A Cool Dip Below the Falls

A weather omen? 

(the wicked witch of tropical waves)

Lately, we’ve been a little less lazy and a bit more active. The FIFA soccer games and our books have taken the back burner to exploring some of Grenada.

the ketch 'Mandalay,' registered in Zanzibar

93yr. old, 236' long, 34' draft

anchored in St. George's harbour

Together with Jorge & Kim we had a little warm-up by first going to check out the nearby botanical gardens – a walk from their boat. I think it must have been a bigger attraction sometime in its past; as though there were a good variety of trees, there were none of the many flowering shrubs or flowers that are so common to the island?! Still, it was good to get our legs moving again.

 Jorge & Gil checking the breadfruit

 an embarrassment of mangoes

 ???

 quite the tree

Jorge & Kim under the shade of the gazebo

 visiting the dinghy dock

incredible blooms

(that's Gil & Jorge on the right)

The following day, the four of us took local bus #6 – an adventure of its’ own – to the “Seven Sisters” (though the only sign we saw marked it as St. Margaret’s Falls).  

The local buses are minivans, in which they somehow manage to build seating for about 17 (?), but cram in a few more bodies (ie. 3 people can occupy a 2 seater bench). The drivers workout their biceps by constantly shifting gears as they hurl up and down and around the narrow winding mountain roads. There are no shoulders on these roads, and few guardrails along the steep embankments. Hanging from our driver’s rear view mirror, however, was a rosary …. apparently, faith is all you need! 

can you spot the rosary hanging from the rear view mirror of bus #6?

Walking sticks were encouraged for the hike from the road up to the falls. It seems to rain some every day, so the trail can be slick and muddy. We were thankful for those walking sticks! I should have borrowed that rosary though, as I still managed a tumble; but only my pride was hurt as the landing was soft (mud!).

This day’s slice of heaven was having twin falls with a pool between them, all to ourselves. We languished there for the afternoon (except for the time I spent laundering my muddy clothes), enjoying a cool dip as well as the falls.

  Jorge & Kim between the falls

Kim & Diana enjoying the moment

Kenny met us along the trail to and from the falls.  His home was here, and he wanted to share his knowledge of the local fruits and spices, and help us on the rugged trail. 

 nutmeg beside Kenny's house

 nutmeg on the tree

 the opened nutmeg 

(depicted on their national flag)

pineapple

Kenny was hard-of-hearing, and his speech was characteristic of it. “Talk hard” he’d tell us! I listened intently to try and make out what he was saying (between his dialect, accent, and ‘deaf’ speech, it was challenging); and he was happy to have such an ‘interested’ audience in me.  I think Kenny would have spent the entire afternoon with us…. so when  we reached the falls, we thanked him for his ‘help’ and each offered him a tip.   

 bamboo

view from the trail

Kenny found us again on the way out! Before boarding the return bus, Kenny was insistent that we must have clean shoes. He had filled a couple of buckets with water so he could wash our muddy shoes. Too cute.

After making it safely back to town, we stopped in at the fish market where Gil & I selected yellow fin tuna for dinner (2lb. for 7 EC – about $6), and visited the booths of some fruit and vegetable vendors – our bags were full returning home to our boats.

the end of a long day .... zzzzz.....