Once again we departed at 5:30 am (yawn - this is getting tiring!) for the channel crossing between Martinique and St Lucia. As usual, the wind and waves accelerated around the end of each island. We reefed down and scooted quickly, arriving in beautiful Marigot Bay in St Lucia by noon. We were just in time for a heavy rain squall so we delayed entering the narrow channel until it blew through.

On this channel passage as well as others before, we were plagued by many large dense patches of floating "weeds" which we believe to be "Sargasso weed". This stuff had prevented many days of fishing while we were crossing the Atlantic in December because it clogged up our fishing hooks. Locals tell us that the amount of this week is unusually high compared to prior years. Now it caught in our rudder shaft and propeller making steering difficult for the auto pilot and slowing us by at least a knot. We have figured out that we need to head up into the wind to slow the boat and start both engines in reverse to rid ourselves of this nuisance.

Marigot Bay was the same beautiful little harbor we had visited before. We enjoyed a safe comfortable mooring, a quiet afternoon at the resort swimming pool and a special gourmet dinner at the Rainforest Hideaway Restaurant. Only one more major channel to cross before we leisurely enjoy 3 weeks in the islands of St Vincent and the Grenadines.