As promised the weather has turned and is sunny, at least for now. So no more excuses, skipper, it is time to head out.

I get up early, do a quick 500m swim around a few of the boats, do abbreviated breakfast (you all know what by “normal” breakfast looks like!) and grab the dinghy to St. Georges, the capital of Grenada.

I stop by the boat chandler and buy a filter inset for my fridge cooling water strainer. The item I came for, they don’t have. For my solo sailing I want to get a “Personal Locator Beacon”. A PLB is a small device you attach to your life vest. If you were to go overboard while single-handing, your boat (on autopilot) will just sail off into the sunset, leaving you in a most likely fatal position. A PLB, once submerged in water, activates and sends a mayday call and your coordinates to the maritime rescue center. If you are close enough to land (which I will be) or close to commercial shipping, that increases your chances of survival drastically. Bummer they don’t have one; but I will figure out how to get one.

The local bakery is my next stop and I buy two bags full of bread and pastries. The baker had a big smile on her face as I leave. Final stop: supermarket, for a change to replenish fruit and veggie and a few other items.

Back aboard JACE I quickly store everything and get the boat and myself ready for sea, pick up the dinghy, and power up the engine. Weighing anchor turns out to be more difficult solo than I though and involves a doze trips walking back and forth to operate the windlass (anchor winch) at the bows and maneuver the boat towards the anchor from the wheel.

Now I am officially underway and the journey has started. I am in lee of Grenada and the winds a gentle at 10-15kn and the seas are fairly flat. Perfect conditions! I unfurl all three sails (main and two headsails) and we cruise at 6-7kn north.

The Tradewinds out of the east are fairly consistent here, blowing almost always 15-20kn. As I near the northern end of Grenada, the wind strengthens to over 20kn and I take down the genoa (the big headsail) and reef the main down a bit. The jet or compression effect is well know here: the relatively high islands block the wind and compress it between islands or around higher capes. For those familiar with aerodynamics it will make sense: more air needs to rush through those “openings” and thus the wind speed increases considerably. But also the sea state changes; while in lee of the islands the water is calmer, in the gaps you get the full effect of the swell that’s built up over thousands of miles of open Atlantic to your east.

So it is not the most comfortable sailing. JACE is an awesome boat and built for these conditions and I have a big grin on my face, observing how gracefully powerful she slices through the waves and takes the wind with just a bit of heel. Our old boat “Towanda” was a light coastal cruiser and would have had a much harder time.

Unfortunately, the wind is from 50 degrees off my starboard bow and we are close sheeted beating to windward and into the sea. Our speed comes down enough that I worry about making it to Carriacou before sunset. So I ask old Rudy (after Rudolf Diesel) to provide a little help during the worst sections.

Once out in the channel between Grenada and Carriacou, the wind lessens a bit (less jet effect) and also veers (turns a bit in our favor) and Rudy can go back to sleep and I enjoy a slightly bouncy but still beautiful sail north with the afternoon sun providing some nice views.

At one point I consider stopping for a night in a small anchorage on the west side of Isle de Ronde but when passing close by it seems very open and not inviting. You can see where on the “Find Us” tracker page. Plus I have made good time and my arrival ETA is 5:30p with enough daylight left to anchor safely.

Tyrrel Bay is well know, large and very protected. And it is busy with all moorings taken and many cruisers at anchor. I slowly pick my way in and select a spot. It is sundowner time and many people are enjoying cocktails on their boats and watch as I stop JACE and walk forward and drop the anchor. It is only 4m deep and sandy and clear enough water that I can see the ground. And it doesn’t take very long to put out enough chain. Then back to the cockpit and engine on in reverse, first slowly and, as I feel the anchor biting, increasing revs until I am certain the anchor is dug in and holding.

Engine off! I made it. First solo sail to Carriacou! I read so much about this place. I will hang here for a bit and enjoy the cruising life after two exhausting weeks getting everything ready – and then some. More updates to come in the next few days. But now it is time for a quick swim and then dinner. I am hungry!