It was the night of the Flower Moon but was it a poltergeist? Strange things transpire when planets, spirits, tides, paranoia, winds and politicians align or misalign with the unknown forces of the Universe. So, it was aboard Kalunamoo on the night of Monday, May 12, 2025.
We arrived in Prickly Bay, Grenada on Friday the 9th. Kalunamoo hasn’t been here since 2018. Anchored off the University Club in 5 fathoms, we felt secure. “It’s a little deep but ok” I said. Since last here, a few mooring balls were placed and there were boats closer to the shoreline. I would also have liked to be close in to be protected by the reef south of us. Prickly Bay is known to be rolly, but the reef does provide some protection. Fortunately, it was not rolly when we first anchored but when the wind has any south in it, the low swells travel up the entire bay. A few days after anchoring we had stage 3 rolls and a few to 4.
The Bay hasn’t changed much in seven years, but new houses have sprung up along the shore and up the slopes. Some of them are quite large, testifying to the attractiveness of Grenada and the inducements the government offers to those who can afford it. New businesses dot the roads and older establishments still exist.
Taxi vans and bus routes are as busy and as friendly as ever, as are the multiple anchorages for visiting cruisers. Each anchorage has its enclave of devoted cruisers with an active social agenda. A few notable locals and cruisers have passed away since we have been here but, all in all, Grenada remains a very welcoming island to the cruising community. A number of cruisers we know are here including a few waiting to sail south to Trinidad. We will head that way next month.
The full moon, the Flower Moon of May, was in the east when we retired for the night. Stage 3 roll is not uncomfortable and doesn’t affect sleeping at all. The winds out of the east were gentle, and the back cabin hatch was open as no showers were expected. At midnight, I was deep in a dream state somewhere walking in a mall.
The mall was interrupted by the sound of an engine starting. Odd. Then I realized I was half awake and the engine of Kalunamoo had started. Maureen immediately jumped up as I did! Half groggy, I ran up to the cockpit expecting to see another boat crashing into us or us crashing into the rocky shoreline. Having a big boat banging against us in the middle of the night is something we experienced last year in Dominica. Not again! No boat alongside. No crashing shoreline. We were safely secured in the exact position we have been all along. But the engine was running!
The ignition switch was in the OFF position but I turned it to the STOP position and the engine stopped. By this time, adrenaline kicked in and I was wide awake with no clue as to what had happened.
Maureen, on her way to the cockpit, was on the lookout for a pirate border. I didn’t think of that but was that a possibility? There was no indication of anyone around and in hindsight, doubt that anyone would start the engine to steal the boat that way. In any case, a quick survey of the engine room, and wiring I didn’t show anything amiss. I turned the engine start battery off and went back to sleep.
Since then, another check of the wiring and start system was done. The three components: ignition switch, relay, and high amp relay (solenoid) were looked at with no apparent reason to suspect a fault. The motor starts and stops normally and hasn’t spontaneously started again. It never did in the past and no one ever wrote or report one that did.
We could get a mechanic or electrician out to look into this but since then I decided to dig further when we are in Trinidad in a few weeks. Of course, if it happens again…
So that leaves only two conclusions: Poltergeist or Flower Moon. Or a combination of both. Clearly in today’s world trusting institutional experts, with obvious monetary biases, can’t be trusted anymore. They will talk me into buying something. I’m going for the Flower Moon explanation. The fact that the companion way hatch was open to the rays of that moon at zenith at midnight caused the engine to start. Poltergeist do have the ability to do action at a distance. But why would they start a sailboat engine in Grenada? That doesn’t make sense. The Flower Moon however does not have an alibi, probably wanted me to see it, and had the opportunity to act. Show me the research that disproves that.
Kalunamoo 