Monday, November 25, 2024

Bequia

Bequia

Saturday 23rd to Monday 25th November 2024


It was a lovely beam-reach sail up from Tobago Keys to Bequia, and we managed to avoid the many squalls that were passing through the area. Gloria and I have been to Bequia a number of times previously and it really is a delightful place to visit. This time we anchored on the south side of Admiralty Bay, Port Elizabeth, in clear water off Princess Margaret Beach.


On our first morning we tackled yet another boat project. The throttle cable has been getting increasingly stiff and difficult to operate. I thought we needed to buy a new cable, but in order to do so, we wanted to measure the existing cable. I took apart the top of the pedestal, where the controls are mounted, and realized that it was in fact the lever mounted on that pedestal that was the main source of the problem. We took that apart, cleaned and lubricated it, and the system now seems to work much more easily. This is just as well as we were unable to get any meaningful measurement of the cable as it runs down the pedestal and under a poorly accessible space below the cabin sole. Ideally, the cable needs to be pulled out and measured, then a replacement part ordered and re-fitted. However, that’s not going to happen whilst we are down here, so I’m hoping I might get the information from Morris, the boat manufacturer, so that I can order a spare in advance and have Tasha bring it down when she visits in December.


It’s great to wander around the island of Bequia and we have spent a couple of days touring around on foot. Today we repeated a hike that Gloria and I did back in May up Mount Peggy. It was the end of the dry season then and the paths were dry, dusty and covered in leaves. Now we are in the latter part of the wet season and the vegetation is extremely lush and the paths were wet and muddy. It’s hard to say whether dry, slippery leaf covered rocks are harder to descend than a wet, mud covered stream bed - neither were easy. However, on this occasion the mosquitos were rampant in the forest and it was hard to concentrate on navigating the terrain whilst being eaten alive! Regardless, the view from the top was astounding and well worth the effort. The cold drinks in the cafe at the bottom were very welcome. We capped off this afternoon with a swim from Cotinga followed by a shower, and then we returned to land to drop off laundry in town, get some stitching on our canvas dodger repaired, and drink enormous smoothies at the cafe “Sugar and Spice”, watching the sun go down.



Mike


13 00.258 N, 61 14.579 W



Jo and Pete on the top of Mount Peggy, Bequia


A more extensive panorama from the top of Mount Peggy


A squall approaches as we walk back from the east coast of Bequia


Jo and Pete shelter under their umbrellas


Mangrove Cuckoo



Cattle egret perched on the boom of a boat



 











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