Category Archives: Grenadines

Ryan, Paulette, John, Randy, Theresa & Ronan in St. Lucia (Jan. 2018)

As the famous New York Yankee catcher, Yoggi Berra used to say, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it” – by Randy

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As we have communicated to you before, the cruising community is different than that which our land based neighbors are accustomed to. We are, by definition, a group of transients with different itineraries, capabilities and goals. We have been cruising in the Caribbean for over 3 years now and we have crossed and recrossed paths with dozens of cruising families that we have enjoyed sharing our cruising dream with. Having passing acquaintances with other families is just part of the lifestyle. That said, we have developed some unique and close bonds with a select few. One of the special cruising families that we have shared a particularly close friendship with is John and Paulette Lee of M/V Seamantha, a Kadey Krogen 58′ trawler.

Paulette & John on the bridge of M/V Seamantha

Paulette & John on the bridge of M/V Seamantha

Tobago Cays (June 2016)

Petite St. Vincent  (June 2016)

Patton

Patton

We first met John and Paulette in the British Virgin Islands 3 years ago during our initial trip south through the Caribbean. When we arrived to spend our first hurricane season in Grenada, we ended up with a slip right next to Seamantha in the Port Louis Marina. John and Paulette spoiled our Cocker Spaniel, “Patton” with fresh bowls of his favorite vegetable, cauliflower, on the aft deck of Seamantha. They have watched our boys, Ryan and Ronan grow from little boys into capable young men. Throughout our trip, we have shared countless wonderful experiences with our cruising buddies. As the saying goes, friends are the family that you get to choose and John and Paulette have certainly become a big part of our family.

Seamantha & Pilots’ Discretion arriving in Grenada Grenada
Ryan, John & Paulette, diving in St. Lucia
Paulette, Ryan, John & Ronan, hiking Petite St. Vincent (2016)
Ryan, John & Ronan in Petite St. Vincent (2016)
Paulette hash olympics – Grenada (2016)
Ryan & Paulette – Hash Olympics – Grenada (2016)
Paulette & John diving in St. Lucia
Dive instructor Mary & Paulette diving in St. Lucia
Randy, Ryan, John & Paulette diving in St. Lucia
Randy, Ryan, Paulette & John, diving in St. Lucia
Salt ponds in Mayreau
Mayreau (2016)
John, Ronan & Paulette, hiking in St. Lucia (2017)
St. Lucia hike (2017)
Mayreau (2016)
John, & Ronan hiking in St. Lucia (2017)
Dive St. Lucia boat
Popcorn aboard M/V Seamantha
Ryan and Ronan hiking along the waterfront in Bequia
M/V Seamantha arriving in Admiralty Bay, Bequia

M/V Seamantha arriving in Admiralty Bay, Bequia

After watching the devastation and subsequent recovery of the Caribbean after one of the worst hurricane seasons on record, we have decided it is the appropriate time to turn the Pilots’ Discretion north and head back towards the United States. We are actually looking forward to retracing our route through the Caribbean and points north. It will be an opportunity to revisit some of our favorite spots. With our decision to turn north we have arrived at another one of those intersections in the life of a cruiser. Our friends on M/V Seamantha are departing St. Lucia this week to head south and so it is that we have arrived at Yoggi’s infamous fork in the road. Pilots’ Discretion and Seamantha will be taking divergent paths which in many ways is sad. We will not be saying goodbye, but rather, we will say “until we see you again.” So, as you depart Seamantha, we wish you fair winds and following seas.

Ryan, Paulette, John, Randy, Theresa & Ronan in St. Lucia (Jan. 2018)

Ryan, Paulette, John, Randy, Theresa & Ronan in St. Lucia (Jan. 2018)

MOVIE TRAILER – by Ronan(10) and Ryan (11)

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Ronan (10) and Ryan (11) made a “movie trailer” for our Caribbean cruising adventures. We added it to our “VIDEOS” page at: https://pilotsdiscretion.com/videos/. We are also sharing it here, below. I think we found our new videographers! They had a lot of fun making it. We hope you enjoy watching it! Click on the below image to play.

We have also created a dedicated YouTube channel  where we have compiled the videos from our blog, and uploaded additional videos from our journey.  To view the videos click on the link below (or copy and paste into browser):

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC94z5hCIrRiEvY8MTJegTbA.

PD1 heading ashore, Baradol Island, Tobago Cays

TOBAGO CAYS – by Theresa

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Tobago Cays

Tobago Cays

At long last, we arrived in the beautiful Tobago Cays in the Grenadines, West Indies! Just a short cruise (2 nautical miles) from Mayreau, the Tobago Cays Marine Park consists of five (5) uninhabited islands (Baradal, Petit Rameau, Petit Bateau, Petit Tabac and Jamesby) surrounded by a horseshoe reef. Our first night in the park we picked up a mooring ball directly in front of the turtle sanctuary just off Baradal.

Baradol Island, Tobago Cays

Baradal Island, Tobago Cays

Randy and Ronan diving the mooring ball, Baradol Island, Tobago Cays
Ronan jumping in to dive the mooring
Ronan giving the 'OK' on the mooring ball, Baradol Island, Tobago Cays

Ronan giving the ‘OK’ on the mooring ball, Baradal Island, Tobago Cays

After receiving the all clear on the mooring, we snorkeled ashore, through, and around, the turtle sanctuary where green and hawksbill turtles feed off the sea grass.

Green Turtle, Baradol Island, Tobago Cays

Green Turtle, Baradal Island, Tobago Cays

Green Turtle, Baradal Island, Tobago Cays
Green Turtle, Baradal Island, Tobago Cays Marine Park

We saw hundreds of starfish, so many, that they appeared to form underwater constellations.

Cushion Starfish, just off Baradol Island, Tobago Cays

Cushion Starfish, just off Baradal Island, Tobago Cays

Cushion Starfish, just off Baradol Island, Tobago Cays

Cushion Starfish, just off Baradal Island, Tobago Cays

Needless to say, the snorkeling was amazing!

Southern Stingray & Trunkfish just off Baradol Island, Tobago Cays

Southern Stingray & Trunkfish just off Baradal Island, Tobago Cays

Palometa & Conch just off Baradol Island, Tobago Cays

Palometa & Conch just off Baradal Island, Tobago Cays

Once ashore, we explored the uninhabited island where tortoises, iguanas and birds roam freely.

Baradal Island beach looking out towards the reef, Tobago Cays
Baradal Island, Tobago Cays (spot Pilots’ Discretion)
Ronan setting out to explore Baradal Island, Tobago Cays Marine Park
Ryan setting out to explore Baradal Island, Tobago Cays Marine Park
Tortoise, were plentiful and freely roamed Baradal Island, Tobago Cays
The birds were eating the fruit off the cacti, Baradal Island, Tobago Cays
Iguanas also roamed freely on Baradal Island, Tobago Cays Marine Park
Nesting Birds, Baradal Island, Tobago Cays Marine Park

Our second night in the Marine Park, we picked up a mooring ball in the cut between Petit Rameau and Petit Bateau. We had considered snorkeling ashore, however, we saw multiple sharks and rays swimming just off the boat so we instead opted to take the dinghy ashore. Petit Rameau was inhabited by mostly goats. Petit Bateau has a nice trail that runs around the island and provides nice views of the surrounding islands.

Petit Bateau, Tobago Cays
Pilots’ Discretion moored between Petit Rameau and Petit Bataeu
Hiking Petit Bateau, looking towards Baradol Island

Hiking Petit Bateau, looking towards Baradal & Jamesby

We have been to multiple marine parks while cruising the Caribbean and have enjoyed the pristine beauty of them all. The Tobago Cays Marine Park was no exception and we highly recommend stopping here for anyone cruising on or around these waters. We would have stayed in the park longer, however, there was some weather moving in and so we opted to leave and continue our journey south towards Grenada. Our next stop, Petit St. Vincent and Petite Martinique . . .

Port Louis, St. Georges, Grenada

St. Vincent, The Grenadines & Grenada – by Randy

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For the past nine months, our family has been cruising south, through  the Caribbean including to and through the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Spanish Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, St. Martin/St. Maarten, St. Bart, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts & Nevis, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. Alas we have arrived in our summer home, Port Louis Marina, St. George’s Harbor in Grenada!

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

Charleston Bay, Canouan, Grenadines

Charleston Bay, Canouan, Grenadines

After departing the serene Piton anchorage in St. Lucia we set a course towards St. Vincent & The Grenadines. Upon arrival, we opted to pick up a mooring ball in Charleston Bay in Canouan, the Grenadines. The bay, formerly home to a Moorings base that has apparently been closed down, was virtually empty the day we arrived. With only one other cruising boat in the harbor we moored within 30 yards of the beach  just off the Tamarind Resort Hotel and enjoyed a pleasant evening ashore. During our brief period ashore, we found the locals to all be pleasant and helpful. We discovered a charming beachfront restaurant with tables set in the sand from which we enjoyed our dinner while watching the sunset over Charleston Bay (the name of the restaurant was the Coconut Bar and Grill and the owner’s name was Ezera. Ezera and his beach dog “beachboy” made sure that everyone including our Cocker Spaniel, Patton were well taken care of).  From St. Vincent southward to Grenada there are literally dozens of small to medium sized islands, each with it’s own distinct personality and allure. Unfortunately, we have arrived too late in the season and must press on to Grenada but to be sure, we will be exploring as many of them as we can when we make our return trip northward.

GRENADA

Cruising into Grenada

Cruising into Grenada

With the “hurricane season” upon us, our boat insurance requires us to position the boat south of 12o30”   north of the equator. As such, we departed Canouan and continued our journey south towards our summer home marina in Grenada. Since our course took us in close proximity to “Kick ’em Jenny,” an active under water volcano, prior to departing Canouan we obtained an Eastern Caribbean volcanic activity update at: http://www.uwiseismic.com/.  Kick ’em Jenny has a reputation of kicking up nasty seas and she did not disappoint on the day we cruised  by. Despite staying well clear of the 1.5 km safety exclusion zone, there was a noticeable shift in seas, which continued until we got into the lee of Grenada. The island of  Grenada has all along been our end of the Caribbean chain destination and so we had yet another surreal moment as we cruised into the sheltered lagoon at Port Louis Marina, Grenada in our own boat.

Port Louis, St. Georges, Grenada

Port Louis, St. Georges, Grenada

Once settled into the marina, we set out to explore new our new summer home base. Since we will be here for several months, we will have ample time to explore Grenada at a leisurely pace.

Port Louis, St. Georges, Grenada
R&R hiking the mound, Port Louis, Grenada

Already we have discovered a local hiking/running club which organizes weekly hikes in different locations around the island.

Grenada hike trail marker
Grenada hike – crossing streams
Grenada hike – some people ran
Grenada hike – the rope obstacle
Grenada hike – the boys scaling the rope obstacle
Grenada hike – some people walked

The boys have completed their homeschooling for the year and we are looking forward to exploring all that Grenada and the surrounding islands have to offer this summer.

R,R, and Patton-Port Louis, Grenada
Henry’s Safari Tours, Grenada