I had been invited to sail to the Tobago Cays aboard Bella Vita, a large charter yacht based in Admiralty Bay. I had heard that the Cays were beautiful, and jumped at the opportunity to spend a week-end there.
The Captain was Kent Hazell, a lovely man who skippered the yacht for its owner during the season. The idea to take a trip to the Cays came about one evening at the Frangipani bar, where spontaneous plans were known to be hatched! Ermina Antrobus agreed to join us and would be contributing jugs of her famous rum punch. Another friend named Letchie, a cheerful fellow from Paget Farm, would be coming as well.
Saturday morning we set sail at first light, having stocked the yacht with ice and provisions the day before. The yacht was wide-bellied, making it a comfortable ride. It was a gorgeous day, perfect for a sail down the Grenadines. We passed the Islands of Mustique, Canouan and Mayreau, arriving at the Cays well before lunch.
Once anchored, Letchie and Kent immediately started gathering diving gear, it was time to spear some fish for lunch! We piled into the rubber dinghy and anchored it off one of the Cays, then got into the crystal clear water. The colors of the fish and reefs were amazing and I snorkeled happily until Kent and Letchie gestured that they needed help. They had a line on which a few fish were already strung and needed a volunteer to follow them holding it. Ermina and I took turns, and each time the men speared a fish one of us would string it to join the others. Ermina suddenly swam away from the men, and climbed into the dinghy with the fish. She claimed she was tired, so I took the line and returned to where the men were still fishing.
Once Kent and Letchie were satisfied with their catch we climbed into the dinghy and motored back to Belle Vita. As we were climbing up the ladder Ermina exclaimed, “ Jesus Christ Judy, you ain’t see de f….ing sharks!!??” My three “friends” found it hilarious that I had happily pulled a string of bleeding, dying, thrashing fish they all knew would attract sharks. I can laugh about it now, but at the time I was horrified!
