Carriacou and a Volcano

We arrived in Hillsborough at about 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 18. We needed to clear immigration but, given our experiences elsewhere, we reckoned the chance of anyone's being on duty on a Sunday afternoon was about a million to one.

Instead, WW leapt into his swimming trunks and over the side. We discovered why the port engine had taken a sabbatical. A vast tarpaulin and several meters of shredded nylon rope had formed a just-barely penetrable tangle around the propeller and rudder. WW hacked and hewed and freed the stuff. He then took the tarpaulin and later donated it to a local boatman; two large plastic bags full of mangled rope were deposited in the garbage. Every fishing boat that entered the harbour, WW eyed with suspicion. "I'm sure it was that one," he said, pointing to one. "I know I saw that boat out there." To my inexperienced eye, all the fishing boats looked much of a muchness, but he was convinced he had found the culprit. Not that he *did* anything other than disapprove strongly from afar.

We started the usual post-crossing decontamination procedures insofar as we could at anchor. Then, out of the blue, a vicious and fast-moving squall came charging into the harbour. The winds were 50 knots and there was rain. Rain! Lots of pelting, freshwater, torrential downpouring rain! Django was clean and ready for Grenada on the morrow.

We awoke to discover the anchor had dragged badly. Fortunately, the harbour wasn't crowded and we hadn't bashed into anyone or anything. WW headed into the town to register our presence. He was castigated for not having come in the day before. In fairness, we hadn't gone ashore at all. Still, immigration people like folk on boats to follow their rules.

We sailed out into a beautiful day with a good wind and pointed for Grenada. On the way we had to make a bit of a detour around Kick 'em Jenny. The Caribbean islands are a volcanic chain. Kick 'em Jenny is the most recent...so recent, in fact, that she hasn't put her head above water. She is, nonetheless, very dangerous. There is a five-kilometer safety zone around her, marked on all the charts.

Now, why do you think it is bad to sail over a submerged volcano? Because it may erupt and boil you and your boat?

Good guess but not the right answer. It is because volcanoes release large amounts of gas. The gas from submerged volcanoes decreases the density of the water above them. What keeps boats afloat? Why, the density of the water! So, if you sail over an active submerged volcano that is having a gassy moment, you sink like a stone. Thud.

Apart from volcano-avoidance, the sail to St. George's on Grenada was one of the nicest bits of sailing we'd had. Fair winds and fair weather. We fairly flew south.