St. Lucia to Bequia

We returned to St. Lucia and our familiar anchorage off of Pigeon Island, this time dropping the hook in a scary 7 feet of water. Still, it looked like our space had been reserved for us. We spent the next few weeks hanging out with cruising friends, provisioning, snorkeling a bit, and--thanks to the frequent and sometimes torrential rains--fine tuning our rainwater collection technique. We managed to nearly fill our large tanks with pure, sweet-smelling water, all free!

This period also happened to coincide with the St. Lucia Jazz Festival, and one of the prime music venues just happened to be Pigeon Island. So, as the opening days of the festival approached, our anchorage became more and more popular. The first night, we had our friends from La Buena Vida over to share the entertainment. Then, it began to rain, and rain and rain. It became apparent that the first night was cancelled. The second night, however, we listened to (that great jazz group) KC and the Sunshine Band, followed by Amy Winehouse and a very excellent Haitian group, Kassav. Amy was able to struggle through most of her tunes, but it sounded like she cut one short. Who knows what problems there were, but to be fair, it did rain like the dickens during her set. The next day, we weighed anchor shortly after lunch, but before that, were treated to a rehearsal by James Ingram and his band, that was very good.

With mixed feelings (it was two days before the festival's end), we left our home in St. Lucia and headed for Anse la Raye, a small fishing village about 10 miles away. The point of this was to shorten our next passage all the way to Bequia so it could be managed in one day. We set off on a broad reach and had a very peaceful time until rounding up into the bay. As the wind decided to pick up (of course), we discovered that the genoa would not furl all the way in. Nothing for it but to pop it back out and drop it on deck. This was our entrance to the harbor, settling down beside an amused Heiner aboard La Buena Vida. Fortunately, the problem was only a scrambled spooling of the furler cable and it was rectified within a half hour.

Next morning we were underway at 4 AM, full in the newfound knowledge that our masthead running lights and our engine voltmeter were inoperable. Oh well. We had allowed 12 to 15 hours to sail the rest of the length of St. Lucia, make the passage to St. Vincent, traverse that island and cruise on to Bequia. Well, the old girl (Songbird, not Pam) made it in 11 hours. At just after 3 in the afternoon, we rounded in to Admiralty Bay and dropped the hook. Now to explore Bequia.

Photos: Rotis and beer in Bequia; map of some of the islands we've visited; overlooking Bequia; Rasta marketplace; mangos we picked (and ate) while in Bequia; Bill in Castries, the capital of St.Lucia; Songbird kicking it at a whopping 7.5 knots per.

4/26/09 ● Not Enough of Martinique

As the season progresses, cruisers are beginning to move on. Some (like us) will stay on their boats through the summer and we may meet them farther on down island. Others are having their boats hauled out and will return to their homes in North America or Europe. Before we proceed south, we decided on one more visit to Martinique. Having met the tax deadline in Rodney Bay, we weighed anchor and sailed to Cul-de-Sac du Marin. This is another popular cruising destination for boaters because of its sheltered anchorages and the many, many boat services available here. Rather than anchor near Marin among hundreds of other boats, we chose a spot Bill remembered from his earlier trip here. It was tricky getting into but once there, very rewarding. Surrounded by mangroves and fairly isolated, we had the anchorage virtually to ourselves and enjoyed peaceful days, skinny dipping and quiet starlit nights. We also enjoyed the company, once again, of Heiner and Marleyne on La Buena Vida, anchored near Marin. At their instigation, we rented a car and had a wonderful day touring all of Martinique.

Before our return to Rodney Bay we wanted to visit Ste. Anne. With Pam in the rigging to guide us through the shoals, we carefully maneuvered out of our secret lagoon and spent to lovely days exploring Ste. Anne. One enjoyable night we dined on a beach front terrace, watching the sun set over Diamond Rock and the rugged southern coastline of Martinique.

Photos: On the way up to Mt. Pelee; Songbird & Cows in the lagoon; Rest spot on way up Mt. Pelee; Mt. Pelee in the clouds; l'Aieron, at the base of Mt. Pelee; the folks on S/V La Buena Vida - Heiner & Marleyne; Depaz rum distillery; Pam & Bill in front of 100-year-old rubber tree (too big to capture w/our camera; Songbird in her private lagoon anchorage.

4/13/09 ● St. Lucia

We hoisted sail and made the passage to St. Lucia on 23 March arriving in Rodney Bay and, after attempting three locations, settled into an anchorage off Pigeon Island. There, we were delighted to find Cat Tales, Dawn and Laurie, a Canadian couple we’d last seen in Bermuda. On 26 March, Bill ventured ashore and hired a mini-bus for trip to the airport at the south of the island to meet Alex and Faith. Right on schedule, they popped out of the departure lounge, all joy and smiles. What a welcome site. They found the bus ride back up the island fascinating, especially the winding road through the rain forests in St. Lucia’s mountainous interior. By 6pm, they were installed in their small, luxurious hotel – a stones-throw from Rodney Bay beach. They had four nights there and enjoyed sun, the hotel’s pool and the beach so much that they stayed an extra night. We hung out with them and enjoyed it too, frequently dining at the nearby restaurants. One of the highlights of the stay here was the climb to the top of Pigeon Island, exploring the ruins of the fort and the gun batteries.

By March 31st, it was time for the four of us to sail south to Soufriere. I rained almost the whole way down, becoming heaviest as we picked up a mooring in front of the bat cave (a deep crevice in a high rock wall that is home to thousands of bats – cool!). Alex and Bill immediately dinghied ashore to fine a cure for Alex’s raging ear infection. The pharmacy being closed, they were directed to the local hospital. There they found an emergency room solely occupied by a doctor and two nurses. Alex received immediate attention – including a large shot of penicillin to his backside – for a total charge of $19 and was given a prescription for a week’s supply of antibiotics.

The next morning we left the bats to moor at a quieter part of the bay near local fishing boats. There, we were frequently entertained by the pigs kept by the locals on the beach.

The most spectacular aspect of Soufriere is its proximity to the Pitons, rising to three thousand feet from the edge of the bay. One night we taxied up to a restaurant with breath-taking views of both Petit and Grand Pitons and the harbor shinning below. As we sat at our dinning table, it made for a memorable sunset. With sadness, we said goodbye to Alex and Faith on April 2nd as they boarded their taxi bound for the airport at Vieux Fort. We sure hope their visit was as much fun for them as it was for us.
We returned to Rodney Bay and spent ten, or so, days hanging out with fellow cruisers, many of whom for some reason, were Canadians. Pigeon Island, near our anchorage, happens to be home to a cool little restaurant, Jambe des Bois. We enjoyed going there, especially on the weekends when they have live music. One Sunday night, there was a great little jazz combo playing that somehow found out that Pam sings. She was asked to sit in and, (Bill says) was a huge success. As we left, they followed us out and made us promise that she would return, and next time, do a larger set (!).

Photos: Soufriere - pig resting after hard day's play; Soufriere fishing village; atop Pigeon Island - Alex, Bill, Faith & Pam; Alex & Faith at Hotel Ginger Lilly; view from Alex and Faith's hotel room; atop Pigeon Island; Faith takes on Pigeon Island; lunch time at a Soufriere beach pig farm.

3/22/09 ● Welcome to France

We arrived in Ste. Pierre, on the northern side of Martinique on 18 March. Although one must observe local laws regarding immigration and customs, it’s easy in Martinique. Check in at Ste. Pierre is done on a computer at the local internet café – no fees. Welcome to France!

St. Pierre is a small fishing village located at the base of Mt. Pelee, an extinct volcano almost a mile high that devastated the town in 1902, killing all of its inhabitants, save two, one of whom was a condemned prisoner. Today, it’s a nice place to anchor and reprovision (baguette, cheese and wine). This we did, as well as wash clothes at a Laundromat (something hard to find in the islands). Our efforts to reprovision, however, were still being frustrated by the general strike, even though it had been over for weeks.

Once chores were done, we endeavored to see some of the island’s interior, decided to mount a campaign to climb Pelee. For a modest fare, we hopped a local bus which was to take us to a trail leading to the mountain’s summit. Our plan was thwarted by weather. Mt. Pelee was covered in clouds and mist and we were told that the trail was closed during rain so we spent the afternoon in Morne Rouge, an almost alpine village, located on a ridge (or morne) with spectacular views of the sea and washed by refreshing misty breezes.
After three nights, we headed south, stopping at the lower corner of the island in picturesque Grand Anse D’Arlet. Owing to it’s proximity to the island’s major city, and its beauty, this is a popular recreation site for Martiniquans. We shared the anchorage with three 3-masted schooners and numerous cruisers. The water was quite clear with great snorkeling but, with the much anticipated visit nearing of Bill’s son and daughter-in-law, Alex and Faith, our stay in this spot was limited.

Photos: Relaxing at local cafe in St. Pierre; children's sailing training regatta; house with flowers; fishing boats on beach; beach at Anse D'Arlet; sunset view of Anse D'Arlet from our boat.

Dominica

Our first call to the wild mountainous island of Dominica was Portsmouth, a large (by Dominican standards) fishing town located in Prince Ruupert Bay. This wide bay of pristine water is surrounded by palm trees, beach bars and rusting wrecks washed up by numerous hurricanes. They stay there perhaps because the people of Dominica lack the resources to remove them. Dominica exceeds any of the islands we are likely to visit in unspoiled natural beauty. The government realizes that the country's econimic strength is eco-tourism, therefore this beauty is protected. More importantly, the locals appreciate it too.

Our first venture into the interior of Dominica was an hour long ride to the airport to pick up Bill's daughter, Jessica, and her fiance (breaking news!), also named Bill. They spent a week with us hiking through rain forests, swimming in a mountain stream, rowing up an unspoiled river and seeing the only remaining villages of the Carib people.

We love Dominica. The people are warm and justifiably proud of their beautiful home.

Photos: rain forest waterfall; rasta's roadside gift shop; Jessica on the Indian River; cottage in Portsmouth; 3 wrecks after last year's hurricane; Jessica, Bill W, Pam & Bill B; Bill & Pam atop Horseback Ridge; Roadside bar; rain forest swimming hole; Jessica and Bill during rain forest hike. Video: Rain forest waterefall - Bill takes the plung.

Iles des Saintes

Out trip to Guadelope was shortened by a general strike which all French Caribbean territories were experiencing. Nothing was opoen and there were no services, so we didn't go ashore until we got to beautiful Iles de Saintes. These are three small islands off the south coast of Guadelope. The snorkling was good, the village is very quaint and we were able to feed our new-found baguette addition. Although we only spent two nights here on our way down, we returned with our guests during their visit with us in Dominica.

Photos: Street in Iles de Saintes; Jessica and Bill.

2/20/09 ● Antigua

We’re anchored in beautiful English Harbour, deep inside a mangrove-lined cove called Ordinance Bay.

We said goodbye to our sailing friends in the lagoon in St. Martin via the daily cruisers’ radio network on 2/6. We were actually in Grand Case, a pretty beach town, and the gastronomic center of French St. Martin, having left the lagoon the previous morning. We spent 2 nights in Grand Case waiting for fair winds to blow us to St. Bart’s. The sail there was a short one and we arrived in Anse de Colombier late morning, the perfect time to pick up a free national park mooring. Colombier lives up to one’s idea of a perfect Caribbean anchorage, surrounded by undeveloped tropical bush, thanks to the Rockefeller family who bought and donated it to the St. Bart’s government with the condition that it be preserved. We spent two days there, sharing our anchorage with numerous sea turtles. Our only activities were snorkeling and a mountainous hike across a peninsula to the small village of Anse des Flamandes. Hiking is the only way to get there from our anchorage – no roads.

The sail to Antigua was an overnight passage, too far to conduct during daylight hours. We dropped anchor in English Harbour at 8:30am on Friday the 10th. Bill had been here before and remembered it as a safe, sheltered and quite beautiful anchorage. He was absolutely right. The dominant feature of English Harbour is English Harbour Dockyard, completed around 1745 and, at the time, was Britain’s main naval station in the Lesser Antilles. It is commonly called Nelson’s Dockyard because Horatio Nelson was stationed here in 1784, eventually taking over as naval commander.

We’ve been here for two weeks enjoying the park-like surroundings of the Dockyard, admiring numerous classic yachts, watching pelicans dive for fish and climbing and exploring the heights around the harbor. Many of the hilltops still have the ruins of the British fortifications.

Our new neighbors here include: Mario, the Slovenian who claims to live on board his 60-foot cutter with his wife (we’ve yet to see her); Alexis Walters, an amateur naval historian whose fine Grenadian-built sloop is a beautiful example of the native boat-building tradition he has documented; Jim, the single Irishman from Carrickfergus who is trying to assemble into one 50-foot ketch a boat he bought in pieces in Trinidad; and, Dylan whom we call Barkey (he provides security for the anchorage), a beautiful Border Colley who lives on a small, classic Aldin sloop with his master.

We had planned on leaving Antigua to visit Guadeloupe this Monday but a general strike has effectively shut down the island, so our plans may change. Awfully inconvenient for us – we’re running out of French cheese and wine.

Photos: English Harbour, where we're presently anchored; Sunning in St. Bart's; Hiking path to Anse des Flamandes; Atop Shirley Heights, overlooking English and Falmouth Harbours; Nelson's Dockyard; Barkey.