November 16 From True Blue Bay, Grenada

The work done at Spice Island Marine is completed on Thursday and we have an appointment to splash the boat on Friday, November 13th. Although the date in and of itself is scary, we are well-pleased. Dig the shine on that hull! And, we hope that you agree that the black bottom paint actually looks very cool. Our appointment is at 0800 and the yard men are already cackling and carrying-on about the upcoming Friday night. I am pleased to report that the travel-lift driver, featured in the photo below, advises me that he is a recovering alcoholic, answers to a higher power and that I should not worry about the safety of my boat which he has just scooped up. "We don't splash until we see cash"....

We set about our merry way and anchor in Prickly Bay for a couple of days. We have not set up the hammock in a while. It is great fun and we take turns....

Friday afternoon and Saturday morning were filled with errands, provisioning the boat and reorganizing/cleaning after having her in a semi-storage state while on the hard. Right about the time we are contemplating what to cook for dinner, along comes a lobster fisherman selling his wares. Craig and I figure that they sell them cheaper (about US$3/pound) than what it would cost us in dinghy gasoline and scuba diving effort. We decide to boil these victims whole. After the feast, we are disappointed in ourselves in that we have been previously discarding the legs and heads in a most cavalier fashion.

That afternoon, before the lobster feast, we fished for a bit. We first landed a small snapper which was a nice accompaniment with the lobster. Then, Holy Smokes!! What in the world is this?? We have seen these before when snorkeling and diving, but never before this up close and personal. WHAT IS THIS?? Features of a lion/scorpion fish with the face of a puffer. For now, my little precious will be called "bottom feeding gutter snipe", usually a term I reserve for women of ill-repute but oh-so-appropriate for this wierd creature. Quick. If you have a connection better than mine (likely), and nothing better to do during work time (as if....), please research this hideous monster and let us know, asap, what it is:

On to the big news of the day. November 15th. I am in the cockpit, minding my own business, watching the remnants of a sunset. And I SEE IT!! The green flash. I have pursued this phenomena of nature most of my adult life. Tonight it happened. I can come home now.

On Monday, we cruised over to True Blue Bay. This is the bay outside of the resort in which we recently stayed but in which we have never anchored. Very pretty. Here are some shacks along the coast:

We have decided to hang out in Grenada until Skip's arrival 12/02 rather than make a quick run to Tobago. Many reasons. With the trades, it is a hard 80 miles of motoring. Fuel is limited down there and what with the new engine, I am not embarassed to say that we are not willing to go to that remote a location when everyone else is now moving north. As if to seal the deal and make us feel better about this difficult decision, we met a British couple in a taxi who have traveled extensively down there over the years and are sad to report that even they are no longer going there by air this year due to an increase in violent crime against European and American tourists. So, we are content to explore a bit more of Grenada and relax before we turn north ourselves.