10/22 1330 position 15-18N 61-40W. Underway for Carriacou.
At 330PM yesterday the crew piled into Arabella's dinghy and went ashore to head for the Hog Island Bar-b-que. The event is an every Sunday gathering of the yachting community on the small mangrove covered uninhabited islet south of Grenada. First we hiked a mile or so to a marina in the next bay to the east of our anchorage. There we met Sperry, a friendly native Grenadian who picked us up in his outboard powered plywood speedboat. He got that nickname for his propensity to wear Sperry Topsider footwear. Sperry took us on the fifteen minute boat ride to Hog Island for $20EC ($7US) per person, round trip. When we offered to pay upon our arrival at Hog Island, Sperry said "Just pay me when I take you back in a few hours".
Hog Island looked like a scene out of Pirates of the Caribbean. The beach was covered with dozens of happy, drinking, half naked sailors. Others swam just offshore presenting navigation hazards for the boats trying to land guests at the party. A rock and roll band made up of folks off of yachts anchored in the bay played on a bamboo stage. A makeshift bar/take out restaurant was next to the stage. Cold beer came out of coolers and food for dinner was being cooked on a gas grill. Picnic tables scattered around under the trees were full of happy yachties. Dogs chased each other around the picnic tables and between the legs of sailors preoccupied in their conversations. Pantless toddlers wandered between groups of folks, as preteen boys zipped around just offshore in their motorized dinghies.
There was a real feeling of community among the yachtsmen there. The only other place I've seen that outside a formal yacht club is in Vavau, Tonga, where sailors intending to stop for a short visit fall in love with the place and never leave. We were told that Grenada has the same kind of semi-permanent yachting community. It is tropical, friendly, reasonably priced, and sandwiched between South America and the islands to the north that are subject to hurricanes during the summer months.
It was a great party, but it started shutting down as it got dark because there is no power on Hog Island. We found Sperry for our ride home and were in bed by 9PM.
As I write this we have left Grenada behind and are just to the west of "Kick em Jenny", a submerged active volcano just north of Grenada. The government recommends giving the volcano a 1.5km berth to avoid smoke and ash when it is active. There is no sign of activity today. The weather is perfect, 13 knot trades from the southeast allowing us to beam reach northeast toward Carriacou. We have about forty miles of sailing to do today and should arrive in the anchorage by 4PM. I've already lost one lure. A fish hit a few minutes ago and the knot I tied in the 300 # monofilament came out. I should be using crimps, but we don't have any aboard. I've tied a better knot for the lure I have out now.... I think....
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