Bequia – amazing pearl, very strong rum and Simeon the local hero.

Somehow I start being afraid to start each following articles with the words, that this place has been the most beautiful so far. For Bequia, this is totally true. Bequia is next to St. Vincent the biggest Island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The whole island is specialized on yacht people and sailors. Sure one reason that Bequia is loved by sailors is that the Admiralty Bay comes, with perfect conditions. By nature, the surrounding hills form a save and calm bay where it is easy to stay on anchorage and has enough space to give a home to boats.

Approximately 8000 people live on Bequia. It is a pleasure to walk along the coastline, and watch and visit all the colorful houses, shops and bars. The people of Bequia totally have understood how to make a place good looking. With lots of love for details, one house is more beautiful than the other one and you can’t stop watching while go walk along.

 

Jabulo was on anchoridge in a aproximatly 7 min. drive with the Dinhgy. Not that the beauty on land was already mindblowing, no – also we had the luck that our anchoridge was located in the daily life area of two sea turtles. While snorkeling, each time in an unexpected manner, they appear into your view. As you met them so often, sometimes I had the luck to swim several minutes with them together.

It was surprising, that Google couldn’t deliver much information about the daily routine of sea turtles. It was written that they normally live a nomadic lifestyle. All three years they get together to find a partner and copulation. In the early years, the eat a diet that includes meat and later on they becom vegetarian. In the age of 15 years they become fertile and they can reach 50 years of age. Sadly the time we spent here was not long enough to figure out more about their daily life. Also I didnt had the impression that the fact that here was two of them, looked like they were a couple. What I can say is that it was pure joy to watch them each day.

Next, to the turtles, we discover a yellow, black sea snake, an octopus who had lost one tentacle, a group of pufferfish, that seem to protect the snake and a big shell of a muscle that I sadly could not reach by diving. Same as in the other bays there were local people that drive around and offer lobster, ice, diesel, laundry, vegetables, and other stuff.

Alex was the name of the guy who droves this lobster boat. When he comes into my view, he hold up the poor lobster up in the air and the lobster snaps his tail and tried to escape. I shout to Alex that I just want to set the lobster free if I would buy him. That seemt to be unbelivable for Alex. He comes closer with his boat and we start to talk about a possible deal. I have to confess that he totaly ripped me off, as I pay 60EC for the lobster, but that was not that important to me in this moment. Alex asked me about 2-3 times if I’m serious in what I’m saying, if I really want to set the lobster free. I had to confirm more than once and finaly we choose one of the tree lobster to set him free. Plums, and then he runs down in the water and sink to the ground. The water was clear and Alex followed the lobster for some moments. We both laugh and say goodby – and in my mind I named the lobster George.

While we explore the village we was informed that on Fridays and Saturdays people do dance partys on the street and we definetly should visit them by chance. So we decided to have some drinks upfront and than check out if we will have luck to join one of the partys. This journey seems to be so healthy to me that I hardly make it to stay awake longer than 8 p.m. We agreed on the old people go back to the boat and the young people goes back to land to join the party. But then we been shocked.

As we arrived the Dhingy dock, our Dinghy was not there. Our thoughts run from someone has stolen the Dhingy to my knot was not strong enough. In my head I saw a big 5000€ number blinking as this was the expected cost for the Dinghy. We decided to go back to the bar where we were before and aks the owner for help. The owner of the bar (Papa’s) called the police and a few minutes later two young officers in civil clothes arrive at the bar. They aks us to join their car (also a civil car and in a very bad condition) to drive down to the dinghy dock. The car was iching and scratching while driving and it must have looked very funny how we three sit in the back of this tiny car.

Down at the dinghy dock we discover that the police does not have a boat for such situation. As it was already dark we dont calculated any chance in finding the Dhingy when it floats free in the bay during the night. We also was informed that maybe someone took the Dinghy a ride (Taxi). While we discribed how the Dhingy looked like, we saw another Dhingy not far in directon of the next left Dhingy dock. As we started to move over there a man appears and started to tell the police officer that he have seen someone driving away to the right side of the bay and that he wonder as he saw that, cause he saw us coming in this Dinghy

The man, we later should discover was named Simeon, develop to our local hero. It turned out that his observations was correct and because we now had an idea of direction, the officers seem to know where to go. Again we drove in their car two bays ahead and then luckily found our dhinghi there. What a luck!

Two days later we invited Simeon for a drink and I really enjoyed the talk with him. He was an easy, honest, polite and giving person who loved football. In his free time he train a youth group and did this quite good. I promised him to send a new original Trikot to him, when I’m back home. That one that he was wearing was quite old. Sadly to late I understand that instead of a new Trikot he would more like to make a donation to his team. Wow.. I like people like that.

Everlasting memories! Next Stop St. Lucia.