I awoke the next
morning with an idea. The
original plan had us stay put for two days in Hillsborough, but
since we really did not feel like partying with the unconscious, I
felt it was time to exercise Skipper Privilege once again.
A move was in order, and I sensed that Tyrrel Bay on the
south side of Carriacou would be worth the 45-minute motor over.
We would hire a taxi and tour the island.
We conducted a minor
strafing run of Sandy Island, just off Hillsborough Harbor. It was every bit as beautiful as we had been told.
Several boats were at anchor, and you could tell that this
was the place to be if you were looking for some tranquility.
We were in the mood for a little socializing, which is why we
chose not to hole up here.
Tyrrel Bay was chock
full of anchored boats. Fortunately
for us, most of the owners were shy of shore and left a huge patch
for us to anchor in close. I’m
not a big fan of lengthy dinghy rides, so it worked out perfectly.
No sooner had the anchor scraped bottom when we were
approached by Tyrrell’s Finest – a Boat Boy.
He was different. He
had a flyer that described all his products and services, with
associated prices. Wow,
had we finally been delivered to the Promised Land?
Could this be true? This
young man’s name was Troy Augustine, and he was associated with
the Twilight Restaurant. He convinced us to book there for
dinner, and was able to secure a Taxi Tour of the island through his
cousin Neil.
Neil packed us in
his mini-bus and off we went. The
road from the Twilight into Harvey Vale used to run along the
shore until the massive waves from Hurricane Lenny decided
otherwise. What a mess.
There was collapsed concrete and scattered cement block
littering the shore for hundreds of yards.
Unfortunately, the Government of Grenada did not have the
emergency funds available to repair these roads, so after 4 months,
the locals were still using back roads to get around, with no
indication of when repairs might begin.
Driving around the
island in a Taxi is definitely the way to go.
The road cuts through the main airport runway.
That’s right, you drive across the runway to get from one
part of the island to the next.
When an airplane comes, they dispatch someone to close the
gates, averting any possible automobile/airplane mishap that might
occur.
The view from the
top of the island is spectacular.
They built the hospital here in the early days to ensure
maximum quarantine effect. Unfortunately,
if you were ill, you’d probably never survive the long climb up to
get help.
Windward was an
interesting place. This
is the harbor where the traditional fishing vessels sail on and off
their moorings through tight channels marked by sharp coral reefs.
These people must be very skilled sailors to be able to do
this every day.
I had been following
the Carriacou Caribbean Connection website at grenadines.net
for quite some time. I
had read the many diary entries of John “the Printer” Ingram and
was looking forward to popping in to say hello, as he suggested on
his Website. I felt
somewhat uncomfortable after I arrived, as John seemed preoccupied
with other tasks. I was
given the 30-second tour and was whisked away, much to my surprise.
I could not figure out what pressing issues took precedence
over a friendly visit from afar. This was not Wall Street.
On Carriacou, time was not necessarily money. Or was it?
I hobbled back to
the mini-bus like a wounded animal, where fresh Caribs were awaiting
my return. We headed
back to the Twilight and enjoyed a splendid lunch on the
patio by the beach.
As a matter of
habit, I like to check out every anchorage with my dinghy.
Although it only has a 6 HP motor, by myself I can get it
planing and really cover a lot of distance quickly.
I wanted to check out the mangrove swamp at the north end of
Tyrrel Bay. This swamp
forms its own bay lined with Mangrove trees and goes back for at
least a half-mile. Well worth
exploring. I am
told that in a hurricane, this is the place to be.
This is one quiet
island. Dinner at the Twilight
was excellent, and afterwards, we headed along what was left of the
main road into the town. Similar
to Hillsborough, the sidewalks were all but rolled up.
We managed to find one tiny place, The Studio, that
had life forms and cold beer. Definitely
a subdued atmosphere. But hey, we were in the Caribbean.
