February was spent cruising the waters of St Lucia and Martinique. This February photo of our home in Cape Breton explains better than words why we are in the Caribbean!
We were pleased to have a visit from our good friend from Cedar Key, Florida, aboard the Charlotte D from February 5 to 11. This was during a period of unusually frequent squalls and rain, so his entire visit was spent in the inner harbour of Marigot Bay which is always serene. Check out this beautiful harbour on Google Earth at 13-58.0'N 061-01.4'W.
There was much beach time available between squalls.
Great hospitality was found at Edwin's Bar where our understanding of Rastafarian philosophy and belief was substantially improved. Even the redneck in the NRA cap was enlightened.
I-Shana is the best cook that we found in Marigot Bay, so we spent some time at the establishment that she operates with her partner Ethiopia.
I-Green (I-Shana's mother) also works there producing hand made souvenirs, including jewelry from native materials and St Lucian dolls.
The infinity pool at the Hurricane Hole was enjoyed by all, as was JD's waterfront bar.
After our first guest returned to Florida we were pleased to welcome aboard a friend from Cape Breton. She met us at Rodney Bay, St Lucia on the day before a weather window opened for a sail to Martinique. This 25 nm passage was her first experience with ocean sailing in a small boat and she managed well in the 8 to 10 foot seas, even in the one squall that we clocked at 31 knots.
The sky cleared for most of the trip and we entered the harbour of Cul du Sac Marin (Martinique) early in the afternoon (check it out at 14-27.9'N 060-52.6'W).
At le Marin we enjoyed the French cuisine. Our first meal was caille roti avec pomme douce and salad, accompanied by vin rouge, baguette and olives tampanade.
This prepared us for grocery shopping at Leader Price, which is accessed from their own dinghy dock. Of course, we stocked up on French vin rouge (Euro 2 per litre!), pate, terrine de canard, terrine de lapin, confit de foie de volaille, moules a l'escabeche and fromage.
The beach at St Anne is always spectacular. It is one of our favourite places for lunch under the shade of the sea grape trees.
The St Anne beach has many highlights. There is the beach shopping for vetements de maillot, fitting in the open air.
After lunch of baguette, terrine, fromage and vin rouge we await the arrival of the lady with creme glace who comes down the beach with wheelbarrow filled with her hand made product (coco, cacahuete, and passion fruit), always delicious!
The village of St Anne has a souvenir/vegetable marketplace and a lovely fish market. Buy direct from the fishers.
The fish steaks were on the BBQ within minutes and all enjoyed a delicious dinner in the cockpit.
The anchorage at St Anne is an ideal location for sunset watching. Our cape Breton friend saw her first “green flash” there. Her luck with fishing was not as good, however, the conditions in the anchorage were perfect for our sailing dinghy.
Of course, it was not all play and no work for our guest. Here she is mending our sun shade canvas, soothing her hardworking fingers with good vin rouge. Then there was the trash disposal duty.
On February 23 we sailed on a perfect broad reach back to St Lucia from Martinique. We settled once again into Marigot Bay for a few more days of fun and sun before our guest departed for the Great White North.
Peter and Catherine aboard S/V Charlotte D
“Don't mistake the edge of the rut for the horizon.”
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