Grenada Regatta

The end of February is the time for the annual Grenada Regatta. Three days filled with racing, banquets, prizes, and music. 

Don and I, being on a roomaran (Winnebago on the water) and non-racers, were content to watch, record, and partake in a few of the festivities. 

Never before have we been to a dingy concert with a live band on the back of a tug boat out in the middle of a bay!

The race weekend brought all types of weather. Sun, squalls, windy, no wind, squalls, sun….a typical tropical day. But the racers were ready and willing, milling about each other in the large bay known as Woburn, awaiting the starting gun, tacking and jibbing in the fluky winds and keeping out of each other’s way. 

Because of our location Don and I were only able to see the start of the races, never the finish. The course took the race participants out and around an offshore island and back again with the finish line being two bays away, so we contented ourselves with the anticipation of the start. 

And they are off!  

  

Off the Dock in Woburn Bay

Don and I have not completed our interior projects but a week on the dock is all that can be mustered. 

If we waited to “finish” everything on our list the Starship would still be in California where our journey started so many years ago, in a boatyard an hour’s drive from our house, a dream never realized. 

 Everyday we are grateful for the paths our lives have taken and the opportunities and adventures shared, this day our 26^th Valentine’s Day celebrated together.

The bay on the south side of Grenada where the Starship is anchored once again offers many smaller bays and inlets perfect for dingy exploration. 

On the south side of Hog Island, the opposite side from Roger’s Beach Bar sits a quiet beach exposed to the shore carving elements. 

Open to the wind and swell and fronted by a small ring of shallow coral, this short beach is not very popular and usually deserted. 

The shallow grassy bay is full of small conch and the local fisherman leave many shells behind, littering the waterline.

Unfortunately the sizes of the conch we have seen are getting smaller and smaller, with local fisherman taking more and more of the undersized conch to sell. 

Conch, also known as lambi, has a tough muscle like consistency. Better served pounded out and thin, as a fritter or mixed with vegetables, a Caribbean version of the calamari or abalone so famous on our native California coastline.

Our hood ornament Daisy dog enjoys a slow dingy ride as well, always keeping a watch out for a place to jump off and swim. Leftover debris from an ancient hurricane perhaps? 

This tiny bay on the eastern side is completely protected from the prevailing easterlies and home to a small resort and a beautiful private home complete with a rickety dock. 

This image reminds me of another era, lazy fans circling overhead, white mosquito netting, a cool patio overlooking a lush and colorful private garden. Someone’s personal paradise. I have the sudden urge for a tall cool glass of something sweet and fruity with a pretty orange umbrella floating on top.

Instead back to the boat for some Valentine’s Day gluten-free Chocolate Truffle Cake and red wine!

Grenada Independence Day

As per our usual rate of migration the Starship is still in Grenada enjoying the friendly people, warm weather, and cruiser hangouts. Despite having been in the boat yard for six months there are still some interior projects left undone and we are now at Clark’s Court Marina tied up to power and water for a week of sanding, painting, and varnish touch up. 

But Grenada has a large cruising community and there are always activities, parties, and events broadcast on the daily morning net to meet your social calendar needs. It wouldn’t be cruising if it was all work and no play! Burger night, book swaps, shopping buses, historical tours, happy hours, and potlucks are just a few of the activities available. Grenada, like Georgetown, Bahamas, or anywhere where there is a large contingent of boaters, is similar to a cruise ship. Plenty of activities, plenty of partying if that is your thing, lots of sun and warm water, and then everyone returns home to their own personal floating cabins sans chocolate on the pillow!

Roger cleaning red snapper for pizza night, snapper pizza????

Being covered with dust and paint for a week has left us thirsty and sweaty so Don and I opted to take Grenada Independence Day off and head to Roger’s Beach Bar on Hog Island for a day of celebration. 

Roger has created a true beach bar complete with sand beach,  palm thatch covered bar, a wooden platform for live music (generator required), and plenty of rum, sun and beer.


This is the place to combine music, sand, BBQ, and your beverage of choice. Locals and cruisers, ex-pats and tourists all came together to celebrate Grenada’s 38^th year of independence from Great Britain. 

Grenadians, Americans, Canadians, and Europeans all sporting their red, green, and gold, the colors of the Grenadian national flag. 


Red symbolizing courage and vitality, yellow for wisdom and warmth, and green for the country’s abundant vegetation and agriculture.

The most beautiful couple.....Norwegian of course!

A good time, a great beach, and a global crowd all enjoying each other. In my book Norwegians have the best genes and in my next life I want to be born in Oslo! 

The end of the day brought a few Grenada workboats to shore fresh from the regatta races. Traditionally these colorful open boats are used for fishing but some workboats are also built especially for racing. The race is complete when the winning boat sends a crewmember ashore to the committee-sanctioned drink tent on the beach to slam one back and declare the race won.  Hmmm….I did say this was a cruiser’s paradise!

T