I had always looked at Grenada as a monumental waypoint on this adventure. It had played a big role in the creation of the trip, inspiring us to choose this lifestyle when we came down in January of 2019 to sail in Grenada Sail Week. It was where we formed the bonds that provided so much for us in Carriacou and it was the last of the Windward Isles. When we left Grenada we left West Indian culture and would begin our journey to new cultures and new oceans. Because of that it made sense to bring in the New Year on the island. The marine services in Grenada are some of the best available in the West Indies because many people keep their boats there, safe from hurricanes, during the off season. Incidentally a sizeable leak had developed around our drive shaft log during our time in the West Indies so we pulled the boat out for some love. New year, new me was extended to J. Henry as well. Being smack dab between Christmas and New Years meant that the boat yard was a ghost town, which left the feat of diagnosing and fixing the leak was on our shoulders. We got to work immediately after hauling the boat out at Clarke’s Court Marina. Soon it became clear that the seal around the log had been compromised, a lucky break on our part and an easy fix. We addressed that and took advantage of being out of the water by replacing some hoses, installing our water maker, and giving J. Henry a fresh coat of bottom paint.
With that work out of the way we set our sights on celebrating the New Year. We ended up at Hog Island, one of Grenada’s best kept secrets. It is a small island with grills, fire pits, live music, and a beach “bar” in the loosest sense of that word. Locals and old salts end up here by boat to cook, relax, and have a good time. A small community had gathered for New Years and we made many a new friend while fireworks from Port Louis rose over the mountain peaks of the mainland. It was special night in a special place, a fitting start to a year that promises to be full of both. We left Grenada with the longest sail we had in over a month ahead of us and a lifetime of memories behind us already.
-Zach
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