Haul Out for Hurricane Season & Saying Goodbye to Paradise.

After months of Caribbean sailing, countless island adventures, more rum punches than I’m prepared to admit, and enough salt in our hair to season an entire restaurant, we were finally on the home stretch.

Just one island stood between us and the end of our Caribbean sailing season: Grenada.

Well… almost.

We were a few days ahead of schedule, and honestly, neither of us was quite ready to say goodbye to island life. So, rather than rushing south, we stayed a little longer in beautiful Carriacou. And if you’re going to linger anywhere, Carriacou is a pretty wonderful choice.

One of our favourite discoveries was heading back to Paradise Beach Club for one last Caribbean adventure, a Sip & Paint afternoon. Honestly, Miss Allison should be fully credited, the idea of combining painting with cocktails deserves some sort of international award.

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The afternoon was filled with laughter, questionable artistic talent (I’ll let you decide whose), and plenty of colourful masterpieces that looked considerably better after the second drink. We also made some lovely new friends and caught up with our sailing friends from Moyfrid, proving once again that one of the best parts of the sailing community is how quickly strangers become friends.

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Meanwhile, Ian squeezed in one final session on his wingfoil before officially declaring the season over. Watching him disappear across the turquoise water with a grin the size of the Caribbean itself felt like the perfect ending to months of unforgettable sailing.

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Eventually, reality called.

We lifted anchor and made the short sail from Carriacou to Grenada, heading straight into the marina. Before hauling the boat out for hurricane season, we wanted a few days alongside to tackle some of the bigger jobs in a stable, secure environment.

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Removing sails, organising lockers, sorting ropes, checking equipment… glamorous? Absolutely not.

Necessary? Every single bit.

Boat jobs have a funny habit of multiplying. You cross one thing off the list, and somehow three more appear.

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Thankfully, my birthday arrived at exactly the right moment.

Now, there was absolutely no chance I was spending my birthday armed only with a screwdriver and a cleaning cloth. Boat maintenance could wait for an afternoon. So we escaped the marina, found ourselves some birthday cake, enjoyed a few well earned drinks, and celebrated another trip around the sun before returning to the ever growing to-do list.

Balance is important, after all.

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Hauling Out the Boat in Grenada

Then came haul out day.

Watching your home being lifted out of the water never quite feels normal, no matter how many times you do it. One moment she’s happily floating, the next she’s suspended in the air like a giant bath toy before settling onto dry land for the next few months.

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The final days were filled with the less glamorous side of Caribbean sailing.

Everything had to be cleaned thoroughly to prevent mould in the tropical humidity. Every cupboard wiped down. Every locker emptied or organised. Cushions protected. Equipment packed away. Lines secured. Storage boxes labelled. Cases packed for our flight home.

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It’s amazing how quickly a boat that comfortably holds your entire life suddenly refuses to fit it all into two suitcases or so.

Of course, before officially saying goodbye to the Caribbean, there were still a couple of very important items left on my checklist.

One final rum punch.

One proper English Sunday roast.

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And one last evening spent laughing with fellow sailors who were also preparing their boats for hurricane season. Everyone swapping stories, making plans for next year, and pretending we weren’t already dreaming about warm Caribbean sunshine while thinking about returning to the UK.

Until Next Season…

With the boat finally cleaned, secured, and safely tucked away for hurricane season in Grenada, there was nothing left to do except check into a hotel near the airport.

For two glorious days, we did… absolutely nothing.

No anchor alarms.

No weather forecasts.

No sail changes.

Just sunshine, a swimming pool, and the strange feeling of not having a boat job waiting for us every five minutes.

It felt wonderfully unfamiliar.

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Then, just like that, it was time to shoulder our bags and head for the airport.

England, here we come.

Our Caribbean sailing adventure might have come to an end, but the memories, the friendships, and the stories will stay with us forever.

And somehow, I have a feeling this won’t be our last adventure on the water.