s/v Mowzer: Our Last Hash on Grenada

We've posted many times before about our regular Saturday activity while on Grenada, but this week's Hash was just about the wettest and muddiest that we have done in a long time.

We'll be leaving Grenada in the coming week so this Hash also marked our last for a while, unless of course we track down another Hash House Harrier club up-island.

We'd had a lot of rain over the last few days so we fully expected this hash to be a wet, muddy affair. We headed up into the hills of St. David parish, near Red Gate and as Devon's bus climbed higher and higher, the air temperature pleasantly chilled and the vegetation became so lush and tangled it looked like it was just dripping over itself. We arrived at Velma's shop where the hash as hosted this week and within a few steps off the concrete road, we just knew we would be cleaning up lots of sticky mud at the end of the run.

Instructions were given and we set off under cloudy skies. It wasn't until we were high up on a ridge that an intense downpour hit us. The rain was pleasantly cooling on our hot skin and by the time we returned for the end of hash celebrations and party, we were even relatively clean - all the mud washed away, except around our ankles and the soles of our shoes.

Mark, Fiona & Kierin - looking all clean before the hash.

Lush, heavy and red - volcanic soil on this farm grows anything that is stuck in the ground. Yams and plantain here with papaya and cabbage in the background.

Dark, waxy Sorrel flowers are used to make a sweet red Christmas drink.

Being a young kitten on Grenada is a terribly hard life. Usually scrawny, short-lived little things that don't stand much of a chance - this one had also suffered having all his whiskers clipped off.

Almost ready for the hash to start - Reg and Shanique are all smiles.

Johan, Paul, Reg & Henry - not often Henry gets to be taller than Johan!

Contemplating (or becoming part of) the greenery.

And we're off - the trail left off the road and headed through the local backyards and then into the bush.

Our hare, "Respect the Banana" urged us over the first stream crossing.

Jack, sporting his first muddy handprint on that pristine white t-shirt, leads Henry up the hill under a mango tree.

Our next river crossing - easier just to wade in and get the feet wet, it is inevitable anyway.

The rain started down, the clouds settled on the hilltops and our view was reduced to the immediate surroundings.

This part of the trail let up a surprisingly well-manicured grassy road.

Venessa & Gary - are you wet enough yet?

As we reached the ridge and imagined the views on either side, the rain lashed down with abandon.

This sheep was unsuccessfully trying to stay dry under a banana tree.

Path or stream? Both!

And we're back - and the party is already in full gear.

We picked up our arrival beers and then turned back to watch the fun as more hashers arrived and struggled to make the final climb.

Slip sliding away.

Riding on Devon's bus, we have turned our after-hash tradition into a local pub visit. It just so happens that the last few weeks we have been on hashes in the southern parish of St. David's, which means that the most logical stop on the way home is Nimrod's Bar in Lower Woburn.