Puke-o-sail today from Antigua to Deshais, Guadaloupe. 18 - 28k winds, 8' swells, and windchop. Yuk.

The next day, 3/27, we motored to Pigeon island for our 1st dive of the trip! (Louis did one dive back in Bonaire, but since then we've done none). Nice to explore the deep sea again. Then onto "The Saints" a small group of French islands about 20 miles south of Guadaloupe.

Love these islands!!! Very laid back, colorful, clean, picturesque. And the people are very warm, smiling, and (mostly) quick to help you find the right French word. And those baguettes!! Why doesn't bread in the States taste like this?? We had a great meal out at "Les Trois Bateux", a very cute, little local restaurant. We were the only ones there, and we had our choice of 1 of 2 items for a main, 1 of 2 items for an appetizer plus a dessert, all for 15 Euros (about $22). We weren't exactly sure what we were ordering as the owner spoke only spoke a little English, and my French is limited to "le chat" and "les chiens". (At least we knew we weren't ordering cats and dogs!) Our meal turned out to be some very nicely prepared fish appetizers and entrees; one was a sauteed mahi-mahi in a delicate ginger-cream sauce. After dinner the owner and his family chatted with us for a while and gave us French lessons by writing things down on paper and playing a bit of charades. Great evening!

The next day we went for a nice late-afternoon hike up the tallest litle mountain in town - luckily it was Sunday and the smoking garbage dump midway up the hill wasn't in operation. Wouldn't you know it, though, just as we got to the top it started dumping rain and was socked in. So we had some great views of the white clouds all around! Oh well, at least we got some exercise.

With the weather report of big winds & seas approaching, we have to leave here too soon. Heading out tomorrow for Dominica....sad to leave The Saints. Really like these islands!