We decided on a whim really to travel back down to Trinidad for two reasons....we had a friend making land there from Las Palmas and it was Carnival time! We had a cracking sail down there from Carriacou we went down the Atlantic side of Grenada and sailed all the way even hitting the Bocas de Manos at the right time so the current was with us, something we have never managed before! we had hoped that we could keep our arrival a secret from our friend, Tree, on Mr Blue but she arrived on Saturday and in the end we decided it was best to come clean! We took her lines and gave her advice on how to manage customs and immigration. This can be a bit tricky in Trinidad where you have to submit three or four copies of everything and all the crew have to show themselves at immigration. In Trini carbon rules ok at the customs and immigration and should you happen to make an error you can get lumbered with an outrageous fine as our friends Richard and Kay found out to their cost when they found themselves on the wrong side of a $tt3000 fine.
Mr Blue arrived safe with no problems and we enjoyed a pleasant Shark and Bake meal with Tree and her crew at the Wheelhouse Pub.
Carnival
We had already booked them on the bus for the big Carnival parade on Shrove Tuesday and what a parade it was! Jesse James, the OCC port officer took us in one of his taxis at 6.00 am to get a seat in the stand. This enabled us to ensure we had a seat out of the sun and we could come and go as we pleased throughout the day. All down Arripita Ave there were bars, stalls selling food, security and toilets! Everything had been thought of. The parade started about 9.30 and it just kept coming....the outfits were spectacular and Avenue was divided into half, down one side of the road were the trucks laden with speaker boxes and guys shouting and getting the guys in the the parade revved up whilst the groups performed in front of the judges stand to the carnival theme ...'Like a boss'. This soca classic was infectious and by the end of our seven hour marathon we knew most of the words! the trucks were interspersed with booze trucks for those on the parade and ...porta loos!! Though how some of those on the parade would have managed in their costumes ...Lord knows!!
There is a lot of talk about how Trinidad is dangerous and of the crime and murder that takes place but I never felt anything but safe. There was a big police presence but this was not overbearing. One of the crew on Mr Blue fell asleep in the sun and John and I watched over him for a while but then a very pleasant Trini lady told us not to worry she would see he came to no harm and nap over he returned back to the stand safe and sound. I can recommend this day out, food and drink was very reasonable cheaper than in Chagauramas and not the Carnival rip off we would find in the UK and Jesse delivered us back to Powerboats safe and sound at exactly the time stated.
Mr Blue arrived safe with no problems and we enjoyed a pleasant Shark and Bake meal with Tree and her crew at the Wheelhouse Pub.
Carnival
We had already booked them on the bus for the big Carnival parade on Shrove Tuesday and what a parade it was! Jesse James, the OCC port officer took us in one of his taxis at 6.00 am to get a seat in the stand. This enabled us to ensure we had a seat out of the sun and we could come and go as we pleased throughout the day. All down Arripita Ave there were bars, stalls selling food, security and toilets! Everything had been thought of. The parade started about 9.30 and it just kept coming....the outfits were spectacular and Avenue was divided into half, down one side of the road were the trucks laden with speaker boxes and guys shouting and getting the guys in the the parade revved up whilst the groups performed in front of the judges stand to the carnival theme ...'Like a boss'. This soca classic was infectious and by the end of our seven hour marathon we knew most of the words! the trucks were interspersed with booze trucks for those on the parade and ...porta loos!! Though how some of those on the parade would have managed in their costumes ...Lord knows!!
There is a lot of talk about how Trinidad is dangerous and of the crime and murder that takes place but I never felt anything but safe. There was a big police presence but this was not overbearing. One of the crew on Mr Blue fell asleep in the sun and John and I watched over him for a while but then a very pleasant Trini lady told us not to worry she would see he came to no harm and nap over he returned back to the stand safe and sound. I can recommend this day out, food and drink was very reasonable cheaper than in Chagauramas and not the Carnival rip off we would find in the UK and Jesse delivered us back to Powerboats safe and sound at exactly the time stated.
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