27/Feb/2010, Sainte Anne - Martinique
Departure from "English Bay" was preceded by washing off a very gloopy-muddy anchor and chain as we hauled it from the mire evidently coating the sea bed between the mangroves. Our slow exit was brought to a halt on two occasions as we gently slid onto the muddy shallows between us and the sea, maybe slightly too early on the modest tide, maybe too far off our inward track of yesterday. Once past the islets and reef the breeze freshened to 10 knots and we laid our course back towards the South coast. Destination, Sainte Anne near the famous ClubMed resort.
En route we were passed by a variety of gaily coloured yachts beating up the East coast into the moderate trade winds. The weekend of the round the island race. Crews sitting on the windward rail waving cheerily as they passed. One vessel of particular note was a Martinique Yole. These boats are about 30 feet long with no centreboard or rudder, just a steering oar at the stern and a series of long poles which the many handed crew climb out on to provide righting moment to combat the heeling of the enormous square sail. These boats have their own regatta in August, too late for us to stay. We were delighted to see one in action, an unexpected pleasure. How on earth they manage to sail these craft in the normal strength trade winds is a mystery.
A beautiful sunset this evening as we look towards Diamond Rock, vermilions and crimsons with a watery hint of a Turner painting. Maybe the colours are enhanced by recent eruptions of the volcano at Monseratt and ash in the atmosphere.
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26/Feb/2010, Cul de Sac de Anglaise - Martinique
A rare chance to visit one of the inlets on the windward coast of Martinique, not to be entered in winds above 15 knots! However, we have a couple of days with winds of less than 10 knots so "Spruce" and "Elmarleen" teamed up to venture to the "English bay" on the South East corner of Martinique. A shallow patch over the bar with only a couple of feet below the keel but well in the shelter of three islets guarding the entrance, one named Ilet Hardy giving a hint of historical conflicts in the region, perhaps the man of Trafalgar fame aboard Victory as Nelson breathed his last. A turn to Starboard around the end of Ilet Paletuviers, clothed in deep green mangroves, dipping their leaves and aerial roots into the gently lapping sea. A beautifully sheltered anchorage with mangroves all about assured to attenuate any swell that might creep in from the Atlantic ocean. A pair of Ospreys fishing the lagoon, a backdrop of hills with sparse arid vegetation providing a pleasant vista as far as the eye can see.
The afternoon was spent exploring the wider bay by dinghy, snorkeling on the leeward side of the reef was not particularly rewarding compared with earlier experiences but three large rays were spotted. One half buried in the sand, no doubt awaiting a meal to swim past. Another, a large specimen almost a metre across, its back spotted, cautiously swam ahead of us circling off towards deeper water.
Another superb day. As the sun dips below the horizon the birds within the mangroves keep up a songful chorus as if they must reach a crescendo as the sun sets.
The photograph shows one of the ospreys perched on a dead tree with mangroves in the foreground.
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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.
