Thursday, July 23, 2020

St. George’s, Grenada

Port Louis Marina

12.02.608 N

61.44.986 W

No jokes today.  I was excited to tell you that we put aside our normal routine and finally were able to tour the island and actually see some things but now there’s a hurricane looming on our doorstep.  Never a laughing matter.  

Grenada Tour

First, the tour.  Peter and Mary on Last Call organized a tour of the island requiring at least 8 people.  We asked Gerry and Nicky if they wanted to join us but Nicky is still nursing a bum knee and begged out.  Texas Crewed had already done the tour earlier, so it was just us. 

Cutty, our tour guide picked us up (the crews of Last Call, Escape Pod, Mi Bella and us) at 8:30am in the pouring rain.  Not necessarily a great beginning but so far, the rain in Grenada doesn’t last very long at any one time.  He handed Mary a map and off we went. 

Nutmeg nut; red mace surround

Chinese pagoda at
Crater Lake

Cutty was very informative about the history, flora and fauna of the island, stopping here and there to have a photo op or grab leaves, fruit or nuts to show us.  We were shown the building where bullet holes still remain from the American “intervention, rescue or invasion” depending upon how you looked at it, along with a bit of history that led up to the situation.  He would stop and show us various signs along bridges, buildings, sports facilities, park areas, that were “gifted” to the island by the Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, Kuwaitees, in exchange for United Nation votes in the gifter’s favor, whaling rights, or something else.  With regard to who takes care of several Chinese pagodas that are literally rotting where they stand, the reluctant answer given was—no one.  The government does take care of the landscaping around the area but the actual park type structures are built, then abandoned, which is too bad as most are quite nice but starting to become dangerous with wood rotting off. 

Annandale Falls

Pastor Peter was 1st in!

Savannah was not to be outdone!

Our first official stop was at the Annandale Falls.  We had been told to come wearing bathing suits and bring a change of clothes.  Peter was the first one in and declared the water cold.  That stopped the rest of us—except Savannah—who agreed it was cold but it was an excuse to go swimming.  The walk to the Falls itself was paved and beautiful. 

Crater Lake

The rest of the tour did a figure eight around and through the island, so we got to see quite a bit.  Our next stop was at an area around the crater lake.  That entailed a bit of a hike.  First down steps to the bottom of the mountainside then across a canyon then up the same amount of steps to the top of the next mountainside to the lookout over the whole crater.  The whole path was well maintained but it was a hike.  While grabbing a drink before heading out again, Cutty found a huge, beautiful caterpillar which promptly took a dump on Dale’s hand before being passed around to everyone else. 

Our next visit was to the famous chocolate factory which was sort of open.  I think I mentioned in a previous post that the owner electrocuted himself working on power in the rain.  We were able to go in and have the tour but they weren’t actually making any chocolate at the time.  However, the gift shop next door was selling the 6 varieties of hand wrapped chocolate bars starting with 100% chocolate, down to 60% chocolate with the availability of nibs (chunky bits of chocolate) or salty flavorings added.  I purchased the 60% bars as the others were just too bitter for me.  In case you’re wondering, yes, I did pick up a bar for the well known chocoholic on Opal.   

By the Sea Lunch!

We stopped for a late lunch at a restaurant called By the Sea, which was literally, by the sea on the Atlantic side for a buffet lunch of fish, chicken, rice, noodles, salad and 1 special order of a grilled cheeseburger and fries for our youngest tourist.  It was delicious.  During lunch the skies opened up again and by the time lunch was done, we were moving our water glasses around the table to catch all of the leaks in the roof.  As long as it didn’t land in my plate or drink, it didn’t bother me.  In fact, I thought it added to the ambiance as we were the only ones in the restaurant at the time.  I suspect Cutty had some of these places opened for us as things were pretty quiet at the chocolate factory and the restaurant.  Its good to know the right people sometimes. 

Heliconia (Lobster Claw)

Obviously, I really enjoyed the all of the flowers and plants along the way and was content just looking out the window on the way back.  I noticed that Savannah wasn’t the only one snoozing on the long trip back. 

One thing that happened which will most likely forever haunt me, is that Cutty was constantly stopping the van to pick fruit from the trees by the road and offer us samples of it.  One of the things he offered was something called a mammee apple.  I cannot tell you how wonderful that “apple” was.  It looked like a mini husked coconut as it was brown on the outside.  Then he cut it open to reveal an orange interior.  The texture was crunchy but the flavor was kind of citrusy, yet sweet, and somewhere between a peach and an apricot.  He said that he wasn’t aware of being able to buy the fruit in grocery stores, so I plan on asking the local vendors that come to the marina if they have a source they can get it from.  Right now, it appears that unless you know where there is a tree, you can’t get the fruit anywhere else.  But you know me, I came back and immediately started researching whether it can be grown anywhere else.  Apparently so, but I only saw where you might be able to purchase a sapling in south Florida and it takes years before the tree produces fruit.  I’M DOOMED.  No, I’m obsessed.  I’ll just have to track down more of that fruit before we leave to see if its worth putting a pot on my front porch (as it needs a southern exposure and no less than 40*) but I know who’s on the ARB at home (hint, hint Geri!)

Ginger Lily

It was after 5 when we got back to the marina and we were all exhausted.  We checked back in with Gerry & Nicky to let them know we had survived and were heading to the marina restaurant for a quick pizza.  They met us there for drinks and we gave them a recounting of our day.  However, during the day, a collection of clouds coming off of Africa and crossing the Atlantic went from being disorganized to a full fledged tropical storm named Gonzalo and seemed intent on heading straight for Grenada.  Apparently, Gonzalo doesn’t know that Grenada isn’t supposed to get hit by tropical storms.  Last evening it appeared to be developing into a hurricane but then dropping back down to a tropical storm before getting to Grenada.  This morning it was developing into a hurricane and staying a hurricane until well after it passes us. 

OK, time to reassess.  We’re packed into this marina like sardines with literally no more than a foot between each med-moored boat.  A check of our insurance policy surprised us in that we are still a little less than 2* too far north for coverage.  A check with Trinidad regarding maritime emergencies (can’t turn away a ship in a storm) informed us that unless it’s a life threatening event (defined as a cat 4-5), they will not allow any vessels into their country.  In fact, scuttlebutt has it they’ve already detained 66 people who were trying to enter the country to get out of the path. 

Dale has already purchased a couple of extra large fenders for the occasion and doubled up lines.  We’ll wait to take down all of our shade cloths and enclosure for tomorrow or if the advisories don’t change the forecasted route.  In that case, we’ll do it today. 

Tomorrow is Savannah’s 8^th birthday.  It might be one to remember.