Grenada Marine
We arrived in Grenada around June 1 as dictated by our insurance. We spent a few days on a mooring ball outside St. George waiting to go around to Grenada Marine where we needed to get a sail drive oil leak fix. When the weather cooperated, we headed south and east of the island to Grenada Marina to stage on their dock for the repair. We were happy that they could fix the leak without hauling us out of the water. That made living on the boat easier, especially when the 3-day repair turned into 2 weeks because we had to wait for a part.
We made the most of our time waiting on the dock by cleaning the boat inside and out. I mean wiping walls, ceilings, shelves everything with vinegar to rid the boat of any mold that might have creeped in during the season. Ben scrubbed the outer deck as salt, dust and yes, mold accumulated there too. Then on his hands and knees, he Permonon’d the entire boat. It was a job since the boat is 47 feet long and 25 feet wide. That was a lot of area, but it was worth it as it will make future washing so much quicker. You could even get bird poop off without much effort.
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I also applied Flitz to all the stainless to polish it while removing corrosion and rust caused by the salt water. The compound also protected the metal from future rust and corrosion. Both these tasks needed to be completed at least twice a year, and sometimes more for the stainless.
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But it was not all work and no play. We had dinner at Laura’s at Grenada Marine with our friends on SV Slow Poke, Rachel and Josh, before they headed back to the states for a while.
Ben and I also went to Laura’s one Friday night to listen to the band and have dinner. The breeze from the bay created a delightful place to sit, relax and eat after a hard day’s work.
In addition, we met our friends Ad and Sue from SV Andira for Sunday lunch a couple of times. They also were working on their boat to get it ready to haul out at Grenada Marine. So we shared our trials and tribulations and boasted of our weekly accomplishments.
One day we watched horrified as this boat totally missed the channel and ended up on the reef at the entrance to the bay. There was not much that could be done to help except rescue the occupants who had sailed across the Atlantic. The vessel was a heavy steel boat and hard aground with waves crashing over its side. It was a loss and super sad!
It wasn’t long after this incident that it was finally time for us to leave and move around to Port Louis Marina. The sail drive was fixed, and the sails were removed for hurricane season so they could be washed and stored. To say I was a little nervous as we left the dock and headed out would be an understatement. Nevertheless, Ben stayed right in the channel, and we made it out of the bay without difficulty. That grounded boat would remind people for years to come to pay close attention to their charts and the buoys as they entered the channel.
Port Louis Marina, Our Summer Home!
As we entered our slip at Port Louis Marina across from the town of St. George, it was like coming home, our summer home. It was nice to be tied up at this stable dock without being jerked around all day like at the Grenada Marine’s exposed dock. We were secured with the help of Casey and Tyler from SV Vagari and the marina staff. Awe it was good to be back!
One of the first things I did was take a dip in the pool and a nice long hot shower at the marina. Since we were always conserving water on the boat, we normally had cold “camp” showers. Ben would say, “I’ll turn on the hot water heater for you,” but typically, I was hot enough that the cold shower felt great. But to conserve water, we mainly had the water off unless we were getting wet or rinsing. Letting the water run while soaping up, was a “no-no.” So, it felt good to have a real shower using warm water in an air-conditioned building.
It’s the simple things in life! What a treat.
Catching up with old friends and meeting new friends
Ladies’ Coffee
The next order of business was to find out what cruisers were on island with us. It was always fun to catch up with other cruisers, seeing old friends and making new ones. One of the best ways to see who was on the island was to attend Ladies’ Coffee on Thursday morning. This was an institution we started several years ago, that continued throughout the sailing season up and down the island chain whenever a group of us found ourselves together. So, Thursday morning, I headed to the Knife and Fork at the marina to meet and greet. The Ladies of Grenada are an invaluable source of information as well as a way to plan fun activities.
Taco Tuesday
One of the first fun activities was a Toco Tuesday hosted aboard SV Daggers Down. We had 25 cruisers attend, who brought goodies to share. If anyone went away hunger, it was their own fault. I have learned that cruisers were some of the best cooks, coming up with delectables using limited provisions.
Waterfalls and Exploring
Another activity we enjoy in Grenada was sharing the beautiful island with our friends. Casie and Tyler from SV Vagari, down the dock from us, were new to Grenada. Since we had rented a car, we spent a day driving around and showing them some of our favorite locations. Of course, Concord Falls was at the top of the list as the drive up to the falls was just as great as the waterfalls themselves. Today the falls were too strong for us to swim because of the rainy weather, but no one seemed to mind too much because the tropical forest was lush and green, and the view was spectacular.
Next, we drove through the middle of the island to Annandale Falls. There was a little bar and grill at the falls. So we decided to enjoy the view while eating lunch.
After lunch we continued the drive up through the rain forest to Grand Etang lake, taking in the magnificent views and the lovely flora.
I think that Casie and Tyler got a good feel for the beauty of Grenada. We never tire of its glory.
Nat’s Pizza (pronounced Nate’s)
Later in the week we met some friends up in the mountains at Nat’s Pizza. It was a unique and rustic pizza venue where only pizza, pasta and desserts were served. Bring your own drinks, plates and cutlery, if you desire, because you won’t find it there, and don’t forget the bug spray. Nevertheless, the lack of amenities was made up with great pizza, good friends and ambiance.
We usually don’t go to Mexican restaurants in the Caribbean because often they were a great disappointment, but I had been hearing good reviews of this eatery. So, when fellow cruisers asked us if we wanted to join them to try it out, we said YES! The reviews were right. The food was scrumptious, and the margarita was one of the best I have had in quite a while. What a wonderful new find! We will be back!
We checked out another new to us restaurant with Lisa and Alex which was located on the Grenada Golf Course, Fairways by Red Crab. We had heard they served a lovely Sunday brunch. The restaurant was only about 10 minutes from the marina. So I don’t know why we hadn’t gone there before because it was excellent. The service was spectacular, and the food was even better!
Music Venues
Spice Mas, leading up to Carnival
Carnival was not until August, but venues were already popping up as bands, singers, and dancers showcased their acts and competed for who would be in the main competitions come August. We attended a preview event on the grounds of the marina. It was a fun venue with steel bands and “groovy” music. Socca, Calypso and Groovy are the main 3 types of local music on the island. Since we would not be on island during Carnival this year, it was a nice way to be a part of the local festivities.
The Kool Jazz Band
However, there was other music to be found on the island as well. We went to the Le Bar de Louis to catch an act from The Kool Jazz Band. They were an excellent band and the outdoor setting by the water was extremely pleasant. A group of cruiser friends joined us. So we made a party of it!
On the Water Activities
Thanks to our new friends Beth and Stan on SV Shifting Gears, we got on the water a couple of times. They have a new boat that they just sailed over from South Africa and asked several of their dock mates if we all wanted to go out for a sail. Of course, we said, “Absolutely.” Their new boat was beautiful, and it handled the 20 knot winds famously. It was a gorgeous day to be out on the water. Lucky us!
Then, four of us decided to take Beth and Stan’s dinghy to snorkel The Grenada Underwater Sculpture Park.
“Molinere Bay suffered considerable storm damage from Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and the placement of these artificial structures has provided a new base for marine life to proliferate. A long-lasting and pH neutral cement offers a stable and permanent platform which is textured to allow coral polyps to attach themselves to the sculptures.” (Taylor, 2024, https://underwatersculpture.com/projects/molinere-underwater-sculpture-park/).
The park was expanded in 2023, and we saw the statues at Prickly Bay Marina before they were placed underwater. See Grenada: Going Strong, 2023 for the “before” pictures.
However, we had yet to snorkel the area with the new statues in place. We didn’t see all of them on our short snorkel trip, but it was amazing how much coral and fish were already all around the sculptures.
2023 Addition, Warriors and Carnival Characters
Thanks Beth and Stan for allowing us to tag along to see this wonderful park!
Please Note: if you decide to snorkel or dive the park, there is now a small $10 EC charge per person to be paid online prior to your visit through the Grenada Tourism Authority Portal. A ranger did come by to see if we had paid. Luckily, I had printed the receipt to show him.
So as you can see, we are back in the swing of things here in Grenada, our summer home. We are fixing/cleaning things on the boat (which is a never-ending task), hanging out with cruiser friends, and exploring the island’s nature, attractions and eateries. It’s all good here in Grenada. Let’s just hope and pray those pesky hurricanes stay away this year!
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