Bequia
Following a night under sail, we awoke in calm seas and light winds with the island of St. Vincent to our port side and the Grenadines stretching off to the south. As the winds continued to decrease, more sail was unfurled - a perfect morning for relaxing on deck, with a colorful but sobering presentation on coral reef ecology from our naturalist to enliven the morning.
By midday we had arrived at our anchorage off Port Elizabeth on the island of Bequia, an island of some seven square miles lying between St. Vincent to the north and Mustique to the south but politically part of the independent nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
That Bequia has a unique character quickly became apparent during our afternoon visit. Although the remains of few plantations can be found at Friendship, Spring and Industry - the remains of the latter visible on our short afternoon tour - the island was not generally developed for plantation agriculture. Instead, the islanders became famous for their boat-building skills and the associated whaling industry that developed here through a chance contact with New England whaler. To this day, the island is granted the right to hunt one whale a year by the International Whaling Commission although more often than not, no whale is caught. Young people are becoming more interested in conservation and its tourist revenue potential, a trend confirmed by our visit to 'Brother' King's Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary where a former fisherman now raises turtle hatchlings in captivity before re-releasing them into the ocean.
The afternoon ended in style at Princess Margaret's Beach, where the bathing and the rum punch were both judged a cut above average. While all this was going on the crew had been decorating the deck for a Caribbean deck dinner to feature grilled local fish. Because of the rain, we moved inside for the main courses but returned on deck for dessert and the music of the local Bequia band, "King of Strings."
Following a night under sail, we awoke in calm seas and light winds with the island of St. Vincent to our port side and the Grenadines stretching off to the south. As the winds continued to decrease, more sail was unfurled - a perfect morning for relaxing on deck, with a colorful but sobering presentation on coral reef ecology from our naturalist to enliven the morning.
By midday we had arrived at our anchorage off Port Elizabeth on the island of Bequia, an island of some seven square miles lying between St. Vincent to the north and Mustique to the south but politically part of the independent nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
That Bequia has a unique character quickly became apparent during our afternoon visit. Although the remains of few plantations can be found at Friendship, Spring and Industry - the remains of the latter visible on our short afternoon tour - the island was not generally developed for plantation agriculture. Instead, the islanders became famous for their boat-building skills and the associated whaling industry that developed here through a chance contact with New England whaler. To this day, the island is granted the right to hunt one whale a year by the International Whaling Commission although more often than not, no whale is caught. Young people are becoming more interested in conservation and its tourist revenue potential, a trend confirmed by our visit to 'Brother' King's Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary where a former fisherman now raises turtle hatchlings in captivity before re-releasing them into the ocean.
The afternoon ended in style at Princess Margaret's Beach, where the bathing and the rum punch were both judged a cut above average. While all this was going on the crew had been decorating the deck for a Caribbean deck dinner to feature grilled local fish. Because of the rain, we moved inside for the main courses but returned on deck for dessert and the music of the local Bequia band, "King of Strings."
