CHARLESTOWN BAY, CANOUAN

July 2, 2013

CRUISERS AROUND THE BARBECUE

We did not leave Bequia as we expected on Monday morning, we will blame it on a wonderful barbecue on the beach organized by Out of Africa. There were about 20 cruisers present the talk was of what is to come. Almost all of us are heading for Grenada, 78 miles away. After a day off, we pulled anchor a little after 8am leaving Bequia behind.

JOHO SAILING TO CANOUAN

We sailed on a broad reach to the Island of Canouan, 26miles away. It was a beautiful day & we were part of a group of 12 boats moving south from Bequia. We soon passed the small island of Mustique the destination for 4 of the cruising boats we left with. JOHO, a Gulfstar 40 with John & Yolanda on board are keeping pace with us, they are the only boat stopping in Charlestown Bay, Canouan overnight. 

ARRIVING CANOUAN

By 2:30 Rod was taking down the sails & we turned in behind JOHO to enter the Bay. We had planned to stay 2 nights there but we did not expect such a rough anchorage. The swells cause the boat to roll continually, this makes it very uncomfortable. After setting the anchor we called JOHO on channel 68 & invited them to Sun Downers aboard It's Perfect.

About 5:30 our company arrived & our evening was filled comparing stories. Yolanda & John are both Dutch & have been cruising for 12 years. Quite a feat considering they are just a little older than Brad our oldest son. They have traveled thru the Mediterranean, The Red Sea & out into the Indian ocean. JOHO crossed the Atlantic spending time in the Azores, Bermuda & the east coast of America. Now in the Caribbean they will eventually arrive in Aruba where work awaits them once again. They stop along the way & add to the cruising kitty, this enables them to live the life.

This is their second boat, the first was smaller & took them across many miles of ocean to new destinations. It was very interesting getting to know them & our paths will cross many times in the next few months.
 

We called it a day by 8:30, only one night in Canouan.  Tomorrow we leave for the beautiful Tobago Cays.