In the Clutches of Carnival

Carnival Queen

Carnival costumes are too gorgeous to limit their exposure to just one night. Last night was Mas Monday. Everyone was out in the streets for the jump-up, a big street party stretching the length of the road from Grand Anse through the Carenage of St. Georges. Banks of speakers roll through the streets blasting Soca, and food and drinks are in plentiful supply. We can recommend the barbecue chicken.

Earlier in the day the bands assembled at the National Cricket Stadium for their judging. We caught some of them returning to their camps in the early evening. Today everyone will be back on the streets for the grand parade and the street judging.

Pandemonium in Grenada

2009 Panorama Champions, Coyoba New Dimension, Pan Fever

Suzuki Pan Wizards

Calabash Pan Lovers, Pandemic

Grand Roy Pan Angels

LIME Commancheros, Pan Revolution

Angels, Lovers, Wizards, Commancheros, West Side Symphony, Rainbow City Allstars, Angel Harps and New Dimension battled well into the early morning. Armed with steel, sticks and car parts the members of each steel pan band played their hearts out. The age range of the players in most bands was extraordinary with some as young as 12 and others that looked much older, all in harmony and clearly enjoying themselves.

We had so much fun last night, we intend to sleep through the Carnival street parties in Woburn tonight and hope the Jab Jab does not bite. J'ouvert will be at it's peak just before sunrise, when everyone will be covered with paint, oils and mud. Soca music has been thumping across the water in Clarkes Court Bay for most of the day. By now the Carnival king and queen will have been announced. Monday and Tuesday we'll get to see the fantastic costumes and street parades.

It's Carnival Time in Grenada!

The Garvey mas camp on the Carenage, St. Georges, Grenada

The island is jumping. Soca music blasts in the buses and floats from waterside bars and parties across the anchorages to remind us Carnival is for everyone. Preparations for Grenada's Carnival have been going on for months in mas (masquerade) camps all over the country.

I visited a couple of mas camps in St. George's to see how those flamboyant costumes come together.

There are never too many feathers at Carnival

The designers we met allowed us to take photographs in their mas camps and generously took time to explain all about Carnival, from Jouvert and Jab Jab to the judging of the pan bands. Jouvert involves music in the streets (of course) and lots of paint, oil and having a good time. With a pre-dawn start, we opted out of the Jouvert in favor of sleep. We'll be heading to Panorama tonight to watch the steel pan bands compete at the National Stadium and it promises to be a long night.

Andre Garvey's theme for this year's carnival is "Journey to the Temple of the Sun"

The hats are ready for the red section of Richardo's band

Actor, children's book author and teacher, Richardo Keens-Douglas, was working on hats when we visited his mas camp high on the hill overlooking the Carenage in St. Georges. When I headed off with Susie, Matt and Karen to see what a mas camp looks like, I never imagined I'd arrive at the childhood home of a famous Grenadian! Not only is Richardo extremely talented, he's one of the most charming and delightful people you could ever hope to meet. What a wonderful surprise.

While Susie, Karen and Matt decided to become part of the Carnival, I opted to forego the limelight to stand on the sidelines taking photographs. Oh well, we can't all be Carnival stars. I can't wait to see them in their costumes!

Since we've been in Grenada, we've learned a whole new vocabulary. We know we don't want no Jumbi and for sure will be on the lookout for Jab Jab. As for wining, we'll leave that for the locals who really know how to move.

Virgins No More, by Hash House Harriers Hashmaster decree.

I've been tempted once or twice. The first time was about 35 years ago. Everyone who does it insists it's a lot of fun. It didn't sound all that much fun to me so I avoided it. Thats all in the past now.




This afternoon, I crossed over and can no longer claim virgin status. Steve and Helen aboard Dignity are more than a little to blame. They do it all the time.



Despite the threat of rain, a large crowd gathered at the Grand Etang Forest. It started innocently enough with a short run up the hill into the mist, then a quick descent down some fairly steep stairs to Lake Grand Etang.




Once in the rainforest it's, well, wet with rain. As people rushed by us, the trail quickly deteriorated into a muddy quagmire. There was no escaping what looked like the playpen of a herd of hippos. Broken and rotting branches and tattered tropical leaves were spewed about where those before us had desperately clutched out. It was an effort just to remain upright. Slipping and sliding, we had little choice but to surrender ourselves to the mud. Up and down we trudged the trail around the lake, for what seemed like five miles.

Matt, a self-confessed shoelace-loosener, had his shoes sucked right off his feet once or twice. Karen bravely battled on for hours despite being far removed from her comfort zone. She surely has earned a new pair of shoes, as well as a new dress, some jewellery, etc. - no holding back.

Robert, ever the gentleman, constantly reached back to encourage me through the rainforest and up the most difficult slippery slopes. He guided me across treacherous mud-slicked logs traversing what might once have been small streams but now were giant, gloopy, sticky mud puddles.

At last, the trail leads back down to the lake and the paved road. We take the steep road back up the hill to where everyone has gathered to celebrate their efforts. Matt, Karen, Robert and I are now officially Hash House Hounds, as decreed by the Hashmaster of Grenada Hash House Harriers at Grand Etang, St. Andrews. We're no longer virgins and we have the mud-smeared certificates to prove it. The glory may be short-lived because we're not sure we'll ever repeat the experience, no matter how much muddy fun is promised.

Tonight, as I scrub off the mud and rest my tired muscles, I'm congratulating myself for making it to the end, and vowing never to return to the Hash House Harriers. Despite the sense of achievement at the end of the day, it's too much fun for me!

Something Fishy in Gouyave

The small town of Gouyave, on the west coast of Grenada, has a huge appetite for fish, music and party.

The Market Building in Gouyave

Local guy getting into the party spirit.

This guy is definitely not from these parts! That MAMBO Loud Shirt says it all.

Ray and Genna didn't miss the bus to hang with the locals.

Every Friday, from 4:00pm to 1:00am, Gouyave puts on the best street fare. It's the Gouyave Fish Fry, all prepared in small street stalls - Tacos, Kebabs, Lasagna, springs rolls all made with fish and of course, fish and chips, grilled fish, fried fish and fish cakes. We even spotted Lambi (Chonch) Pizza, stuffed land crabs and boneless flying fish, fried breadfruit, plantains, Rum, Fruit juices and nutmeg ice cream.

D Fish Bowl serves snapper cooked in foil over hot coals

Fish Tacos, and next to them, stuffed land crabs wrapped in plastic.

Gouyave has earned the title of the town that does not sleep. These Caribbean fishermen are a tough act. Fish all day, party all night.

The hypnotic, rhythmic beat of the drums brings out the dancers

The clothes and the beat are distinctly African in origin.

Man with a Conch Horn

A head in the crowd. Where's Robert?

Some buildings in Gouyave hint at a much grander past.

Tired cruisers line up against the sea wall for the bus home

Put a smile on your face

Rivers Royale Rum 75% alc/vol or 152 proof! This rum will put a smile on your face as well set your hair on fire. We took in a tour of the distillery that has been making fire water and fine rums since 1785. From what we saw nothing much has changed in the 200 years Rivers have been making rum on the north coast of Grenada.

As noted by the Grenada Explorer "...your credulity is stretched to bursting point as you sample the product. Words fail most people, partly as they fight to describe the impact of a factory that refused to be dragged into the nineteenth century, partly because the vocal chords are rendered incapable for a while by the 75% potion."

We too are lost for words, check out the video

Seen in "Grenada at a Glance"

Tropical Smarts:
"Coconuts do fall off trees so avoid sitting under ripe ones."

Sea Urchin Spines: "If broken under the skin, these spines will dissolve in time. To remove protruding ones, apply soft candle wax, let it harden, then pull out. Some people recommend urinating on the wound to relieve the pain!"

We are wondering, depending of the location of the offending spines, would it be polite to ask a friend to help out with the urinating?

10 reasons we think we will love Grenada

1. Chocolate Factory
2. Nutmeg Plants
3. Rum Distillery Tours
4. Bay Gardens
5. Gouyave District
6. Fort Frederick
7. Test Cricket
8. Carnival
9. Grand Etang
10. Rotis

To Grenada... Fair Winds, Following Seas, a Two-fish Passage, and Icing on the Cake - Time to Celebrate!

Well, the seas are a little forward of following but under six feet and we’re not beating into the wind or seas, for a change. It’s a good day for sailing. The forecast is for winds and the seas to build and conditions to deteriorate after today, with three tropical waves due to come through within days of eachother.

Spectra passes Channel Rock

As much as we’d love more time in the Tobago Cays and The Grenadines, it’s 7:00AM and we’re under way from Union Island to St. David’s Harbour, on the south coast of Grenada. We’ll hang out there until the weather improves. Mel and Joe, Spectra, will be with us for a week or two until they head south to Trinidad.

Robert has charted a course down the windward side of the islands. We expect the wind to be “cleaner” and more consistent than on the leeward side. Just out of Union Island a five pound Spanish Mackeral gave itself up for this evening’s dinner.

Spanish Mackerel, destined for a "Boundary Waters" marinade (ask Elliot)

Tomorrow night it will be the six-seven pound Wahoo that we dragged a while before realizing he was hooked. Plenty of fish to share. It’s a good thing we bought that snapper from the fisherman in Union Island. That purchase ensured we’d be catching fish today. Seems to be how it goes with us; buy water and it pours, buy fish and we catch more than enough.

It’s been a great day and at 2:00pm we’re entering St. David’s harbour, having averaged about 6 knots per hour over the 40 mile passage. We’ll be celebrating our arrival in Grenada with fresh fish and a glass of wine aboard Spectra.

That's a nice Wahoo, Robert!

Robert discovered a little extra icing on the cake in St. David’s. Our “old” mates Gerald and Diana, Whiskers, are on the hard here for a week of boat maintenance before heading west. We met them in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas and spent some great times with them in the Exumas.



Entering St. David's Harbour, Grenada

3,500 miles (mostly to windward) are behind us. It’s time to relax and celebrate; we've made it to Grenada.