Yeah, I know, I know... you all think I suck for not keeping my much promised blog up to date... believe me I wanted to but I didn't realise how tired sailing in the Caribbean would make you....
SO I think I was somewhere at the Grenada Yacht Club when I last wrote you all. Grenada was fun. 6 matches in the Super Eight stage of the World Cup Cricket. Unfortunately the cricket was somewhat one sided. I guess that's what happens when the power houses of Pakistan and India get knocked out early on.. then you're left with Ireland competing against Sri Lanka in a match where the players are having bets with each other on who can smash Murali over his head for four (I spoke to one of the Irish players at a bar one night).
Let me summarise the cricket: West Indies cricket is in disarray.... the fielding is woeful, batsmen have no committment, the bowlers lack the intensity of the likes of Marshall, Garner, Holding, Bishop, and the fans in Grenada think Brian Lara is selfish. Apparently the future of West Indies Cricket is in the hands of Devon Smith. New Zealand showed promise but showed again that they stumble at the semi final stage. South Africa, chokers again, 5 for 27 in a semi final is pityful. England, no need for explanation. Bangladesh, getting better but not there yet. Ireland, should never have made it through but provided some entertainment and their players are good value at the bar. Sri Lanka, promising but totally outclassed in the end. Australia, never looked like losing a match. Absolute professionals. To quote a guy at the Australia v Sri Lanka match, "Ricky Ponting, he knows everything about everything and everything he does is right".
Non-cricket days were spent wandering around St Georges, recovering from previous night's happy hour, visiting rum distilleries, jumping off 10 metre high waterfalls, playing beach cricket with the locals whilst being filmed by the BBC and attending local "jump up" - the Caribbean word for massive party with live bands and strong rum.
So after 12 days of partying with the locals and watching some ordinary cricket, we headed towards St Lucia for the semi final. 3 days of exceptional sailing - we averaged up to 7 knots - including sightings of turtles, flying fish and dolphins (I tried to train them but without luck) and we were cruising alongside some of the most spectacular scenery of the Caribbean. Grand Piton and Petit Piton, on the south coast of St Lucia, Wallilabou Bay on the coast of St Vincent, film location of the Pirates of the Caribbean and of course the islands of the northern Grenadines.
The yacht club at Rodney Bay Marina was alive with crowds of Aussies, South Africans and Kiwis. NAturally the kiwis were soon drowning their sorrows after bowing out to the Lankans, and the Saffas eventually conceded that their team is junk in the business end of tournaments! The semi came and went with as much gusto as our 5 horse power dinghy. We partied again, got soaked after trying to pick up the crew from the beach, in the dinghy, with waves crashing in..... Dale fell in the water after trying to relieve himself over the edge of the dock..
We watched the final at a bar on St Vincent after a long sail from St Lucia. Concentrating on steering the boat in the storm (35 knot winds!) for 2 hours was like driving a car for about 10 hours straight.. still, we managed to get the boat back safely to St Vincent and our deposit back apart from a lost padlock and a broken plate.
So 4 weeks in the Caribbean on a cruising cat..... what was the highlight?? probably the fact that 12 months ago none of us knew anything about sailing, least of all me.... and we managed to navigate our way around with little or no issues.... and you doubted me..... oh yeah of little faith!......
We spent our last night on the concrete floor of Barbados airport, before we went our separate ways from Miami airport....
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