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Voyageur - Log day 275 - Back in Beautiful Bequia



9 April 2011

We weighed anchor shortly after breakfast. The wind had actually died to a light easterly breeze. How cool is that! We set Voyageur's main and genoa and under a sunny sky close reached across to Bequia, 21nm away. Ah, to be sailing again, it was wonderful. The sea approach to the main town of Port Elizabeth was glorious as the rocky headlands glided by on both sides, impossibly steep green hillsides towering above us. We are so very happy to be back here. Tony, a local boat boy helped us onto a mooring deep within Admiralty Bay, a crescent of white sand beaches, crystal clear water and giving great shelter from the trade winds. We could have anchored but for a cut rate price of forty EC Dollars a night it seemed like a good enough deal and really not such a bad thing to give these guys some business. I get the strong feeling that times are hard hereabouts. There are boat boys for every type of service, freshly baked bread, fruits and vegetables, hull cleaning, diving, taxiing to the local restaurants or just into town. The trouble is that it is all so hideously expensive. Throughout this trip we have tried in earnest to spread our money around and I think we have been very successful at that. But I really grudge paying inflated prices for basic commodities (Jenny was quoted 25EC Dollars for two red peppers! That is the equivalent to three British pounds a pepper. Are we in for a very nasty surprise when we return to the UK in two weeks time. Time will tell....) I would rather do without, preferring to spend the money in the restaurants which seem to be very poorly fraternised. We shared Tzigane's special moment with two bottles of bubbly. Last night, a Friday night, there was only one other couple dining apart from our foursome. A trip ashore to Port Elizabeth confirmed that little has changed in the last six years except for the building and construction of many large and expensive houses. The water is exceptionally clear and at last calm enough for me to swim off the boat. We are in one metre of water so I can also see the bottom which is an added bonus. I like to know that there are no nasties lurking down there. We spent an entire morning cleaning Voyageur's waterline. Although it was done as recently as four months ago in South Africa she has grown a green beard. The warm waters of Brazil I think were mostly to blame. We want so much for her to look her best when we proudly return to St. Lucia in one week's time. I am just so excited.....

These people have a very relaxed, laid back attitude to life. The jingle on a Caribbean t shirt sums it up nicely. It goes like this - Hey Mon, no problem! Movin'to de riddem, Whalin' to de funky beat Dancing thru de nite Chillin in de dazz, Soaking up de rays Jammin' my life away, no cares, Mon Cause that's de Caribbean way!

Susan Mackay


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