Grenada and Continuing On

Kids marching for Independence Day

Genesis being put back in the water

Touring the Island -  Concord Falls

I am back in Grenada ready to bring Genesis and the crew back to the Everglades Florida where she will be put on a ship and sent back to Vancouver.
Many years ago Ken showed me how to change the oil in the two engines but it was decided by myself if I ever had to do this I would hire some one. A- Too hot in the engine B- Too much work C- It STINKS! so the first thing on the agenda was to hire the marina workers to change all the fluids. Its a blue job I will let someone else do.
Genesis is now back in the water. It was bittersweet as she likes to float however the reality of the situation has hit hard.
Kenny and Ernie are awesome and together we will bring her home.
This weekend is Grenada's 37th anniversary of their independence. Everyone is dressed in red, green and yellow; the colours of the Grenada flag. Parades will be happening and the partying has already begun.
We hired Matthew as a taxi driver and toured the whole country. That doesn't take days as it is 21 miles long and 12 miles wide. The country is divided into Parishes (Provinces, States). There are 6 parishes in all.
Grenadian culture is an eclectic mix of British, French, African, East and West Indian people. They are a very religious and proud people.
They have been inflicted with 2 bad hurricanes that have caused such severe damage that many years later they are still trying to recover. Nutmeg trees and sugarcane crops were ruined. Two major crops. Trees have been re-transplanted but they will take years to produce the numbers of years gone by. We were told at the nutmeg factory that 1 person works 8 hrs/day twice a week for aprox $10.00 a day. The cost of food here would be equivalent to our costs in Canada.
We visited the forts and churches the usual tourist attractions but what I saw was the lush vegetation. This island is very mountainous and tropical. There is one road around it where buildings hang. Hardly room for 2 cars to pass. The cars honk as they are coming to a curve. They back up if need be it is total courtesy. No swearing beneath your breath, no stress just the way it is. Life the way it should be.
We followed the coast checking out secretly where we may want to anchor. The islands in the distance we will be at next. So different than the days we were use to, to get somewhere.
We sampled a local lunch of plantains, breadfruit, potato salad made from breadfruit, king fish, chicken and curie rice. We all agreed that we were eating pork or goat (which was the king fish). Very tasty.
We visted a Rum Factory 300 yrs old and still in use. There have been several owners but the newest owners are from Grenada. It employs 93 persons and produces 90,000 bottles a year. This number is amazing when you consider that it does not export. There are 100,000 people that live in Grenada many children as families are large. So you do the math!.
We visited an organic chocolate plantation. They export to the Caribbean Islands. Mighty fine chocolate.
Carib's Leap is a site that the last indigenous people jumped to their death so as not to be slaves to the Spaniards.
The island contains sulfur springs, rivers, lakes and numerous waterfalls that you can swim in the warm fresh water. The tropical forest contain monkeys but that is about the most scariest thing they have. No poisonous snakes, or spiders.
We learn all about the American Invasion of 1983. The people here were very thankful for the Americans. The Cuban and Russian government were helping with a coo being undertaken by a socialist party. The socialist party had killed the Prime Minister his pregnant wife and the entire cabinet. They then held the American students attending St. George's University ransom.
The recollection of the 2 bad hurricanes and how now no one takes a hurricane warning for granted. Still very real for all Grenadians.
We are busy cleaning Genesis and hope to depart tomorrow being Monday and begin what I hope to be somewhat of a healing process.
While in Calgary I discussed with a friend that I should give Ken's clothes away here as they would be much appreciated. I left the bags outside the garbage bin so anyone could pick through. Later as I was paying for the moorage a young gentleman came to pick up his paycheck wearing Ken's blazer he was so proud, walking taller: looking important, feeling important. Another was wearing his hiking boots. Yes a decision well made. Nothing was left by the garbage bin.
I will try and continue writing  the blog weekly as in the past. Now I better get out and help the boys.