Note: When I use the term yacht, I refer to the UK definition which we in North America would call a sailboat

Friday February 15, 2019
I took a morning walk into Hillsborough to pick up some fruit and a few other things. Work on the stage continued, with additional help being brought in from Grenada; the electrician was there adjusting the spot lights and running additional cords for the perimeter lighting.
There were a few people on the beach today and I talked to some that were staying in Tyrell bay, I don’t know if I’ve ever met so many who stay someplace long term as I have here. There seems to be a large number of Canadians and French that come for the entire winter; this is in addition to the large liveaboard community in Tyrell Bay.
There was music playing at the Lambi Queen, but I stuck around the beach instead and made it an early night.



Lobster traps sit under the almond tree at Banana Joe's



Saturday is kids sailing club on Paradise Beach

Saturday February 16, 2019
Today was the big day and it started with a torrential downpour that ran from before sunrise until about 7:30-8:00. Its plywood covering the stage area, not really a roof and all the joints were leaking with water pouring in. Curtis went to get a tarp to cover it and hope for the best, you never hear someone from Carriacou complain about the rain during the dry season.
I set off early in the morning, between showers, to get some coals; the directions were to “follow the concrete road until it ends and ask for Judge”. I went down the road, past baby goats wandering around and pigs tied to a tree then I could finally see the end of the line. The road literally went right up to a house and became the driveway; there was a man standing outside and you could see him wondering “what’s this white guy doing coming up to my house?”. I yelled up to him and asked for Judge, the guy that sells coals, turns out he was Judge and he was curious how I heard about him so I explained. The bags I would get in St. Lucia were basically shopping bags, but here I got a half a burlap sack worth of good hard cashew wood coals. Lugging them back up the hill was a task, but I need the exercise.
The rain finally cleared out around noon and it was clear skies ahead. Boneless came by to chill at the beach and we decided to set up the BBQ. There were some friends of his, a Grenadian/American couple traveling on a sailboat. We cooked up the pork and some tuna with some potatoes in foil.
We were finished by the time the music started and a nice size crowd had formed on the beach, with well over a hundred people by the time the headliner played. The lineup included D Unit Band, a reggae band from Grenada, the Shaka Zulu Drum Group from Carriacou playing traditional African drum music, Xtreme Steppers Dance Group that mix modern and traditional tribal dance. The feature act was Sabrina Francis from Grenada; she did a mix of covers and original music. Including a song her mother wrote before she was born. It turned out to be a great show, bonfire going on the beach, perfect night and a good crowd.





Artist, Lee Beggs, works on a painting of Bob Marley during the show as part of a live art demonstration



Shaka Zulu plays a traditional drum while one of his drummers juggles batons







Sabrina Francis performs on the new stage

Sunday February 17, 2019
Boneless had said that they were having a BBQ in Tyrell on the beach across from the Lambi Queen and asked that I bring my grill, everyone loves that grill. Being Sunday, this one little rum shack was closed so we commandeered their picnic table. We were soon joined by the couple from yesterday, a few local guys, some French people, both liveaboards and land based; Shaka also showed up and brought one of his drums with him so we were entertained while we cooked as he added a traditional accompaniment to the songs playing on the radio. Boneless’ wife, also French, prepared the chicken wings in foil packets with fresh vegetables and herbs to makes a sauce as they cook. One of the other couples brought a quiche and an olive and anchovy tarte. The Jack Iron was flowing freely and plenty of cold beer to throw in the mix.
On the way home I we walked past a new vacation apartment, the Coconut Inn; they were having an open house with free beer, rum punch and food. I stopped in to take a look as that’s how you find the out of the way places. It is newly remodeled throughout to standards of what you would expect at a new condo in the states; upstairs has 3 or 4 one-bedroom suites and the downstairs is a three-bedroom apartment. There is a balcony on all the second-floor rooms and an additional rooftop patio. The single suites rent for $77 US a night, I didn’t inquire about long-term rates.



A beautiful lady with an amazing voice gives an encore performance in the afternoon

I took the shortcut back to the bar, Sabrina Francis was giving an encore performance in the early evening. The path goes right past my spot and I was surprised to see some Scottish guys I had met last month on Union, they’re still sailing these waters as a friend from home came out for a week and they had to get home back to St. Vincent to catch his flight. They were grilling and asked me to join them and though I had just finished I couldn’t turn down the invite. When the food was done the cooking fire turned into a bonfire and the guitars came out, I guess I’m lucky it wasn’t bagpipes. Some of the neighborhood children showed up and began taking turns with the guitars, under the nervous eyes of the owners; turns out they are much better at playing the back like a bongo than strumming the strings. We gave them the last of the meat and potatoes and everyone was happy.



Still grilling and chilling



And then the guitars came out; being Scots I guess I should be glad it wasn't bagpipes

Monday February 18, 2019
The fishermen use the lot next to the bar to store their boats and nets. With the full moon fishing is good, when I heard the conch shell blow, I knew the catch was in. The fish are split into piles on the beach and people start to come down to buy them. I picked up a nice Cerro Mackerel, I recognized it as the same we had caught in the Las Perlas islands off Panama. The fish goes for 8 EC ($3 US) a pound, same as at the fish market in town. They also caught a fish they call a “curvallie” or something like that; the guy gave me one to try, very meaty and tasty. I fried up some of the mackerel for dinner that night.





Fishermen bring their catch to shore

Tuesday February 19 – Thursday February 21, 2019
The next few days were just spent relaxing on the beach and taking my daily walk into either Hillsborough or Tyrell Bay. Tyrell has a large live-aboard community, there are especially a lot of French yachts. Many of the boats haven’t left the bay in years and you can buy one for a song; advertised on the bulletin board at the supermarket is a 41’ for $25000 OBO and a 43’ for $19000 OBO, neither have sailed in years and the 43 advertises a new professionally installed mooring. There are no pump out facilities so everybody is just discharging overboard, the bay has a good tidal flow but I still wouldn’t swim there.
I had been searching the fish market in Hillsborough for a nice small tuna as I finally found wasabi at Patty’s Deli. Some boats come in early in the morning but there are others that continue to come in during the day. What I finally figured out, by chance, was that since you could see the back of the fish market from Butterfly Bar I could just relax there with a drink and walk over to the market whenever a new boat came in. I never did get my tuna, but there were some very nice lobsters at times, they do go quick though.
Funny thing is at the supermarket you can get frozen ground beef of dubious origin for 12.65 EC ($4.75 US) a pound but fresh fish is 8 EC ($3) and live lobsters right out of the trap 10 EC ($3.75).



Another breakfast in paradise









The anchorage in Tyrell Bay





Some nice beach pictures

Next edition a special visitor stops by for the afternoon

Thanks Sammy! Guess you have two more weeks after this one? But maybe in real time, you're back by now?? Glad you are taking us along!

I like the pics! Looks like a great time! We are heading to Scotland...I like bagpipes!