Martinique a short stop

14 35 N 61 01 W dropped anchor in Martinique May 1st 2014
We departed Dominica early to cross through the channel to Martinique, at first the winds were low but increased as normal further out, our plan was to stop at St Pierre on the West coast, we had heard that its a nice place. The seas larger than forecast but so was the wind 21 + knots but fast ish 7.3 knots.
As we neared St Pierre we could see there were no other yachts anchored there which gives us some indication if its a good place or not, the winds were blowing off the town at 20 knots plus a force 6 so on we plod towards Le Marin another huge anchorage. Yet again the wind direction and our track was almost the same so motor sailing again, its a good job we were, 40 knots came to join us thankfully we were reefed and Don took hold on the helm the auto pilot couldn't handle both the winds and sea state.

 1st May 14 35 N 61 01 W
So Fort de France it was, another place we visited previously, we dropped the anchor by the Fort wall which gave us protection from the winds. The dinghy dock is very good there and its a 10 minute walk to check in at the chandlers in town.

Fort de France

Fort de France

5th May
Sailed 27 miles to Le Marin,  passing Diamond rock, its incredible to think in 1804 the British hauled cannons up the  snake infested rock.

Diamond rock

Le Marin has a very big anchorage and a marina, we stopped there on our way up through the chain, the sight was incredible one forrest of masts ahead of us.

A Forrest of masts 

Is there room for us?

These channel markers do look like some sculpture of a lady with a hat on

We didn't intend to stay too long and went ashore for the usual provisions, compulsory visit to the chandlery, lunch and the internet. The laundry is excellent with cafes close by so that came in handy, mind you the power cut during the final phase didn't help much.

As this place is French governed we took advantage of nice coffee, fresh baguettes and smelly French cheese.

This little guy watched us eat lunch

Its a long ride to the dinghy dock to the Leader Price supermarket, it was a bank holiday, the French celebrate the end of World war 2, the shop was open so thats was great. Just a little further are other shops so we walked outside to the main road to take a look. Well returning was a different story, Leader Price had closed, so were the high gates which you have to go through to the dinghy dock. We noticed 4 ladies were also looking to get into the dock but to no avail, they said their yacht was in the marina just around the corner and would call their husbands to collect them, so maybe we could get a lift to our dinghy. I spotted a guy in a car around the back of the shop and asked him nicely if he would open the gate for us all, he obliged but think I saw him shaking his head.

Nothing much more to say about Martinique except it would have been nice to have seen more, we could have hired a car but as we were so far out in the anchorage it wasn't really practical to leave a hire car anywhere.

9th May Friday
14 26 N 60 53 W
Next stop St Ann, not very far but a meandering channel through the shallows, another smashing little place we had stopped at previously. Just a very small town with a few shops, church, restaurants and post office, we do like it here its much  quieter here.

A resort at St Ann we passed this on the way out from Le Marin to St Ann

Next stop St Lucia, feeling quite nostalgic.

BFN
Don and Glenys
Agua Therapy

Dominica - Roseau Part 2

Dominica Part 2
29th April
15 17 N 61 22 W

So next stop Roseau a 19 mile sail to the capital, last season we avoided this place as we heard a few bad reports all we can say is try it yourself we like it. After picking up another mooring with help from the boat boy we spent in flat seas lovely!

This sperm whale had lots of teeth

Looking down inside a sperm whales belly

The long building is the Anchorage hotel, diving centre and where you can go to book the whale and dolphin trips

The rain forrest on the hills

Nice flat water for a change

We tied up the dinghy to a decent dock took in the gas bottle to be refilled ready to be collected the following day.

This is one of the better dinghy docks, holes, nails splinters the lot

Took a walk into town passing the Fort Young Hotel, highly polished cannons guard the entrance so we took a peek inside and walked through to the bit overlooking the dock. The hotel used to be the fort as you would expect it looks very well done and clean.

The town buzzes with activity colour and, music, street sellers with souvenirs, lots of taxi drivers asking us if we needed their services a nuisance at times but hey they are just trying to make a living.

Telecoms, wouldn't fancy sorting that lot out, reminds us of Cartagena

The tourist information office is close to the cobbled market square next to the museum, when I went in and asked about the museum the lady went to find someone to open it for us as its only open when the cruise ships come in, thankfully there was none in sight. A lady opened the doors to the museum took our money and said help yourself and close the door when you leave, very trusting.

A conch shell was sounded when the slaves were freed

Most of the cobbled areas have been covered over you can see in the old photographs just how it must have been many years ago, the tourist office and museum are very old buildings.

British governors mace

Local dresses this fabric is all over the place

 As we had seen a sign for the botanical gardens we found our way there, its quite a big site with a road that runs through it making a short cut into town, we saw all kinds of trees we have never seen before. One of the trees as we found they call the cannon ball tree, it looks like they are just hanging to drop so we didn't approach too close. When we asked about them he said the balls smell so bad,"devils shit" is exactly what was said.

A huge ficus

The smelly Cannon ball tree

Big palms too

There are two averies housing the endangered parrots the Sisserou but we weren't  able to get very close enough to see them.

This parrot is on their national flag, its my favourite

Have to break this post into 3
BFN
Don and Glenys
Agua Therapy

Dominica part 3 the rain forrest and trip

Dominica Part 3 

we love this place so I took so many photo's

Dominica has 7 active volcanoes, at least they are monitored and all is well at the moment.

Dominica's roads were mainly built by the Chinese, the stadium too but no local workers were used.

A very busy city

Views over the capital

The Chinese built stadium

Huge ferns

Sea Cat, the nickname of the guy real name Octavius who owns the moorings, he arranges and does trips inland himself, he did a fantastic job, we agreed that if we had hired a car there was no way we would have driven on those roads some at least "one in three" the brakes must have been so hot coming down some of the hills.

So off we went on one of his tours into the rain forrest, he stopped at so many places jumped out of the bus and either climbed a tree, poked a tree with a stick or hacked off something to let us try to eat or smell. Some things we would have never have recognised ourselves.

Cashews, didn't realise that the outer part would burn the skin, he said it would be a permanent tattoo so he was very careful splitting and separating it before he gave some to us to try.

Coffee on the tree looks like a red nut, when that was split open you can see its a coffee bean. 

I kept some of the red nuts from the coffee tree but doubt I will roast the beans for a coffee I only have 3.

Coffee on the tree

The cocoa fruit which he split open we sucked off a soft sweet creamy white pulp from the bean. I kept a few beans and let them dry off then split a couple, its dark a little bit red inside, looks like chocolate I tasted it but it doesn't taste much really but we now have cocoa beans.   

The fruit, the white goo is like sweet cream 

There it is COCOA just scrape off the coat

Here it is hanging on the tree

Sea Cat / Octavius with his stick knocking off some cashews 

As we climbed up the hills and mountains the air was quite a lot cooler the views are spectacular with mist surrounding the rain forrest.  Octavius is a very fit guy at one point he climbed up a hillside grabbed a vine and did a Tarzan swing and yell needless to say we didn't copy him.

It was a long way up so glad we didn't have to walk

Mist at that height

Octavia stopped at a roadside place for us to have a drink, even just looking over the side was full of colour with bromides and plants that you can see in a tropical greenhouse.

He took us to the sulphur springs, a hot spring where we lay in water which was like a hot bath.

Had a lovely soak in warm water

Trafalgar Falls

We saw the waterfalls at Trafalgar but declined the swim. 

At Titou Gorge falls Don swam through a gorge to a pool then climbed up 2 waterfalls then returned after jumping off them, that is where they filmed one of the scenes from Pirates of the Caribbean. I stayed with the bags and walked about finding all kinds of plants and so many flowers.

This is close to the cold lake which supplies the water for the hydro electric

There are 2 waterfalls at Trafalgar one they call the father the mother, this is the father, not Don ok

There is a huge wooden water pipe which supplies water for the hydro power plant it runs for miles. The pipe is treated hard wood which is treated with tar to protect it, it was done by the Canadians.

This is expected to last for another 35 years, it runs for miles

The very cold water lake, we declined the chance to swim after Don put his hand in the water

On our return Sea Cat took us back trough the Botanical Gardens and pointed out the school bus that was flattened by a tree when Hurricane David took down many trees and destroyed property.
I do hope no one was on it at the time.

On the return we went to collect the gas bottles, unfortunately the filling station forgot to send them to be refilled so then Octavius very kindly took us way out of town to have it filled, what a great guy he is. So for all you cruisers that want a tour give him a try, he's fun, loves his country and very informative.

So next stop Martinique, not too far and the winds should be good.

BFN

Don and Glenys

Agua Therapy

Dominica our second visit.

Dominica our second visit.

Sunday 27th April. 

Portsmouth Prince Rupert Bay.

15 17 N 61 22 W

Last season we came to Prince Rupert Bay and took a mooring, the place looks the same but many boats anchor instead of a mooring. Its a shame when folks anchor as the moorings are very cheap at 25 EC a night  and when boats are at anchor the chain destroys the sea grass and food for the turtles. In this bay the moorings are controlled by PAYS an organisation which has boats patrolling for security, they organise a great barbecue on Sunday and Wednesday nights, lots of rum punch chicken, fish and salads. Music too lots of dancing going on, a great place to meet other cruisers. 

The dinghy docks were not in a very good state and are in need of repair, having a surge pushing all directions it can be difficult landing. (for cruisers that haven't been there yet)

Prince Rupert Bay is over 2 miles long and a mile deep most boats choose the end near "the Cabrits" where you come in from the northern end like us.

Customs and clearing in is easy and no need to check out if you stay for up to two weeks so its just one visit. Diving is only allowed with dive companies, whales are seen here and they say to keep at least 200 yards away, I doubt we would like to be anywhere near that although it would have been good to see them.

This time we didn't get into town or visit the market we bought fruit from the boat boys, the bananas are fantastic, its a shame the grapefruit are out of season as they are the best we have ever tasted.

Portsmouth would have been the islands capital but for the swamps as years ago yellow fever and malaria was rife. Having said that one of the oldest people in the world lived here she was Elizabeth Pampo Israel she died at 128 years old. 

Indian River was used for part of the Pirates of the Caribbean film, it was our plan to visit this time but after a bad night rolling about that plan was aborted oh well next time.

Limes were one of the main exports for years as were bananas from here Geest were the company we did see Geest export other things too all over the world to and from here.  So was sugar, coffee and cocoa.

I use this in the cocktail Lime and coconut

Next stop Roseau
As this blog is so big I have to split it into 2 so BFN

Don and Glenys
Agua Therapy