I haven’t mentioned that I left Canada with a slight cold. It waxed and waned while we were sailing and every day I expected it to go away. But it didn’t.

From this day on it gradually gets worse. On some mornings I wake up feeling cured, but by 10 or 11 am I’m almost completely debilitated. I have to get back to the room and lie down. Massive pain, whole body, the kind where your hair hurts. Dry cough.

But we have things to do so I do the best I can. Since I am the only driver on the rental car, it is up to me to get us places. Thankfully Christy is organized and does her research while I am horizontal. When I’m feeling better, off we go.

Our intention is to be boat shopping. On the first day, we meet Rosie at Port Louis who shows us a Dufour that is pretty much a wreck. It’s ex-charter and she says the owner has tried to get it cleaned up but it’s a disaster. He wants US$250K for it!! I wouldn’t pay 1/3 that price for that dumpster. She’s got a beautiful 50 foot Juneau coming up but it’s out of our price range.

Next day we meet Gary from Horizon. He takes us out to see a Beneteau that I thought we would like. Didn’t. A Beneteau we thought we wouldn’t like. But did. And a Hallsberg-Rassy I thought we would love. The HR was beautiful but small for its price/size and after I banged my head 3 times I was done with it.

Back on the dock at Clarke’s Marina we’re standing in the sun talking to Gary and I’m about to pass out. We finally conclude then back to the condo for rest.

We don’t see any more boats that week but do a mountain of research, visiting all the marinas, all the chandlerys, talking to people. On the last day or so, I drive to the spots we want to visit and sleep in the air conditioned car while Christy goes inside. No way I can stand up and walk around.

We explore the island a bit. First trip we take halfway up to Grenville then cut across to go back down. Visit a very cool waterfall on the way – how can the water be so cold? Refreshing tho. On the way back through the centre of Grenada we return to Grant Etang Park (check it out here). We hiked the extinct volcano rim when we were here 5 years ago and it’s a great trek. This time we decide to take the lake path (it’s actually a man-made reservoir) for something new. Maybe a mistake. 95% of the route is muck. 98% is not very interesting. Still, worth the walk somehow. Takes us 20 minutes to demudify enough to get back in the car.

Another day we circumnavigate the island. Lots to see although, as the driver, the only way you can look at the view is to stop – no way I am taking my eyes off the road for a second while we are moving, Sauteurs is the interesting spot there at the very north tip of the island. Seems like a world away from everything else here. On a good day you can see Carriacou in the distance, today can’t see more than Isle da Ronde. We try to find some aspirin but fail. Apparently the name Sauteurs (jumping in French) is taken from a nearby cliff where, in the 1600s, the Carib people jumped en masse to their deaths rather than submit to the colonializing French. That’s committment.

Stop at the Petite Anse Hotel for a beverage. What a spot. You could spend a lot of time here if you wanted to chill out. The bar/restaurant and poolside area are divine.

it’s Friday and there used to be a fish fry at one of the towns on west side of the island on the way back but they don’t do it anymore. There are two forts we’d like to visit but I am not up for the walks. Back to the condo and rest.