This our fourth blog update for the winter cruising season of 2010-2011; posted March 2011.

After our friend Pat disembarked the Charlotte D for her return to the Great White North, Catherine and Peter loafed at Marigot Bay for a few days prior to arrival of our son Michael.



Marigot Bay is a lovely, well protected harbour. We met cruisers of several other boats and enjoyed socializing with them. We lounged around the swimming pool together, met for Happy Hour, exchanged paperback books, and shared meals at several of the local eateries. Of course, there were many discussions of boat repairs and cruising strategies.

One afternoon we gathered aboard the Charlotte D and pretended that we remembered the words and tunes of many old songs. We even pretended that we could sing together! We all agreed that we sounded fantastic! Fortunately, no audio recordings were made.


Michael arrived on March 2 for a two week thaw and to work on his sunburn. The swim-up bar is a cool delight.



We were pleased to have a professional chef aboard and certainly enjoyed the many wonderful meals that he prepared.



On March 5, the three of us departed Marigot Bay for the sail 35 nm north to Martinique. During this passage we were hard on the NE wind of about 20 knots in a 2 m seaway. The three photos below of the Charlotte D at sea were taken from another vessel passing with us from St Lucia to Martinique. Notice how we are "hull down" between the swells.




Fortunately, the sea diminished progressively as we approached the south coast of Martinique, as shown in the photos below. It was great to have another pair of strong, willing hands aboard.






It was Carnival in Martinique during our stay. We attended several parades. Monday's parade was about disguises, masked revellers and marriage burlesque.






Mardi Gras (fat Tuesday) is the day of the horned red devil (Vaval), where everyone wears red.






The street food and drink venders were out in force, costumed appropriately for the Carnival theme of the day.

Ash Wednesday witnesses the death of Vaval, when he is burned in effigy to end Carnival.

St Anne is one of our favourite places to enjoy Carnival because it is a more modest affair than those staged in larger population centres of Martinique. Most of the parades occur during daylight hours.



Of course, after all the revelry we had to retire to the beach for rest and recuperation.

Michael developed his conch blowing to mark each sunset.



There was time for numerous chess games. Michael was the champion, without question.



From St Anne we sailed west along the south coast of Martinique, past HMS Diamond Rock.






"Around the corner" from Diamond Rock is Petit Anse d'Arlet, another lovely harbour with only a few boats, a beautiful small village with groceries, fruit stands, patisseries and beachfront restaurants. Check it out with Google Earth at 14-29.3'N 061-05.0'N.



The seine fishing in the harbour is always fun to watch. A net is spread from small boats into a large arc. A second net is deployed concentrically within the first.




The first net is recovered into boats and the second is pulled onto the beach.




In addition to the usual mullet, this netting captured a Loggerhead Turtle (released) and numerous Flying Gurnard (retained). You can see these “winged” fish above in the net being pulled into the boat. These fish with armoured heads do not fly, although their large pectoral fins look like wings. Juveniles are pelagic, adults are bottom dwellers.

There is a steep walking trail from the beach at Petit Anse d'Arlet over the Morne de Champagne to Grand Anse d'Arlet which yields spectacular views of both harbours.



We sailed south from Martinique on March 14 for the return trip to Marigot Bay, St Lucia. This was a delightful beam-to-close reach across the St Lucia channel with 15 knots of E wind and a benign sea. We shared the passage with several schools of dolphins.


It doesn't get much better than that! We put in at Marigot Bay because of our need to tank up with fresh water (unfortunately, our reverse osmosis watermaker is inoperative).



After one night at Marigot Bay, and with 320 litres added to the fresh water tanks, we sailed further south along the West coast of St. Lucia to a mooring between the Pitons.







We were visited by the fruit seller, offering a nice selection of local produce.





Ashore between the Pitons is a lovely low-key resort where we enjoyed the beachfront bar with hammock after swimming in the ocean.





On March 16 Michael disembarked the Charlotte D, well rested and tanned, to return to work in the Great White North. The next morning Catherine and Peter sailed south from St Lucia 160nm over 30 hours to Charlotteville, Tobago from where we post this blog.

Peter and Catherine, aboard S/V Charlotte D.

“either there will be peace for all, and all gain, or there will be no peace, and all lose.”
Ursula Franklin.