French Polynesia and the Society Islands
07 April 2025
On February 7, Grenada celebrated its 50th year of independence. On all three islands that belong to Grenada, the main island of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, the celebration actually goes on for many months but this particular day was special. It was a public holiday and most places were closed. At the large cricket stadium in the capital St. George's, not too far from our marina, a big celebration was going to be held. There would be military parades, speeches and performances and in the evening a drone show and fireworks. This was not something we wanted to miss so we headed to the capital and by the stadium we saw lots of market stalls selling all sorts of products. Everything from toilet paper to handicrafts, food and lots of different spices. The arena was packed with people, all wearing the colors of Grenada; red, green and yellow. We stood for a long time watching various military parades and displays that ended with several deafening cannon shots and a soldier being ordered to do 50 push-ups. What an honor! đ Since there were no seats available, we couldn't stand to watch the rest of the celebration so we slowly walked back to the marina. On the way we looked into the only restaurant that was open - a Pizza Hut! An hour and a few cheese pizzas later, we rolled (rather than walked) on to the boat.
The joint welcome and closing party, organized by Viking Explorers, was held two days later, with prizes, rum punch and a small live orchestra with steel drums playing for us until late in the evening. We, slightly over-refreshed sailors, devoted a large part of the evening to spontaneous, free dancing đ to the great joy of the musicians. However, a slightly wistful feeling crept in as everyone knew that, from now on, we would split up as a group and sail on, towards different goals.
A few days later, several of the boats had left. However, we stayed at the marina and were visited by Lennart's wife, Tinne, and Christer and Lennart's sister, Yvonne. Now Grenada was to be explored! We explored the nearby beaches and cooled off in the ocean. A guided half-day tour around the island was also on the schedule with a visit to a cocoa farm with chocolate production, a spice and nutmeg farm and the opportunity to visit one of the many waterfalls the island is famous for.
The next morning, we were in the parking lot outside the marina and our guide, Edwin, picked us up in his air-conditioned van. Grateful to be able to cool off in the car in the 30-degree heat, we happily went along. Edwin proved to be extremely knowledgeable about Grenada's history and had himself previously worked in a government ministry for the promotion of tourism. He gave us a matter-of-fact and rather unsentimental quick lesson in the island's periodically very violent history. He told us that Grenada has been populated by different groups, including the Arawaks as early as 3000 BC who are believed to have originated from South America, as well as the Kalinago group who are said to have appeared on the islands around the 11th century. All these early indigenous people are collectively called Amerindians. After Columbus came to the islands in 1498, the original inhabitants have been slowly but surely either killed or driven off from Grenada. Although they fought for their existence well into the 18th century, there are hardly any descendants left today. The majority of the population on Grenada (and other Caribbean islands) is instead descended from African slaves who were brought here during the colonial period to, among other things, work on various plantations. In Grenada, the Spanish, French and British had periodically introduced various trees and other useful plants to the islands. Including cocoa trees, banana plants, sugar cane, nutmeg trees and other spice plants. When slavery was banned in the 19th century, Indian migrants came to the islands instead and settled here to work. Descendants of these Indians now make up about 2.2% of the population of Grenada. Although Grenada belonged to Spain for a long time, France was actually the first with permanent settlements and, after several battles and treaties, was finally handed over to the British at the end of the 18th century. Edwin said that the British were so upset by the actions of the French and pro-French statements in the country that they tried to erase everything French on the island. French, which had previously been the official language, was banned. Parents were forbidden to speak French to their children - even though it was the only language they could speak. English would be introduced everywhere. Today, remnants of French remain mainly in various place names. After independence in 1974, internal unrest continued in the country with various political coups, revolutions and interference by, among others, the United States. Nowadays, however, Grenada is a democracy with political parties and general elections.
Edwin drove us to a cooperative where they grow and harvest cacao fruits and make chocolate. We got to taste a fresh cacao fruit and see how the different beans are fermented, dried, sorted and roasted and then be grinded into cocoa mass and finally become chocolate. Everything was fantastically good. Furthermore, he drove us to a farmer who showed us his jungle of different plants and trees where he harvest everything from nutmeg, cinnamon and other spices to fruits such as bananas and papayas, mangoes and even coconuts. There was also plenty of sugar cane on the island, we were told, and so (of course!) the sugar is also turned into many different kinds of rum. However, we never got the chance to visit any distilleriesâŠ
During the last days with our guests, we chose to sail a bit north and visit Sandy Island and Paradise Beach on the island of Carriacou. We anchored for a few nights and enjoyed the coral beaches and turquoise sea. We snorkeled and saw lots of colorful fish and glimpsed a few rays. So much life! On our way back to the main island of Grenada, we saw a large pod of dolphins swimming past us. In addition, we glimpsed some large sea turtles. Unfortunately, they were too far from the boat to be able to photograph them. Yvonne wanted to eat tuna, so Lennart took his responsibility and fished up a yellowfin tuna weighing over 6 kg, which was then enjoyed in the form of fried cutlets... What wouldn't you do for your sister! Just before reaching the marina, we stopped for a night at the Grenada Underwater Sculpture Park. Here we snorkeled among sculptures that have been sunk to the bottom. The sculptures are meant to eventually form a reef when the natural reef in the area has been destroyed. We tried for the first time to film with our GoPro camera, but it turned out to be difficult to free-dive a few meters down and at the same time keep track of what we intended to film. We get to practice more... Later in the evening we were visited by little fishes that swam around the boat. Probably attracted by the dim light from the windows of Anastacia. Then we saw something strange. A bat flew around the boat lap after lap and hit the water right where the fishes were. Later we consulted Wikipedia and found that it was a Bulldog bat. One of the few bat species that hunts fish!
Once at the marina, we waved off our guests. We hope they will contribute with their stories about the experiences on the trip, here on the blog. Now it is again Christer and I (Malin) left at Anastacia. We have just left Grenada and are slowly moving north to explore more Caribbean islands đ
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Den 7 februari firade Grenada sin 50:e sjĂ€lvstĂ€ndighetsĂ„rsdag. PĂ„ alla tre öarna som tillhör Grenada, huvudön Grenada, Carriacou och Petite Martinique, hĂ„ller firandet egentligen pĂ„ i mĂ„nga mĂ„nader men just denna dag var speciell. Det var allmĂ€n helgdag och det mesta var stĂ€ngt. PĂ„ den stora cricketstadion i huvudstaden St. George's, inte sĂ„ lĂ„ngt frĂ„n vĂ„r marina, skulle ett stort firande hĂ„llas. Det skulle bli militĂ€rparader, tal och upptrĂ€danden och pĂ„ kvĂ€llen drönarshow samt fyrverkerier. Detta var inget vi ville missa sĂ„ vi begav oss till huvudstaden och vid stadion sĂ„g vi massor av marknadsstĂ„nd dĂ€r alla möjliga produkter sĂ„ldes. Allt frĂ„n toapapper till hantverk, mat och mĂ€ngder av olika kryddor. Arenan var fullproppad med mĂ€nniskor, alla klĂ€dda i Grenadas fĂ€rger; rött, grönt och gult. Vi stod lĂ€nge och tittade pĂ„ olika militĂ€rparader och -uppvisningar som avslutades med flera öronbedövande kanonskott samt att en jĂ€garsoldat beordrades göra 50 armhĂ€vningar. Vilken Ă€ra! đ Eftersom det inte fanns nĂ„gra sittplatser lediga orkade vi inte stĂ„ kvar för att se pĂ„ resten av firandet sĂ„ vi gick sakta tillbaka till marinan. PĂ„ vĂ€gen tittade vi in till den enda restaurangen som höll öppet - en Pizza Hut! En timme och nĂ„gra ostpizzor senare rullade vi (snarare Ă€n gick) proppmĂ€tta vidare till bĂ„ten.
Den gemensamma vĂ€lkomst- och avslutningsfesten i Viking Explorers regi, hölls tvĂ„ dagar senare, med prisutdelningar, rompunch och en liten liveorkester med steel drums som spelade för oss till sent pĂ„ kvĂ€llen. Vi, nĂ„got överförfriskade seglare, Ă€gnade stor del av kvĂ€llen Ă„t spontan, fri dans đtill musikernas stora glĂ€dje. En lite vemodig kĂ€nsla infann sig dock dĂ„ alla visste att, frĂ„n och med nu, skulle vi splittras som grupp och segla vidare, mot olika mĂ„l.
NÄgon dag senare hade flera av bÄtarna givit sig av. Vi lÄg dock kvar vid marinan och fick besök av Lennarts fru, Tinne samt Christers och Lennarts syster, Yvonne. Nu skulle Grenada utforskas! Vi undersökte de nÀrliggande strÀnderna och svalkade oss i havet. En guidad halvdagstur runt ön stod ocksÄ pÄ schemat med besök pÄ en kakaoodling med chokladtillverkning, en krydd- och muskotodling samt möjlighet att besöka ett av de mÄnga vattenfall som ön Àr kÀnd för.
NĂ€sta morgon stod vi pĂ„ parkeringen utanför marinan och vĂ„r guide, Edwin, hĂ€mtade oss i sin luftkonditionerade van. Tacksamma över att kunna svalka oss i bilen i den 30-gradiga vĂ€rmen Ă„kte vi glatt med. Edwin visade sig vara ytterst kunnig pĂ„ Grenadas historia och hade sjĂ€lv tidigare arbetat pĂ„ ett statligt departement för frĂ€mjandet av turism. Han gav oss en saklig och ganska osentimental snabblektion i öns periodvis mycket vĂ„ldsamma historia. Han berĂ€ttade att Grenada har befolkats av olika folkgrupper, bl a Arawaks redan 3000 Ă„r f kr som man tror hĂ€rstammar frĂ„n Sydamerika liksom gruppen Kalinago som lĂ€r ha dykt upp pĂ„ öarna runt 1000-talet. Alla dessa tidiga urinvĂ„nare kallas gemensamt för Amerindians. Efter att Columbus kom till öarna 1498 har urinvĂ„narna sakta men sĂ€kert antingen dödats eller fördrivits frĂ„n Grenada. Ăven om de stred för sin existens lĂ„ngt in pĂ„ 1700-talet finns idag knappt nĂ„ra Ă€ttlingar kvar. Majoriteten av befolkningen pĂ„ Grenada (och andra karibiska öar) hĂ€rstammar istĂ€llet frĂ„n afrikanska slavar som fördes hit under kolonialtiden för att bl a arbeta pĂ„ olika plantager. PĂ„ Grenada hade spanjorer, fransmĂ€n och britter periodvis fört in olika trĂ€d och andra nyttovĂ€xter till öarna. Bl a kakaotrĂ€d, bananplantor, sockerrör, muskottrĂ€d och andra kryddvĂ€xter. NĂ€r slaveriet förbjöds pĂ„ 1800-talet kom istĂ€llet indiska migranter till öarna och bosatte sig hĂ€r för att arbeta. Ăttlingar till dessa indier utgör numera ca 2,2% av befolkningen pĂ„ Grenada. Ăven om Grenada lĂ€nge tillhörde Spanien var Frankrike egentligen först med permanenta bosĂ€ttningar och, efter flera strider och fördrag slutligen lĂ€mnats över till britterna i slutet pĂ„ 1700-talet. Edwin berĂ€ttade att britterna var sĂ„ upprörda över fransmĂ€nnens agerande och pro-franska yttringar i landet att de försökte radera allt franskt pĂ„ ön. Franska, som tidigare varit det officiella sprĂ„ket, förbjöds. FörĂ€ldrar förbjöds prata franska med sina barn -trots att det var det enda sprĂ„k de kunde tala. Engelskan skulle introduceras överallt. Idag finns rester av franskan kvar frĂ€mst i olika ortsnamn. Efter sjĂ€lvstĂ€ndigheten 1974 fortsatte inre oroligheter i landet med olika politiska kupper, revolutioner och inblandning av bl a USA. Numera Ă€r dock Grenada en demokrati med politiska partier och allmĂ€nna val.
Edwin körde oss till ett kooperativ dĂ€r man odlar och skördar kakaofrukter och tillverkar choklad. Vi fick smaka pĂ„ en fĂ€rsk kakaofrukt och se hur de olika bönorna fermenteras, torkas, sorteras och rostas för att sedan valsas till kakaomassa och slutligen bli choklad. Allt var fantastiskt gott. Vidare körde han oss till en odlare som visade oss sin djungel av olika plantor och trĂ€d dĂ€r han skördar allt frĂ„n muskot, kanel och andra kryddor till frukter som bananer och papaya, mango och Ă€ven kokosnötter. Sockerrör fanns det ocksĂ„ gott om pĂ„ ön, fick vi veta, och dĂ€rför (naturligtvis!) förvandlas sockret ocksĂ„ mĂ„nga olika sorters rom. Vi fick dock aldrig tillfĂ€lle att besöka nĂ„gra destillerierâŠ
Under de sista dagarna med vÄra gÀster valde vi att segla en bit norrut och besöka Sandy Island samt Paradise Beach pÄ ön Carriacou. Vi lÄg för ankar nÄgra nÀtter och njöt av korallstrÀnderna och det turkosblÄ havet. Vi snorklade och sÄg massor av fÀrgglada fiskar och skymtade nÄgra rockor. SÄ otroligt mycket liv! PÄ vÀg tillbaka till huvudön Grenada sÄg vi en stor flock delfiner simma förbi oss. Dessutom skymtade vi nÄgra stora havssköldpaddor. TyvÀrr var de för lÄngt frÄn bÄten för att kunna fotografera dem. Yvonne var sugen pÄ att Àta tonfisk sÄ Lennart tog sitt ansvar och fiskade upp en över 6 kg tung gulfenad tonfisk som sedan avnjöts i form av stekta kotletter... Vad gör man inte för syrran! Strax innan vi nÄdde marinan stannade vi en natt vid Grenada Underwater Scupture Park. HÀr snorklade vi bland skulpturer som sÀnkts ner pÄ botten. Skulpturerna Àr tÀnkta att sÄ smÄningom forma ett rev dÄ det naturliga revet förstörts i omrÄdet. Vi provade för första gÄngen att filma med vÄr GoPro-kamera men det visade sig vara svÄrt att fridyka nÄgon meter ner och samtidigt hÄlla koll pÄ det man tÀnkt filma. Vi fÄr trÀna mer⊠Senare pÄ kvÀllen fick vi besök av smÄ fiskar som simmade runt bÄten. Troligen lockade av det svaga ljuset frÄn fönsterna pÄ Anastacia. DÄ fick vi se nÄgot mÀrkligt. En fladdermus flög runt bÄten varv efter varv och slog ner i vattnet precis dÀr fiskarna befann sig. Senare konsulterade vi Wikipedia och konstaterade att det rörde sig om en Harmunfladdermus (Bulldog bat) en av de fÄ fladdermusarter som jagar fisk!
VĂ€l framme vid marinan vinkade vi av vĂ„ra gĂ€ster. Vi hoppas de kommer att bidra med sina berĂ€ttelser om upplevelserna pĂ„ resan hĂ€r pĂ„ bloggen. Nu Ă€r det Ă„terigen Christer och jag (Malin) kvar pĂ„ Anastacia. Vi har precis lĂ€mnat Grenada och rör oss sakta norrut för att utforska fler karibiska öar đ
Indipendence day!
Grenada and St. George's
Chocolate Factory
Brave swimmers at Concord Waterfall
Sandy Island and Paradise Beach, Carriacou
Grenada Underwater Sculpture Park
4 Commentaire(s)
Tack för en go uppdatering pĂ„ ert Ă€ventyrâ”ïžđđ
25 February 2024 Answerđ Tack Sven, hoppas att allt Ă€r vĂ€l med er.
27 February 2024 AnswerHej ! Kul att lĂ€sa đ vi flyger hem ikvĂ€ll. Det var sĂ„ trevligt och mysigt att trĂ€ffa er hĂ€rligt smĂ„galna och goa seglare. Vi har saknat er pĂ„ vĂ„r fĂ€rd uppĂ„t.Vi önskar er en fortsatt fantastisk hĂ€r pĂ„ ert stora Ă€ventyr. Ta vĂ€l vara pĂ„ er och se upp för pirater o rĂ„naređ det hĂ€nder ruskiga saker i omrĂ„det. Stor kram frĂ„n gastarna pĂ„ Kerpa
26 February 2024 AnswerVi saknar er med đ„° Vi höres och synes, var det nu blir đ
27 February 2024 Answer