21 July 1995 Mount Harman Bay, Grenada
Still squally weather - now being caused by the ITCZ. We filled up with fuel and water. I tightened up the stern gland and pumped out the engine bilge. No school work today.
After lunch, we went round to Hog Island on “Marina Em” and did some water skiing. Tony used to be in the British Water Skiing Team when he was younger, but he hasn’t skied much for 10 years. After a couple of false starts (my fault because I was scared of his 25hp outboard), he got onto one ski and looked really good. I skied on two skis for my first go and then on my second go I dropped one ski and skied mono – fantastic! “Marina Em” came for dinner and we had ”Lobster Aromatique” which was very nice. I’m afraid that we drank 4 bottles of wine between us.
22 July 1995 Mount Harman Bay, Grenada
No school work. We went for a walk up to the Pig Farm, saw the pigs, but unfortunately the factory shop was shut – we had to walk to the village and get some chicken (again!) We had lunch and then went for a dive with Tony and Dee. After the dive I felt really tired – I finished a book and tried to play the clarinet, but gave up as I was terrible. I was asleep by nine o’clock!
23 July 1995 Mount Harman Bay to Hog Island
Squally weather again caused by the ITCZ. We have been invaded by houseflies which have the annoying habit of chasing each other. They buzz around and land on our uncovered bodies, which at six o’clock in the morning is very annoying. The only way that I can sleep is to hide under the sheet but then I get so hot that I have to get up. Very frustrating.
We decided to go around to Hog Island for the barbeque. It was beautiful and peaceful with only one other boat in the anchorage – a bit of a difference from last year! By two o’clock, there were two other boats here “Marina Em” and “Nina“ (NZ) with Dave, Mandy and Sam (9). The barbeque didn’t get going until about four o’clock. We just went over for a few beers then ate on the boat. Lovely peaceful night.
24 July 1995 Hog Island to Mount Harman Bay
Beautiful quiet morning in Hog Island – feels like home. We did schoolwork in the morning and sat on the boat. It’s amazing here, we are in paradise and we just do things on the boat – the boys played with Lego, Glenys is upholstering and I’m writing a letter to the Estate Agent! At two o’clock, we went back around to Mount Hartman before the coast guard turned up to throw us out. We spent the afternoon doing our own things.
25 July 1995 Mount Harman Bay
Short school work in the morning because it was a test – Lesson 140. Only 20 to go to the end of this year. The end is in sight!
I walked to Grand Anse to look for some Teva sandals, but no joy – I’ll have to wait until Trinidad. I spent the afternoon looking through the pilot for Venezuela – I’m starting to get itchy feet and I need a plan. “Marina Em” came over for a beer and Tony went through the places that they have visited in Venezuela.
The house flies continue to be really annoying. We have been told that the locals fill clear plastic bags with water and hang them up in their rooms - allegedly this drives the flies away. We’re getting desperate, so we now have two bags hanging from the ceiling in the saloon and in our back cabin.
26 July 1995 Mount Harman Bay
School work in the morning. After lunch we went for a dive with Tony and Dee. We then went waterskiing and I managed to do a mono start – wow! Brett kept asking if he could have a go and we eventually let him have a go. To our amazement, he managed to get up on Tony’s adult sized skis! He went about 200 metres before pulling his arms in and falling. Brilliant!
Gary and Ros came for dinner which was very pleasant. I made the mistake of trying to play the clarinet after I’d had a few beers – I could hardly talk, never mind coordinate my embouchure and fingers!
27 July 1995 Mount Harman Bay
No school work this morning – I was feeling a bit delicate! Glenys remembered that yesterday was our 15th wedding anniversary, so I gave her a kiss. We had a lovely wedding anniversary anyway! I slobbed about in the morning finishing a book and we then went for a dive with “Marina Em”. I filled 4 tanks. We went for a beer on “Marina Em” and gave them a preview of Tobago.
28 July 1995 Mount Harman Bay to Hog Island
School work in the morning, then around to Hog Island. The boys and I went for a walk across to the Coconut Beach. The locals have hacked down a lot of trees and are making charcoal. We had a good look at their charcoal pit.
The Coconut Beach has been taken over by hundreds of wasps/hornets which are buzzing around about 6” off the ground. They have dug themselves individual burrows in the sand. Interesting, but a bit worrying when walking amongst them. We had a quiet night after beating back the swarm of mosquitoes that arrived at six o’clock.
29 July 1995 Hog Island to Calvigny Harbour
We motored around to Calvigny Harbour in company with “Marina Em”. Interesting pilotage to get there and what a beautiful anchorage – calm and peaceful with only 3 other boats in here. We did two good dives; on the second one I caught a 6lb and a 2lb lobster. Both sides of the channel into Calvigny Harbour are good lobster dive sites. We took our 6lb lobster tail and legs over to “Marina Em” and had dinner there.
30 July 1995 Calvigny Harbour
Tony and I went for a dive in the morning, but the seas were too high to get out past the entrance, so we dived inside in very murky water. Tony took his spear gun and did a passable imitation of Clint Eastwood, shooting everything that he saw, (which wasn’t much!)
We had a quiet, lazy afternoon before going to “Marina Em” to have a fish fondue, which was great fun – dipping the bits of filleted fish in egg, breadcrumbs and the hot fat. We called it a day at nine o’clock as everyone (especially Tony) is starting to feel the strain of being together for so long – we’ve had constant daily contact for 10 days and it’s enough! I filled 3 tanks.
31 July 1995 Calvigny Harbour to Mount Harman Bay
Went for a dive with Tony and Dee. I took a spear gun with me for the first time ever and shot about 8 assorted fish. Good fun and it gets dinner. We motored around to Mount Hartman and anchored behind “Manx Cat”. I rang Gary and they’ve arranged for us to go to “La Source” for the day – Brett and Craig are so excited.
Ian and Terri from “Manx Cat” came for a musical soirée. They were very impressed with Band-in-a-Box and I had a wonderful 2 hours playing tunes on my clarinet with Ian.
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