14th April - 2nd May 2008

We met our potential new crew in Clifton, Union island. Their boat being anchored just behind ours. We spent about ten days sailing in convoy, going from Union island to Carriacou. We both anchored in Tyrell bay and had a chance to get to know each other. Jim is a very experienced sailor and Nancy is a very good cook, what more could we want. We all explored the mangrove swamp at Tyrell bay, by dingy, it surrounds a series of huge lagoons and is one of the best hurricane holes in the Caribbean. Jim and Nancy were sailing with their friend Frank who is an expert on callilou soup, even calling his boat after it. Callilou, or elephants ears is similar to spinach and is used throughout the Caribbean to make a delicious soup. I made some on the boat and Frank said it was delicious.

We then sailed to Grenada in record time with the new sails. We were averaging 7 to 8 knots. We are anchored in Prickly bay again but this time we have had plenty of time to explore Grenada. We have been on the bus to the capital St. Georges, buses are regular and very reasonable here. There is a large fruit and vegetable market and a spice market of course being the 'island of spice.'

We have been listening to the local radio net, each island has one operated from one of the boats which is a permanent resident. It reports weather, news, events and security issues. We have been on a couple of trips through this. Last Friday evening we went to a fish fry at Guoyave, the fish capital of Grenada. The street had been closed to traffic and there were lots of stalls all selling fish, fried, kebabs, pizza etc. We have been on a tour of the island with a number of other yachties. It was very interesting and of course involved a rum distillery. I now know that a cashew nut grows on top of its fruit (see picture) and is poisonous unless cooked.We have made lots of new friends while here in Grenada and it has been a very social week, visiting other boats. We have learned to play rummycube. We have also got quite a lot of maintenance done but the list of jobs just seems to keep getting longer.