FEBRUARY 16- 24, 2012 on the COOL CHANGE IN CARIBBEAN

Arrived back in Grenada on Friday Feb 24 afternoon.  We are staying on the Cool Change in Port Louis marina in St. George's.  
No internet access while we were on the water so no blog updates. Trip was awesome.  The Caribbean water is so clear and so many beautiful shades of blue.  Hard to believe the photos are real when I look back on them.  

Feb 16 headed out for a 6 hour trip to Sandy Beach opposite Paradise beach which is off Carriacou Island.  Last stop in Grenada. Very windy but beautiful white sand on a very narrow beach.  During the trip we put out the fishing lines and caught one small tuna.  Randy started reeling it in but was soon

Sandy Island where we spent our first night at sea.  

Feb 17-had to go into town (Hillsborough) to customs to exit Grenada.  Then we went to Union Island, about a two hour trip to customs there as we were entering the St. Vincent & the Grenadines.  Bought fruit and ice then headed out to Chatham Bay on the back of Union Island.  We anchored and snorkeled then went to the beach by dingy for bbq lobster, tuna, garlic potatoes baked on the bbq, chicken, rice, plantain, and banana fritters for dessert.  Fritters were delicious. Extremely clear skies so laid on tramp to watch stars.  Can't see the dippers but do see orion.

Feb 18 - Short trip, 1 hour, to Salt Whistle Bay on Mayreau Is.  We arrived by 10 am got a mooring buoy right near beach.  We swam to the white sand beach and then walked along.  Looks like paradise with palm trees all along the white sands and clear blue water.  Bought a shirt and water then swam back to the boat.  Rick & I went kayaking while Randy & Lori went snorkeling.  When we were all back on the boat we saw large puffer fish swimming around the boat. Later we all swam to the beach, walked along to the very north side of the bay and then snorkeled around.  We saw many beautiful conch shells lying on the sea bed.  We saw cuttle fish?  maybe they were squid? We saw lobster, a snake, black spiny pencil urchins. The best was the huge puffer fish swimming around the boat.  Dinner on the boat then we all looked at all the photos so far.  

Feb 19 - Salt Whistle Bay

Feb 20 - went to Tobago Cays.  Rough water and we had to tie to a mooring ball our in the open so a much rougher night.  Current was strong so snorkeling was difficult but several nice reefs.  We saw lots of turtles and stingrays.  Followed turtles closely.  We took dingy over to sandbar to swim with turtles then tied dingy to a mooring ball over a reef and saw hundreds of beautiful fish but the current was so strong, we stayed only a short time

Feb 21- Rick, Lori & Randy tried to tackle the current and go snorkeling but Rick got a cramp and had to call for help.  Luckily there was a dingy nearby that picked him up.  Rod was trying to get his dingy down but first it was tangled, then the plug was out.  Lori & Randy came back to boat and we decided to head to safer water.  Anchored in bay at Petit St. Vincent.  Rick & I swan to the beautiful white sand beach and walked along then swam back to boat.  Very nice clear water.  Coral reefs are destroyed so some fish but not lots.  Lots of conch shells everywhere  Played cards with Rod & Wendy and then the brothers played 21 all evening.