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As   of   17th   February   2017   Tradewinds   has   been   sold   and   my   final   Caribbean cruise   ended   when   I   arrived   in   Rodney   Bay,   St   Lucia   from   Grenada   12   days before.   I   finally   handed   the   boat   over   to   the   new   owner’s   delivery   captain   on Wednesday   8th   March   2017,   and   I   finally   disembarked   on   the   following   day. Tradewinds   of   Emsworth   departed   from   Rodney   Bay,   St   Lucia   on   Saturday 11th   March   (coincidentally   my   birthday)   and   sailed   to   Miami,   where   she   will be   based.   And   so   ends   16   years   of   ownership,   during   which   time   I   sailed many   thousands   of   miles   in   the   Greater   and   Lesser Antilles   of   the   Caribbean, from   the   Spanish   Virgin   Islands   off   the   east   coast   of   Puerto   Rico   in   the   north, to   Grenada   in   the   south-eastern   Caribbean   in   the   south.   The   process   of selling   the   boat   and   bringing   the   sale   to   completion   was   lengthy   and   was heaped   with   time   consuming   bureaucracy   (unfortunately   a   legacy   of   British Colonial   rule).   On   the   day   the   sale   was   completed   I   felt   no   elation,   rather sadness   that   the   happiness   and   fun   that   Tradewinds   had   brought   me   over   my years   of   ownership   had   come   to   an   end.   Selling   Tradewinds   marked   a   step change    in    my    lifestyle,    and    it    would    take    a    long    time    for    me    to    grow accustomed   to   life   without   her,   not   only   emotionally,   but   also   because   I   shall no   longer   be   able   to   meet   all   those   very   wonderful   people   who   have   joined me   as   crew.   The   new   home   for   Tradewinds   is   Miami   -   I   wish   her   and   her   new owner safe cruising and a long life. Bon Voyage.

After   leaving   Tradewinds   on   Thursday   9th   March   2017   I   stayed   for   the   night   in   a hotel   close   to   the   George   FL   Charles Airport   at   Castries   St   Lucia.   On   the   following morning   I   flew   to   Grenada   via   Barbados   by   local   airline   LIAT   aboard   two   of   their modern   (French/Italian   built)   ATR   72   twin   turboprop   aircraft,   and   was   met   by   my taxi   driver   friend   Joe   George.   Later   I   checked   into   an   apartment   in   the   True   Blue area   of   St   George’s,   Grenada.   All   pictures   from   here   downwards   were   taken during   my   stay   on   the   island   of   Grenada,   until   Wednesday   19th April   2017   when   I am scheduled to fly back to the UK. Enjoy.