Follow the link to my night sky column number 16 in the Caribbean Compass pages 33 and 34.

http://www.caribbeancompass.com/online.html

See what is happening in the sky between April 16 and May 15. 

Cruisers Against Cancer

This is the 3rd year that my friend Hope and I have put on a fundraiser for 

the Pink Ribbon Society of Grenada.

The first year we used our weekly domino game to solicit donations in 

memory of a fellow cruiser who we lost to this hateful disease. 

Last year we thought why not continue?

This year we thought we can do more.

Still building on the domino game theme we solicited prizes from various 

businesses and added a raffle.  The spirit of giving is alive and well in Grenada.

Almost everyone we asked said yes!

We had gift certificates for restaurants, supermarkets, bike rental,

gym memberships, movie passes, wine, beer, glassware, artwork,

and much, much more.

It was fantastic!

 Jim at the game.

He didn't win, he didn't lose, he had fun!

Our happy first place winner.

I am so happy to say that we raised 2000 ECD which will all go to 

help cancer patients and their families right here in Grenada.

Hope and I have some more ideas for next year so if you're in the area,

how about a game?

Drop and give me 10 Private!

 

 

The cruising life is a strange one. 

There are moments of physical exertion and activity interspersed

with idle time and well, let's face it, laziness! 

When we stay in one place like Grenada we pass many a day just laying

 around the boat, reading a book or maybe playing a game.

Add that to our time spent in the States where everything is super-sized

and there is always ice cream in the freezer and well the end result

 isn't pretty!  I've been trying to combat the inevitable effects of that

 with a little more exercise.



My friend Hope had friends visiting and one of the ladies is

a water aerobics instructor.  She taught us a few exercises that we

 can do when we are at the pool. 

I love working out in the water.  No sweating!



I've been diligently going to yoga twice a week. 

This is my instructor Pierre Yve doing a little warm-up before

class one morning.  I can do yoga for the next 20 years

 and I'll never be able to stand on my head.  OK, let's be honest.

I don't really want to stand on my head. 

But I will admit that yoga has been

good for me and I'm feeling stronger.



 

The yoga class takes place at the marina on the stage overlooking

the Tiki Bar and Prickly Bay.  Not a bad setting.

 

 

And of course there are always beautiful roads to walk on.

On this day Jim and I walked out to Prickly Point at the end of the bay. 

It's a residential area of beautiful homes.

 

 

The homes are there.  It's just that most of them are behind big fences!

 

The view across Prickly Bay. 

That's Merengue anchored in her usual spot along the west shore.

Whew, I'm worn out just thinking about all that.

Is it happy hour yet?

A Sailing Legend

Last week we had the opportunity to listen to sailing legend Don Street

as he gave an informal talk at Prickly Bay Marina.

Don Street is the author of numerous books including

charts and cruising guides for the Caribbean.

At 84 years young, he has been sailing for more than 70 years!



It got me thinking of all the changes he has seen.

Looking out over Prickly Bay on this night, there were approximately

100 yachts at anchor.  When he first visited there were probably less than 5.

The anchorages throughout the Caribbean that we all crowd into today

were most likely his alone.  He was sailing without GPS, chartplotter,

radar, AIS, cell phones or solar panels. 

His boat didn't even have an engine!

He would have used a sextant for celestial navigation. 

 Charts of the day were unreliable.  He charted much of the region. 

When he arrived in a new country he couldn't simply go to an ATM

and withdraw the local currency as we do today. 

There were no computers for

paying your bills, emailing or for checking the weather forecast.

 

Sailing the Caribbean today seems simple in comparison.

 

"Yachts have changed and new equipment has come on the market

but one thing that has not changed is the sea and the size of waves." 

 Don Street Jr.

 

It's a Major Award!

A few weeks ago a group of us played Trivia at Prickly Bay Marina 

and believe it or not, hold on to your hats, drum roll please, 

we Tied for First Place!

Our prize was a 2 hour ride in a Dinghy Donut Boat,

you know, like a doughnut you dunk in your coffee.

Great prize for a bunch of cruisers who all own their own dinghies!

But I have to say this was fun!  

Jim made some of his famous rum punch for our cruise.

The 2 hour cruise ended well as we came back with everyone we left with!

Then it was 2 for 1 pizza night at the marina.

The Little Chores of Life

 

Today is Saturday and it seemed to me that it was much like those

Saturdays when I was working during the week and Saturday was

for catching up on chores.  I had my morning cup of tea and then

started on my mental to-do list.

First I put fresh linens on the bed and gathered up the laundry.

Then I loaded up the dinghy and headed over to Prickly Bay Marina.

I dropped off the laundry, picked up ice and then bought some fresh

baked coconut macaroons. 

After all, it is also Valentine's Day so a little treat seemed appropriate!

Back at the boat I did the dishes and tidied up the cabin.

Then it was time for my second trip to the marina for water.

I filled jerry cans with 25 gallons of water that we pumped into our water

tank. Now in case you think I'm complaining or looking for kudos, I'm not.

What struck me as I was driving the dinghy with my load of water jugs

was how beautiful it is here.  Blue sky, blue water, sunshine and

a breeze are constant.  Three pelicans did a loop overhead and

then soared out towards the open ocean.

Today chores didn't feel much like well, a chore!



We Should Be Working

Boat projects.  What boat projects?

Oh I suppose we should be working but there's a new brewery on the island!

The West Indies Beer Company opened last spring in a tiny building

at The True Blue Bay Resort.

It didn't take long for them to outgrow the space and now they are brewing

in a new facility where you can taste all the flavors they have to offer.

Apparently we weren't the only people who were craving a little variety!





On the night we visited there was a porter, an amber ale, a wheat beer

 and some hard cider on tap.

 



 

This could become a favorite hangout.

Cheers!