Thread:Shantaram/@comment-31677686-20170711233921/@comment-27476875-20170712163832

Hi Paws! We used to go to Trini but now stay in Grenada during hurricane season. It's below the hurricane belt (although Hurricane Ivan proved that false in 2004)  But we feel safe enough there...along with the other one thousand boats that converge for the  season. We would NEVER go to VE...not only  because of the unrest, but thieves, robbers and pirates started boarding boats and killing the crew several years ago. Both mainland and outer islands are unsafe. Even the MARINA is unsafe. Friend got robbed at Marina at 7pm and thieves held him at gunpoint until they got everything of value, including big screen TV and then left  and had to walk right past the security guards at the entrance. So you know EVERYONE is in on it. At least they spared his life. NO ONE goes  to Venezuela any more. no one.

St Lucia is one of our favorite islands and it's absolutely the most modern &  Americanized of them all! It's become a fairly wealthy island. Yes, there's crack town...but I suppose that exists on every island (and every state in the US as well) Castries market isn't a place we often go (veggie markets in Rodney Bay...where we anchor) but I'd have no problem going to town.

Eeek! Your "wave" experience sounds harrowing....I wonder where you were exactly. Tropical waves have kicked our butts too. ..they're not yet cyclonic but they can pack some nasty winds and you don't prepare as you would a hurricane.

It's all very nerve- wracking this time of year! lol