Thursday, June 9, 2011

Tobago to Trinidad

First of all. SORRY for the delay of info.
My computer burned down one week before leaving Trinidad.
Hope to get it fixed while in Norway.
Anyway, here are the last part og the venture, before I put the boat on the hard ( land) June 15th.

Slow days at Charlotteville Tobago
Things go very slow and cool in Charlotteville. After two weeks there, ecept the 3 night at
Bateau Bay on the east side, we decided to sail south towards Englishman Bay.

Sailing out, with the 3 sisters rocks ahead.
We had a beautiful sailtrip the 3 hours doen to Englishman Bay.
The sea was calm, so we made some lunch for the cockpit table.
                                                                    Pascal and Tonje
Enjoying the lunch and the wine.

Entering the Englishman Bay was beautiful. We had heard the snorkeling there was
fantastic, and the lonely white sand beach and no traffic.
Looking into the white sand beach.
The pilotbook said there was a beach bar and restaurant there, but we couldn't see it.
I was very worried.
Zephyr to the right.
To check out the bar we took the dingi to the beach.
And there was the restaurant and bar.
But FUCK, it wasn't open. shit shit shit.
But nice it was.
Well, we checked it out again next day, and then it was open.
Next stop was Store Bay at the very south end of Tobago.
There we were picking up Hollies, which had to get his passport sent
by express mail from Trinidad to Tobago to be able to sail with us to
Chaguaramas. This was told by the imigration at Chalottevillle.
Later we found out in Chaguaramas imigration, that this was not nessesery
since he was a Trini. Well, well. We did as the officer had said.
Hollies had never sailed before, so he was really looking forward to come with us.
                                                     Hollies ready for his first sail adventure
Happy crew ready to haul the sails.

Back in Trinidad.
The first 5 days we berth at the bridge at Coral Cove Marina, waiting for June 15th. to be lifted.
Next door there was a fishing competition with free fish soup we heard,
so we went over and saw all the boats coming in with there catch.
About 20 boats entered.
Measure the winning Tuna.

The judges was dressed in some kind of fish skin outfit.

Well, I don't know.

At the Coral Cove Marine we had a little clean pool we could dip into.
That was very nice in the 38 degress shade weather.
One day some Venezuelian fishermen we get to know, gave
us about 25 kg. og Tuna and Dorado files.
So, we mad a BBQ at the poolside and invited everybody around us.

Nice shade around the poolside.

Leaving Zephyr on the hard was new.
I never been on the hard more than 3 days before, the 7 years I have
been living onboard. So the feeling was a bit different.
But I felt safe in the secured marina with 24/7 security, and also
got to be friends with some of the gards.
Lasse, my Norwegian friend is on the hard next to me, so he
will look good after her also.
I spoke with him today July 1st. and everything is fine.

The adventure of Zephyr will continue from about September 23-25th.

Since the Hurricane season continues until December, I am planning to
sail along the South Americas north coast.
This aerea supposed to be the most beautiful part of the whole Caribbean.
First stop will be Margarita Island. A beautiful  holliday place for many nations, but
belongs to Venezuela.
Next stop will be Aruba, which is a Dutch colony. So Boinere and Curaceau
and hopefylly Cartegena Columbia.
You will get more information later. But I have empty boat, so if you
want to got on some of this legs, please write me on


The adventure of Zephyr will continue from about Sepember
.

One afternoon we went up the hill to Hollies to watch the sunset.
Hollies made a fire to keep some of the mosquitos away.
Hollis making fire

Sunday, May 29, 2011

From Marigot Bay to Tobago

From Marigot Bay St. Lucia to Charlottville Tobago.
After 10 nice and pleasant days at Chateau Mygo Marigot Bay we set sail for a direct leg to Charlotteville Tobago. 36 hours later we arrived at the 17th. of May ( The Norwegian national day) at 03.00 am
We anchored in the bay and went to bed for a couple hours.
My friend Ronny from my home town Fredrikstad had told me about Charlottville, he has been here 2-3 times. He told me is was some very nice people here, and very relaxed living. It's a fishing village, so there is alot of smal 25 foots open boats with a 50 hp outboard and two bamboo poles out for the fishing lines.
This is the bar we have been hanging out while at shore. Ayo's.




Sqeeze on gitar, Pascal and Tonje and my self at Ayo's bar. 

Here at Ayo's bar we met Osama Bin Laden him self. We had just heard that he was shot,
but to our surprice he was here in Tobago under name 'alias' Hollies'
Take a close look at the picture.

Pascal and 'Hollies'
One day we were invited to go out fisning with one of the local fishermen. Taffy. he took us out for about 6 hours in waves and alot of sun. We cought 3 tunas 2 sharks .
It was a great day at sea, but very bumpy. And hour asses was not in a A1 condition. To much salt water on your pants for to long time. The skin does not like it.
Captain Taffy, the fisherman

Here are some of the pictures from our catch on the line in 15 knots speed.
Pascal with a 3 kilo tuna.
Tonje with another one.
So at night we took the dingy into the beach for a BBQ.
One the beach was also a British family. Pete, Mel Luke and Sam.
And also a Frence couple.
Well, the British family was not on the picture yet.
They joined the party later that night.
The day after we were back on the beach again. One guy had cought a Iguana, so we were cutting it apart and BBQ it. Tast like chicen.

The end of that iguana.

Here is Luke and Sam anyway.

A swing a made from some old ropes hanging from the tree.

After 8 days at Charlottville we sailed over to the east side of Tobago. A bay called Bateau Bay.
A fancy hotell with name 'Blue water inn' Everything was twice the price from Charlotteville. and the water was the same price pr. liter as the diesel. So we didn't fill water, but did that at the fishermanns pier at Charlotteville when we came back after 3 nights and days.
The place was beautiful, but no ships. Only hotell guests.
Zephyr by anhcor at the bay of Bateau.

Back in Charlotteville Friday May 28th. we meet our friends again, and we needed to do some laundry.
We have to check out from Tobago the same city as you check in with imigration and custom.
So we will do that here, and ask for a cruising permit for stopping at 3 other bays on the way south.
Englishman bay and Plymouth and then Store Bay all the way south of Tobago.
Then we will sail to Trinidad. My boat will be put on the hard ( a shore) for 3 months before I arrive back September 14th. to sail the north coast of south America.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Bequia to St. Lucia.

On the way to Marigot Bay St. Lucia.
Tonje joind from Bequia, and we been here at Chateau Mygo now for 10 days.
We been to an active vulcano were we were bathing in hot ( very hot) natural pools
with sulfor. Didn't smell good, but it felt good for the skin.
Afterwards we stoped by a little waterfall, which also was warm.
Pictures will come later when I get them from Pascal.

Today we are sailing south to Tobago Trinidad. about 180 miles.
We might make a stop at Mystique, depending what time of the day we pass by.

Tobago Cays to Bequia.

  By anchor at Admirality Bay Bequia.
Back again in Bequia. My favorite island sow far.
We spent about 10 days here, and Arne and Jonny went home as said before.

Pizza Hut. (not a meber of the American chain) But very very good pizza.
Jonny and Steave in front of Whaleboner bar and restaurant.
As you see the entrence is a whale ribbone. The seats in the bar are whale backspines.
Bequia is allowed to catch two whales a year, because they do it the old way.
They sail out with a smal sailboat without engine. Into the whale and harpune by hand,
then they clime up on the back of it and keep killing. After death they saw the mounth
together so it want sink.
After, some other motor boat is coming out to drag the whale back to and little island
were they part it up.


One the way to Bequia.

One the way to Bequia from Grenada.
Next stop up north was Curriacou, were we anchored for one night.
Then next day the short sail to Union Island. Spend one day and one night here.
Of course we went out to Happy Island. I think that is an obligatory visit while at Union Island.
We asked to take picture inside, but the rasta man which live there with his wife, said that
was now his pirvate home and was not to be used if the rain storm would apear all of a sudden.
He had also bought Persian carpets, which he wanted to keep clean.
Arne said he was working for a Norwegian newspaper, so he said. Give me the camera and
I take some pictures. Here they are.

Inside the round house, on the round island he made himself.
Next stop was Tobago Cays, were we snorkeled and went for the BBQ lobster on the beach at night.
This time we put mosquito spay on, rembering the bites from last time.
Lobster BBQ at the beach. Lot's of food.

Grenada Bequia

Grenada toward Bequia.
We stayed at Port Louis marina in the capital St. George one night.
This was my 3. time here this year, but the new crew hadden't been there. Arne and Jonny came on board
and went with us up to Bequia, and stayed onboard about a week. Then they flew back to Norway.

From one side of town to the other center, there is a tunnel. I called it 'the suicide tunnel'
It's made in late 1800 and is a one way drive. But when the mini busses come, you have to
lean up against the wall to not be hit.

Trinidad to Grenada

Leaving Trinidad. June 16th.
After 5 weeks at Powerboats Trinidad, I finely got the ropes onboard, heading for Grenada.
But I like to show you some pictures from a weekend trip to the north bach of Trinidad.
We stayed at a beach hotel to watch the Leatherback turtels lying eggs on the beach.
About 150 BIG turtels came up from the water, shuffeled them self about 100 feet up on the beach,
and start digging a 3 feet hole in the sand. Then they made about 100-150 eggs each. Covered up
the eggs with sand, and went back in the water. While they lay the eggs they are in a trance, so
thats why we are alowed to tuch them.
Jonny feeling the Leather back shell, which is like tick leather.

Pascal which I met in Trinidad sailed with me north.
His from Belgium and came with Peter from Portugal via Cape Verde to Brasil and then Trinidad.
He looks like ( and kind of is) a sea pirate.
Pascal enjoying the sail from Trinidad And Arne and Jonny came onboard at Grenada.
Arne holding two turtel eggs.

Arne Jof Jonny and the captain.
Sitting in my boat in Trinidad 

Tonje joined Zephyr at Bequia.