Caribbean Compass Yachting Magazine - April 2022

SAILOR’S HIKES
CARRIACOU’S
CHAPEAU CARRE
by Chris Doyle
If you look around you while anchored in Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou, you will see the
very pretty hill line to the north above the mangroves, now broken by a big new Italian
house perched on top. Look to the east and you will see Chapeau Carre, the tallest
hill visible from the Tyrrel Bay. Standing 290 metres above sea level, it is second
highest hill on Carriacou. (The highest hill — High North — is only a metre higher,
so if you really want to feel you have been as high as you can get on Carriacou, carry
a small step ladder with you or see the Sailor’s Hike in last month’s Compass.)
Hiking Chapeau Carre is a lovely walk, but it can be hot, so early morning is best
both for coolness and for the light for the view over Tyrrel Bay.
CHRIS DOYLE (2)
Above: At the top you get a panoramic view of Tyrrel Bay and beyond.
Below: Walk up through the field, making friends with any cows in the path.
MERIDIAN PASSAGE
OF THE MOON
APRIL - MAY 2022
APRIL 2022 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 25
It takes about two to three hours round trip from the Tyrrel Bay Marina dock.
There is an unmarked path of sorts, which is steep towards the top. It can be
slippery on mud when wet and on leaves when dry.
From the Tyrrel Bay Marina dock, walk to the road at the main south exit, turn
left, then take the next right down a good straight road with several houses on either
side. Take the first left-hand turn. This road bends around and climbs slowly into
the hills. It starts off paved and turns to dirt. For the most part you have a view on
your left and a hill on your right. The road follows upwards around this hill.
Continue till you come to a small junction straight ahead where the dirt road
divides in two. If you stand at this junction and look at the left-hand road, you will
see a gap in the hedge into a field almost opposite where you are standing. (Longhand
version: turn left at the junction, walk a couple of feet and turn right through the
gap in the hedge.)
Enter into the field and now the adventure begins. Walk up through the field, making
friends with any cows in the path, until you see a small trail on your left that goes into
a dense thicket with a small pond (usually dry). It is not far along the trail so you will
quickly find it if you have the right trail. In the shade it is cool. Walk round the west
side of the pond and follow the trail going uphill. You will come into a field where you
head uphill and bear left when there is a gap in the bush. This will bring you to a ridge.
A fairly well marked trail on this ridge leads to the east. You follow this a short way
till you come to a somewhat open area which is a little north of the ridge line. Here
you need to turn right and head uphill till you find yourself on the proper ridge path
above. Turn left on the trail and follow this ridge all the way to the top of the hill.
There is no trail crew; you may have to scramble or find your way round fallen trees.
The path is mainly in the woods, which gives shade, except for one clearing where
you begin to get a good view.
You emerge out of the trees at the very top of the hill. The view of Tyrrel Bay is
outstanding. The whole bay is laid out before you in miniature like a brightly colored
children’s book painting. You also get great views of Sandy Island, Union,
Hillsborough, over the southern islands to Grenada, and to the east.
Crossing the channels between Caribbean islands with a favorable tide will
make your passage faster and more comfortable. The table below, courtesy Don
Street, author of Street’s Guides and compiler of Imray-Iolaire charts, which
shows the time of the meridian passage (or zenith) of the moon for this AND next
month, will help you calculate the tides.
Water, Don explains, generally tries to run toward the moon. The tide starts
running to the east soon after moonrise, continues to run east until about an
hour after the moon reaches its zenith (see TIME below) and then runs westward.
From just after the moon’s setting to just after its nadir, the tide runs eastward;
and from just after its nadir to soon after its rising, the tide runs westward; i.e.
the tide floods from west to east. Times given are local.
Note: the maximum tide is 3 or 4 days after the new and full moons.
For more information, see “Tides and Currents” on the back of all Imray Iolaire
charts. Fair tides!
April
DATE TIME
1 1220
2 1304
3 1348
4 1434
5 1521
6 1609
7 1659
8 1750
9 1841
10 1931
11 2019
12 2106
13 2152
14 2238
15 2325
16 2414
17 0014 FULL MOON
18 0106
19 0201
20 0301
21 0404
22 0507
23 0608
24 0705
25 0758
26 0846
27 0942
28 1016
29 1059
30 1143
May
1 1228
2 1314
3 1402
4 1452
5 1543
6 1633
7 1723
8 1811
9 1858
10 1943
11 2028
12 2114
13 2201
14 2251
15 2346
16 2445
17 0045 FULL MOON
18 0149
19 0254
20 0359
21 0459
22 0554
23 0605
24 0741
25 0816
26 0858
27 0941
28 1025
29 1110
30 1157
31 1247