After reunions with locals and ARC+ friends we sailed to Barbados, upwind, port tack all the way, with squalls and sizable waves on the bow. 90 miles later, after a spectacular sunset where we literally were sailing through a rainbow, we found Miss Catana’s owners, the Tasmanians Reets and Gaz on a mooring ball outside Port St Charles. We met when we first bought El Gato while they were at the Catana Yard in France. Our first cruising friends and we’ve enjoyed sharing time and adventurous stories with them in Greece and now the Caribbe.

Backing up a bit, those of you who read FB saw how we hosted a lively hello and goodbye party in San Diego. Annie cooked Roti, a typical Caribbean dish for 50 and Painkillers were served to commemorate our wedding party drink of choice. Thank you Sam for playing bartender!

A bonus to our party was we booked our first charter! We are Thrilled that our friends Daryl, Jenny, Lee, and Dee will be cruising Martinique and Dominica with us!!! They signed up for our Valentine Special – Nothing is Sweeter than Sailing!

And while we continue to work on the website for our teaching charters, we are officially open for business for friends and acquaintances. We’ll focus on fun and exploration for our buddies that want to come play. Spread the word and share the cost (and the fun). Two couples or four adults max as we have 2 available cabins with king and queen size beds.
We have T Mobile and can easily call or text or write you back. For now we are offering discounts through April. Check out the El Gato calendar at the top to see where we are going and we will work with you to make something special happen!

Three amigos who have sailed with us!

Making Roti for 50 was a challenge – especially since I’ve never cooked it before. but I have a new Caribbean cookbook and appreciation for the local diets.

After 3 days in St Lucia, we were treated to a spectacular dinner with chef Laura cooking the the St Lucian National dish of salt Cod and Green Figs. Green figs are green bananas BTW. We met when the 3 friends when they were manning an artist booth during ARC arrivals. Sabrina has raw talent and I just loved her work and her smile. Nicole is her “bitch” as they jokingly say and loves to make jewelry, dolls, and support her buddy with the techie side of things like phone calls and internet. Laura works at Sandals as a cook and is working her way up the ladder to chef, watching and learning the pros as she goes. We brought Sabrina and Nicole back supplies for their trades and gave Laura a certificate for a massage. X Mas in the islands!

Within a week of arriving we finished the work in the boat yard, launched, were at the marina for 2 nights, entertained three times, and took off. Add the party in San Diego and we were 2 tired puppies!

So now that we are here we are discovering Barbados.
It is to windward of all the windward islands.

Their heritage is making rum which they discovered with the byproducts of making sugar from sugar cane. The molasses which was left over fermented and Mount Gay and other notables were produced in large quantities and shipped around the world.

There are some magnificent properties here on island and in general the local houses are not too shabby either. The happiness of the people shines through in their smiles and attitude. St Lucia was not dissimilar but here you get a safer feeling and maybe that’s because it’s harder to get here. Cross an ocean or sail upwind are the choices unless you fly.

We hired a car for a day and visited the Mt Gay Museum then went for lunch on the east coast at a very tasty local place called Da Garage Bar and Grill. Instead of $160 for a meal at Atlantis, we paid $20 for Marlin, the best mac and cheese, and salad. The exchange rate is 2-1 so it was $10. And unforgettable.

After lunch a walk on the Bathsheba Beach. Some boys were swimming and smoking behind the rocks, hence the feet shot. When the rainbow came out it was stunning!

Today the Mount Gay Barbados Round the Island Race commenced and we watched them start and finish off our stern in Carlisle Bay. The 2 MOD 70’s smashed the 3 hour record and were spectacular, nothing short of AC drama, to watch start.

We rigged our new sails and had some tired forearms as well. LOVING being back on a board and we have 4 sails so ready for anything. 

Super duper psyched to explore the Grenadines tomorrow. We sail tonight for a daytime arrival with Miss Catana. First stop Carriacou (Carry – a – coo? or cow?).
We are two happy couples who have crossed an ocean in our Catana’s and are ready to do what these dreams and cats are made for!