We’re up and moving pretty early. Although it’s only a few miles over to Union where we need to check out, I want to be the first in line at Customs and Immigration so we can get on with our day quickly.
We’re anchored in Clifton Harbour just before 9 am so I’m happy about that. Go to launch the dinghy and kapoing! something goes kapoing and falls in the water behind Milu. I didn’t hear it or see it although I was closest to it and hanging off the dinghy trying to put the plug back in before I dropped it completely in the water. Probably my extra weight caused it but the girls saw it and heard it. Turns out to be a support from the superstructure that holds the davits. Fell in the water right behind the boat somewhere. Luckily, we’re only in about 4 m of water and I decide I better dive for it now in case the wave action buries it in sand at the bottom. I find it very quickly and get back aboard. Another bit of divine intervention having it fail at anchor in 4 m of water instead of at sea in 120 m. Also, though it is structural, it is not mission critical structural. The davits will hold for a while yet.
We’re still pretty early at the C&I in Clifton Harbour. That’s not good enough though because there are 4 groups ahead of us and at least two of them are charters with about 8 people aboard (8 passports to clear). Worse, the Immigration guy has gone to the airport so only one woman inside doing the work. Lots of chatting amongst us sailors though and always fun to learn what other people are doing and where they are going/have been. When I tell them we’re on Milu Mark and Mary Beth from Simcoe exclaim how they see us everywhere. Nice to have a recognizable boat.
It takes 90 minutes to get through customs instead of the 10 I was hoping for. When I finally get through Customs, I have to wait for the Immigration guy to return from the airport.
Finally, we’re on our way to Carriacou. We were planning to stop at Anse Laroche for lunch and a swim but as we come close we realize if we do that we’d be threatening our time slot at Customs at Carriacou Marine. We wave as we go by. Instead, we roll into Tyrell Bay about 2 pm. We pick up a mooring ball for EC$20 which is a bit of a waste for an hour’s stay but it’s also pretty easy. I drop the girls at the grocery store and head over to Carriacou Marine to go through C&I there.
Naturally, Customs is closed there, have to go to the ferry dock for that, but at least I can get through Immigration here first. Sailclear is down so have to fill out these stupid forms in quadruplicate but I’m done soon enough. Back in the dinghy, I pick up the girls and we go over to the ferry dock where there is a dinghy landing and I find Customs inside. I run into Mark again who did the normal thing and went to Customs first, was told he had to go to Immigration first and now is back here. He did things the way you would expect, Customs first, but that turned out to be wrong. Good for me, I get through before him.
Back to the ferry dock, pick up the girls, back to Milu, off the mooring ball and move around to a mooring ball off Paradise Beach. It’s now pretty late for landing and walking on the beach so we decide to chill a bit here, then land the dinghy at the Paradise Beach Club, walk the beach a bit, then have dinner. That is what we do.
The usual Carriacou band is playing with the octogenarian keyboardist and saxophone player and two locals on drums and guitar. Far too loud for dinner music so after dinner we don’t stick around much.
The surf is still very strong and high after dinner but we are able to launch the dinghy without incident.
We lost a lot of cruising and relaxing time through the wasteful processes of clearing out and in Customs in two countries. I meet a few people today who cleared out at Bequia before heading this way. I think we may be able to do that ahead of time and forget about Union Island. Will try that next time.