Author Archives: Ryan

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in Grenada – by Ryan

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First Thanksgiving

First Thanksgiving

Throughout history, people have celebrated Thanksgiving all over the world to join together and give thanks for their many blessings. In 1621, the Pilgrims and the Indians celebrated the harvest with a feast that we now call Thanksgiving. They celebrated in New England in the north east. The Pilgrims were grateful for a lot of things, especially surviving the winter, considering half of the Mayflower’s original passengers and crew died in the first winter. I’m grateful that they decided to have a feast because now every year we get to have a feast too!

This year we found ourselves having Thanksgiving dinner on our neighbors’ boat (M/V Seamantha). Mrs. Paulette and Capt. John cooked an excellent meal with all the trimmings including turkey, stuffing, potatoes, vegetables, homemade apple pie, and ice cream! We also brought over some extra gravy and turkey. After the wonderful meal, we watched football and played Life. It was a lot of fun and I am very grateful for it.

Indian & Pilgrim

Indian & Pilgrim

In preparation for Thanksgiving we reviewed some trivia (http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/mayflower-myths) and learned that despite many pictures showing otherwise, Pilgrims did not wear belt buckles on their hats. In addition, contrary to popular belief, Indians didn’t wear loin cloths in the snow of the north east at the first Thanksgiving. Instead, since it was cold, they wore long animal skinned pants and fur coats.

Flying Turkey

Flying Turkey

We also learned that turkeys can fly 55 miles per hour and that Americans eat 46 million turkeys on Thanksgiving Day alone! I bet you would never have guessed that most presidentially pardoned turkeys die within one year due to obesity.

A few things I am grateful for this year are, number one, I am not a turkey, even a presidentially pardoned turkey! I am also grateful that we have such great boat neighbors, and finally that I have a family to spend Thanksgiving with. I hope everybody had a happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! (R&R circa 2009)

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! (R&R circa 2009)

Cruisers Coming Together for a Good Cause – by Ryan

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Recently the cruising community came together to raise money for a local orphanage, Queen Elizabeth Home for Children (QEHFC). All the adults were raising money so the kids could have school supplies and shoes because it’s back to school for the kids on Grenada. I said adults, but Ronan and I also donated money and toys to the orphanage. We also made brownies for the kids, and picked up Chelsea Buns at the Merry Baker for someone else going to the fundraiser. It was about a ten minute drive through St. Georges from Port Louis Marina until we reached the orphanage. Other boat kids were in the bus with us also going to the orphanage. When we got to the orphanage we put the brownies under the pavilion where a couple of boaters were setting up to play music for the lunch. Next, we all had lunch and played with the kids. We got to check out the inside of the building where the kids slept and also where they did their homework. We played games like soccer and tag with the kids. They had good music and some of the kids sang. After everyone ate lunch they gave each of the kids their own note book that was bought with the money that was donated. Eventually we had to stop having fun and head back to the marina. The day after the lunch some of the cruisers went with the kids from the orphanage to go buy new shoes. To protect the privacy of the minor children at the home no photographs were permitted to be taken of the event.

S/V Savvy

S/V Savvy

Today the cruisers once again came together and organized a day of fun for the kids from QEHFC. The owner of Port Louis Marina was kind enough to let the kids go out on his sail boat for a sail. Since there were so many kids and not enough lifejackets, the cruisers, including Ronan and I, lent children’s life jackets for the sail. I hope they have a great sail and that we impacted their lives in a positive way.

S/V Savvy
S/V Savvy
Children’s Life Jackets
S/V Savvy