Two vendors.........two work ethics

Canouan lagoon

When we arrived in Canouan we were promptly met by a local entrepreneur on a half-assed, home-made trimaran who introduced himself as Wilbert. "Need anything man?".............We love local vendors and fresh fish, so I negotiate with Wilbert for two red snappers. He doesn't have them yet, but promises to go spearfishing to get them. Cool. Thoughts of Wilbert's years of time tested experience in these waters ran through my mind. The dude probably just dips his finger in the water and divines where the fish are.

"OK, but if you're not here with the fish by 6:00 PM we're going out to dinner". Now, we're paying about twice the market price for these fish, but the whole transaction has this really cool "Gilligan's Island" feel to it, so what the heck.

Anyway, we dinghy in to shore to catch up on our sunbathing and reading. Wilbert's boat is moored next to ours. "He's so freakin good at fishing that he's not even going to start finding our fish until 5:30", I assure Kirstin. "He can just catch them with his hand"..........pretty soon, I've got Wilbert built up in my mind as "the fish whisperer".

On the beach at the lagoon

Problem is, Wilbert's having a few beers and never even goes out to fish. The next day, he's decided he still needs our money, but doesn't even want to work for it.........."Got any garbage, man?" We know damn well he's going to take it, motor around the corner, and dump it in the ocean. "No, no garbage.......thought I would have some fish bones this morning, but it didn't work out. Sorry".

Contrast that with where we are now - Happy Island (off Union Island). A guy named Janti built the island shown in the below picture out of used conch shells (recycling taken to a new level). Slowly, over the months it took shape. First just a small pile of shells that cleared the water at high tide. Then bigger.......then some mortar........month after month..........finally, a small island in the bay.  He opened a bar on it - featured in an episode of Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" - and has now expanded the island (more conch shells) to make a restaurant that does barbecue at night. There is no better place to grab a rum punch and watch the sunset. Best thing of all is that we are anchored about 30 yards from "Happy Hour Central". We'll be here awhile.

View from our boat this morning of Happy Island