13 March 2013 | Baie du Marigot, Terre de Haut, Les Saintes, 15’52.59N 61’34.67W - Deshaies, Guadeloupe, 16’18.42N 61’47.81W
The run up to Christmas can be an exciting time. There is the anticipation of what’s inside all those glittery packages under the tree, the fever pitch grows as you hear canned festive music everywhere and everything builds to a crescendo the night before the big day as you’re compelled to leave out a carrot for Rudolf and some sherry for Santa. Now imagine the disappointment that you’d feel when instead of coming downstairs to presents and joyfulness you find Santa’s replaced your presents under the tree with smelly old socks and Rudolf has left a ‘deposit’ in the middle of your living room. This is how the crew of Ruffian have felt about Guadeloupe. We were promised waterfalls and hiking with sandy beaches and perfect anchorages, what we found was the hikes and waterfalls were inaccessible and no-one was willing to help us uncover them. After the highs of The Saints Guadeloupe has been a low.
The joys of the Saints were not quite over as we found an anchorage that is open to the trade winds and the standard Caribbean swell. This would normally prove to be shocking place to be but unusually both of these conditions were lacking and once again we were in for a treat. The swimming was, as ever, wonderful and the walking on these islands stunning. During the early morning hike to the top of the local hill discovered heaps of wildlife that scared Fiona to bits. There were sleepy snakes sitting in the sunshine everywhere and hermit crabs scuttling around in their snail like shells. We did however raise one question. There are goats everywhere but none on any menus, so what happens to these little critters, and why is goat’s cheese so expensive when there is clearly an abundance of goat’s milk freely available?
The other joy that Iain relished in The Saints was being able to play with new software. There’d been a new release of our free chart plotting and routing software and he’d manage to download it. It was just like his work days at PTC. Ooh’s and ahh’s coming from below mixed with ‘Oh that’s cool’ and ‘Hey, Fi check this.’ With his PTC demo skills tested to the max he was talking about benefits and not functions, using the old ‘feel, felt, found’ technique and objection handling like a pro.
The next treat we had in store was visiting Guadeloupe, the island shaped like a butterfly; we had high expectations of what we could experience here. We’d read all about and researched the waterfalls, the well marked trails, the sandy beaches and great anchoring. After finding our first anchorage untenable at the southern end of the island we made the decision to head up the western coastline. Missing the botanical gardens and green monkeys here wouldn’t be a problem as there would be other joys.
West and north we went, en route we assisted in a ‘pan pan’ emergency and then headed to our second anchorage just off the capitol. With unusual local effects kicking in and a massive swell this again was untenable, again no problem. We could anchor further north then simply get a bus to where we wanted.
After a night with no sleep in the crowded and deep anchorage of Anse a’la Barque we headed off, by bus, to the capital to work out how to get to the trails and waterfalls. We also had to find some internet access to continue our traumatic arguments with tenants, new and old, and estate agents. The tourist office proved to be about as useful as a teapot to a fish and pretty reluctant to help us with our pigeon French. Ultimately it transpired that the only way to get to the interior is by car. How very French to invest in trails and market your natural wonders but give no way of seeing them apart from by car. We felt as deflated as a child who has had all his Christmas presents taken away from him.
The one natural wonder that we knew we’d have no problem getting to was the world renowned Jacques Cousteau marine reserve. This is a set of islands just half a mile from the mainland and less than that from a nearby anchorage. We left Ruffian in the bay and got Thug ready for his offshore adventure. After safely arriving we donned masks and snorkels and although the fishes were numerous and friendly and the colours sparkling the water was so choppy that it felt like we were being waterboarded.
So with waterfalls not visited, hikes not completed, green monkeys unobserved, internet access limited and the pain of new and old tenants not yet resolved we hope that, in the days to come, the volcanic island of Montserrat will surrender its delights in ways that Guadeloupe seemed unwilling to do.
Anyone fancy a demo? It’s just like old days with Iain ‘playing’ with new software.
Ruffian at anchor in a bay that can very rarely be used.
Big scale charts can mean only one thing. Long term passage planning.
The Saints giving a great backdrop for the sunrise.
Walking, walking, walking. Keep them feet there walking.
The mornings catch being dispatched before being delivered to the beachside restaurants.
Ahhh. Sailing in the sunshine.
The dead in Guadeloupe are better housed than lots of the living.
Hi there fella.
The search for the internet leads us to some bizarre locations and the generosity of the inhabitants.
Happy days. Flat seas and 15 knots of wind.
Finally, a picturesque walk on Guadeloupe.
And then time to stop and listen to the trickling water.