Fri Dec 07, 2007
Carriacou Parang Festival - December 14th to 16th 2007
Carriacou Parang Festival is held each year on the weekend before Christmas Day.
It celebrates the unique music, entertainment and traditions of Carriacou.
It was created in 1977 to revive and keep alive the “house to house” serenading of string bands, an indigenous aspect of Carriacou’s culture.
Parang groups battle for cash prizes along with a challenge trophy during the Parang String Bands Competition. The groups use only percussion instruments for the performances and the lyrics in the songs can be rather controversial at times, reflecting on current political and historical events in the country.
Tue Jul 19, 2005
OUR TOURISM PRODUCT INTACT
PRESS RELEASE
On July 13, 2005 Hurricane EMILY - a category one system
impacted on the Tri-Island-State Grenada, Carriacou and
Petite Martinique, that resulted in some material damages
on Carriacou & Petite Martinique, but hotels are functioning
as normal as well as the established tourist site & attractions,
restaurants and the watersport sector including diving.
The 40th Carriacou Regatta will also be held as planned and
life goes on like normal.....
Given not only the known resilience and positive attitude of our
people, but also the very special spirit of our small destination and
its communities, any necessary rebuilding and refurbishing is in full
progess and seeing our tourism product intact, including our alluring
underwater-world, we continue to maintain its unique character
to "put a smile back on your face!"
Sun May 01, 2005
40th Annual Carriacou Regatta Festival
24th of July - 1st of August 2005
The ever increasing enthusiam, significance, and
popularity of the Carriacou Regatta Sailing Festival
has earned high merits among cultural celebrations
in the Caribbean, creating a role model for all other
regional festivals.
This festival which began in 1965 as a mere boat-
racing event, held over emancipation weekend each
year, has now grown to include a large number of
sporting, cultural and shore activities such as obstacle
and model boat races, a donkey race, greasy pole,
football competition and the Miss Aquaval Queen Show
with contestants originating throughout the Caribbean.
The main aim of the festival is to perpetuate the
indigenous art of boat building handed down to the
nationals by Irish & Scottish ancestors. The regatta
boat racing events focus mainly on the locally built
traditional "workboats" with over ten different classes
ranging from 14 to 35 feet in length.
Here is the regatta's schedule & contact-info below:
24th - Sun Official Opening /Birthday Bash
25th - Mon Sports Day
26th - Tue Linton Riggs Day
27th - Wed Boat Ride
28th - Thu Gospel Concert
29th - Fri Regatta Calypso Competition
30th - Sat Miss Aquaval Queen Show
31st - Sun Clash of Bands
Work Boat / Yacht Racing on Fri 29th - Mon 1st
Sporting / Cultural Activities Sun 31st - Mon 1st
Contact: The Grenada Board of Tourism
- Branch Carriacou -
Mr. Dexter Lendore
[email]carrgbt@caribsurf.com]
Tue Apr 12, 2005
Whale In Distress Rescued
At 4.pm a local Rescue Team received a call that a dolphin
was in distress near shore in Craigston Bay. After a speedy
arrival at the site the distressed animal turned out to be a
9-ft. long Melon Headed Whale. It looked to weigh about
350 lbs: was displaying clear signs of panic and distress,
swimming frantically in tight circles,diving down hitting its
nose violently on the sandy floor and getting dangerously
into the shallow beach area.
As the team entered the water from the rescue boat, the
whale started weaving circles around them. After having
observed its behaviour, the team decided to make physical
contact with the whale, in the gentlest manner: by
intercepting its motion patterns and diving fast alongside.
After this the whale perceptively slowed down and started
swimming closer to the divers as if to encourage more contact.
Within minutes the rescue process took a surprising turn:
the whale was now swimming after them! Exhilarating
moments, culminating with the whale landing in their arms.
Finally able to be examined, to everyone's relief, only a couple
of superficial scratches were found! Meanwhile the whale was
trustingly watching the team's movements, increasingly relaxed,
yet very conscious. The more the whale was 'caressed' the more
it seemed to calm down. Night was now falling and it simply
could not be abandoned in shallow waters being in danger to be
washed ashore, so it was decided to tow the animal to deeper
waters.. It was put alongside the inflatable, kept floating, literally
hanging over the side, embracing her head and gently holding
the dorsal fin, until, after 2 hours of motoring very very slowly,
the deeper water was reached. At no time did the whale show
that it wanted to take off, as it was effortlessly 'motored' around!
The whale even indicated when it needed to emerge to breathe!
At this point the Rescue Team was able to contact a whale &
dolphin biologist/vet, who told them that these highly sensitive
creatures tend to be prone to panic, if they end up in very shallow
and enclosed waters away from their pod; their panic further
incapacitates them from finding the way out - eventually they may
get stranded, wounded and slowly perish.
In this case, however the rescue seemed to have managed to
calm the creature down, so its sonar could be efficient again
to find its bearings and possibly receive signals from the pod.
The young crescent moon climbed the slowly kayaking Rescue
Team accompanying the whale toward the open sea:
The whale seemed not to be in a hurry to leave and stayed
around - until finally taking off into the deep ocean night!
Fri Apr 08, 2005
MAROON FESTIVAL - Bel Air Village
FRIDAY 29th of April 2005
06.00 am Traditional Wetting the Ground
07.00 am to 04.00 pm Preparation Maroon Food, Entertainment
04.00 pm to 07.00 pm Sounding Maroon Shell
.................................. Partaking Maroon Food
07.00 pm to 08.30 pm Display 'Maroon Food', Dancing of the plate,
................................. Presenting the plate, Beating the Drum
09.00 pm to 10.00 pm Official Opening
10.00 pm to 11.00 pm Maroon Theater, Cultural Entertainment
11.00 pm to 01.00 am Windward Bay Boys String Band
SATURDAY 30th of April
08.00 pm to 11.00 pm Maroon Theater, Cultural Entertainment
11.00 pm to 12.00 mn String Band Music
12.00 mn to 04.00 am Featured Guest Artists WCK from Dominica
SUNDAY 1st of May
05.30 pm to 07.30 pm Family Entertainment
08.00 pm to 11.00 pm Maroon Theater, Cultural Entertainment
11.00 pm to 12.00 mn String Bank Music
12.00 mn to 02.00 am Featured Guest Artist Tanya Stephens
Wed Mar 23, 2005
TRADITIONAL BOAT LAUNCH IN WINDWARD/CARRIACOU
End of February 2005 after 7 month of hard work by the shipwright-
team of Mr. Alwin Enoe the traditional sloop yacht "Genesis" owned
by Mr. Alexis Andrews and his family was launched. Mr. Enoe is one
of the renowned shipwrights who still builds boats according to
traditions handed over from generation to generation. Carriacou's
boat building tradition is traced back to 1833 when Benjamin
Compton came from England and his direct descendants keep up the
tradition until today. In 2003 the 65 ft. schooner "Jambolaya" was
launched after a hand carved design of Jassie Compton and built also
by Mr. Enoe.
As the launch took place on Sunday tradition was kept not only by
having the prist spreading holy water on the deck but also by
sacrificing a fowl on the forward deck.
According to the ancient ceremony the hull was gradually lowered
onto its side by cutting down of the shores. Five men with axes
chopped the bottom of the props until the boat came gradually to rest
on its side. The team filled the keel bolt holes that had previously been
inaccessible. The lead filled keel will give greater stability when sailing
and a particular advantage over the fleet when racing.
The overall length is 40 feet, beam 12 feet, draft 5 feet.
As the ropes were brought into position, the anchor set out in the bay,
with block and tackles tied tight to secure the bow, everyone joined in
to haul on the lines leading up the hillside.
Music played by the Windward String Band added to the wonderful
party athmosphere and special occasion that was unfolding.
Finally as the yacht settled on the shore line the many helpers were on
hand to push her slowly over the ledge so she was floating free and the
champagne bottle could be broken on her bow.
May all her journeys be blessed !
Thanks to all who keep traditions on Carriacou & Petite Martinique
alive and visible to all !
Fri Mar 11, 2005
PETITE MARTINIQUE WHITSUNTIDE REGATTA 13.-16.MAY 2005
Friday 13th:
Official Opening at 5.00 pm - Venue: Hard Court
Cultural Presentation & Live String Band
Saturday 14th:
Opening - 10.00 am - Boat Race (stern boat & large deck sloops)
Miss Whitsuntide Queen Show (Venue: School)
Sunday 15th:
Boat Race (Work Boat) - Swimming Race (Junior) - Beer Drinking
Competition - Cry Competition - Musical Chairs Boat Race 2 -
Live Show/Featuring: Band X-Trak & Local Artists (Venue: School)
Monday 16th:
Boat Race (work boat) - Model Boat Race - Beer Drinking Competition -
Greasy Pole - Tug-O-War - Wining Competition - Eating Competition -
Miss Wet T-Shirt - Prize Giving Ceremony - Open Air Show
Mon Mar 07, 2005
WHALE SIGHTING on Carriacou
Exciting News for divers:
A Humpback Whale was sighted close within the
Sister Rocks / Point Cistern - Area on Carriacou !!
Diving Instructors from Carriacou took the chance
to observe the animal in shallow water for more
than one hour! The mid of January until mid of March
is known to present chances like this, but events like
this particular one are rare since these animals prefer
normally to stay offshore in deeper water....
One more proof that our island must be blessed !
Thu Dec 16, 2004
Ivan Poem
Poem by NAN HATCH:
Friends! Let me say this loud and clear,
Carriacou is still right here
In turquoise waters, bright sunshine,
We were not blown away. We’re fine!
Though “Rotten Ivan” did his best,
And put our neighbors to the test,
This isle survived, we’re glad to say,
And we were not all blown away,
So when the winter turns you blue
We will be here to welcome you,
Experience our island charm –
Old Style Caribbean, laid back, warm…..
Hey! Carriacou is doing great,
So make your plans – it’s not too late!
Thu Sep 30, 2004
Hurricane Ivan
Since Hurricane Ivan inspired us to found the CPMTA here is our story of Hurricane “Ivan”: More...