Bel Ami Voyages

Carnival napping

I think something fishy is going on around here!

Morning walk in Carriacou. We are here getting sails repaired and waiting to be sent a new chart plotter. Our B&G Zeus3 decided to stop working after we attempted to update it online via Starlink. We needed to update it because it was not recognising our new radar dome. The folks at B&G have promised to expedite shipping via Fed Ex, but we will see. We need to be in St. Lucia for Bobbie’s daughters and her grandson who are flying there April 19. The sail repairs should be ready to go, but not so sure about delivery of the new chart plotter. If it doesn’t arrive before we have to leave for St. Lucia, we will just pick it up on our return downisland to Grenada for hurricane season. We are also waiting for the completion of our new main sail from FarEast Sails. Not sure where that will be sent to. So dealing with quite a bit of uncertainty. Meanwhile, we are enjoying our time in Carriacou, have met some wonderful folks, and continue to look forward to what’s next.

To my wonderful cougar of a wife I wish you the happiest birthday!

Bobbies birthday!!!

Hello mudder, hello fardder, here we are at, camp Grenada (you say Grenaida, I say Grenahda…)
Yes, we’ve finally made it to Grenada. Well, almost to Grenada. After a lovely evening at Union Island’s Chatham’s Bay, we sailed around the point to Clifton Harbor where we got our departure papers to leave the Grenadines. Then on to Cariacou, the northern most island of the country of Grenada. Tyrel Bay on the west side is a very well protected anchorage (see picture) with a lot of boats hanging out. The “town” itself is a rather dusty waterfront road several bars/restaurants/dive shops in typical Caribbean fashion. The highlight was a freshly baked loaf of multi-grain bread. Plan is to sail down to the actual island of Grenada on Friday when the weather is more in our favour. Stay tuned.

Sunset dinner in Chatham Bay, Union Island, St Vincent & Grenadines. We had a bumpy night sleeping in South Glossie Bay of Canoun, where we explored the marina and ran into Teeka who with his captain sailed his NEW 51 foot Privledge catamaran across the Atlantic. On the way his NEW boat experienced both rudders failing in big winds and seas!! OMG. Then they ran out of diesel. Fortunately a big mega yacht came to their rescue providing much needed fuel 450 miles out from Barbados. We enjoyed a very pleasant evening with Teeka, especially Bobbie who got to smoke a Cuban cigar and also took one for the road. Other pics include Scruffys the ultimate beach bar, and our 3 masted gaff rigged schooner neighbour. Tomorrow Carricou.

Greets from Port Elizabeth, Bequi. We had an unremarkable motor sail down from St. Lucia, having decided to skip St. Vincent all together because of all the reports of robberies. The water was as flat as could be except for the ripples made by the dolphins who briefly swam along side of us. Unfortunately, we left Rodney Bay a little too late, and didn’t get to Bequi until after dark. However, as we approached the island, an incredible full moon lite up the way, as well as all the lights on the two big ships that were in port. Bel Ami is the sailboat that the blue hulled motor yacht is pointing to in the picture. Today I had a fantastic hike per All Trails: Friendship Bay to Port Elizabeth. It’s listed as moderate difficulty but I call it strenuous. We will stay here tomorrow (Saturday) and hope to participate in the open mic in town. I stopped by and they have a keyboard already set up, so I’m psyched! Dont have to lug the ole squeeze box. Just will be taking my harps. Speaking of open mics, a FB friend of mine now is in Grenada and let me know of an open mic he is running at Whisper Cove Marina. We played together at Tickles in St. Thomas and now he and his honey have relocated to Grenada. Very cool indeed!

The Pitons of St Lucia through the rigging

We’ve gone from weeks of crazy big winds to now no winds at all! Leaving St Lucia today and motoring south, probably make Bequi tonight and Grenada tomorrow. Maybe. Seas are about as flat as can be. Bobbie can do her artwork and I’ll read, polish the stainless, and hang out. Not a bad way to go at 6 knots with a clean bottom—had a diver clean the bottom yesterday. Nothing feels as good as a clean bottom!!

The first ladder

One of the ladders

Greetings from Martinique. We made it here a couple days ago, mainsail fuller clanking a riot. We are now in a slip at the marina in Le Marin, and working on fixing sails and things, and thankfully the main furler is quiet. Hopefully we will get back on our way in less than a week. Just ordered a new mainsail from Far East Sails in Hong Kong, who provide significant discounts. Friend of mine (Morgan McDonald) in St. Thomas ordered a complete set and was very happy with them when I last talked to him in January. Not a whole lot otherwise going on with us, just enjoying the warm weather and meeting some nice people. Mostly Amel owners, because we are on the Amel dock. The boat next to us is an Amel 50, couple years old, and incredible!! The boat across from us is not an Amel and is from Italy. Life on the docks.

Isle Des Saintes is a wonderfully picturesque island with its colorful waterfront village. We availed ourselves of both lunch and dinner ashore, getting off the boat that was in a very rolly anchorage, which made the empty mainsail furler constantly bank against the sides of the mast. And of course, the placed was filled with the noises and sights of Carnival, which, unbeknownst to us, was in full swing! Pulled into Dominica this afternoon. What a lush beautiful place this is. Was rewarded by one of the many rainbows spread across the harbor.

Thé saga of our mainsail. Manfred Deitrich (May he rest in peace after falling and drowning in the drink a couple years ago at the ripe old age of 88 after too much drink!) was a wizened old sailmaker who lived in Davey Jones Locker on Hassle Island in St Thomas USVI. You had to see it to believe it. He custom fashioned Bel Ami’s 3 sails about 15 years ago, give or take a few. Up to now they have been pretty much bullet proof excepting occasional repairs (which have been getting more frequent past couple years). But now the time has come to replace. Plan is to continue down to Martinique and get the main halyard fixed and while we are there invest in new sails. Meanwhile we are in The Saintes and unbeknown to us it’s Carnival!

The Saintes

After spending a few delightful days in the Cousteau National Park, during which I availed myself of some wonderful snorkeling (don’t remember last time there was such good viz!), we briefly headed south to Basseterre, where our mainsail clew proceeded to blow out! I repaired this clew several times already, and I figure I should now leave it up to a pro to repair. So now the question is whether we head east and then north up to Point A Pitre (about 20 NM) for an on-the-nose sail—or—continue heading south to The Saintes and try to find a sail repair guy there. Part of the problem is finding someone is that it’s Carnival in Guadeloupe, and no one is working until at least Thursday. I’ve been told that Point A Pitre is the place to go for this kind of repair. They have multiple sail maker shops there. But I hate to head east and then north, which is opposite the general direction that we are heading. Decisions, decisions…I have put the question to the Guadeloupe cruisers group on FB, see if I get any responses. Will wait and see. Meantime we continue to binge on Yellowstone (love that Starlink!). And Bobbie Rae has her ears on in the sunset.

We sailed yesterday from Deshaies to the Pigeon Island Anchorage, about 8 nm south, adjacent to the Cousteau (as in Jacques) National Park. Very beautiful here with calm anchorage, nice beaches, and supposed to be great snorkeling and diving. I tried to sign up for a dive and the dive operator is sold out until the end of the month! Dive business is good here!! We are anchored right by the anchor on the sketch chart. It seemed to have rained almost continuously last night. We have a very annoying extremely slow leak in the “new” hatch that was installed above the salon table in 2019. Grenada Marine promised to fix it if and when we returned there. I just sent them an email to see if they’ll honor that promise…keeping my fingers crossed. After we arrived yesterday I hopped in the dingy to do a little exploring, but forgot to take my phone/camera. I met some folks who were dinghy-ing into a small river opening just large enough to allow very small craft, and followed them in. It opened up into a whole world off services including 3 large supermarkets, a hardware store, some restaurants. I left my dinghy at one of the restaurants and as I was walking by this guy motioned to me like he knew me, and I went over to talk with him. His name is Tibour. Turns out he was a local blues guitarist and he played me a few tunes on his ancient and VERY worn guitar that sounded really great! Wish I had my harp with me. We shared a libation, and he told me about an open blues jam next week Thursday. He spoke very bad English and I very bad French, so we communicated well.

Greetings from Deshaies (pronounced en français Day-says), Guadeloupe. Got here yesterday before sunset after a great sail from Nevis. Bobbie used the patch, wrist stimulator and single ear pod and didn’t get sea sick despite seas at time up to 10 feet on the beam and steady winds up to 25 knots. The winds are again picking up and big gusts are again expected for the next week or so. But being in the lee of Guadeloupe we should be fine. We are anchored in 50 feet of water with 250 feet of chain, holding well. Too crowded closer in. Looking forward to going into town this afternoon to check in at Le Pelican and getting some fresh baguettes! Oui!

Nevis sunrise. Tomorrow we sail to Guadeloupe. Looking forward to fresh baguettes!!