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FOCUS ON UNION ISLAND - DAY
19
31 March 2002 - Sunday
High Temperature 86ºF - Low Temperature 80ºF
A bit overcast in the morning.
EASTER Sunday.
If you would like to read
the Focus Destination: Union Island diary
starting on DAY ONE, the beginning
CLICK HERE
S/Y Leona
is back.
Skipper Thomas was in Sweden; Hostess Dominique in Martinique.
Now, both are back here in The Grenadines and ready for your
private yacht charter.
Along
the way.....
Sometimes you need to repair
TV, VCR, a radio or.....
On Union Island, you can contact
EUCAL LEWIS
Usually always reachable at The
Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel, or
by fax: 458-8512 ~ by tel: 458-8221 (Country/Area Code
1+784)
Clifton, Union Island
e-mail
FOCUS ON UNION ISLAND - DAY 16
28 March 2002 - Thursday
High Temperature 86ºF - Low Temperature 80ºF
An absolutely BEAUTIFUL sunny morning.Two friends from the S/V Yankee Clipper 
dropped by The Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel
on their way to the airport to clear-out from
St. Vincent & The Grenadines.
The boat was anchored at Chatham Bay.
Next stop - Carriacou then it's back to Grenada
for the Clipper's 60+ passengers.
Two weeks have passed quickly here on Union Island.
You would have thought that in 14 day's time,
I would have managed to report on the
after all, with its full marina services including 15/20-berth docking, water, ice, fuel and electricity, it's open air, seaside restaurant, and lovely courtyard mall of fine shops......Here in this garden setting by the sea, you'll find: Agents for cruise ships, day charter sailing, boat and plane charters, lobster for export, spacious and elegantly furnished apartments for rent, e-mail and internet connection, international fax and phone, laundry service, cash advances, currency exchange, bicycle rentals, digital photographs, underwater camera rental, DVD rentals, fresh high fibre breads, weather information, book exchange, television news, information, diesel engine and marine outboard repairs, welding, fiberglassing, electrical repairs, yacht supply, camping gas bottle refills, 24-hour parts sourcing for Volvo, Yanmar, Perkins, selection of fine wines and champagnes in cool storage, liquor, soft drinks and beer, French cheeses, yogurt, eggs, meat, fish, cigars and fresh French baguettes, yacht provisioning, beachwear, souvinirs, batik, island crafts, tourism guides, maps, postcards
A N D
The West Indies Bar & Restaurant
Along the way.....
Today up-dates were published: 
Palm Island Resort
T H E W I N D S C A M E
Sitting here on the north eastern coast of Union Island,
the gentle TRADEWIND breeeeeezes blow constant making little need
for artificial air conditioning. Here just adjust the louvred windows - OPEN: more air CLOSED: less air, simple.
But sometimes the wind decides to gust and then the trouble starts.
Imagine yachts gently bobbing on anchor
and swaying softly from side-to-side.
Day after day.... after day.
NOW IMAGINE THE CONFUSION
when the wind suddenly shifts its direction;
the wind starts to gust;
and then all the boats in the harbor start spinning around
and those that were not careful when anchoring
find themselves ALL TANGLED-UP
with those yachts that were careful.Along the way.....
After living 10+ years on a tiny spec of sand in the middle of the ocean
in the middle of nowhere these past 10+ years,
it's the little things that make us stop and take notice.THE LAUNDRY IS BACK
from The Anchorage Yacht Club HotelFor the past years now I have lovingly been doing my laundry manually with a island-made washing machine. Before that it was also manually - but surely not so lovelingly as I considered it a CHORE - by tromping around in a large plastic tub in the shower full of water, laundry powder and my laundry. After ten years without the machine, I fell in love when I first filled it's left-half-compartment with water, soap and laundry and then let it wash/rinse, then drain, then re-fill with water, then wash/rinse, then drain and then...
into the other side of the same machine for the 3-minute spin
(and do I mean S P I N )
and then out comes the laundry almost dry and ready for hanging on the line out back to flap in the breeeeeezessss until dry.Throughout The Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel are signs:
LAUNDRY - EC$25
That's under US$10, so I decide to give it a try and off go the white shorts, the colored shorts, the t-shirts, polo shirts and socks.
Back they come:)
> soft, clean, pressed, and folded.
Ah.... another day in paradise.
The continental breakfast here at The Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel,
a bit of computer work and a brief escape via Tom Clancy
and it was time for a snorkel. I try to spend at least an hour each day
splashing around the water outside The Yacht Club. I take a swim from the front of the beach cabanas and swim around to the wooden jetty in front of the beach bungalows - and return.Here's a nice shot I took today which shows
left-to-right
Palm Island - Petit St. Vincent - Petite Martinique
PSV is a bit hidden behind the bridge on the white boat way in the background.
Around 2:45PM an interesting development:
>> T H E LEXIANA JET E X P R E S S >>
pulled-in to Clifton Harbor and spent the night departing early the next morning.
Seems there's a schedule to go up and down to St. Vincent
stopping off at the islands along the way
for the next couple of weeks
conveniently co-inciding with Union island's
EASTERVAL FESTIVAL starting this weekend.
VOTE HERE IN FAVOR OF
DAILY HIGH-SPEED BOATS BETWEEN
GRENADA-CARRIACOU-PETITE MARTINIQUE-
UNION-MAYREAU-CANOUAN-BEQUIA-ST.VINCENT
AND RETURN
Today I was going to wander around Clifton but I ended up in Ashton in the company of two nice young girls. I ended-up drinking HAIRUN beers and eating a freshly made fish broth. Ah, another day in paradise.
Have a look at my day:-)Here's JANTI's CAFE located on King Street, Ashton, Union Island
and, oh yes, here are those fine young girls I mentioned earlier.
The smaller looks to be the shy one here.... but don't fall for it.
She stopped all 170 pounds of me in the middle of the road
"You take my picture?"Well, hours and quite some beers and a nice fresh fish broth later I find myself back on the local bus roaring back to Clifton and home again at The Anchorage Yacht Club. The bus costs less than US$1.
I Hope you Enjoy some of the things I saw today,
Along the way.....
This is the NCB Bank - the one that charges a EC$7 fee
on money off our plastic?!# This is also the only bank on Union Island.
Today is a catch-up day on the computer.
FOCUS ON UNION ISLAND - DAY
9
21 March 2002 - Thursday
High Temperature 86ºF - Low Temperature 80ºF
A simply BEAUTIFUL sunny day.
Connecting The Anchorage Yacht Club and Bougainvilla,
on the harbor front of Clifton, Union Island
Just past the SHARK POOL
is a few hundred feet of beach with the sea lapping at your feet
depending upon the height of the tide.
It is here that you'll find the tidy little treasures made by
< A N T H O N E Y >
He says he's not a drinker and he causes no trouble
and from the lovely lady at his side
and the happy babies always underfoot or asleep in a basket, I'd say he's right.
It's worth a few moments of your time
to stop and have a look at the WIDE SELECTION of his handmade items.
I had to have one...
a little hourglass filled with white sand and painted in the Rasta Colors keychain.
I Paid US$2.81... the tiny baby smiled at me... I just know it did.
It's off to
Palm Island for the day.
ALWAYS....
these people are ALWAYS thinking of ways to further pamper guests.
The outside video, reading, fitness and entertainment building is now
open.
FOCUS ON UNION ISLAND - DAY
7
19 March 2002 - Tuesday
High Temperature 86ºF - Low Temperature 80ºF
Sunny, a bit overcast.
It's time to rent a bicycle and go island exploring.
Located nextdoor to The
Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel , is
ERIKA's MARINE SERVICES
Tel.: 485-8335
and in addition to everything
"Making life easy for the Yachtsman"
she has bicycles for rent so her man Fitz gave one a good checking
over
and off I go.....
From Clifton I took the road that cuts over the island and brings you down to the other side to a nice beach that is called BIG SANDS (Belmont Bay). 
Union Island is a bicycler's dream with nice roads with alternating grades of difficulty. I had not been cycling for months and I was able to go around the island with little difficulty. One word of advice: check your brakes when you come to the few straight downhill sections. I chose to walk down a few of these rather than take the chance of a breaking failure and down the hillside I go.....
I encountered few cars - a couple local mini-van buses
- but basically I had the road to myself.
The road to the right on Big Sands will take you into the Eastern Reserve, Fort Murray.The road to the left passes by the salt pond, the mangroves and a quarry.
Just past this nice bay the road along the beach comes to an end.
Now it's time to start climbing UP and UP and UP.
You can see the 925' Pinacle straight ahead.Again, I found the degree of difficulty to be amazingly easy. Seems like there was always a little house at each crossroad where I could ask directions from the very friendly locals. And just as I was getting winded from the up-up-up the road would ease down allowing me to coast and rest a bit.
Soon I was to the top and headed back down a bit.
On my left I could see The Pinacles - to the right Mt. Olympus. Nestled in between is the village of ASHTON. I took the road thru Sugar Hill and encountered my first - any only - barking dogs. They always go running when you bend down and seem to pick-up a few stones to throw. I never really had to throw any but the motion surely sent the dogs scampering back home and leaving me alone.Coasting downhill I turn right and take the coast road away from Ashton and toward Campbell. There is a little jetty and a quiet setting.
A road project is underway to build an ocean road around the island.
I decided to see how far they have gone - perhaps to Chatham Bay?
Not yet to Chatham Bay so I turn around and head back into Ashton and take the road along the water's edge to Clifton.
From the hospital, there has got to be a great view! You decide.
Ah.... another day in paradise....
Monday morning and down into the Town of Clifton.
PHILIP's OFFICE MACHINES
Tel: 458-8447
has all your office supply needs in it's tiny office on Main Street.
Everything from copy paper to envelopes and folders.
The lovely BRENDA was working when I visited.
THE INTERNET CAFE
Tel: 485-8258
The lovely Melissa is the office manger.
She has a total of eight e-mail work stations in her air conditioned
cafe.
She's open Monday thru Friday and again on Sunday from 08-17:00.
She also advertises desktop publishing, photocopies and computer training.
Located upstairs on Main Street, Clifton.
FOCUS ON UNION ISLAND - DAY
5
17 March 2002 - Sunday
High Temperature 86ºF - Low Temperature 80ºF
Sunny, a bit overcast.
Nice to sleep-in a bit later on a Sunday.
After the Continental Breakfast at The
Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel ,
it's back to the room and some catching-up on the computer.
It's easy to forget that the business goes on
while being in a paradise location; away from home...
But the Carriacou Internet Cafe is open for business as usual:
And the Grenadines.Net Travel Reservation Service
<< via Barbados to The Grenadines >>
goes on:
Traffic to the web site has now grown to between 4-5,000 hits each and every day producing 50 or so e-mail messages from real people just like you with a wish to visit The Grenadines. These hits have turned into nearly 10,000 nights confirmed at our hotels, dive shops, and yachts
which brought business
to our buses, taxis, restaurants, supermarkets, and....But I digress....
Time for a swim.
The dinner at
The Anchorage
Yacht Club Hotel
was simply superb!
A huge, frosty pitcher full of ice and water.
A fresh green salad.
Fresh french bread, still warm, served with 2 types of creamy butter
A nice bowl of Callaloo Soup (see below)
Followed by a done to perfection tenderloin steak with green peppercorn.
Callaloo compliments so many different West Indian dishes. The word has come to be used in everyday Creole talk to denote the bringing together or a mixture - of food, of language, of people, or of culture - a fun place where people of different cultures and backgrounds could meet and mingle, while enjoying good food. Here is is just Day Four and already I seem to have fallen into a routine - of sorts. For sure, some daily exercise in the form of swimming/snorkelling is an important part. 
Over the past 50-years, I've been to many exotic destinations throughout this world. Those that included a picturesque marina or harbor came usually with a background thought that:
"I'm not going to swim in that water."Though picturesque and pleasing to the eye, these same yachts and the traffic that they tend to attract can often spoil the water for swimming.
But not here at The Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel . Let me explain.It's a matter of orientation, really.
At the tip of Union Island is the Airport.
A new reef is growing from this tip, and
except for a few channels, completely encloses Clifton Harbor.
Now consider that the open ocean water is passing through this new reef
as it heads south towards latin america.
The new reef is taking nutrients from the water as it passes through.
Out comes some of God's cleanest water on earth.
It's off the beach from The Anchorage Yacht Club
and into this fresh, clean water.
You can swim for hours in water never more than a few feet deep.
The bottom is pulverized white seashells. Soft.
You feel the fresh water flowing over you as you easily hold your position to watch the life teeming on the new coral.
As you swim back to the beach, it is now that you start passing the anchor ropes for the yachts bobbing on anchor. You see the water is too shallow for the boats. Yours alone to snorkel.
If it sounds like all I have done in the past two days is eat
at The Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel , then you're right!!
But I am from Carriacou island where food is shall we say....
very basic fare so it's a treat to be here at The Anchorage.
But today I have plans......
Have to pay the monthly internet bill,
go to the bank and the telephone company,
and then see if a few people that I need to meet with are on the island.
Let's see how it plays-out.
- - -
Who are you going to call when the grass needs mowing... in the shark pond?
- - -Well, I made it to the bank, the phone company and dropped by T J PLAZA
to buy a 220>110V transformer for the computer and other supplies.webmasterJOHN Travelling Tip
I have internet accounts in Grenada and St. Vincent so I can plug-in from Grenada, Carriacou, Petite Martinique, Petit St. Vincent, Palm, Union, Mayreau, Canouan, Mustique, Bequia and St. Vincent. The local access number is easy to program under Windows' Control Panel Dial Up Networking.
It's easy here at The Anchorage Hotel on Union Island....
IF YOU HAVE THE CORRECT
> adapter from the British System Telephone Jack to the USA standard, and
> if you have the right adapter plug so that your power cord will fit into the wall outlet, and
> if your computer is on 220V, or, switches automatically between 110V.
I brought my desktop system rather than a laptop.
My first problem was:
the 3-prong plug coming from the power strip into which I plug my system and accessories....
it would NOT fit into the 220>110V transformer that the hotel had given me upon arrival. This was solved by buying a different type of transformer than I am used to seeing around. This one took the 3-prong plug from my surge protector/power strip. Next I had to buy one of the universal adapters available everywhere down here for about US$7.50 so I could plug the transformer into the wall power outlet that again took a completely different type of plug than that coming out from the end of my new transformer.
My first problem SOLUTION was to go to K-Mart and buy their
INTERNATIONAL PHONE JACK ADAPTER 279-426 U.K.
which makes it easy to connect a standard US modular phone plug to phones lines in the United Kingdom (and here on Union Island and in The Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel), so you can use your fax or modem while traveling here. You just connect the adapter, unplug any connected phone device from the phone line jack you want to use. Then select the appropriate adapter and plug it into that jack. Then insert your fax or modem's plug and the other phone device's plug into the appropriate jacks on the adapter.It was back to T J PLAZA and for about US$13.10
I had an adapter that plugged-in to the British system wall outlet and then let me then plug my standard USA plug into that
and then plug back the room telephone into that.
Sound complicated.... because it was.
But here on Union Island it IS POSSIBLE.Anyway, I got that settled and was next off to the Bank.
webmasterJOHN Travelling Tip
I always recommend that people bring along their MasterCard or VISA check debit cards for use at the local banks for taking out currency in our East Caribbean Dollar.
This saves the high fees for taking cash from your credit card.
On Carriacou, there is no charge for this service either here or with the bank in the USA. The bank in the States sets a daily limit for my withdrawals and as long as I take the EC$ equivalent, say EC$2500 - then there were no fees to pay here or in the States.
It seems that in St. Vincent & The Grenadines a fee is charged as I withdrew EC$1000 and paid EC$7 in a bank fee, about US$2.62 on US$375.The day was fairly overcast so I went snorkelling.
Off the beach from the The Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel
After the snorkel and a hot shower it's time for lunch.
D A I L Y F R E N C H B R E A D
CROISSANTS
The lovely GRACE is making deli sandwiches starting at 07:00 when she opens the BAKERY counter at the The Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel UNTIL 17:00 or so. Yachties come for the fresh French bread in those long sticks (about US$2.25), or round (Pain Rond), or in the more common box loaf (Pain Fantasy.) There's croissants, raisin bread, chocolate bread, Pepito, Baguette
and also cakes, too, but these are only by reservation.Let's see the choices for the sandwiches:
Ham & Cheese, Mozarella & Tomato & Oregano & Fresh Basil,
Ham & Fried Egg Plant, Turkey & Tomato & Mayonnaise
Codfish & Tomato, Tuna & Mayonnaise & Tomato,
Chicken Fricassée
Prices range around US$5-7
French Fries around US$4
I chose the Turkey.
It was served warm on lightly toasted french bread
with lettuce, mayonnaise and mozarella.
The french fries - crispy and nice - a HUGE portion even I could eat just half.
A Continental Breakfast from 07-10:00 is included and is self-service
at
The Anchorage
Yacht Club Hotel .
Let's have a look.
Seaside seating with a fantastic view of the busling harbor.
There is: coffee, tea, milk, juice, cereal, fresh bread and croissants
with honey, jellies and jam, and.....
It's a Public Holiday today - HERO's DAY
in St. Vincent & The Grenadines so I decide to have lunch in the hotel.
I Choose Pizza - The Napolitain
with tomato, cheese, anchovy, black olive and oregano
This outdoor Pizza Oven at the end of the jetty is a favorite here in The Southern Grenadines. Depending upon time or day, either Miss Margaret or Miss Marcia will prepare your thin crust pizza fresh and serve it up to you hot in about 5-minutes.I take the same seat I had for breakfast
just opposite the pizza oven and I notice a small gazebo-like structure
with water gushing from a pipe into it.
Next to it stands an old cannon with a small pile of balls painted black and used now for decoration rather than the defense of Clifton Harbor. The sound of water here is normally the lapping of the tide on the beach that is never more than a few feet away. This sound however is different but equally soothing. Here in the dry - dry - dry Southern Grenadines, the sound of falling water is to be especially appreciated. Here our only source of water is what falls from the sky and is collected.
But I digress...
But inside the small gazebo structure are the lobsters. Fresh. Live. Lobsters.
On the menu and available throughout the Season.
Perhaps I will spend the day just sitting here taking the breeeeezes.....
Watching Lady Palm tie-up to the jetty to board and offload its passengers making the quick passage between Palm Island and Union Island.
There's ALLYSON from The Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel all dressed in white shirt and shorts with his electric golf-cart-like vehicle that is available for airport pick-up and drop-offs. At the end of the jetty is a sign offering: Water - Ice - Pizza - Laundry. One gentleman asks to use the VHF Radio to contact a friend "just out there" on one of the yachts bobbing at anchor; another asks to make an international call; while another wants to rent bicycles and needs a baby carrier as well so they can bring the kid along.
ALL are directed to The Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel reception where ALL find their requests soon satisfied.THE COLORS OF BLUE
here are simply amazing.
From the powder blue of the sky with a few puffy white clouds
To the shade after shade of light then ever darker blue
of the sea.
Back to the The Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel for dinner.
Tonight (and every night) is From the Grill night so I choose the marinated steak.
It's grilled to perfection and served with twice-baked potates and fresh cristophene and carrots. For dessert I splurge on chocolate mousse and an espresso coffee.
I could have had: ice cream (vanille, chocolate, caramel, rum raisen, passion fruit, mint, lime, coconut, strawberry), creme brouille or fruit.
FOCUS ON UNION ISLAND - DAY 1
13 March 2002 - Wednesday
High Temperature 86ºF - Low Temperature 80º
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL sunny days with clear blue skies
I'm off for Union Island and a visit to The Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel.
I will be writing each day about my experiences about the tiny island located next door to Carriacou, where I have spend the past 10+ years.SVG Air was kind to send their plane for the 5-minute hop over to Union.
Just one passenger - me - but by the time they got the Gateway Computer stashed away, I was glad that they had sent their largest aircraft - the 7-9 seater Islander.
I was NOT happy to have to pay an airport departure tax of EC$50
NEARLY US$20 IN TAX when the actual plane ticket cost US$33SVG is the second-largest air carrier in the East Caribbean.
Over 25-years ago, Martin Barnard took a part time job with the new Mustique Company and passed his pilot's license so he could fly to Mustique on weekends for his part time job from his home on Bequia. The story goes that he bought a 2nd-hand single-engine Beech Musketeer aircraft and used the landing strip the crop duster used for his property's crop-dusting plane. The new pilot occasionally ferried private charter guests to help meet expenses, and this, you might say,
was when the SVG dream first took off.But I digress.....
I landed at Union Island airport and the electric mini-bus from the Anchorage Yacht Club Hotel was there to meet me, collect my luggage and place it all in my room.
I chose ROOM 4 above the outdoor restaurant
with a great view of the jetty and the tiny harbor
out the sliding glass doors from the private patio.
It's a large room with a high vaulted exposed beam ceiling.
There is a king-size bed, writing table, reading lamps, ample closet.
Large bathroom with toilet, shower and both hot-and-cold water.
Airconditioning. Ceramic tile floors.
I like the obvious attention to the little details....
a total of five comfortable chairs.
a writing desk.
those miniature soaps in a wicker basket in the bath.
lots of comfortable pillows on the bed.
an ice bucket and loads of glasses.
large shower with sloping tiled floor for good drainage and real water pressure.
daily maid service.After getting unpacked, it's down to the open air, seaside restaurant and dinner.
It's grill night. Let's see what are the choices:
Steaks, Red Snapper, Dolfin Fish, Lamb, Chicken, Ribs, Lambi and.....
My waitress tonight will be the lovely Glen. I see that the lovely Monique is also working tonight. But I digress....
I choose the Dolfin Fish (no this is not Flipper the porpoise).
Grilled to perfection and served with hot, fresh vegetables (christophene & carrots), rice, french bread. I could just have easily ordered from their menu or had a pizza from the oven.It's been a full day..... ah, another day in Paradise.
