Grenada 2018 River Tubing

Tom sitting across the tube, not in

January 2018

River tubing in Grenada....who knew?  We didn't.  But sv Blue Blaze and sv Freedom had gone before we arrived in Grenada and said it was really fun.

Off he goes

Shademan - taxi driver and tour guide was the guy to take us.  However we needed a bus full.  He did not want to go for only a few.  We asked around and made an announcement on the morning VHF net and soon we had enough for the trip.

Tammy and Bruce getting ready

Shademan picked us up at the car park at Secret Harbor Marina and we were off.  He made one additional stop to pick up four more people.  Land people, not cruiser on boats.  Weird.  Actually, it was two young South African couples visiting their parents who sailed here on a boat.  And yes, there are a lot of South Africans around this season in Grenada.  

Bronwyn laughing already

Shademan drove us up the east side of the island, pointing out various things as we went along.  We chatted as well getting to know the others we didn't know.  Soon we were to the tubing area.  We met the lady in charge and she explained how things would work.  We would get ready and start from there.  Guides would be accompanying us down the river.  Then Shademan would pick us back up and bring us back up there for lunch.  She asked that we order lunch now;  pork, chicken, fish or veggie.  Tom ordered pork and I ordered chicken.

And we are off

Soon the guides were back from the last group.  They outfitted us up;  tubes, helmets (YES), and life jackets.  They instructed us on the proper way to sit in the tubes - across it vs butt down in the hole.  We all picked up our tubes, waded in and set off.

Debra drifting along

It was a hoot.  We bobbed along through some mini rapids, whirling this way and that.  The three guides spread out among us to keep us going the right way.  At times, people would get hung up on a rock or off to the side.  They kept us out of trouble.

One of the South African girls

I laughed most of the way.  I am not sure why other than it was really fun and pretty funny as well.  I usually ended up going down the little rapids backwards, swirling and laughing as I went.

A bit of a jam up

It started to mist very lightly but we were protected by the surrounding trees and bamboo so no one cared.  Plus we were already wet.

Tom floating along

Too soon it was over - probably 45 mins on the river.  Shademan was there waiting to take us back to the start.  We all changed out of our wet things and had a nice, leasurley lunch with all the fixings.  YUM!

Sabrina's river look

As we left the river tubing place, South African cruiser Bronwyn directed Shademan to a small detour so we could drive by land she had purchased along the river.  She is very excited about it and Tom and I had visited with her about it previously.  Way kewl for her!

The Bumpy Corner Bar - literally at a sharp, bumpy corner in the road

On the drive home, Shademan continued to play tour guide pointing out interesting things.  We also made a few stops at rum shacks along the way.  Most of us just had beers vs rum but it was fun to experience these hangouts and chat with the locals.  Shademan himself was in no hurry.  He had lost a dear friend overnight, a fellow driver, and he was feeling meloncally.  Chatting with us over rum helped him forget or remember his friend.  I am not sure which.

Oscar's Bar -Paul vs Tom

Paul showing off his skills

We got back home around sunset.  Such a fun day.

Tom showing off his skills

NOTE - Nearly a month later, we spotted one of the young South African couples in Bequia as they dinghied by our boat.  They had sailed up with her parents.  Small world.