August 21, 2005

So much for a quiet and relaxing break from the rigors of wedding planning! We did have have a few nice days in Bequia and the Tobago Cays and had a wonderful reunion with old friends in Union Island while dealing with what would become Hurricane Dennis. It was good practice for Emily - we got to know her well in Carriacou! We started hearing about Emily several days before her arrival. No one, not even the weather gurus seemed to know where she would hit, but most thought Trinidad or even Venezuela and others between St. Lucia and Martinique. Carriacou wasn't mentioned so we decided to hang out in Tyrrel Bay right next to the best hurricane hidey-hole in the Grenadines.

We had plenty of company. On Tuesday - the day before she was due and when it became apparent that she was going to keep coming west and straight for us - we joined a line of boats heading in to the Canash, as the hurricane hole is known. It is a big mangrove lagoon and a rabbit warren of protected bays. We need 7 feet of water at least, so could only get in to the first bay - but that was good enough.

Wednesday was a very long night: rain, wind to 100 miles per hour (we heard later), and not much to do but keep our fingers crossed and pray. At the height of it we heard a distress call on the radio - a singlehander on a 40 foot trawler had opted to stay in Tyrell Bay and his boat was holed and sinking. There was nothing we or anyone could do for him and it was the most awful feeling. He went overboard in his life jacket with an emergency beacon and was rescued by a passing freighter, definitely a very lucky man and we have heard that his boat has been raised and is under going repairs!! I can't wait to read his story in Cruising World!

Dawn finally came and the wind died down. Everyone in the Canash was fine ... A few blown out sails and a bunch of us were hard aground but no serious damage. Again, everyone helped with untangling anchors and lines and we finally, after hours of winching and heaving to no avail, got yanked out of the mud by a big ferry. It was wonderful to anchor out in the clean water and the breeze of Tyrrel Bay but our hearts went out to the people of Carriacou. Many had damage to their homes and businesses, no electricity or phone service - and this less then a year after they had to deal with Hurricane Ivan.

No phone service meant no communication with St. Thomas and our kids, so we decided to head straight back and left Carriacou on the Saturday following the storm. The trip was very fast and, apart from being thoroughly doused with ash as we passed 50 miles to leeward of the Montserrat volcano, was uneventful. We checked in to the British Virgin Islands, checked in with the kids and gave ourselves a few days to relax and clean up the boat before heading back to Red Hook. Summer is wonderful here, gentle breezes and the crowds are gone. The islands are lush and green and the flamboyant trees are in bloom.

Come on down and let's go sailing! - Pat and Pieter