Where are the Clearance Papers?!!

Did someone say "Green Flash"?

We arrived in Grenada Feb 16th, after our time in the States and what a time it was. Houston with John Edward and Laura, New Orleans at Sammye and Grouper’s then North Carolina to visit Roy’s sister Sandra and her family for Thanksgiving. Nov 29 found us heading back to New Orleans and, YIPPEE! home to 7th St where Austin had cleaned house after the last tenants left and was waiting for us!!! It was great to finally, after 3 years, have loads of time in our own house. We  had time to see friends and eat crawfish, poboys and oysters, go see the lobby of the Roosevelt (with Sazarac’s of course), go to Galatoire’s for Christmas Eve, have family around for the holidays and Mardi Gras, Oh Yeaaahhh.

Caribbean from the top of Mayreau Island in the Grenadines

But now we’re home again aboard Wahoo and on the move. This sailing season will only be about 6 months long and we’re doing the big No, No - sailing to a schedule. We’re aiming to meet up with our cruising friends in Antigua for Classic Yacht Race Week which starts April 13. Then, in June, our niece, Angela, and her family will meet us for a week in the Virgin Islands. Angela and Dave have sailed with us twice but this will be the first time for the two girls. Next, the plan is to head to Puerto Rico where Wahoo’s bottom will get a warranty paint job (hopefully). That’s a lot of schedule - I get really stressed just thinking about it. So I don’t.

Just to show you how much faster we’re moving than last year - we left Mt Hartman Bay, Grenada on Feb 26th, spent only 1 night at Sandy Island as opposed to, oh I don’t know about 10 days last year, skipped Union Island altogether but did get in a 1 night visit at Mayreau Island which we had skipped last year. Then a jump to Bequia and on that trip what a spectacular sight. Hundreds of porpoises swimming toward Wahoo, leaping, twisting, tail turning for nearly an hour. So amazing!! We spent five days in Bequia and met up with both Aviva and Lagniappe (bet you can't guess where they’re from). Had a birthday dinner for Roy at Papa’s, our favorite Bequia restaurant, and even visited the turtle sanctuary again. But it certainly wasn’t the month long stay we had last year. No,this year we’re on a mission.

And being on a mission resulted in our totally FORGETTING to CLEAR OUT OF St Vincent and the Grenadines in Bequia. Six years of cruising and NEVER, NEVER have we forgotten such an important step. For those of you who don’t realize it. Nearly every island is its own country and we need to clear in with Customs and Immigration every time we arrive and clear out every time we leave.

                                                           

Bequia Boats

Roy, the folks from Aviva and Orton King
(Mr King has been saving turtles for 21 years)

Wahoo in the Bay at Wallilabou

"Pirates of the Caribbean" movie set

So after a 5am start we were sailing blithely along the leeward side of St Vincent about 3 hours out of Bequia and suddenly it hit me - No Clearance Papers!! Our plan of skipping the main island, ST Vincent (an aside, the country is St Vincent and the Grenadines with St Vincent being the main island and the Grenadines, including Bequia, being many many smaller islands that are truly picture perfect). So, just in case you have an eye in the sky you can see us sitting in Wallilabou Bay waiting for the Customs man to show up on a Sunday. Wallilabou!! I know you’re saying that word with a shudder and horror in your heart. That’s right - we’re right here where a German cruiser was murdered a few nights ago!!! St Vincent is one of the islands that most cruisers give a wide berth to. They do the long sail between St Lucia to the North and Bequia to the South. Things had been quiet here for several years and cruisers, including us last summer, were beginning to trickle in for at least an overnight. One of the fun things about Wallilabou is that it was a main settings in Pirates of the Caribbean 1, 2 & 3 and  the sets and buildings are still here. But that boarding a few days ago that left one German cruiser dead and another seriously injured has everyone avoiding the island again. But yes, here we sit hoping that lightning doesn’t strike twice. The boat boys who helped us tie up said there’s police all over the bay but we haven’t seen any yet!! Oh well, we were able to trade some fishing line for a fresh tuna and I bought a Jack Sparrow necklace. 

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Porpoises in the Grenadines.

Turtles at the Old Hegg Sanctuary in Bequia