Grenada 28 April 2020.

April 28, 2020

Tuesday 28.04.2020.

Our new crew, Alex, joined us last Friday. Alex is Swiss from Zurich and owns a HR-36. Because of the Corona Virus and lockdown he decided to haul his boat out in Grenada and return home to work. That was the good news, but a less good news about crew is that the French couple I had signed up and that were already in St Martin, canceled last Friday, so we are back looking for another crew and I am in contact with a lot of potential crew, but unfortunately most of them have to fly to St Martin and as far as I know the airport will be closed to at least mid May, so it will be difficult for them to fly in and they are likely to be put into a two week’s quarantine on arrival.

Yesterday we moved from Prickly Bay to the St George anchorage, which is a much better anchorage as the swell is much less disturbing and the hills in front of us give more protection. In the various bays on the south coast of Grenada, there are several hundred boats and we learned that many have sat there are anchor for years and apparently some up to 20 years and several boats are in a poor condition. I don’t understand how people can just sit at the same place for years.

Here at the St George anchorage there are a lot of boats and it seems that many are charter boats left at anchor and avoiding going into the Port Louis marina. That marina was quite full yesterday and many boats are charter boats and Mooring Charter is well represented. But there were no super yachts yesterday and that part of the marina was empty. I guess these big yachts are now on their way to the Med.

In the Government’s briefing yesterday, they announced three new Corona Virus cases bring the total to 18 and that is worrying us. But we went to the Supermarket yesterday and are now well stocked up for the coming weeks. The supermarket had almost everything I stock and they had a well managed set up for people to enter and sterilize our hands before entering. Thus they take the Virus problem very serious. The plan was to sail back to Tyrrel Bay to get the missing laundry, but the Grenada Coast Guard did not give us the clearing, as the country is on a complete lockdown, except for the three shopping days.

It was strange to be in the big town with all its people, cars, trucks and motorbikes and we are not use to hear all this noise a busy town can make. Funny enough was that we all three were happy to get back on board New Dawn and away from all the town noise. It was a strange feeling and is the effect on us being on board for well over a month. So back on board Serena and Alex packed all the shopping in the storage places, while I prepared the tender for the sailing to Tyrell Bay. I have to call the Coast Guard this afternoon and we hope to get permission to sail there tomorrow morning.