With my slightly rum infused brain, I have managed to wipe out my notes that I make, periodically, for this blog.
My last entry, I see, was arriving in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, for the Classics Week.
So I'll try to recall
It was fantastic! To see the magnificent sailboats fro yesteryear, in pristine condition sailing out there. We walked up to a headland to watch the races and were blown away. The magnificent gaff rigged schooners, J boats etc. were something special to see. I had arrive a few days late last season and missed it all. The parties afterwards were just as good, if not better. Rum flowed. Sponsored by Mount Gay rum, it was a hit!
After the festivities, Ron and Jackie, on Desperado, and I headed back south down to Deshaies, Guadeloupe. Picked up moorings there and had great pizzas and beer ashore. From there, we went off, planning to anchor off Pigeon Island. It looked very rolly, so we kept sailing down to Pt. La Barque. A tiny anchorage and it looked safe. Ron and I had a snorkel around, bagged a few lobsters and had a great evening.
We saw that it was foul ground, coral head wise, to anchor in, but what the hey. The next morning, the anchor chains were wrapped around coral heads so badly that we had to clear the chains out by diving them out. All good. Clear and done.
A quick stop in Rosseau, Dominica, and then we were off to Martinique. Approaching St. Pierre, we made a collective decision to push on to Fort De France. We arrived there in the afternoon and were happily at anchor by the time cocktail time came around.
Fort de France is always a great stop. The anchorage is close to town with convenient shopping and services. Ron, on Desperado, had noticed a leak in their main engines radiator, so it was removed over the week end. He found an old patching job had come loose. So Monday morning we dinghied around to the marina an a very skilled elderly gent ground it down and welded the patch up. Job well done.
A couple of days later, Desperado was ready to move on south and I was waiting for friends to catch up so we parted ways. Sad occasion, as we had spent all of the season sailing together. What a great time it was.
In the anchorage with me was Alan Reynolds, a friend who hurt his leg quite badly so I stuck around while he mended. I didn't stay for the baguettes, Camembert or the red wine. Really!
John and Joanne on Out of Africa arrived, along with Michael and Karin on Nauti Dog and Devin and Liz on Moosetracks.
And so did David and Beckie, on Seas the Moment. We four boats sailed together, down to St. Anne's. My ignition switch had given up the ghost a bit earlier and managed to find one in Le Marin and I installed it. We had a great time in St. Anne's, with beach BBQ's and also catching up with Samuel Deslanders. A French baker magnifique! This is where Richard and Lavinia, on Partners caught up to us and joined in all the parties etc. Great fun!
The boats, "our clan" continued south as some were heading of to Tobago and others for Trinidad. I sailed with Out of Africa and Seas the Moment and we did a quick overnight stop in Marigot Bay, St. Lucia, before continuing on the Bequia, St. Vincent.
Leaving Marigot Bay, Pype muh Bligh and Nauti Dog were sailing past, so we trailed them on the way down and then myself and Nauti Dog decided that we would sail down the windward, or open atlantic, side of St. Vincent. Initially the going was good but we soon ran out of wind. Who would have thought? On the windward side? It turned out to be not such a good decision as I was rolling like crazy as the wave coming back off the island made the sea confused. Yes, it is a real term used for this. And not enough wind to hold the boat over. Never the less, we made it into Admiralty Bay, Bequia, just before sunset.

There were many cruising boats there and Out of Africa organized a couple of great beach BBQs ashore. The second one was the largest I've been to. 50-60 people. Once again, a great time was had all.

A week there, a weather window appears, and it time to up anchor and continue south.