Camp Grenada and My first Hash

Life in Grenada can either be very boring or so busy as there are so many things daily to do. It feels like camp at times because of the social activities. 7:30am is the cruisers net where there is a net controller and they let you know of all social activities going on for the day, shopping bus schedules, people looking for help or parts to fix things, and a section for the island businesses to promote themselves. After sometimes an hour of radio net it is time to either catch your shopping bus, go to yoga or aerobics, or Thai Chi under the almond tree. We were still in Prickly Bay so we were still attending the 1/2 price pizza nights and bingo nights but then volley ball had started at Secret Harbor marina in Mt. Hartman Bay which was the next bay over or a good 15 minute walk. There also was the Tuesday jam sessions for musicans to get together and have fun. We found that our anchorage and mooring were getting rolly and tight. Winds shifted one day and we were so close to our neighbor boat that we had to step on their boat and fend ours off. We also had to fend off the channel marker that had a nice metal spike sticking out of it. It became obvious it was time to go. We told the marina that those two mooring balls were just too close for bigger boats. Besides it would be nice moving over to the next bay to get out of some of the swells we were having.

A little too close

Now thats really too close

This is the channel marker

I had heard about hashes before coming to Grenada. They basically call it runners with a drinking problem. It is basically a way for people to get together, walk or run trails laid out by the hash queens, see the countyside and have an excuse for a party afterwards. Most of the trails are straight forward marked by blobs of shredded paper or arrows showing which turn to take. They also lay out false trails but you dont know it until you reach an x marked in shredded paper. Then you have to turn back, retrace your steps until you can pick up your old trail and try once more to find the real trail. The first one I did Dirk decided not to go as he really doesnt like to hike that much, so I decided to go with some others. The hash this day would take place on the north end of the island and was a long 1 1/2 hour bus ride through the small villages that dot the island. We arrived, I signed in, paid my 2EC and hung out while we waited for the start.

Victorias Ghost and Lequesto

Once the Hashmaster lets us know its almost time to start then everyone gathers around and she gives the rules mostly for the virgins. Yes that would be me and the couple other newbies. Just letting us know about the trails, no picking of any fruits that you see and then they make anyone who has new shoes on drink a beer from them to break them in.

Time to break in new shoes

We began the hash which started on the beach and the the runners break off for their trail and the walkers on our trail.

Let the hash begin

Lots of the trails are on personal property thus no picking of the fruits that were everywhere.

Shredded trail marker

Skinny trails

Part of the way through the hash we came up to a bed and breakfast type place as the trail went through the yard. The guy was great and had a truck waiting with either a free beer or a free water. We chose the beer. I was already carrying a water. His property had beautiful views of the islands north and Carriacou.

Beautiful views

Toasting the view

After taking a rest to enjoy the beer and the views we continued on.

Some trails almost hidden

Some trails heading right through a back yard

And some running trough the front yard

Resident animals greeting us

Other animals too tired to move

And finally back to the beach.

Looking north towards Carriacou

Once we got back I had a beer and was gonna get some BBQ chicken but the line was too long. Someone told me that the oildown which is a traditional dish here was good so I tried it.

Oil Down

There was one piece of chicken in it, bread fruit which I dont care for, plaintains, some green stuff and some salt fish which I really dislike. I even had one of the many stray dogs want some yet refuse to eat what I handed him. I hated waisting it but I couldnt eat it and the person that told me he liked it didnt eat his either. Apparently it was different then what he had before. I should have known with a name like Oil Down what did I expect. After everyone made it back and signed in, the after party begins. First they bring out all the virgins, aka first time hashers which I was one today and made us stand in front of the Hashmaster as she read us our introduction into hashing certificate.

Virgins no more

After reading this to us we are then sprayed with beer from all sides.

Afterwards we were soaked.

Showing off our new certificates

After the welcoming of the virgins the anyone who did something wrong on the hash and got caught had to drink from the Dottie Pottie which has warm beer and must be shared with everyone that got caught with you. Its a small metal bucket that has goodness knows what in it, and never gets washed. But thats the punishment you get for picking fruit and getting caught. After an hour or so of mingling around we loaded back on the bus to take us back. There were three virgins on our bus and stale, sweaty soaked bodies made for a stinky ride back to the marina. It was a blast and I will do it again....

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More of Grenada With Guest

We decided we wanted to a hike up to the Seven Sisters Waterfall to experience the interior of the island ourselves. We hopped on the number 1 bus and took it to St. George to pick up the bus that would drop us off in the wilderness of the rainforest. Seven Sisters is on private property so we stopped at the main building to pay our small fee to hike the trail. We picked up a walking stick as suggested by other hikers and took off down the road. We werent going to hire a guide but the guy seemed very friendly and knowledable as he led us to the starting path. We decided to hire him to continue on as he seemed like fun to have along and he said we paid him whatever we wanted to. He pointed out things we learned about on the Cutty Tour and showed us other cool things along the way. You had to hike down to the first fall and it was a nice muddy trail. We were glad that we had the walking sticks.

This is where the road begins to the trail that would take us to the falls

Pineapples growing on the side of the road

And the steep trail begins

Here we met a man with a machete, seems common place here.

Here is the first set of falls we came to. Very pretty spot.

The water was very refreshing and we all took a dip.

AJ enjoying the falls

Dirk standing under the falls and getting beat up.

Group photo

Now on up to the next set of falls

Our guide pointing out plants

We then started up to the second fall called Honeymoon falls as the pool at the bottom is shaped like a heart. It was a bit more of a challange as there was no set path and we would have never found it had we not had our guide.

Only AJ took a swim in this one as we watched on before starting our trek back which proved to be tricky in some places.

Some slick rocks here

Then it was the climb back up the steep trails we decended in the beginning. At one point we did hear the monkeys calling out for its baby and the guide tried calling back but I dont think mom was falling for it. So no monkeys today either.

Steep, muddy, and slick

Most of us are still smiles though

Once we made it back to the end of the trail the guide helped us wash the tons of mud we had on our shoes and we paid him for his time and set about waiting at the end of the road to try and catch a bus back into town. We waited and waited before one finally stopped to pick up its muddy passengers then we got to wait at the bus terminal again for a number 1 to take us back to our stop. I cant remember if it was this day or the day previous that as we were sitting in the bus some lady poked her head in and said "this is a white bus" before turning away to wait for the next one. Well the next one doesnt pull up till this one is overflowing to capacity. Some other woman told her just to get in and in the end she did get the last seat giving us glares that would set one on fire. Guess this was discrimination but I figured it was her problem not ours and we just let it go. We all went back to the marina and grabbed a shower before heading into the Tiki Bar for some well earned dinner. The Tiki Bar is associated with the marina and just about every night of the week they have something going on. Monday is 1/2 price pizza.

1/2 price pizza night

I thinks its Tuesday or Wednesday they have Bingo that is a blast. You can win good prizes such as cash and phone minutes or even live animals.

Me with one of the prizes of the evening

This was the grand prize the same evening

And there is also Dud prizes of toilet seats, curlers, plastic dolls and such. Its all good fun and if two people call bingo at the same time you must have a dance off. This was always fun to watch. On Sundays they had movie night which we attended a few times. Great new releases, many of which had chinese sub titles.

Movie night

So we tried to fit in fun evenings while the guest were here but, usually in the evenings we were too tired and went to bed early. A couple days before they were due to leave they had a children's parade due to Carnival being right around the corner. We happened to be downtown at the time and caught it.

Soon the week of having guest onboard came to an end it it was time for them to leave. Up very early to get everyone up and about and to the dinghy dock to catch the taxi we had booked.

We said our final goodbyes and then they were off, my how times flies when guest are onboard. Seems like they just got here.

Till next time.....

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