Grenada - Latitude 12 Degrees North

We arrived in Grenada on Saturday after a great sail. We sailed almost the entire way from Tyrell Bay Carriacou to Prickly Bay, Grenada. There was one small point where we turned on the engine when we were in the lee of the island and had light wind. Once we arrived, we motored around the south corner, to the east and on to Prickly Bay which was very crowded and had a very large swell rolling the boats around. We decided it had been a very long day of sailing - so we headed around the corner to Mt. Hartman Bay (also known as Secret Harbour). We had to negotiate our way around some reefs to get to Mt. Hartman - but upon arrival it was nice to see very flat water.

Mt. Hartman doesn't have the services that Prickly Bay offers, so the next morning (Sunday), we decided to head back there in the hopes that the swells would have abated. We found a spot way out - but the swells grew through the day and by night - they were unbelievable. It was the worse night to date (even worse than St. Pierre). It was Sunday, and we managed to get some laundry done (have a visitor coming and needed to get those sheets washed for Frank!). We also dinghied about, took a short walk and found where things were - though everything was closed. On Monday after a bad night's sleep - we got some errands done on shore and then came back to Mt. Hartman. We did walk back to Prickly - up a few good hills - to get to Happy Hour at the Prickly Bay Marina where we met some friends for cheap beers.

Grenada (pronounced Gre-NAY-da) is a beautiful island - the last of the windward chain. It is independent, though has an interesting history. The tribes of the Arawaks and Caribs were the first inhabitants. Christopher Columbus named the island Concepcion in 1498. Spanish sailors thought the island reminded them of Andalusia, a region of southern Spain and called the island Granada - the name stuck though the British changed it to the current spelling and pronunciation.

The French and British battled for the island for 90 years, leaving a legacy of forts, cannons and French and British place names. The Treaty of Versailles (1783) ceded Grenada to the British The Brits brought in slaves and turned the island into an agricultural powerhouse with sugar, cotton, coffee, cocoa and tobacco. Emancipation came in 1834.

One of the most important dates in Grenada's history is 1843, the year that nutmeg (clandestinely taken from Dutch-occupied Indonesia) was brought to the island. In those days, the commodity was nearly as precious as gold due to its healing, preservative and flavoring qualities. Grenada's soil and climate proved to be perfect for the spice and now Grenada is the second largest supplier of nutmeg and mace (the red lacy shell that cover the nutmeg).

In 1877, Grenada became a Crown Colony. In 1974, it achieved full independence. Five year later, Maurice Bishop and his radical New Jewel Movement seized power and established a socialist/communist government. In 1983, Bishop and several of his aides were arrested and executed by a faction within his own party. The Governor General requested military intervention The United States, Jamaica and the Eastern Caribbean States responded with the now famous "rescue mission" that restored order. The island got its government back in order and since then, there has been great economic progress.

The island also works hard at preserving many of its magnificent natural resources (coral reefs, rainforests and rivers) with national parks. Tourism is a big business here.

It's changed a lot since we were here aboard "Mariah" in 2001. The development around Prickly Bay is especially noticeable - with large condo complexes. The charming little beach bars and restaurants have been taken over. But it's still a lovely island.

Tomorrow Frank Willson arrives. Today - it's boat cleaning day. We look forward to our guest.