24/Feb/2010, Le Marin - Martinique
Spruce is anchored at the harbour of Marin in Martinique. What a lots of yachts! More like a Solent port such as Lymington with moored vessels filling the bay. Apparently several charter companies operate from here and it is also a destination port for vessels crossing the Atlantic. The customs check in was fairly painless, a PC at which one fills in the details of the vessel, hit the button and a printed copy emerges which is then stamped by the official on duty - maybe this is e-borders in a workable form? Not like the bureaucratic version the UK intend to impose on yachts in the next few years. No check of clearance paperwork from the previous country was made. We had heard from a French yachtsman at Tobago that some of his less scrupulous countrymen cause ill feeling towards the French in the Caribbean because they have been known sail off without paying. Knowing they can enter French West Indies without any paperwork... we now see how a minority might be able to spoil the reputation of the majority:-)
After clearing in, with 2 minutes to spare before the customs office closed for the day at noon, we headed for a waterfront cafe to enjoy a beer and a lunchtime snack. No reggae music! A French crooner and accordion music instead. No King Fish rice and pigeon peas! Croque Monsieur, Fries, Moules and other continental fare... we felt dazed and slowly realised it had been three months since we were last in Europe and formerly familiar sights and sounds had become somewhat alien. We will surely quickly adapt back to European familiarity, maybe as we venture into the hinterland the environment may well change again. All very exciting, a new place to explore and "discover". Thing that remain unchanged are the heat, sweat and trade winds:-)
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24/Feb/2010, On passage St Lucia to Martinique
An early start for Martinique. Wind generators stowed and loose items below back into lockers and ... oh yes, hauling the anchor up ... and we are off. A light South-easterly wind rapidly freshened to a force 5 as we cleared the lee of St Lucia. A horrible cork screwing motion was momentarily tempered by the beautiful sight of a large pod of dolphins lazily cruising by ... not too relaxing a vista if you are are school of tasty fish, no doubt.
Spruce is now 5 miles from entering the bay to Marin in the South Eastern side of the island. All quite exciting to see how different an EU administered island appears from the independent islands seen so far. Much more affluent and probably more expensive as well... we will see.
The photo shows our French courtesy flag with the yellow Q-Flag requesting "Free Pratique", a sight more normal on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
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22/Feb/2010, Rodney Bay - St Lucia
St Lucia's Independence Day today! Only in 1979 did they become fully independent from the UK. Unfortunately the celebrations we thought were local are further south in the capital, Castries.
A wonderful sailing vessel, the Unicorn, has been regularly sailing around the bay... one of the better replicas of an old fashioned sailing vessel that we have seen so far on this trip. Other vessels in the area are the J-Class yacht, Velsheda, and an old 12 metre class yacht. We have seen the latter but still hope to see the J-Class showing her paces.
In a couple of months we'll be in Antigua when the Classic Yacht week is held commencing 15th April. That should give a great opportunity to see some great yachts in action.
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21/Feb/2010, Rodney Bay - St Lucia
Awake at dawn and ashore for a hike to the summit of Pigeon Island and the site of Admiral Rodney's fort overlooking Rodney Bay at the NW corner of St Lucia. A fantastic vantage point from where the Pitons peak over the mountains to the south and Martinique is visible some 20 miles to the north. The same vantage point used to observe the antics of the French during the Napoleonic wars. History galore! St Lucia changed hands between French and British some fourteen times in the 16th & 17th centuries. On the south side of Martinique lies Diamond Rock, the site of much derring do in time of old. The British navy hauled cannons to the top of this impressive edifice overlooking the bay in which the French fleet anchored and created mayhem. Now an outer bastion of the European Union in the Caribbean.
A photograph of Andy with Rodney Bay behind at 07:00 this morning.
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Hope the plans for sailing in Scotland this year are maturing ready for the spring break in the weather.
19/Feb/2010, Marigot Bay - St Lucia
Spruce departed from the bay at Soufriere to the sounds of the local fishing community starting another day as the sun's rays climbed wearily over the vegetation cloaked mountains to the East. The headland at Grande Caille Point was passed with the Deux Pitons majestically standing astern of us, an iconic view reproduced on postcards, tourist gifts, t-shirts and even the national beer.
On our way northwards we motored close inshore to enjoy the views along the coast. Rocky volcanic cliffs, eaten away by the sea to show the history of eruptions: layers of ash, boulders and dust compacted into conglomerate over the millenia. Occasional valleys that had historically been plantations of coconuts, often converted into modern day resorts. The scenery artificially moulded into that which European and US tourists most associate with the Caribbean. Often a far cry from many areas suffering poverty and squalor.
During the late morning we arrived in Marigot Bay. A collection of boatyards, yacht charter companies hotels and resorts busy at the height of their tourist season. Catamarans doing trips around the bay plied their way in and out of the inlet, game fishing boats zoomed back and forth and many boat-boys brought their wares out to vessels at anchor. Some in modern glass fibre boats others paddling old surfboards with a few bananas on board.
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18/Feb/2010, Atlantic Ocean
Would you travel to the ends of the earth for the person you love? A couple the Sprucettes recently met had just that experience. Will Sayer met Tamsin Dickinson just 3-days before sailing from Plymouth to Newport Rhode Island as an entry in the 2009 OSTAR singlehanded race across the Atlantic. Will won his class and also won the whole race on handicap. A tough race that takes the northern windward and cold route to America, complete with icebergs where the Titanic came to grief.
Will celebrated his success by sailing his Sigma 33, Elmarleen, back to Plymouth to see Tam. A second transatlantic passage only a few weeks after completing the race.
The next step was even more remarkable. After reloading the cruising gear, removed to make the boat lighter for racing, Will and Tam set off for a sailing holiday. Not any holiday but a Caribbean cruise together aboard Elmarleen. Yes! A third transatlantic passage for Will all within 2009.
You can follow this romance on their blog: Will and Tam's Atlantic Adventure.
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Well done on winning the race though... and three time across the Atlantic in a single year??... that really isn't run of the mill:-))
