Back to Bequia!

This says it all!

Bequia is one of our favorite Windward Islands. It is known as the Island of Clouds and is the largest of the Grenadine Islands. The name “Becouya” was given to the island by the Caribs. It lies nine miles south of St. Vincent. The island’s history has been entwined with the sea for generations. The traditions of boat building, fishing and whaling are still evident.

The Church windows

There is evidence that Bequia was inhabited as early as 200 AD by highly skilled pottery-making Amerindians who originated from South America. The Caribs migrated from South America shortly before the arrival of Columbus in the Antilles in the late 15^th century. The Caribs conquest over the indigenous “Saladoid” people, as named by archeologists, and ruled until the French seized Grenada and the northern islands in 1650.

The local church has a long history.

Admiralty Bay is good for anchoring and there are quaint and colorful shops and restaurants ashore. Port Elizabeth is the town and where Customs is located. This island offers many activities and encourages cruisers to participate in things like the children’s literacy program. They had suffered minor damage in the recent hurricanes and was back to normal. This is where Dennis worked with the swim team last April.

A typical Bequia produce shop

All of the shops are so colorful in Bequia

We discovered a new market with great meats and fruits and vegetable in town, Doris Fresh Food. I stocked the freezer here. We try to spread our money around, so we also shopped at a couple of smaller markets.

For a little exploration, we hired a driver to take us on an island tour where we saw the whaling station and very expensive vacation homes, one is for sale for $11,000,000 USD. I think I need a Sugar Daddy for that one!

Our trip took us to the south end of the island and through the mountain roads to the other side of the island and back down and around so we saw all except the fort. We have seen enough forts for a lifetime.

A group of locals came by to sing Christmas carols to us.

Janice, Ken, Gunella, Dennis, Sherry & Tony

Since it was the Christmas season, plans for cruisers activities were discussed on the morning net. The owner of The Fig Tree restaurant generously offers her patio dining area and grill to the cruisers for their Christmas Day meal since she closes the restaurant to allow her staff to have Christmas off. We were not going to be there for the holidays, but the cruising community was making plans for a community meal. Bequia goes all out with fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

It was fun meeting up with Gunella and Tony from S/Y Katarina (AUS) and Janice and Ken from S/Y Resolute II (AUS) in the bay. We had dinner together at the Bequia Plantation Hotel one night. We are finding it somewhat lonely sailing without the World ARC family so it is wonderful when we meet up with some of them from time to time.

Looking out from Jack's Beach Bar

Of course, no visit to Bequia is complete without a lunch at Jack’s Beach Bar! We usually anchor out from there and dinghy in to use the good Internet. They have a wonderful burger and fries. It comes with a free beer, too. I have actually learned to drink beer on this big adventure! I don’t love it, but on a hot day, it is refreshing.

Bequia is known for the Bequia Mount Gay Music Fest in late January. Unfortunately, we will be in St. Lucia at that time. This little community has so much happening all cruising season that it would be easy to just hang out there for weeks at a time.

And before we could leave, we needed to have our favorite lobster salad at the Gingerbread Cafe. Of course, their Internet adds to the lingering under the huge trees after lunch. It seems like we are always seeking our favorite places to eat  - and good Internet - when we revisit an island! The shade of these trees make it very pleasant in the hot afternoons!

Since we had reservations at the wonderful Marigot Bay Capella Resort Marina in St. Lucia, it was time to weigh anchor and sail overnight to St. Lucia. We do not like the safety issues related to stopping in St. Vincent, so we just sail on by each time. Recently there was a serious incident at the Pitons anchorage in St. Lucia so we decided not to stop there this time. We planned our departure so we would arrive at the Marigot Bay entrance at 0800 when the marina office opens.