Next day we had another snorkel, exploring further around the headland in the quiet, almost glasslike conditions. There was a decent drop off and the fish were plentiful, along with beautiful coral, especially the long bright yellow tubular variety. Large schools of tiny fish formed clouds to swim through. It is amazing to see the fish, en masse, change direction with an imperceptible signal. These tiny little fry are hard wired for survival!
After lunch we departed this perfect anchorage and motored 5 NMs to Wallilabou Bay, the second time we’ve visited the bay on this cruise. Last time we were pestered by the local traders the minute we slowed down, and it was no different this time. We were focused on our Mediterranean style of anchoring and the local guys in their flimsy row boats start to hang off the gunnels and demand attention. As I had been there before I could say I did not need any more necklaces, but Sue was then targeted. Then the fruit and veg man arrived and with a little bit of experience under our belt, we checked out the squishy tomatoes first and rejected them, but did end up with some squishy bananas!
When we were finally left alone, it was time to head ashore so that the skipper could get to Customs when they opened at 17:00 and the ‘Pirates’ set could be checked out by those who hadn’t been here before. We vowed that we’d watch Pirates of the Caribbean 1 that night, but as usual we were more interested in heading to bed. We got another dose of sandfly bites on dusk while having a beer but fortunately they did not follow us back to Trilogy.
After a peaceful night’s sleep we departed around 08:00 for the long sail back across the St Vincent Passage. Each time we have sailed this stretch of water, it has been rough, particularly in the acceleration zone on the northern end of St Vincent. When we were clear of Wallilabou Bay, the seas were calm and there was no wind. We motored with the main hoisted for several hours and it wasn’t until the middle of the day that a staysail was unfurled. The calm conditions provided the perfect opportunity for the men to work on adjusting the rigging, remarking the reefing lines and main hallyard to their optimal positions. By 14:15 we had anchored in Soufriere on the southern end of St Lucia but we were enveloped in a rainstorm that shrouded both the harbour and the magical Pitons. As always, the sky cleared quickly and it was time to go ashore, as the skipper had to visit the Customs Office and we wanted an ice cream!
Soufriere was again an intense experience, with people spilling out onto the narrow streets and cars forcing their way through. The ATM had too long a queue and the ice cream shop was closed! We wandered around taking in the scene, chatting when we could to the locals, who sat around in the shade wherever they could find it. It was very humid after the rain storm and we didn’t hang around any longer than was necessary for the skipper to complete the formalities. We returned to Trilogy for a cooling swim. After some debate about which restaurant would give us the best view of the Pitons and sunset, as there were no vacancies at our preferred option of Jade Mountain Restaurant, we went ashore for dinner at ‘Orlando’s’. Although a well rated Caribbean style restaurant and the food was good and presented well, the service was less than satisfactory. The staff tried but it seemed like we were caught up in a comedy of errors. From a menu that required you to choose either Menu 1 or Menu 2, each with a set 5 courses, we waited a long while to start as the staff overlooked taking our order and later served us all the same course twice. The Chardonnay on the wine list amounted to one bottle only and then a $70 USD bottle was offered as an alternative! The female chef came out when the main was served to explain what was on the plate and that was a nice touch, but we got the feeling this was to placate the developing situation. She noticed that as a female guest I was not served before the men, something I had noticed from the start of service. I felt relieved that she pulled the staff up on their practise but everyone else felt embarrassed! It was nice to experience some innovative local cuisine but charging 5 star prices was not justified.
We awoke to Good Friday and an almost full moon still in the sky. After a swim, we sailed north for a couple of hours to Rodney Bay. Being Good Friday, the fuel dock was not manned but fortunately a marina staff member turned up to assist us dock, as the light breeze was blowing us off the berth, making the bow harder to control. Trilogy slipped into place and the lines were secured. Sunset drinks came early as we celebrated the end of the southern cruise of the Leeward and Windward Islands. We ate at the marina’s Indian restaurant, a delicious and tasty change of flavours.
Next morning there was a flurry to get breakfast over so that cleaning could begin and the chandlery visited to collect the new bilge pump and other items. Later the bilge pump was connected and it worked a treat. The cleaning was done until we were exhausted and then we treated ourselves to lunch and some good Wifi at Cafe Olé.
Being Easter, it was decided that those who wanted to should take a break from Trilogy for a couple of nights before resuming the sailing programme. Sue and Peter opted to stay on board, while Stephen and Caroline, who had just arrived from Australia, and Garth and I, took some time out.