St George
Thursday 10th August
Carnival is coming to St George’s and there will be plenty of events to have a look at in town, so we have decided to move to St George’s bay to be nearer the action. This way we will be not be tributary to buses, we’ll be able to come and go as we please. There are a few things though, there is risk security wise, we have been advised by the coast guards and others that carnival is often an issue in the anchorage where opportunistic thieves swim to the boats from the beach. There is also the dinghy issue, we were thinking of parking it either in the marina or the yacht club so there will be security there. And to top it all, the holding in the bay is notoriously unstable. Apart from that we don’t have much to worry! Before setting off, whilst taking water and fuel in Prickly bay, steve from Wanderlust came an said hello. They have just returned this morning from Tobago and Trinidad so he has plenty stories to tell. He also mentioned that they were going round to St George and that eh marina was having a special offer on, half price moorings for a week during carnival, well that was it, Ian was on the phone straight away, listing all his concerns under his breath and saying it was well worth the money in exchange for the peace of mind! It is a bit extravagant but the best excuse we have is that maybe hot showers will cure Ian’s skin condition.
We arrive in St George Marina early afternoon, after a nice downwind stretch under a fabulous sunshine. Not a quiet one mind, we were followed near enough all the way by Rum Runner, the tourist party boat, blaring out all the Carnival tunes full blast. Could not help but jiggling to the beat. We have not been in a marina for several months but parking is easy enough, we are at the end of the pontoon, not hemmed in and with a view of the surrounding hills rather than back of boats. And the facilities are so close! Best showers ever, we are not talking a 3m2 cubicle here but a full ensuite bathroom, air conditioned and with shower heads as bit as dinner plates just like in posh hotels! Me think I am going to spend a bit of time there and at the pool!
Won’t be a quiet time though, every bar around the whole bay is playing loud music; just as well we did not come here for a rest. Taking in the surrounding boats, I noticed that Enigma, Diane’s boat, is here, We met Diane in Las Palmas before the crossing and she is here with Allan, her husband. We last saw them in January in Marigot Bay. We had a lovely evening at Patrick’s restaurant catching up with news. The food was fantastic and so was the company. Late night and not much sleep to be had once back on board, Carnival music echoing around the bay.
Friday 11th August
We spent the day in town doing errands. We have a few broken items that need fixing. Ian broke his proper glasses frame ages ago, his Samsung tablet is gone blank and the zip of his rucksack is kaput. We are amazed that the first optician we go to managed to find a new frame that fit the lenses and are able to swap it there and then. Within half an hour the glasses are fixed for a mere 130 pound, with a new case thrown in! Success with the rucksack too, a new zip is out in by a specialist bag repair in the market. As for the tablet, it is left in the shop for diagnosis; hopefully they will be able to do something about it. The market is busy today; I guess people are stoking up for the long weekend. The fruit and veg are beautiful; we come back with bagful of them. And I found the Short Knees fabric; see if I can get a dress made out of it. Buoyed by all this successes, we celebrate with an ice cream! At the top of the steep street, we found the catholic church with the best view of the harbour. Unfortunately it is full of worshippers all sitting by the windows, probably enjoying the views; don’t think I would be too popular taking pictures at this time. We’ll have to come back.
Steve and Sam have arrived at the marina, only a few boats away on the same pontoon. They come to dinner with us and filled us in on Trinidad and Tobago. Guess we will have to go there, it all sounds brilliant. Another late night….and the music is still playing on.
Saturday 12th August
We make the most of having water on tap, I spent a good chunk of the day cleaning the dinghy inside and out. There are barnacles and all sort of vegetable matter growing underneath. Need a screwdriver to dislodge them. Dirty smelly job! Looks nice now. Ian is wrestling with the water pump down below. Judging by the swearing it is not going his way. Steve comes to the rescue in the afternoon., while us girls go and sit by the pool. Diane and Allan are coming for dinner, so another late night for us. We are going to be exhausted before the carnival even starts, and we have to get up in the early hours of the morning for J’ouvert. Marinas are definitely more sociable than anchorages.