Brazil to Grenada Passage – 1712 miles , 3rd to 13th March
Windward Islands Cruise – 200 miles; 14th March to 9th April
World ARC is finished! We have come full circle and are back in St Lucia. In some ways it seems like yesterday and in other ways a decade since we were last here just 16 months ago in December 2014!
Since arriving in Grenada from Brazil in early March after a relatively fast passage, we have enjoyed nearly a month lingering a little longer- but still not long enough – in some favourite Caribbean haunts. The experience, as before in Australia and South Africa, enhanced by local knowledge and contacts. This time my St Vincentian-passported brother Martin in Union Island and our old Trinidadian friend Mike Connell, now settled in Bequia.
The period has been tinged with concern with things at home since I have two family members hospitalised as I write. I have been pleased to be able to fit in a trip home to visit before we embark on the next stage of our sailing adventure. We will cruise swiftly northwest via Guadeloupe, Antigua and St Martin to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands where we join ARC USA in early May. We plan to visit old friends in Antigua and to meet up with a Trinidad boat in St MArtin. At least 6 of the World ARC fleet will reconvene in Nanny Cay since the first leg of ARC USA to Bermuda is shared with ARC Europe. We’ll be in Portsmouth- near Norfolk Virginia by the third week in May and hopefully New York by the end of the month. From there the plan is to sail on northward in company with Ayama and Hugur via Greenland, Iceland and the Faeroes then home to the west coast of Scotland by mid August.
The fleet has started to disperse from Rodney Bay and when we get back to Exody, we’ll probably be only the boat left. But we know we have a new family in the World ARC crews and we are sure to meet them all again!
Here is the last batch of eight worldcruisingclub.com published logs covering the last 5/6 weeks.
Days 415-418: Magic carpet to the equator.
The Brazil current ‘lifted’ Exody over 80 miles in the first two days out from Brazil, adding nearly 2 knots to our speed, whooshing us across the equator back into the northern hemisphere at 08.30 yesterday morning, 5th March. We have been in the southern hemisphere for over a year since crossing on 18th February 2015 just before the Galapagos landfall.
As if to remind us of our step toward home waters, the cloud and the rain have rolled in two days in a row with heavy downpours and low visibility. The wind has been everywhere from SE to NNE putting us goosewinged, on a reach, occasionally even close-hauled as we steadily climb the shoulder of South America northwest towards the Caribbean, ticking off French Guyana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela away to the west. Currently nearly 200 miles offshore and approaching the ‘cone’ of the Amazon delta, our day’s runs since starting at 10.30am on Thursday 3rd have been 183, 183 and 163. Our route goes straight to a waypoint off Grenada, passing no closer than 80 miles to the South American mainland and leaving Trinidad and Tobago well to port. We are on a shipping route and have passed several in both directions. After three days, we are once again within a few miles of Hugur catching one glimpse of her sail just before sunset last night. The sea is relatively smooth, the nights dark with virtually no moon, the stars spectacular in the clear spells.
Leaving Fortaleza was eventful. We had to leave in order of arrival to minimise the risk of anchor tangles. A local anchored boat’s floating stern line soon found Exody’s keel. A diver and a dinghy acting as a tug helped free us, but not for long as our rope cutter then found and cut the floating line in return! We were third boat across the ‘gated’ start taking our own time at 10.32- the last of the nine starting boats just making it out by the 11.00 deadline.
As usual, it has taken the customary 48 hours to get our sealegs and back into the passage-making routine. Yesterday we had dolphins first leaping then at the bow for a full hour. Last night, we popped the first bottle of red wine for the leg- still enjoying the Ayama Leopard Spot. Today Mother’s day we enjoyed emails from both daughters in England and send best to my Mum in Scotland.
1180 miles to run to Grenada – ETA Sunday 13th/Monday 14th March.
Days 419-420: a Pepper and a Porsche…
…….presumably take their name from Cayenne 80 miles to the southwest in French Guyana. Early this morning, Tuesday 8th March, we passed the halfway mark and the conveyor belt of a current began to accelerate up to 2.5 knots. Sustaining 8.5 to 9 knots this afternoon and onwards, Exody is striding along, passing the Brazilian/French Guyana border this evening and now skirting the edge of the continental shelf. Our day’s runs have been 163 and 187- tomorrow’s should be over 200. The wind has settled down to a consistent northeasterly at 12-15 knots and the close reach sailing in quiet seas is comfortable – except that we can not risk opening the hatches and windows for a bit more cabin ventilation !!
The torrential rain and grey skies of the weekend have given way to much brighter conditions so we, (and the batteries) are happy! On the battery front, we have the towing generator out full time (taking the hit of 5-8 miles run per day) , the wind generator is effective on this point of sail and of course the solar panels. We have only run the engine to support the SSB on the cloudy morning when Exody was net controller.
This morning, Aretha appeared on the horizon and slowly overhauled us, still just 5 miles away to the south at sunset – good to buddy sail for a day! Starblazer is still benefiting from an enhanced inshore current of their own and Hugur has pulled ahead. Garlix, as usual, in the lead 130 miles away. Meanwhile Makena is leapfrogging her way through the fleet having started late and will make up the 50 miles to pass us during Thursday we think.
Life on board ticks over – with our thoughts now drawn to life after World ARC!
ETA Grenada now definitely Sunday 13th sometime with 700 miles to run as at midnight Tuesday.
Day 421: Sunset over Suriname
The orange glow to the west in the cloudless sky lingered long after the stars were sparkling.
The day had started dramatically at 02.30 with another glow to the west. Orange first shining brightly behind a cloud. Wrong place, wrong time, wrong colour for the sun or moon, too massive for a flare. It burst above the cloud and streaked across the night sky with a long red tail, splitting into two distinct fireballs. It turned out to be a rocket launched from an EU range in French Guyana. So I was told by Caspar of Aretha on the VHF. They, along with Makena and Hugur had shared the sight. Hugur also saw burning material fall into the sea nearby – so the World ARC fleet were lucky to miss the fiery jettisoned components!
Our day’s run of 207 was the first to break the 200 barrier, albeit assisted by over 2 knots of current on average! Six days and 1100 miles into the leg, we have averaged just over 7.5 knots and reckon we have had total current ‘lift’ so far of nearly 200 miles. Today we crossed the ‘border’ between French Guyana and Suriname, our rhumb line now taking us offshore across the long bight in the south american mainland towards Tobago.
It was a superb day at sea with fantastic clarity of light, clear sunny skies, benign seas and sufficient wind to keep us moving along sweetly along with the equatorial current. We were treated to a visit by a large pod of large dolphins, gambling playfully for about an hour at our bow. Exody now gliding effortlessly upwind, hatches open, over an almost flat sea at over seven knots with less than ten knots of wind. We dined in the cockpit ending a memorable day at sea.
ETA Grenada Sunday 13th morning
Days 422,423: Weather !
After two near perfect days and nights of gentle trade wind sailing, today, Friday 11th March brought weather! Not just squalls but large banks of cloud and rain with associated disturbed and reduced winds. Wind from all directions- west, via north to southeast, none in excess of 15 knots, much less than 5. So we’ve had the engine off and on, the sails set from goose-winged to close-hauled and back again and again! Our patience has been just a little stretched. Few things jangle a sailor’s nerves more than flogging sails and, when the wind finally settled directly astern at about 6 knots, conditions for this torture were ideal! I lost my resolve after a couple hours stowed all sail and took to the ‘steel wings’ (as Hugur has called the engine).
Yesterday, Thursday 10th, we were 200 miles off the coast of Guyana crossing the ‘border’ with Venezuela today. The very familiar footprints of Trinidad and Tobago come up next 150 miles off the port bow.
This evening we are within 25 miles of Aretha, Makena and Starblazer. Just caught a ‘visual’ of the overtaking Makena in the binoculars early yesterday morning 12 miles to the south and it’s been good to be within VHF range this far into a long leg.
We have had two superb ‘nearly a green flash’ sunsets, last night’s toasted with Marian’s Caiparinha- almost as good as Allegro’s. The new moon now providing welcome illumination for a couple of hours.
Our day’s runs have been reducing- 180 and 147 but we are fortunate still to have favourable equatorial current of about 1 knot helping us on our way for the last stretch to St George’s Grenada.
At 21.00 Friday 11th – 1481 run, 231 to go- ETA Sunday 13th.
Day 424: ‘Side by side we stand,……
‘Islands of the blue Caribbean sea,
This our native land,
We pledge our lives to thee,
For every creed and race have an equal place,
And may God bless this nation’
So with a tuneful rendition of the T&T national anthem we saluted Tobago coming into view 35 miles to the east, the closest we’ll get by boat to the twin island state of Trinidad and Tobago, Marian’s homeland. The ARC routing and programme, our own onward travel on ARC USA and the recent unfortunate piracy incidents near to Trinidad have combined to make this so. Pity since it is home waters for both of us in a way – I worked here and lived on my last boat for a spell. We both left from Trinidad for our first transatlantic ‘uphill’ via Bermuda and Azores to Ireland back in 1982. We plan to visit family and friends by air from St Lucia, and are pleased that we did spend Xmas 2014 at Chaguaramas with Exody and our own family on board.
The wind never came back last night and, under power, we came up with and are still abreast of Makena, both motoring gently toward the last waypoint before the final overnight stretch to St Georges, Grenada 110 miles away. The contrast to yesterday could not be greater- bright sun, deep blue sea, puffy clouds, fantastic viz- everything that goes with a classic trade wind day- except the breeze! Our day’s run at 10.30 was 150 miles, half of it motored, the current still lifting us a little.
I had woken for my 09.00 radio net duty and watch this morning to Marian hauling in on the fishing line. We landed a very fine 5kg, 1 metre Dorado/ Mahi Mahi, bright yellow before it faded. With a refined technique for gaffing by the mouth not the body, we brought it on board bloodlessly!
The wind came back by evening and Makena came up real close for some aerial shots with their gyrocopter camera. Buzzing drone-like overhead, green and red lights flashing – expertly launched, guided and recovered by Luc and Sara. Both boats captured under genny alone with one of the most superb sunsets as a backdrop – a great way to record and celebrate this last night of the final ocean passage of our circumnavigation. The pan fried fresh Dorado added to the special sense of occasion.
Days 425-432: Circumnavigation, second place, new crew, fireworks.
The firework display from Calivigny Island was an unexpected bonus last night ,Saturday 19th March, seen over Hog Island from our anchorage on the west side in Mt Hartman Bay on the South Coast of Grenada. Breaking in our new crew Pete and Sally with some short hops exploring this delightful part of Grenada before heading north toward St Lucia.
We had arrived in the smart Port Louis marina at St George’s following Makena in and sailing all the way to the finish line a week ago today on Sunday 13th. The last night of the leg from Brazil was a gentle sail with Makena in sight, my brother Martin seeing her orange chute passing St David’s Harbour. He is there from Union Island hauling one of his several good ships, Satori. We took just over 10 days for the 1700 miles and, with an average of 1.25 knots current, we had 300 miles for free.
Exody was last in Port Louis in December 2014 so this completed our circumnavigation.
We were soon sorted with lunch at the Victory bar, laundry submitted, customs and immigration completed just before their 14.00 weekend closure. Here we met an Italian guy amazingly doing ocean passages on a jet ski, just in from Trinidad. Collecting Guinness Book of Records accolades and promoting good causes in remote places at the same time!
Monday 14th we hired a car for lunch rendezvous with Martin at the beach bar in St David’s Harbour. We last saw Martin when he left us in Panama February 2015, so great to see him again, this time patching concrete hull repairs on Satori. St David’s the easternmost of several large yards along this beautiful coast of multiple protected fjords.
At True Blue resort in the evening we met joining crew, Pete and Sally fresh in from UK for three nights on shore before boarding. Also amazingly bumped into a work colleague from Scotland, Martin Kerr with his wife – in Grenada indulging their hobby on a photographic/diving mission.
The week soon went by with a visit to the quaint town of St George’s – highlights being the colourful fishing fleet, rotis at the Nutmeg restaurant and treats at the newly opened Chocolate House. A day of boat jobs for us next whilst Pete and Sally circumnavigated the island by car, followed by an evening reception with lobster dinner at the Yacht Club. The World ARC tour Thursday took us to the Concord waterfall for a swim, the Grand Etang lake and a historic spice production estate. At the Friday World ARC reception round the Port Louis pool and between rain showers we were pleased to win second place on the last leg and enjoyed a great local meal.
We left Saturday lunchtime beating upwind under reefed genny alone and against the current, laying the entrance to Mt Hartman Bay and the busy anchorage to the west of Hog Island – 60 boats I counted. Crew enjoying sea baths in the morning, we moved around to Saga Cove on the east side of Hog Island to find a snorkelling spot.
For Sunday night we anchored off the bijou Whisper Cove Marina meeting up with Scot – Matt on ‘Superted V’ – for welcoming drinks aboard. Last met in East London, he and his wife have just completed a 7 year circumnavigation. Nearby at the marina another Scottish boat ‘Nae Hassle’ and we saw a Stornoway based boat in Saga Cove- a small world!
Days 433-442: Epic, Lobster, Turtles, Barracuda
We have today anchored in Tobago Cays, that pearl of the Grenadines that still matches or indeed tops most of the special places we have visited around the world. But it is much more commercial and organised now with beach barbecue and other services like baguette delivery, mooring buoys, national park rangers etc. We share the main anchorage between Jamesby and Baradal with about 40 other craft. The water is the same translucent turquoise we remember and the turtles far more plentiful.
It’s Wednesday 30th March and ten days since our last log- ten days spent making our way up from south Grenada via St David’s Harbour, then a close hauled sail to windward of Grenada for Tyrell Bay Carriacou and on to Clifton Harbour, Union Island, Petit St Vincent (PSV) and Chatham, Union Island.
Union has been home base for my brother since the mid 70’s when I consequently made my first visit. We cruised the Grenadines several times during my time in Trinidad between 1978-1982 and have visited since – so this is ‘home waters’ in many ways. However it’s been a real pleasure to linger a little longer, see more anchorages and to share our crew’s first time wonder – “epic” being a favourite descriptor!
Last week began on Monday 21st with an explore ashore at Lower Woburn near the Whisper Cove Marina and opposite the large Clarkes Court yard where a substantial marina is also being built. Two or three small local shops got our business but best of all was the ‘Meet & Meat’ at Whisper Cove itself – a first class but bijou butcher and deli. We had capuccinos and internet at the marina cafe before setting off, upwind again, for the two long tacks to St David’s – nine miles to make three. Here with his boat Satori just launched at sunset, we dined at the beach bar with brother Martin and were joined by the crew of Allegro – the boat just lifted and they staying at nearby La Sagesse.
Satori left at first light next morning for their longer trip to Union and we followed 07.30. One long 5 mile tack out before we could lay the course for Carriacou reasonably. By the middle of the day we were abreast then ahead of Satori. We later heard that they took 13 hours and 13 tacks to make Union just before sunset. A cloudy day, wet and windy- it was not the most relaxing passage to start with! We learnt (again!) about the importance of thoroughly securing all hatches and one crew succumbed to mal-de-mer before rapidly recovering for a bacon sandwich lunch! The squally weather brought veering winds and the latter part of the sail north of Grenada past Ile Diamante, Ile de Ronde and Kick ’em Jenny was much better. We closed Tyrell Bay and anchored close off Carricou Marine in less than four metres of crystal clear water.
Next afternoon we went around the corner to pick up a mooring off Sandy Isle overnight – a bit blustery but the morning brought slightly quieter conditions for a trip and swim ashore and then across to moor at Paradise Beach. Marian and I found the Fidel ‘container’ boutique then lunch at ‘Off the Hook’ beach bar – where unfortunately the advertised barber services needed to be pre-booked! Great aspect from the pristine beach out to Sandy Isle and Union beyond. Meanwhile Pete and Sally took the local route taxi/minibuses via capital Hillsborough to the traditional boatbuilding village of Windward. They were rewarded by seeing a large vessel under construction and enjoyed the local route taxi experience including spectacular vistas from the road across the island. We met them back at Carriacou Marine where we cleared out of Grenada, collected our laundry and took on water and fuel ready for the departure north.
Friday 25th we sailed north the 10 miles to Clifton Harbour, Union, anchoring in our usual spot next to Martin’s Scaramouche mooring. Ashore for clearing in at the airport- with the customary “you Martin brudder?” comments from officials and other locals, drinks and tasty lunch at niece Zoe’s Snack Shack, we then rested the afternoon, catching up with Hugur, Tulasi and APlus2. Later Zoe cooked for the family and crew to celebrate her dad’s birthday up the hill at Martin’s house. Dinner, company, night views and moon fantastic but on return to Exody we found our small spare outboard stolen and the main hatch lock tampered with. Sad story for this popular cruising area.
Reported to police next morning and spent rest of day doing laundry, swimming pool, showering, relaxing and internet chez Martin, Sally taking in a ‘copilot’ flight with Martin to St Vincent and back -15 minutes each way – picking up folk for Union Island’s Easterval festival and doing a supermarket run!
Sunday Pete and Sally joined 8 other World ARC-ers from Ayama, Hugur and Wayward Wind on the one day Scaramouche trip to Mayreau, Tobago Cays and Palm Island – enjoyed by all. Finished the day with sundowners on Happy Island.
We stocked up and left on Monday for short hops to PSV for lunch and swim – the rhythmic music from nearby Petit Martinique carrying many miles to sea, then on to Chatham Bay on the lee-side of Union joining Aretha and Garlix. A relatively quiet anchorage after the buzz of Union, though busy next day with a cruise ship re-laying customers ashore and back all day. We could not help feeling there should be more integration here of opportunities for local traders and businesses. Four beach bars had barely a customer and an articulate and talented craftsmen visiting by the week from St Vincent was selling very few souvenirs. The anchorage was gusty but comfortable with good swimming and snorkelling from the boat. Tuesday evening saw us with Ayama and Aretha at Bollhead beach restaurant for obligatory (ie whilst in the Grenadines) barbecue lobster cooked by Rasta Tim. Martin and his two sons joined overland by trailbike.
Today we left after breakfast for the 10 mile motorsail tacking past Mayreau and Catholic Island to the magical turquoise channel between Petit Rameau and Petit Bateau. Tulasi, APlus 2, Garlix and Makena are all here. Just before nightfall, Martin’s son Lee turned up on his fine sport fishing boat ‘Single Fin’ delivering a barracuda ‘caught to order’ at Marian’s request plus a bonus small tuna from his large catch of the day. Anchored off favourite island Jamesby eclipsing Union Island behind, we can see barely another boat looking aft from the cockpit- just Mayreau, Palm and Carriacou as Sarah, Luc and Kai from Makena join us for a pre-prandial Rum Punch.
Days 443-454: World ARC done- the family disperses!
Here I am with our departing crew at St Lucia’s Heewanora airport on Monday 11th April, this time I am headed home too for a family pitstop. Marian is at the smaller Vigie airport boarding for Trinidad. Here with two UK-bound flights carrying 600 odd folk leaving in two hours, it feels more a British motorway service station on the M1 than a Caribbean airport! Sharp contrast to the last twenty one months of being boat and fleet bound, in the company of just ourselves or our immediate World ARC family of about forty people.
World ARC wound up on Saturday 9th with a parade of sail from Marigot Harbour to cross the start/finish line in Rodney Bay. We processed in length order so Exody was second in line. Two behind us was Garlix chafing at the bit under full mainsail like a tethered race horse, barely managing to keep her place in line at 5 knots behind ’certified Turtle’ Chat Eau Bleu. The final dinner and prizegiving was a special event with ministerial guests, steel band, live music and good local food. We were treated to an excellent, well observed and amusing boat by boat overview by our yellowshirt Victor – he himself having grown through the experience like the rest of us.
Since our last log from the Tobago Cays, we spent a further morning snorkel-exploring – great water clarity, fish, reefs and green turtles (brown actually but green because they dine on seagrass). Close on the wind a single tack took us northward to Bequia on Friday 1st April, Mustique off to starboard together with dramatic uninhabited Battowia and Baliceaux. Union, Carriacou and Grenada all still visible to the south astern.
As the anchor dragged on our last short visit to Bequia, we were pleased when mooring man ‘Phat Shag’ found us a great spot really close inshore, just off the docks of the iconic Whaleboner and Frangipani beach bars. With the best developed services in the Grenadines, I lined up a genoa repair and spent a half day making new guardwires with Dan of Piper Marine . We met Trinidadian friend Mike Connell and wife Arlene and enjoyed seeing their self-developed home cum holiday let building. Sunday 3rd we hired a 4WD covering most roads on the island: turtle sanctuary, architecturally interesting houses, the airport, the beach resort at Friendship and the fort for sunset. We lunched on great creole fare at Dawn’s on Lower Bay. Monday Pete and Sally ferried to St Vincent for a taxi tour whilst we collected the sail, refitted the guardwires, provisioned and chilled.
We joined several of the fleet leaving at first light Tuesday 5th for the 60+ mile trip north to Marigot: Makena, Ayama, Garlix, Chateau Bleu. Motoring for a spell in the lee of St Vincent, we made a good course once the trades came back, Makena peeling off to moor at the scenic Pitons. Soon we were docked stern to the delightful and picturesque Capella Marigot facilities- crew quick to hunt down the showers and complimentary pool access. We share the dock with an immaculate sailing superyacht and a large square rigger.
Pete and Sally were released from boat cleaning and polishing to take a rewarding tour of the island one day. We enjoyed a World ARC welcome at the relaxed Café Maygo and on the last night were treated by crew to a meal at Julietta’s – with the best view over Marigot.
Exody was first out for the Parade of Sail on Saturday 9th a two hour passage north to Rodney Bay. We were re-joined by our South Atlantic crew David Toy, now back for more crewing on board Aretha. Sailing under reefed main and engine, it was quite a task to maintain speed and separation in the gusty conditions. The evening function was at once enjoyable and poignant as we sadly began the process of unravelling our close knit World ARC family. We all received a tasteful and comprehensive momento photo album, certificates of circumnavigation and yet another World ARC flag! Much effort was subsequently spent diverting our end of rally emotions with the activity of signing each other’s books and flags!
Joining Pete and Sally at beachside restaurant Jambe de Bois after their brief tour of the Pigeon Island park on Sunday, we enjoyed excellent cocktails and dinner – first class service and atmosphere, connecting with the owner Barbara , an old friend of my brother’s. .
With all four of us flying out in the afternoon, Monday morning was fairly manic- or should we say focused. Starting early- packing, cleaning, clearing, stowing to make way for the internal varnish work we have commissioned to be done using the rare opportunity of our brief absence. We hope that the work of the small team lead by Vision and Pride lives up to their monikers!
In the meantime all four of us are contemplating life on a different planet just a few hours flight away.
Cruising and liming 