Tobago

wikipedia Trinidad and Tobago

noonsite Trinidad and Tobago

Currency: Trinidad Tobago TT Dollar   US$1 = TT$6

Caribbean Weather

After dropping the anchor and inflating the dingy I rowed over to one of the other yachts and met Harry on "Leonotis". Harry kindly provided information on ATM, taxi's, phone sim cards and the check in procedure. Respectfully dressed in long pants and collared shirt I headed to Scarborough to see Immigration and Customs. An official taxi charges around TT$40 for the trip. By standing on the side of the road and sticking out one's finger an unofficial taxi will pick one up and charge TT$6. The clearing in was relatively effortless. I was granted a visa for 3 months. A warning on the Customs checkin process, say the boat arrived, during office working hours, between 0800 and 1600, otherwise one will be charged overtime regardless of the time one actually enters the Customs office. Another flaming Customs rort! And should the customs officer feel so inclined a boarding fee may also be charged without actually boarding the boat.

I returned to the boat, changed out of my respectful attire and put on standard grotty yachtie attire - tee-shirt and shorts. I retuned to the beach and headed to Bago's Beach Bar with Harry for a Carib beer. That night I had a very good sleep with Sadiqi gently rolling at anchor.

Tobago - Store Bay

I try to abstain from making any serious decisions on the second day after arriving from a long passage. This is because I am usually very tired after a good long sleep and have been know to make some really dumb decisions. Somehow, I survived my first weekend in the Caribbean. This was despite suffering a CRAFT episode at Bago's Beach Bar on Saturday night. I awoke Sunday morning back on Sadiqi, still inebriated, wondering how I had got back onboard. Fortunately, I had gone ashore in Harry's dingy and he had somehow got me back to Sadiqi. I also discovered I had lost my wallet. In the evening I returned to the scene of the crime and was presented with my wallet with cash and contents - I was amazed and very grateful. It would appear we live, I'm not so sure about the learning bit.

Some of local characters seem so laid back and chilled out that it is difficult to believe they are standing (vertical). There appears to be an abundance of substances available on the island to help one become even more relaxed and chilled. 

Pigeon Point Heritage Park

Mac and the tribe arrived on the beautiful schooner "Moonbeem", Mac had visited Forteleza, Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana. He said that Guyana was the best place to visit. More beer was consumed at Bago's in the telling of all sorts of stories.

Lindsay on "Avolera", Australian registered,  arrived in Store Bay, Tobago. I had been swapping emails and chatting with Lindsay on HF radio. Lindsay spent 66 days sailing from Port Elizabeth to French Guiana - an epic voyage. I had met Lindsay in Richards Bay. I introduced Lindsay to Bagos and he thought he was in heaven. Actually, his fridge had packed up on the boat and he had not had a cold beer in a long time.  

Bago's Beach Bar

Unfortunately, this paradise is infested with dreaded sand flies/fleas! Using insect repellents works to a point. The most effective deterrent is not to scratch if one feels an itch - any itch. Once you scratch - that's it - you'll be scratching for week and will break the skin. 

Store Bay, Tobago

When I lugged my jerry cans up the road to the local fuel station I did a double take at the prices - diesel was around 25 cents a litre and petrol around 45 cents a litre. Trinidad and Tobago are an oil and gas producing territory. Fortunately, I use very little fuel so was able to fill my 20 litre jerry can. Had I turned up to fill 10 jerry cans I would have been questioned. Apparently, getting fuel from the dock in Chagaramus, Trinidad you pay twenty first century (non subsidised) fuel prices.

July 8 - Tropical storm Chantal put in an appearance in the Caribbean and fortunately was not heading for Tobago. One tends to take a very keen interest in tropical storms and hurricanes at this time of the year. In fact it will dominate any yachtie conversation while impending weather is about. I use internet site:
http://weather.org/stormwatch.htm
to check on the progress of imminent storms. 

Storm clouds over Tobago