Sailing the Grenadines on the Schooner Jambalaya
Traditional Ship Sails the Southern Caribbean in Style
Jan 7, 2009
What makes Jambalaya different is that she is built by hand along the lines of a traditional Caribbean cargo vessel. Jeff Stevens, owner, captain, and designer of the schooner was inspired with the idea of taking a traditional sailing vessel and outfitting it for chartering and touring during time he spent sailing in Turkey, where traditional boats take tourists along historic trade routes. He thought the same thing could be done in the Caribbean, with its long history of boat-building and cargo ships.
Building the Jambalaya: a Traditional Carribean Schooner
Jambalaya was built in Carriacou, a historic center of the Caribbean boat-building trade, using technqiues that are fast being lost to modernization. The keel is made of greenheart, a wood so dense it sinks. Wood for the faraming had to be cut in the bush in Grenada -- an exhausting and painstaking process, because the wood had to be be the right shape to fit the boat. The process, which included following local strictures such as cutting the timbers only when the moon is waning, took three years, and the 65-foot schooner was finally put in the water in 2003.
Jambalaya Sailing Itineraries in the Southern Caribbean
Jambalaya's home waters are just off Petit St. Vincent, a tiny island at the southern tip of the Grenadines. From there, she sails the Leeward and Windward Islands. Trips can be single-day sails, or customized week-long adventures calling in at islands like Antigua, St. Kitts and Nevis, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia and St. Vincent, and the various small island in the Grenadines chain.
A day sail from Petit St. Vincent usually includes a stop at Tobago Cays Marine Park, where the waters are that postcard-perfect Caribbean blue, and where sea-turtles are abundant. Snorkeling here is a highlight, and a typical sailing day includes a stop in this pristine and protected area.
Note however that the best-laid itineraries of man and boat and subject to the winds -- it may take much longer to get from Point A to Point B than expected.
Amenities and Activities on the Jambalaya
Jambalaya can host up to seven guests in surprisingly (for a boat) spacious cabins, but she is more comfortable with four. The crew prides itself on good food, which is beautifully presented, including fresh-caught fish, lobster. and barbeque. Local fresh fruist and vegetables are purchased at local markets.
Activities can be arranged on a custom basis: Snorkeling gear is available on board, but it's also possible to arrange for excursions like scuba diving and fishing, and even hiking and horseback riding, when you stop at various islands.
The Little Sister: The Beauty of Petite Martinique
In November, 2008, Jambalaya's little sister, the "Beauty of Petite Martinique," was launched in a ceremony complete with the local custom of killing chickens on both the fore and aft decks. The bishop blessed the ship, the boat was pulled into the water, and the music of local celebrated the moment when another hand-crafted traditional Caribbean schooner hit the waves.
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