Grenada The spice island

Goodbye Atlantic crew, 50 years of Grenada, my new job and horned devils on the streets.

The island state of Grenada is one of the southernmost islands of the Lesser Antilles. Like many others, these islands are of volcanic origin. The island of Grenada is the largest of the group and is considered the main island. The state is particularly famous for its spices, with nutmeg even making it onto the national flag 😂 Well then, let's finally put a raclette on the Swiss flag 😎

Grenada

After a smooth crossing from Union Island, we moor at a buoy in St George in the afternoon. Customs are already closed, so we are not officially allowed ashore. Funnily, the "Spindrift of Hamble" with Tinu and Judy is also moored here and we pay them a visit. We haven't seen each other since Tenerife, and there's a lot to talk about... 😅

The next day we check in in the morning, then Thierry & I go for a walk around St George. Marti & Wulfi are back on the boat and pack their things. The moment has come, after almost 2 months in the best of company, our crew has shrunk back down to two. Thank you both for an unforgettable time, for ups & downs, for culinary highlights, it was a pleasure to cross the Atlantic with you 😘⛵ Together we discovered anchorages, got to know new cultures and savoured our first rum punch in the Caribbean. This trip will be a part of us forever and we hope that this was not our last adventure together! ♥ Take care dear ones, see you next time!

Never stoooooooops!!!

In Prickly Bay on the southern tip of the island, the time has come. The two of them disembark. Thierry & I stay here for a while, because the bay wasn't chosen at random 😉 As you know, I have a job interview. I've enjoyed diving since I was little and I've often imagined what it would be like to work in a dive shop. It's something I want to do, so I put out a few applications. Scuba West Indies in Grenada invited me so we could get to know each other. After an evening at the local brewery and two dives the day after, the deal was finalised: I'm going to do my divemaster training as an intern at Scuba West Indies during the hurricane season. How cool is that 🤩 We can moor the CERVINO at a buoy in the same bay during this time. Everything fits! 🥳 And there's a kitespot just on the other side of the hill... 😇

It also happens to be National Day: 50 years of independence for Grenada! 🎂 There's a huge celebration at the stadium in St George, so of course we don't miss it. Our expectations were probably a little too high 😂 A bunch of military parades and too many & too quiet speeches later, we eat an "Oil Down", the national dish. Musical performances follow, capped off by the ultimate fireworks display with a drone show 😎 When the band starts playing, we have to leave to catch the bus back.

As we will hopefully see and explore this exciting island again in a few months, we are drawn to the island of Carriacou, the northernmost of the island state. It's carnival time here... 😉

Carriacou

The crossing from the south of Grenada to Carriacou is about 45nm, which means a whole day of sailing. With winds of over 20 knots and considerable waves against us, it's a pretty sporty trip. The bow of the Cervino regularly dives into a wave, which then spreads almost all the way back into the cockpit. As you know, these are not my favourite conditions. But guys, the Atlantic has done something to me. It seems that after two years on the boat, I can finally take a deep breath. The panic is gone, the worries days before we set off are gone. The wind has become my friend, at least most of the time 😉 I'm now often at the helm, which certainly helps, and so we plough through the endless blue today too. The mental training has paid off and I'm super happy to have found my lightness again 🤩♥

Jab Jab - horned devils

It's carnival in Carriacou! Apart from the colourful costumes made of very, very little fabric (🤣), there is another tradition here: the islanders rub themselves with black grease or engine oil, put on helmets with horns and parade through the streets with heavy chains. This is a very self-deprecating act and reflects the depiction of the locals as "black devils" by the white invaders. A bit creepy 😅

Otherwise, pickups with fat sound systems drive far too close together, you can hardly distinguish between the individual sounds. And it's loud! 😂 Behind the cars, a procession of scantily clad ladies wiggles behind, and every now and then a gentleman gets lost in the crowd 😉 What particularly impresses us is that body shaming doesn't seem to exist here. Everyone on this street is brimming with self-confidence, their own body is viewed like a temple and presented with pride. We prudish Europeans could take a leaf out of their book. Fortunately, we don't experience these festivities alone, Tinu & Judy are also there again and by chance we also meet Adrian & Tasja from Kismet, whom we got to know in the Tobago Cays. So we enjoy the two days of carnival to the full.

Kismet will soon be on his way to Grenada, we very much hope that our paths will cross again! 😘 We're not stressed about getting any further. The place here is beautiful and Thierry has a lot of work to do. We stay here for about 10 days in total 😂 In between, we treat ourselves to a break with kitesurfing and wingfoiling, Sunday brunch with our friends, pizza at the Paradise Beach Bar and snorkelling adventures on the reef next to the island. We have officially arrived in the slow life 😉

From here, we want to head slowly towards Martinique, as friends will be visiting us there on March 16 🥳 As the route in this direction mainly involves a headwind, we split the journey into day trips. Our next stop is therefore Bequai. Hello old friend, so we see us again 😉 And now I know what your emergency room looks like from the inside 🥴👩‍⚕️

Shit happens - it remains exciting.