RAIN DAY!

This weekend we decided to hit up the private resort island, Young Island which according to the website is “just 20 yards off the coast of St Vincent.” I’d give it at least 100 yard but definitely swimmable if the ferry hadn’t been free. The snorkelling is bragged about all around St Vincent.

 We called ahead and booked the ferry, bought stuff for lunches at the Saturday market and when Sunday morning rolled around we made our lunches, Silan hand washed all her laundry and hung it (along with our bed sheets) on the line outside. As we left the center, clouds began to roll in. By the time we made it to Tokyo (the downtown bus loop) the sky was dark grey and the wind was blowing. We got to the ferry dock half an hour early and the sky just opened up.

It looked like we may have picked the wrong day to bask in the sun at the beach resort. By the time the ferry came it was still pouring down so when we got to the island we took shelter on a hammock and read till the rain stopped. We managed to get about an hour of half decent weather which included about 15 minutes or 

partial sun but we being hardy Canadians, snorkelled anyway! The water was still warmer then Vancouver!

The fish were quite neat. We saw fish of all shapes and colours. At one point we even found a group of white fish that if you stood in one place and wiggled your toes, they would come right up to your feet. Despite my fear of the ocean and just about everything in it, I decided this was a great thing to try.  And regardless of what Silan may or may not post on her blog, when the fish got close enough to try a nibble of my foot, I handled it with utmost dignity. I most definitely did not scream into my snorkel or jump way out of the water. I must have reacted much cooler and braver then that!!!

All in all a decent day but the worst rain we have seen yet. We did manage to finish our trip with a sample of the islands famous rum punch in the form of an "Island Special". And when we got home we found Silans laundry absolutely drenched on the line. We ended up draping our entire apartment in clothing and using a hair dryer to dry our sheets before going to bed!

(Us laughing at the ridiculous day!)

This morning we got up to another drizzling day and headed around the corner to the center. Today was supposed to be our day of observing the staff at helping hands, trying to get a grasp of the goals the staff have for each child’s rehab. As we rounded the corner we knew something odd was going on because the school bus was still parked in the driveway when it should have been out picking up kids. The center was locked and the office upstairs was still closed. The really odd part was that the front gates were still locked and none of the staff members had shown up either.

As we headed back to our apartment to call Annis (the woman in charge of the center) to find out if there was another holiday we weren’t aware of, I jokingly said to Silan, “Maybe there’s been some national disaster that we don’t know about”

I had no idea how right I was. As we got back to our place our phone was ringing, Annis called to tell us that due to the high volume of rain, rivers were overflowing, roads were flooded across the island and mudslides were washing houses down embankments in the countryside. 

They really could have used a water management expert like
 Brian Symonds!

 St Vincent schools were declared closed for a RAIN DAY!  Ah well, what’s another day off in paradise.               

Don’t worry Mom and Dad, we were nowhere near the danger and it actually hardly rained for the rest of the day!