There are 78 pics this time, the most amazing Carnival on the planet in my opinion!
First though a few I took of Carriacou day before I left.
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| Windward side |
This is where they make the famous Carriacou Sloops on the beach by hand and no plans, all done by eye
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| Even the dingy tender |
Ok now the Carnival
I left the anchorage at 0800hrs Sunday 10th August, and after a a nice sail down to St Gorges Harbour, I anchored there at 1515hrs same day. It wasn't long before I had found out what the plan was going to be. First off was a beach party with all the other cruisers that had also come for carnival, 1700hrs start. The party went on till 11pm, It was at this party I was told how the carnival is run, hang on to your hats!
0400 am Monday 11th. till aprox 12 noon
Carnival starts at Ross Point, the various bands and floats had been assembling all night blasting out music at an unbelievable volume. I had chosen to anchor 200 yards off the point in my ignorance.
What happens then is gob smacking. The floats, bands and hundreds of people walk at a snails pace about 3 miles to the centre of St Georges, people choose the group of people to join by getting covered in paint that colour of the band, some use old engine oil as paint!
drinking rum, beer and anything you like. also dancing like the possessed, very primitively
the Mele is awe inspiring
I joined in, it was pitch dark and we had a tropical downpour which got everyone in even more mess!
No pics of the beginning, but I started taking some as it got light.
I then found a band I liked! so I joined in,
They were called 'Angel Harps', a steel band with a problem! the 12, 45 gall bass drums, and the two who play them, couldn't fit on the truck, and had to be pushed! as a new member..........I was pushing a steel trolly with 6 bass drums and the girl who played them!
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| The ANGEL HARPS |
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| The trolly six drums and young lady bass player |
and so it was, till this parade ended
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| still a couple of miles to get home |
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| at Port Louis Marina after being hosed off and getting all cleaned up | ! Well I was drunk at the time |
I now had a few hours to relax before the next parade
Episode 2
3pm the next parade starts in the same place, all the same bands at the same volume, this was a clean affair, with costumes and judges at the stadium to finish
This ended at approx 8pm, so after another hike back to the marina for a quick bite to eat and another recover session.......
Episode 3
This next parade was a fun one..............all the bands again....... ended about 2am for me, back to the boat for a sleep. Tomorrow it starts again!!!
Episode 4 Tuesday 11th
This Parade is a more relaxed official affair in the beginning, and were the amazing ladies show off their costumes and perform their dance routines in front of judges a few places along the route. There are sections were anyone can dress up in costume and dance along too, many yacht crews do this and local people. Having said that it does degenerate into a full blown wild party later, and yes I ended up pushing the bass section again, even turning round at the end and going back up the route, total pandemonium. I finished that after pushing it into a field to park at about 10pm. Now knackered unable to walk, and not too sure what to blame for that, me, drink, or the pushing thingy, I staggered back up the road, and met Kevin(crew on GL in regatta) and his wife Marina, he had been waiting for me to pass by.
Episode 5!!!
As we made our way back to the marina to collect our dinghies we had to pass the Grenada Yacht Club..........they were about to start a 'Jump Up'............it would have been rude just to walk pass........ and there were an awful lot of the ladies still in costume inside........we joined in of course......think I got to the boat about 0200hrs
I left St Gorges on Friday after I had recovered a bit, and I am round the corner in True Blue Bay for a look see.
As a note I have not been to any kind of a partying like this Carnival ever in my life
Roy
