Union Island – colourful and plentiful

Different islands, different experiences at different times with different people. Life is fluid.

Union island is the gatekeeper to St Vincent and the Grenadines when approaching from the south.

The port village of Clifton is the point of entry for boat customs and immigration which is located at the airport, a short walk from where you tie up your dinghy.

Last time we were here it was in the fall of 2016 and the temperatures were blazing hot.

There were 7 of us and I recall no conversations amongst us during that torturous, sweaty journey to the airport.

It took forever to get there, get cleared in and maybe twice as long to come back. Not even sure how that’s possible but that’s what it felt like. I was bracing myself emotionally for a similar experience based on that memory.

Well that didn’t happen, check in was fast and even pleasant.

We did however have another very memorable moment at the dinghy dock this visit. We refer to it as the toe incident if referring to it at all.

SCROLL DOWN PAST THIS PARAGRAPH if you are at all squeamish.
The dock we brought our dinghy to tie up to was high. Imagine stepping onto the top side of the dinghy to hoist yourself up onto the dock. I stepped up with one leg onto the dinghy and placed my opposite knee on the dock pulling myself up. The dinghy went under the dock with my foot.

My weight shifted from the dinghy to the dock lifting the dinghy up and that’s how my big toe’s nail lifted off my toe and folded halfway down backwards.
I’m gagging as I write this. It’s the grossest thing I’ve ever experienced next to folding the toenail BACK to its original location with hopes that it would affix to its original splendor in its rightful position on my toe and maybe I could pretend that it never happened…

Good news is It seems to be taking.

But Yuck.

Lesson: do everything in your power to not let this ever happen to you.

And yes I bawled my eyes out whilst this all played out on the dock.

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Here’s a pretty tropical picture for those of you who have that mental image burning a hole in your minds eye.

Now back to Union Island. Clifton has all the Caribbean charm you can handle.

Colorful houses, waterside walkways and a market village exploding with fresh fruits and vegetables, baked breads and scenic smoothie/beer stops.

It’s really coming into its own.

Clifton also has a very enthusiastic kite surfing community. Lessons, rentals and an amazing wide open area that the ocean wind barrels through makes for the perfect backdrop for kite surfing pros and newbies.

All the boats clearing immigration here or staying over, get a front row seat to the kite surfing show which starts early and goes late.
If your chartering a boat there’s an awesome provisioning place, Captain Gourmet , for imported yummy’s and home made delicacies.
Point is we had a pleasant stay at Union Island.

No we weren’t exactly spending the day drinking prosecco and eating bonbons on the trampoline.