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Grenada is certainly not without many charms, the weather is
warm and the water pretty clear. There are beaches, mountains, volcanoes,
water falls, and of course warm water and water sports. Grenada is known
as the “Isle of Spices” and with good reason. It is the second
largest producer of Nutmeg in the world (and its associated spice, Mace, which
is the red vein like coating around the nut), as well as a producer of a wide
variety of other spices. There’s no excuse for using old dried cinnamon
sticks in your curry when you can get fragrant cinnamon bark still damp from
the tree!
warm and the water pretty clear. There are beaches, mountains, volcanoes,
water falls, and of course warm water and water sports. Grenada is known
as the “Isle of Spices” and with good reason. It is the second
largest producer of Nutmeg in the world (and its associated spice, Mace, which
is the red vein like coating around the nut), as well as a producer of a wide
variety of other spices. There’s no excuse for using old dried cinnamon
sticks in your curry when you can get fragrant cinnamon bark still damp from
the tree!
We took the advice of Daydreamer and checked into the country
at a marina and enjoyed a nice lunch before setting the hook behind Hog Island. There we found a bunch of kid boats and we
stayed put for about two weeks. Emily
played on the beach or sailed around the small bay with about a dozen kids of
varying ages. We had the sail on our
kayak and even Tom zipped around the bay. We exchanged schedules and agreed to
meet for Christmas in Antigua if not before.
at a marina and enjoyed a nice lunch before setting the hook behind Hog Island. There we found a bunch of kid boats and we
stayed put for about two weeks. Emily
played on the beach or sailed around the small bay with about a dozen kids of
varying ages. We had the sail on our
kayak and even Tom zipped around the bay. We exchanged schedules and agreed to
meet for Christmas in Antigua if not before.
Again we rented a car for a day trip. We crossed the island and got lost on St.
Georges one way streets before heading north on the west coast. We stopped at the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station for a tour.
Georges one way streets before heading north on the west coast. We stopped at the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station for a tour.
Grenada
produces one-third of the world’s nutmeg and this is the largest of the 3
processing station. We learned that most
of the crop was wiped out by a 2004 hurricane and is just now coming back.
produces one-third of the world’s nutmeg and this is the largest of the 3
processing station. We learned that most
of the crop was wiped out by a 2004 hurricane and is just now coming back.
Our next stop was the Belmont Estates cocoa
plantation. The plantation provides the organically grown cocoa
beans for the Grenada Chocolate
Company as well as growing other spices and local products.
plantation. The plantation provides the organically grown cocoa
beans for the Grenada Chocolate
Company as well as growing other spices and local products.
Kim
and I remembered it a little more than Emily did at age 8, but we enjoyed
another tour and sampled chocolate tea and chocolate chunks. The meal at the restaurant was as good as we
remembered as were the hot towels served to wipe our hands before dining.
and I remembered it a little more than Emily did at age 8, but we enjoyed
another tour and sampled chocolate tea and chocolate chunks. The meal at the restaurant was as good as we
remembered as were the hot towels served to wipe our hands before dining.
Following lunch and a tour of their animals and birds, we headed
to the Mt. Carmel Falls, which is a stretch of river with two separate falls on
it. We made the winding trip through the foothills into the mountains
where we got off at the trail head for the falls. The walk is quite short
and easy, and the path littered with mangoes and beautiful vegetation.
The upper falls are scenic and the water breaks up into a cooling mist as it
cascades down more than seventy feet.
These are the highest falls in Grenada.
to the Mt. Carmel Falls, which is a stretch of river with two separate falls on
it. We made the winding trip through the foothills into the mountains
where we got off at the trail head for the falls. The walk is quite short
and easy, and the path littered with mangoes and beautiful vegetation.
The upper falls are scenic and the water breaks up into a cooling mist as it
cascades down more than seventy feet.
These are the highest falls in Grenada.
A short walk back up the path and a fork down the river takes you to the lower
falls. As falls they
aren’t as impressive – as you can see from the picture they are more like a
long rock slide. Our guide explained how to ride the falls from the top
all the way down to the big splash in the pool at the bottom. Emily and
Dad made the trip once, but the muddy climb back up prevented us from going
again. It was cooling, however, and made the hike back to the car a
little cooler.
We said our goodbyes to the kid boats and decided to seek out
another anchorage on the west coast of Grenada which would break up the trip
between Grenada & Carriacou. We
headed to Moliniere Point and Dragon Bay, just north of St Georges. We managed
to take a mooring buoy and then snorkeled the Underwater Sculpture Park. The park was created by sculptor
Jason deCaires Taylor. Taylor′s aim was to engage local people with the
underwater environment that surrounds them using his works which are derived
from life casts of the local community.
another anchorage on the west coast of Grenada which would break up the trip
between Grenada & Carriacou. We
headed to Moliniere Point and Dragon Bay, just north of St Georges. We managed
to take a mooring buoy and then snorkeled the Underwater Sculpture Park. The park was created by sculptor
Jason deCaires Taylor. Taylor′s aim was to engage local people with the
underwater environment that surrounds them using his works which are derived
from life casts of the local community.
“Vicissitudes” installed in 2007, at a depth of 14 feet is
Taylor’s most recognized work in the park, a ring of 26 standing children,
holding hands and facing outwards into the current. The design took six months
to make, weighed 15 tons in dry cement and was constructed to withstand strong
currents and tidal motion. The ring symbolizes the concept of life’s ongoing
cycle and highlights the importance of creating a sustainable and well managed
environment for future generations, holding reference to the ability of children
adapt to their surroundings.
Taylor’s most recognized work in the park, a ring of 26 standing children,
holding hands and facing outwards into the current. The design took six months
to make, weighed 15 tons in dry cement and was constructed to withstand strong
currents and tidal motion. The ring symbolizes the concept of life’s ongoing
cycle and highlights the importance of creating a sustainable and well managed
environment for future generations, holding reference to the ability of children
adapt to their surroundings.
Although the visibility was very good (for Grenadan waters)
some of the sculptures were difficult to spot. The ring of lifesize people,
which looms up at you out of the gloom was quite spooky ! We saw the oldest ring first and several of
the children had fallen over. Later in
the snorkel, we saw another, more recent ring and all were standing proud. We toured the bay and saw several other
sculptures including a mermaid, several faces, a praying girl and several
smaller creations looking like Mayan artifacts.
some of the sculptures were difficult to spot. The ring of lifesize people,
which looms up at you out of the gloom was quite spooky ! We saw the oldest ring first and several of
the children had fallen over. Later in
the snorkel, we saw another, more recent ring and all were standing proud. We toured the bay and saw several other
sculptures including a mermaid, several faces, a praying girl and several
smaller creations looking like Mayan artifacts.
We pressed on North at daybreak and stopped at White Island
for a snorkel before going into Tyrell Bay in Carriacou. There we will check out of Grenada and move
north to the Tobago Cays.
for a snorkel before going into Tyrell Bay in Carriacou. There we will check out of Grenada and move
north to the Tobago Cays.
Tom
