Thursday, 15 Mar: The music and yahooing on the Bequia stadium went on till 2am. These guys know how to party!
Today we leave Bequia and sail for Mustique. But first we go ashore to get some provisions in. We have been doing very well on our stock-up from Spain, but now we are starting to shop a little more. We are looking forward to getting to the French islands (Martinique) where all things, including food, are very French. But for now, the little supermarket here has all we need; then to fruit stalls for bananas, mangoes and fresh veg.
While Oana is putting the shopping away, Glen takes the petrol can in to fill up at the gas station… only US$4 per imperial gallon. But on the way back it seems our petrol can is leaking. All the daily expansion and contraction in and out of the sun has taken its toll. So it’s off to the chandlers for a new can. He is not a happy-camper though, as the dinghy now has a lot of petrol in the bottom, to be cleaned up. At the chandlers he also buys 2 ugly rubber pipes which are then put onto the boat exhausts to stop the hull getting black from the diesel fumes. Ugly, but practical. Bottom line, after a morning of faffing around we eventually slip the mooring at 1pm.
We sail out the bay and turn right, towards the north of Bequia. Soon we are close hauled on starboard tack, in 15 knots of wind with reefed main and genoa. At first we head towards St.Vincent and when about half way there tack over onto port and round the top of Bequia. The Atlantic swell is beating hard on the north tip and although we have plenty of room, Glen gets a bit nervous on this nasty lee shore, so turns the engine on for 15 minutes until we are well clear. Then we free off the sails a bit, now that we have a beam-reach to Mustique, and Cloudy Bay purrs along at 8-10 knots.
Mustique is an island known for celebrities who own huge houses as far back as the 1960s when Princess Margaret was one of the first owners. Now there is Mick Jagger, Brian Adams, Tommy Hilfiger, Raquel Welsh and several others. As we approach the beautiful north coast we can clearly see such houses and even one that looks like a palace on the highest point. As we get closer to the bay, we pass a small village where all the locals have been squashed into.
Although the island is technically part of St.Vincent, it is owned by Mustique Company. And they made a rule “no anchoring, anywhere”. So we are forced to pick up a buoy and then told that it is 200EC$! But we get 2 extra nights free. So 1 night or 3 nights, it’s 200 EC$. Hmmmm
It’s 5pm by the time Oana manages to make lunch and today is a first. Not only is Oana going to eat a curry, she manages to cook her first curry – and it’s delicious! Glen is looking forward to more curries to come 🙂 After lunch, we go ashore before sunset. We are disappointed to find that the Basil’s Beach Bar, popular with yachties, is closed for renovation. So we climb the hill to the village where all the houses are the same and all the locals are driving golf-carts. Looks like Mustique Company owns everything, including the locals! Tomorrow we will have to get exploring. Maybe we will run into Mick or Raquel?