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From St. Lucia, we continue our sentimental journey with
a beautiful sail to Bequia in the Grenadines. It was here
in Admiralty Bay that we got engaged nine years ago. Port
Elizabeth is a pleasant town where local craftsmen display
their hand-carved model wooden boats.
The Caribbean whaling tradition continues in Bequia under
International Whaling Commission (IWC) rules that allow taking
four whales a year, although even one is considered a successful
season. From 1880-1920, nine whaling stations thrived in the
Grenadines to the benefit of the islanders. Then a Norwegian
factory ship set up operations off Grenada and decimated the
humpback whale population in just a year and a half. By the
1950s, only the Ollivierre family in Bequia carried on the
traditional Yankee whaling methods of harpooning whales from
open sailboats. When we visited Bequia nine years ago, I met
Athneal Ollivierre, who at the age of 77 was considered the
last living harpooner. Before his death a few years ago, he
passed his knowledge on to a few younger men. Between February
and April, these daring men go to sea in an engineless 27-foot
wooden sailboat, armed with hand-thrown harpoons, in search
of humpback whales. If they're successful, it is a cause of
celebration on the island. Whaling, when viewed on a global
scale, is an ugly business and unfortunately several Caribbean
islands have been drawn into the fray by taking large donations
from Japan in exchange for favorable votes on the IWC.
Bequia is only seven miles long, so it's possible to tour
the island in a few hours. With Adventure Bound and
Sol Magique, we hire a truck taxi to drive us around
the island's steep, narrow roads. At one end of the island
there is the usual fort with cannons guarding the harbor.
The history on these islands is similar. First the peaceful
Arawaks inhabited an island; then the Arawaks were driven
out by the vicious Carib Indians ("Carib" being
the Arawak word for cannibal); next the Europeans wiped out
the Caribs (although not without a fight); and finally the
British and French swapped the islands back and forth as they
took pot shots at each other from forts that are now tourist
attractions. Bequia is part of the independent nation of St.
Vincent and the Grenadines. The inhabitants of Bequia are
of French, Scottish, and African descent.
The highlight of our island tour is the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary,
where its founder Brother King raises endangered Hawksbill
turtle hatchlings until they are about five years old and
large enough to deter predators. The turtles don't mate until
they're 25 years old (and you thought you had to wait a long
time!) and can live to be 200. Unfortunately, King is currently
fighting to save the sanctuary. The St. Vincent government
is considering selling the land to a resort developer. If
this happens, it is uncertain whether the sanctuary will be
relocated or closed.
The windward (east) side of Bequia
Admiralty Bay, Bequia. We got engaged here
nine years ago.
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A tank of six-day old Hawksbill turtle hatchlings
Turtles live in large tanks until they can
be released on the beach
outside the sanctuary.
"Busy Body" is a 14-year old female
turtle who has been treated as a
pet by Brother King and his family since she was a hatchling.
Deanna
and Ginette are surprised that she loves to have her head
and shell
scratched.
"Busy Body"
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