Snorkelling

We eventually decided to go to George  Dog Island yesterday, there was no wind and we motored after breakfast. I had been twitching to get away a little earlier but for no particular reason and when we arrived there were no other boats there. There are 4  moorings for day use only which the government put in so as one doesn’t anchor and damage any coral so we picked one up and  enjoyed the solitude.

The snorkelling was great, apparently there’s a swim through somewhere but I didn’t find it despite swimming to the rocky point and across to cockroach island however the fish were great - mostly the small colourful stripy kind and a good variety of coral. We went to the beach and there were thousands of butterflies as well as birdsong although the birds were mostly invisible. Katharine found a natural seat in the rock which was washed by the sea and had an arm rest, back rest and pillow for her where she watched for me returning from my swimming peregrinations. Returning to the boat at around coffee time an American motor catamaran arrived, and more cats arrived too so we were glad we had arrived in time tot have it to ourselves. We rigged the shade in the cockpit, lowered the sprayhood and had coffee, reading, bridge type relaxation along with lunch before heading off to Lee Bay on the West side of Great Camanoe island where we hoped to anchor for the night, the information indicating that there was room for two or three boats.  We arrived mid afternoon and there were two cats at anchor inside but as we made our approach for a sniff around one of  them left and by the time we made it inside we had half of it to ourselves. There is a blow hole in the cliff to the North which moans occasionally as the sea hits it. Pelicans were putting on a show for us, a pair fishing, diving and ballooning around on the water. By late afternoon an old Ketch, looking like a small version of Blue Leopard, arrived and anchored further out from us and later a 52 ft Beneteau also tried to join in but his anchor didn’t hold first time and he gave up and went  off somewhere else. Katharine and I mended the catch on the forward locker that had been broken on the way across the Atlantic and I had fixed temporarily some time ago, it needed a bit of timber glueing and screwing to a triangle  on the inside of the door frame to accept the hook from the catch. The epoxy is currently drying and we’ll screw the catch on after breakfast, Katharine then sewed up a little of the upholstery on the back of a saloon cushion, I think that the backs of the saloon cushions are original so not doing badly. More bridge, conversation etc followed prior to sundowners with pringles - which seem better value here than crisps, and we had a gentle chicken and left over curry for dinner with some rice that Martin flavoured up with cloves, cardamoms and other interesting spices.

Today we’re heading to Spanish Town to  go to the Baths and to clear out for tomorrow for a sail to  St Kitts.

Slainte Jock and the gang.