Carriacou, Cricket and a Correct Injector.

Carriacou, Cricket and a Correct Injector.

Another OCC get together!

No sooner had we dropped anchor than Ken on Badgers Set came over to invite us to the first of very many great social events. This was Pizza night at the Iguana Cafe at the boatyard which became an OCC mini rally, the majority of us being members. Good pizza made in a proper wood fired oven. This became a regular event during the month we spent here.

Independence day decorations

Uwe, the engineer, came on Saturday afternoon and within an hour we had a 100% working engine! Quite a strange feeling as now we were free to go anywhere. So far, all this season, wherever we had gone it was always followed by “and then we will go back to Carriacou”. However, as Rowena was not feeling too good again (Chikengunya) we elected to stay for a while and catch up with the many boats that we knew in the bay, and of course, we met a few new ones too.

Sunset over Tyrell Bay

There were two birthday dinners, Roger’s (Golden Fleece) 70^th and Richards. Roger had a BBQ dinner on the sea front at Tante Lizzies and Richard a dinner at Tante Mavis, who we think is the best cook in Carriacou. Both evenings there were about 18 of us and a good time was had by all.

Watching T20 cricket

Several more lunches, dinners and sundowners followed on various boats. Later it was time for some to move on south, so we said our goodbyes and stayed on for the cricket. It began with World T20 on TV at the Iguana Cafe. The final was England West Indies so great atmosphere and lots of cheering when WI beat us!

Or if you don't want to watch the cricket there is always the wildlife

We watched a few games of local 40 over cricket, taken very seriously by the players. Funds are low so often you see a batsman walk off and hand the bat to the next one. 

Even the aeroplanes don't distract from the action!

There is no scoreboard, even though we were watching in the national stadium, so every now and then one of us would walk over to the players pavilion to hear the score. 

The locals enjoying themselves in the 'Jack Iron' stand - note the sheep and goats to cut the outfield!

Peter, our friend, sponsors cricket here so all the players know him and now and then they would walk over for a chat and we could get the score, even though they did not always seem sure what it was!

Relaxing in the 'members' stand!

Rowena started going to water aerobics again, rather feebly at first, but improving. Richard’s new hobby is his ukulele and he is improving all the time too!

Round the boat the sea continues to intrigue. We have spotted turtles, 1m long barracuda, needlefish and even an eagle ray. The most interesting are the fishing bats which we have not seen since Culebra. Coming back in the dinghy at night they swoop through the torch beam which must attract the little fish they catch. If we keep the torch on the water they will stay around but then we feel bad about all the little fish they are eating.

A Laughing Gull feeding frenzy

 There are hundreds of Laughing Gulls here at the moment and their manic laughter is a constant background to our day. They are not like seagulls in Europe that scavenge, they catch fish in their red beaks while their little black legs seem scramble along the surface of the sea.

Of course, once a feeding frenzy gets going, the Frigate birds arrive and try to snatch the gulls catch. A few Brown Boobies usually join in the melee and then the Brown Pelicans come crashing in. Cattle Egrets and Little Blue Herons fly to and from the mangroves. 

Rufus - The best fruit and veg in Tyrell bay

With winds due to turn south easterly we decided to have a trip up to Bequia. We are not going to go far this season, having decided to leave the boat in Grenada while we go back to Europe. 

Sorting the days catch on the foreshore

After a lovely but short catch up with Compass Rose we set off on 14^th April to catch up with Ansari in Bequia.

A view north from Carriacou - This was taken from the balcony of our friends Peter and Cathy's house. On a clear day you can see all the way to Bequia some 40 miles away and all the islands in between.                                                                Sometimes even as far as St Vincent. You lucky people!