunch.

We all pitched in for dinner preparation. Peggy was always willing to do dishes, bless her.

On Nov 20, we four departed Grenada for the 90nm passage to Charlotteville, Tobago. We had useful fun with flares on the way. Even 6 years expired 3 out of 4 fired and burned.

This was the first ocean passage for some of the crew. Fortunately, the seas were benign, and the wind was from a favourable direction, but there was not as much wind as forecast so there was a lot of engine time. There were three mild squalls. It was a pleasant crossing over 17 hours.

Our next blog reports on our 19 day layover at anchor in Man-O-War Bay, Charlotteville, Tobago.

“Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes”, Henry David Thoreau