Bequia to St. Lucia

When we finally departed Bequia, we proceeded north past St. Vincent to St. Lucia. 

 Admiralty Bay, Bequia

We left at first light trying to be as quiet as possible so as not to disturb our neighbors.

St. Vincent

Like many other cruisers, we always give St. Vincent a pass because of security concerns.  The U.S. State Department warns, “Crimes of all types, including violent crime, occurs in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  From time to time, property has been stolen from yachts anchored in the Grenadines.”

St. Vincent Passage

I am not sure what this sailboat was doing for wind, because we were not experiencing much.

St. Vincent Passage with St. Lucia’s Pitons in the background

Most of our day looked like the picture above.  It had to be one of the calmest passages we have experienced.  There were no wind waves to speak of, and very little swell.  Additionally, the current was in our favor, so we made a fast passage.

The island of St. Lucia offers several options for cruisers.  Vieux Fort at the south end is a charter boat base.  The anchorage has experienced boat robberies.  A single handler has his boat broken into, ransacked, and his computer stolen.  The robbers turned on his movie camera and then dropped it on the floor managing to video themselves.  Even with the video, the local authorities were not too interested solving the crime.

Soufriere, St. Lucia

We visited Soufriere and the Pitons on a previous pass (see: blog archive, Migration North dated 12/2/2012).  The city has some interesting older architecture, but seems to have fallen into being a bedroom community for workers for the nearby resorts.

Entering Marigot Bay

One of our favorite stops is Marigot Bay.

Cardea a DeFever 56 RPH

On this stop, we found that our friends Marilyn and Kent had beaten us there.

Marigot is a busy little bay with an active charter boat business and a hotel serving as a vacation destination.  We think we have checked into a resort when we visit Marigot.

Rainforest Hideaway

There are numerous restaurants ringing the bay.  The Rainforest is rated as one of the best in the Caribbean, however it is rather pricey.

RJ’s Restaurant

This time we settled for dinner at RJ’s where Pollie had the jerk chicken and I had the maui maui.

Our next stop on St. Lucia was 9 nm north of Marigot Bay at Rodney Bay Marina where we plugged into “condo mode” for a few days.  Rodney Bay is a modern marina that can handle megayachts up to 250 feet.  It has its only little village with restaurants and various specialty stores.  But, our main reason for stopping was fuel.  Motivator took on 2,070 liters – ouch!

Jambe de Bois Waterside Café

Our favorite café requires a dinghy ride out to Pigeon Island.  The funky little Jambe de Bois serves some great curried lamb.

Unicorn

The highlight of our visit to St. Lucia was the Unicorn.  The Brig Unicorn was built in Finland in 1946.  She was the Black Pearl in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and was also used in the TV series Roots. 

 “Junior,” the bartender, on the Unicorn

Today she is a bar.  But, more on the Unicorn at a later date as I intend to write an article about her.

The Dark Side of Cruising

You have watched another beautiful sunset with a sundowner in hand.  Dined on freshly caught maui maui, and now you are either watching a movie from your DVD library or enjoying a good book.  Suddenly, you are in a fight for your life against a machete wielding youth that boarded your boat.  I did not sign up for this part of the cruising lifestyle.

Incidents like these are rare, but not rare enough.  One site that tracks these incident is the Caribbean Security and Safety Net (CSSN), see:  http://www.safetyandsecuritynet.com/.  Two recent incidents are posted there:

Bloody Bay, Tobago – Armed boarding, assault and robbery

September 26, 2013         

From the Grenada Cruisers Facebook page: Four men boarded a cruising catamaran at 1 am. An elderly female crew was restrained and threatened with a pistol while the male skipper, attempting to repel the boarders, was struck on the head with his own machete. Luckily it was the flat of the blade, rather than the sharp edge. Another female, the only other cruiser in that secluded bay, was fired at twice as she attempted to approach in her dinghy. Both cruising boats immediately hauled anchor and proceeded to Store Bay. A mask and cap belonging to the boarders have been recovered. Money was demanded but, as the crew had only $30 TT, the men quickly departed “in a panic” in their boat after firing at the approaching dinghy. Police have interviewed the skipper.

Union Island, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) – Armed Boarding/Assault

October 3, 2013

At approximately 20:45, a cruising sailboat anchored off Frigate Island, adjacent to Union Island, SVG, was boarded by machete wielding men. The two crew were able to fend off the attack, but only after serious injuries were sustained.  The yacht called for emergency assistance on VHF and was then assisted by several individuals in Grenada who heard the call via the channel 66 repeater. The yacht proceeded to Carriacou for additional medical assistance and treatment.

The incident in Tobago influenced our decision not to go to Trinidad/Tobago for a haul out and bottom paint.  Instead, we are having the work done here in Grenada.

The Union Island incident hit much closer to home.  We have visited Union Island several times.  We have seen the s/v Rainbow in our travels and may have met the cruising couple.  And, we listened to the emergency response by Rescue 1 out of Prickly Bay Marina, Grenada on our VHF radio.  The next day, I wrote the following letter to the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and Grenadines:

Cruiser Attacked

Honorable Dr. Ralph Gonsalves,

Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Last night my wife and I listened in horror to an unfolding incident on the VHF radio.  Cruisers aboard the sailing vessel Rainbow, anchored off Frigate Island near Union Island were attacked by a machete wielding assailant.  Reports indicate the assailant entered the interior of the boat without warning and severely mutilated the female occupant’s face.  The male occupant grabbed a kitchen knife and successfully fought off the assailant while receiving injuries.  After providing the female occupant initial first aid, the male occupant contacted Grenada Rescue One, pulled anchor and proceeded to Carriacou where officials and medical personnel were waiting dockside. 

Mr. Prime Minister you have a problem.  Yes, crime occurs everywhere.  However, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has earned the reputation within the cruiser community as being unsafe.  For example see:  http://www.noonsite.com/Countries/StVincenttheGrenadines.  Because of these reports, my wife and I avoid St. Vincent, stopping only in Bequia, Mustique, and Union Island.  On our last stop at Union Island we felt intimidated, and therefore have vowed to avoid it in the future.  Due to this latest incident, we will reconsider our cruising plans for St. Vincent and the Grenadines as a whole.

Cruisers network – extensively.  Last night’s incident was the main topic on this morning’s Grenada Cruiser’s radio net (Channel 66 int on VHF) Monday through Saturday beginning at 0730.  There is already postings on Grenada Cruisers Facebook page, see: https://www.facebook.com/groups/132087906871838/.  There will certainly be a mention in the Caribbean Compass, see: http://caribbeancompass.com/.  And, tonight the incident will probably be the main topic of conversation at the Nutmeg Restaurant where cruisers are gathering to support their grand reopening.  I will also be posting an article on my blog (www.CruisingWithMotivator.com) about the incident titled, “The Dark Side of Cruising.”

Cruisers have an economic impact on islands, see:  http://www.grenadaworld.com/NewsAnnouncements/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/364/Grenada-Marine-and-Yachting-Sector-Economic-Impact-Study-Results.aspx.  Cruisers’ also have a tendency to vote with their keel; we simply avoid areas that are unsafe.  Additionally, most of us carry insurance.  When a country or area becomes too unsafe insurance companies make that country an exclusion, i.e., I am not insured in Venezuelan and Haitian waters.  That is a list no country wants to be on.

As previously stated, all countries have crime, but now yours has exceeded the acceptable threshold for myself and other cruisers.  For the economic and moral future of your country it is imperative that security for cruisers be addressed immediately. Should you wish to discuss this issue further, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Respectfully,

Maurice Howland

303-800-4104

473-404-6998

mohowland@gmail.com

www.CruisingWithMotivator.com 

CC:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Tourism

Ministry of National Security

The results of the attack

Unfortunately, at this time I have not received a response from the Government of SVG.  The response from the cruising community and others has been quite the opposite.  After posting the letter on the Grenada Cruisers Facebook page I received numerous comments and they are still flowing in.  The Financial Time, a London based newspaper asked me for an interview for an article they were doing on the financial downturn in the Caribbean and associated crime.  The St. Vincent and Grenadines I-Witness News (see: http://www.iwnsvg.com/) contacted me for clarification on a few issues.  Grenada Board of Tourism has have stepped up and offered services and assistance from its members.  At a recent cruisers dinner at the Nutmeg Restaurant, St. George’s, Grenada, money was raised to help offset some of their expenses.  Most importantly, Tina Curtin, the most severely injured victim thanked me for my “immediate” letter to the SVG Prime Minister.

Rainbow’s salon

Where do we go from here?  I think the first step is that we continue to pressure local governments to make genuine efforts to ensure cruisers security if they want our business.  We need to remind them that cruisers’ have their own network and are aware of crimes against cruisers.  Cruisers do not rely on the “massaged” crime statistics.  Apathy and excuses by authorities is not an appropriate response. 

 Martin, a PAYS member

At Prince Rupert Bay in Dominique, one of the poorest countries in the Caribbean, PAYS (Portsmouth Association of Yacht Security) was formed.  The local business and river guided realized that crimes against cruisers were not a formula for long term success.  PAYS members greet you when you enter the harbor offering their services and moorings (optional).  At night the harbor is patrolled by PAYS members.  Once a week, PAYS organizes a cruiser BBQ as a fund raiser to support their efforts.  Their efforts are working and the locals have found that it pays (pun intended).   

How to punch a hatch

Local authorities and organizations like PAYS cannot be everywhere, so cruisers must employ measures to ensure their own security.  Most yacht hatches are no match for determined assailants.  Unfortunately, in the tropics many hatches are left open for ventilation purposes.  There are methods to mitigate this issue.  Motivator uses an alarm system designed to alert prior to the assailant reaching the hatches.

Pollie with a flare gun in the “safe room”

Contingencies for the worst case scenario should be considered and exercised.  Motivator now has a safe room, aka., the engine room.  The existing fire door’s lock was reengineered to allow us to lock ourselves in.  From there we can control many of the boat’s systems rendering it useless to pirates while we use a handheld radio to solicit help.  When we emerge, the boat maybe trashed, but we will not be.

Maurice & Captain Ron at Island Water World

Communication is essential.  Would be assailants are counting on being able to strike and escape without being detected.  The crew of Motivator is guilty like many cruisers of turning off the VHF so as not to be disturbed at night.  That policy has changed.  We will be keeping a handheld next to our bed, and we plan on asking other cruisers in the anchorage to monitor their radios.

We must keep this in perspective.  We were not immune from crime before we started cruising.  However, most of the islands we visit have small populations so therefore the expectation is for less crime.  Also, we must consider the severity of what we are talking about.  I have see incidents like the ones mentioned above categorized simply as a “yacht boarding” or “attempted burglary.”  On land it would be called “home invasion” and at sea it should be called what it is – piracy.

 Tina Curtin

Hopefully, as Tina has stated, something good will come out of this horrific incident.  Anchorages are for cruisers, not criminals; let’s take them back.

Happy Island

Happy Island started out as a spit of sand on the reef protecting the anchorage at Union Island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  During high tide or when Atlantic swells are high, most of the island was under water.  Local fishermen used tiny island and the beach on Union Island to pile discarded conch shells.

This gave Janti, a local businessman and community activist, an idea.  He cleaned up the beach on Union Island and built Happy Island out of the shells.

Working mainly by himself, Janti slowly added to the island and stabilized it with concrete he mixed by hand on the island.

Add a roof, landscaping and some chairs, and you have the Happy Island Bar & Grill.

Today, Happy Island Bar sports a bright paint job and a St. Vincent and the Grenadines flag.

The new roof also serves as the island’s water catchment surface.

Power for the island is provided by a D400 wind generator like the one we had on our previous boat, Serenity.

Janti says he would like to install a second D400 to power his sound system and to keep the beer cold.

Behind the bar area there is a small living area where Janti sometimes stays.

Janti

Not too many men can say they built their own island, but Janti brushes it off as if it is nothing.  Besides being the bartender, Janti is also the disk jockey and occasionally sings.

Using our small dingy with the “Al Gore engine” (electric), we were the first to arrive.  Earlier, Janti had come by our boat and invited us to his island.  I said we would be by for happy hour, but Janti reminded me that every hour is happy on Happy Island.

At first business was a little slow.  Janti and his helper, Andrea, didn’t seem to mind.

Soon, however business picked up appreciably.  We ended up meeting two single gals, one from New York and one from England, that were taking sailing lessons in the Grenadines.

Don’t worry, be happy!

Turtle Watching

At a swap meet, I was able to purchase these goggles with a built in camera for only 95 EC (about $35 USD).  Soon I discover why they were for sale.  As the original owner stated, the camera works fine and the goggles do not leak, but what they forgot to mention was that they tend to fog up - really bad.  I have tried tooth paste, Joy detergent, and even went to a dive shop and bought anti-fog spray.  They are slowly getting better.

Pollie: “You look like a real nerd with those goggles!”

Detractors and fogging issues aside, the camera goggles work pretty well once you get the hang of them.

With the camera goggles your hands are free for swimming, but you still need to use your hands to click the shutter.  However, you can turn on the video function and then swim around hands free.

Click to start video:

No turtles were harmed while filming the above video, but some sea grass was consumed.

Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary

Located on Park Beach on the island of Bequia in the chain of islands known as St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary is a private marine conservation project.

The goal of the project is to save the hawksbill turtle from extinction.

Sea turtles like the hawksbill can live two hundred years or more.  They do not start reproducing until they are about twenty five years old.  In the wild it is estimated that only one in one thousand hatchlings make it to maturity. 

The turtles were once hunted for their shells that were used to make buttons and other decorative items.  Plastics have saved the turtles from that, but today both the adults and their eggs are hunted for consumption.

Human development along beaches has also taken its toll.  Instinctively, hatchlings travel towards moonlight to find the water, but bright lights can confuse them and make them go the wrong way.

At the age of 57, Orton King retired for being a skin-diving fisherman and dedicated his life to saving the turtles.  Now at age 75, “Brother” King has an interesting view on life.  He stated that when you die, it will not be important how much you have accumulate, but what you have done with your life.

Brother King keeps the turtles in sea-water ponds, feeding them on canned tuna for the first six months.

Then they are fed small fish (3”) until they are 3 years old (about 14”).  Then they are released into the ocean.  This gives them a much better chance of surviving to maturity.  He estimates that about fifty out one hundred he releases survives to maturity.

We found the sanctuary to be neat and clean.  All of the creatures under Brother King’s care were healthy and happy, including the many dogs and goats.  But, the real treat was meeting Brother King.

Because his ocean front property is so spectacular it is being sought after by developers.  There has been some pressure from the government in St. Vincent to, as Brother King says, “Shove me into the ocean!”  

Should you wish to contribute to Brother King’s project:

Orton G. King
P.O. Box 36
Union Vale, Bequia
St. Vincent & The Grenadines

Cell: 784 493 3231  784 532 8013
Tel: 784.458.3245   784 458 3596
Fax: 784 457 3322

E-Mail: oldhegg@vincysurf.com