Beautiful, BEAUTIFUL Bequia

The Whale Boner
seats made from whale bones

April 6 - 

Bequia… 

pronounced: Beck*way 

Our favorite island so far… by far.  

We got an early morning departure from St. Lucia, destination Bequia.  Port Elizabeth, Admiralty Bay.  The passage was a long one, bypassing St. Vincent due to their reputation for crime, sometimes violent.  Bequia is 9 miles south of St. Vincent; part of the St. Vincent and the Grenadine island group.  Bequia is approximately 7 miles square.  Its highest point only 881 feet, Peggy’s Rock.

The passage brought decent winds allowing us to shake the sails free of their canvas beds, mixed with periods of motor sailing.  The seas south of the islands of St. Lucia and again south St. Vincent were a bit sporty, seas approaching 5 foot.  Our reliable home kept us muscling through the seas safely and comfortably.  

over looking the harbor from Maria's

Bequia is a very different from the islands we have visited so far.  Quite low by contrast, it is not high enough for clouds to form, our stay saw little rain. The landscape quite dry.  Nearly all Bequia’s water is shipped in from St. Vincent, driving the costs up for as if it were liquid gold.

The only town, Port Elizabeth is idealic.  The people, a mix of settlers:North Americans, Scots, French and descendants of African slaves as well as quiet a few expats.  Bequia was once a thriving whaling port and still has an active but dwindling whaling station, allowed to take 2 whales a year by law using traditional methods… small, wooden open boats, harpoons to ‘catch’ their prey.  Last season, the island’s whalers took none.  Whale artifacts can be found through the island in several forms…… you enter the The Whale Boner Bar through an arch of whale jaw bones, the bar held partly in place by yet another massive jaw bone.  Have a cold one while atop bar stools made from whale vertebrae.  Among the vendors selling tourist souvenirs you can find whale bone carvings, engraved whale teeth and scrimshaw.  

The locals still use wooden boats made and repaired along the waterfront for daily use.  Subsistence fishing and selling of goods to cruisers include help securing mooring balls. The boat vendors here are non aggressive to a fault, cruisers needing to flag them down as they pass through the harbor.  Refreshing after so many islands where local practice brings a parade of venders knocking on the hull, usually mornings, before the heat sets in and cruisers have gone off on excursions.

Be on the lookout for the ‘bread man’ by 7am or you’ll miss him.  Others include the lobster man holding up todays catch for you to see.  Several laundry services, water or diesel delivery… or the guy who delivers most any item you might find shore side… right to your companionway: dish soap, snacks, tools,  etc.  Convenient but pricey for hullside delivery.  The case of beer could be considered bargain if you consider you don't have to lug it through town, in the heat, down the dock, in the heat, in to you tossing which of course has a surge today, into your rolling dinghy and across the bouncy harbor to your boat which is at anchor at the back of the pack…

Jim cleared us into customs ‘after hours’… a late fee incurred and we headed to shore.  Iba grabbed our line and helped us secure the dingy, it being after dark on an unlit dock.  Iba pointed us in the direction of the ‘local’ bar and joined us for a drink.  Other Rasta men having a chat, the sweet smell of their beloved herb drifting with the evening breeze.  Iba is a fisherman, has a boat taxi service as well as boat hull cleaning above and below water.  

We walked around a bit and took in the sights feeling completely welcome and safe strolling the sparsely lit streets, goats trotting ahead of us, locals passing and greeting us with a hearty ‘good evening’.  

The Bequia Youth Sailors 

Daylight hours reveled a vibrant, close knit community, many restaurants from cheap local food to extravagant french cuisine… Groceries, bakeries, cafe’s and of course the local fresh produce / fish market.  We felt obligated to sample as many of the ice cream flavors from the local creamery (St. Vincent made)… new flavors daily.  Rum raisin not a repeat… anything chocolate again and again.  The roti’s here are delicious, the Fig Tree serving a sizable portion.    Cheryle the owner is a community activist, promoting all things healthy and educational.  Her restaurant hosts yoga taught by cruisers: no fee but donations for the school gladly accepted, a children's literacy program on Saturdays with volunteers reading to children.  She also occasionally hosts the net informing cruisers of the local happenings and services available.  We tried to spread our ‘forever money’ throughout the community eateries and markets, getting to know several of the venders and proprietors.

climbing up to Peggy's Rock

Peggy's Rock overlook 

John and Nina

We hiked to Peggy’s Rock, with friends John and Nina (S/v Sunkissed), the highest point on the island.  Directions read something like this: at the deserted house with the wreck of a car (pink), follow the utility poles to the goat path up the grassy hill.  Continue through the bramble till you reach the head high bushes, then… etc.   

The sun was blazing hot as we approached the top, scrambling over and through everybody else’s rocks to find ‘Peggy’s’.  The views were stunning!  The entire island seen from the top as we took turns clutching the jagged black ridges for handholds to get just the right photo backdrops.  Islands all around: Petit Nevis, St. Vincent, Mustique *vacation hot spot to the rich and richer, off limits to cruisers at certain times when high profile guests are there.  John and Nina continued down the Grenadines after a week on Bequia… more goodbyes.  

Joe and Annie

Another hike took us up and down, back up and down again from Port Elizabeth to Hope Bay and back to Port Elizabeth again.  Friends Annie and Joe, Jim and Pat our company.  The hike was not overly strenuous but with temps in the 90’s I was nearing my threshold for heat tolerance: being self diagnosed thermally impaired … back sea side we cooled off with refreshments and a light lunch at the Fig Tree.  

The Shake Shake tree pods

The sea bottom clearly visible throughout the harbor. Turtles surfacing all around.  Spotted stingrays coasting along the shore.  Starfish sloooowly making progress along the sea bottom.  Day 2, we decided to relocate to a less exposed anchorage, a north swell predicted the coming days.  We found a fantastic spot near enough town to enjoy the nightly tunes and relax comfortably aboard.  The anchor set at 1500 rpms reverse power with wind gusts near 30 mph.  Just as we were settling in to our new idyllic and calm spot, our anchor drug… ???  Back at the wheel and bow, we reset… backed down again.  Jim dove down, the anchor lodged in rocks.  Back to relax mode… not.  We drug again within minutes…  The bottom this close to shore, a mix of coral and sand.  So we returned to our original spot but closer to shore.  With minutes the vhf calls out…  “Cinnamon, Cinnamon!  return to your boat.. our anchor is dragging!!!”…a charter sailboat that had been anchored very close to where we had just drug.  The call went our several more times.  Cinnamon non responsive, the captain / crew on shore.  The boat continued it’s slow descent through the harbor.. Jim decided to see what could be done to save the boat as well as those around it.  I stayed aboard in case we were to drag again, the winds still howling… Jim boarded the boat and was able to start the engine but there was no way to hoist the anchor, the windlass switch locked below… The boats nearest had crew aboard all standing watch with fenders poised incase of a collision…  Another boater approached and Jim requested his help… then another good samaritan.  3 aboard now, Jim at the helm, masterfully maneuvering the boat in and around the other boats, Cinnamon still dragging it’s anchor and chain with no way for the guys to raise it.   No gages to sound for depths and precariously close to the shallows…  After 45 minutes of incredible boat handling, Jim managed to get enough room between the wayward boat and the others, where they could deploy a second ‘borrowed’ anchor with the use of one of the dinghies,  Still no sign of the owners / crew of Cinnamon,  she was more or less safe for now… the guys returned to their respective boats.  Whew!  

ruins of an old cistern 

Later on shore, we discovered a brochure with ‘Cinnamon’ charter boat advertised.  A call to the unknowing owner was met with disbelief then, ‘ I’ll send someone right now!’… Within short order the boat crew was aboard, anchors hoisted, reset (behind us) and the borrowed  anchor returned…  

A couple of close encounters… 

bread fruit tree

We noticed a boat anchored ahead of us with a vaguely familiar name… Receta.  Could it be?  I have to find out… We hopped in the dinghy and scooted over.  “Is this THE Receta?” I asked.  “I’m afraid it is…” Steve’s reply… OMG!  Ann and Steve Vanderhoof from Toronto, Canada… Ann wrote a book about their first adventure aboard Receta covering much the same ground (sea) as we have covered continuing to Trinadad… Along with their great read, Ann includes recipes for many of the local dishes they have encountered along the way.  Dang, my copy of ‘an Embarrassment of Mangoes’ is back aboard, they are leaving jus’ now, continuing south… I’ll have to catch them in another port for an autograph… 

the north swell crashing on the beach

Next encounter… a power boat has decided we’ll make nice, close neighbors for the night… with the heavy use of their bow thrusters (why ?) they drop the hook and are off to shore… within sort order, their boat slowly drifts back, away from us into deeper water… We can not raise them on the vhf.  A few hours later, the crew come home to see they have drifted…  They raise their anchor a start for shore approaching our port quarter… then for reasons unclear, the captain comes charging at us full throttle … We are on our feet and screaming, our only defense…He narrowly misses us, 10 feet at best (as well as another boat that was passing us at the same time)… He sped past so close there wasn't even a wake.  Our hearts pounding, my hands quivering, voices hoarse from the the frantic screams (and a few cuss words).  We were totally dumfounded.  The adrenalin slowly drained as we watch the captain re-anchor just off shore; then the captain and one crew board their dinghy and head our way…. Mr. O’Sullivan was VERY apologetic as he approached, one hand extended in a warm greeting the other bearing a bottle of red wine… ‘Please accept my apologies sir, I am most sorry for the incident…”  (Jim), Apology accepted sir but I do not understand your intentions..’  Mr. O’Sullivan, ‘well, it was this morning when you see I damaged my hand (all fingers were indeed bandaged).”  He went on to say his bandaged hand slipped on the throttle when he pushed it forward and the results we had just experienced… 

Jim: “Mr. O’Sullivan, were are you from?  

Mr.o’S:  “ Irleand… County Kerry… 

Jim:  Did you happen to notice the name of our boat?

Mr.o’S:  peering around the aft to look… “ahhh, Inishnee.  I know the place!

A few more exchanges and they were off.  A nice bottle of red stowed in wine cellar (aft cabin) aboard Inishnee…

The hours eased into days and the days slipped away as we finally, after 10 months of cruising… we have slowed our pace considerably.  Eat, sleep, go ashore for tonight’s dinner / groceries.  Check the internet / news etc… Happy hour with friends.  Lunch at a snacket… 

the walkway to town from
Princess Margret beach

Then the north swell returned… with a vengeance.  Within hours the anchored boats off the south east shore were being tossed, staining at their anchors.  Impressive 5+ foot swells, the shore line eroding with each wave rolling up 15 -20 feet inland.  Seaside businesses getting awash with brine throughout the day.  The conditions worsening, we had to move to a safer venue.  Our first choice, the north west shore the safest and most crowded.  Too crowed to set the anchor properly.  The outer depths too deep and too much roll so we relented and called for a mooring ball, Phat Shag (boat) to the rescue, Nappy guided us in…  He lead us through the mooring field, very close to shore but in 25 feet of water.  If there is music tonight at CoCo’s Bar we’ll have prime seats.  We settled in to our very calm space.  A light lunch then a trip to shore for provisions.  A usb charger, ice cream and a stop at the Yacht Club to ‘taste’ the water’, one of only two places for boats to take on water or fuel.   We had taken on 112 gallons of water from the diesel / water delivery boat 2 days earlier while at anchor… Although potable, we found it undrinkable, too much saline.  A trip to the seaside office the owner/ manger was more than helpful, apologetic and offered a full refund which was given that afternoon.  With full tanks, the problem being we needed to purge the tanks to take on new, fresh water.  It was good for cleaning and cooking, just not drinking.  So we used water like it fell from the sky and was limitless (ha).   Showering twice in a day, cleaning and scrubbing the cockpit and decks… and still we had to pump gallons overboard, what a waste.

Local poet

We said another good by to friends Annie and Joe aboard s/v Little Wing, a Passport 40.  We have shared a number of meals and afternoons together, swapping information on our nearly identical boats to all our benefit.  They have upgraded and refurbished their boat over a number of years, a bulk of the work being done in Trinidad.  Labor and teak cheap by American standards.  The craftsmen are skilled and reliable. Music to a cruisers ears and pocket books.  Our continually evolving plans now has us heading to Trinidad for hurricane season… the list of desired improvements growing larger than our cruising kitty will undoubtably afford… 

fresh coconut water

Richard trying to teach Jim the fine art of
blowing a whale whistle

What next?  daily trips ashore: ice coffee’s at Maria’s, Handy Andy the proprietor.  Shopping at Knights grocery, an excuse to get another ice cream…  How about a whale bone necklace whistle?… Richard does scrimshaw and etchings in whale bones and teeth.  Jim had admired them every pass by, at least twice daily… finally he dipped into the cruising kitty and procured one himself.  A hand carved  tooth with a sailboat and sunset on one side, the backside an island map… A very unique treasure.  

our favorite produce vendors !

One last provisioning before upping anchor and cruising south.  The produce market to say good bye to Sunshine and the other vendors.  A few can goods to top off the bins.  And because it’s Saturday, the BIG market day… the meat man is in town.  We bought 2 fresh, huge T-bones steaks (beef) for 20 EC… that’s 8 U.S.  

Tomorrow we’ll replenish the fresh water tanks and head to new territory and new adventures.  

And…. 

A confirmation email received from son Stephen and wife Amanda!  Tickets are booked and excursion plans forming.  They will meet us in Grenada in early June to spent a much needed, weeks vacation with us!   It will be so awesome to share our adventures with them for real instead of though virtual media and phone conversations.  

another  green flash night !

from the Whale Boner

atop Peggy's Rock