Turtletastic Tobago Cays!

So despite it being last May when we did this trip, I shall pretend I’ve been so horribly busy since then I’ve not had time. Which is a big, fat, hairy lie. I’m just a lazy arse who struggles to use WordPress.

Lazy girl sailing..Navionics!
Tobago Cays

We made the epic 25 mile South trip in good time and as we were entering the Cays I took the wheel whilst Lee prepared the anchor. As always I asked if there was anything exciting about to happen that I should be aware of, and as usual I was told there wasn’t. The screen was zoomed out but everything seemed a bit busy so I zoomed in.

And after zooming in and after putting my glasses on I found we were about 5 metres away from rather rudely arriving on a large lump of rock. After a quick detour followed by a matrimonial discussion, Lee now keeps a pair of glasses in the cockpit and I was loudly smug for the rest of the day.

Moored about 10 foot from land

It was really quiet when we were there, and so were given a mooring ball between the 2 islands, Petit Bateau and Petit Rameau to use. As it is what the UK would consider a national park, you pay a mooring fee whether at anchor or on a mooring ball and then a fee per person. Some people make sniffy noises at this but the area is outstandingly beautiful and the turtles and other sea life very carefully protected, so we thought it was worth it. For us for 1 night it was about $60 US and we stayed a couple of nights.

So off we went exploring! There’s not actually that much to explore here as the islands are miniscule and uninhabitated but everything worth seeing is under the water.

Like these guys!! So many turtles. And so greedy! They literally nudge past you if you are hanging around a juicy piece of grass they are eyeing up. Everyone (or everyone we saw) abided by the obvious rules of not touching them but damn they are cute!!! And the starfish looked like cartoons as they were that puffed up and big!

Off for an explore
Franco staking his claim

We mooched around between the small islands with what looks like photoshopped turquoise seas and found a dinky little beach where Franco could stretch his legs and have a little dig in the sand.

Apart from the obvious awesomness of the Cays, one of the other reasons for staying an extra night was because of the famous BBQ’s they have in the evenings.

The boat boys (who all look about 100 due to their years of being on the water!) manage the moorings during the day and come evening, on Petit Bateau their families manage these huge BBQ stations. Whoever helps you moor or anchor has the BBQ rights to you! And it’s absolutely brilliant!! We chose the red snapper over the lobster and the food just keeps coming. You are welcome to take your own extra food and beverages but we just ate their food and drank their beer.

And just like that it was time to carry on South and move onto Grenada for the hurricane season.