This is our seventh posting about our 2011-2012 cruising season.
We sailed from Antigua to Marie Galante on February 16 and 17. This was a 90 nm passage over 17 hours. We were treated to a GREEN FLASH at sea. There was no moon until 0230 am, so the stars and phosphorescence were spectacular. Dolphins accompanied us most of the way. At night we hear them "blow" near our boat and then see their trails in the phosphorescence. Brilliant!
We put in at Grand-Bourg for the formalities of Customs and Immigration, but did not remain there because the anchorage outside the too small harbour had much roll. The anchorage at Saint-Louis was much calmer and is, in our opinion, more scenic. The water was so crystal clear that we could see starfish under our boat in the moonlight. Check it out on Google Earth at 15-57.4'N 061-19.2'W.
Saint-Louis has every amenity one could require. There are beachfront eateries on the small but attractive beach. Patisseries are open early. There is a good size grocery. Rental cars and scooters are available. ATMs are functional. There is a tourist information office. There is even a fresh water hose on a mooring in 10 feet of water managed by Jacques of Le Baleine Rouge, a nice waterfront eatery. Recommended!
Marie Galante is a French island, a part of France actually. European settlement dates from 1648, after the French vanquished the resident Amerindians. Slaves were imported, and sugar cane and rum became, and remain even after the slave revolt, central to the economy of Marie Galante.
We visited several windmills originally used for crushing sugar cane.
The Bellevue distillery was interesting because we could walk into the plant where informational displays described the details of the process of making le rhum agricol (rum made from sugar cane).
Of course, we did not miss the le rhum degustation on the way out. It was interesting that at the start of their lunch break, the distillery workers also attended the rum tasting area for a couple of shots. We did not observe anyone swirling it around and spitting it out! So, it's clearly drinking rum, not just degustation. We did our share!
Marie-Galante has beautiful long beaches devoid of beachfront resorts. Most tourists are housed in low key guesthouses.
Marie Galante is not a mountaneous island, but has many interesting geological features, including this sort of sink hole just at the ocean's edge.
Our visit coincided with an important island festival, highlighted by the Ox Cart Parade. These are majestic animals and the carts are highly decorated. We understand the importance of this event for the local culture, but we did not enjoy what appears to us as harsh treatment of some of the animals. There was use of whips and pulling on reins that passed through nose rings. More reasons for all of us to be happy we were not born as oxen!
The ox cart festival includes, naturally, much music and creole dancing. Click on this video for a small sample of le bele (appele aussi "bel-air" suivant la francisation du mot creole).
Fortunately, we shared the anchorage at Saint-Louis with some old and some new cruising friends. There were the required Happy Hours aboard the “Charlotte D” and aboard “Cat Tales”, to guarantee that the sun set properly.
We enjoyed beach walks and midday meals in the creole restaurants with like-minded cruising friends.
There was lunch out every day of our visit here, just to be sure we got a good sampling of the island's offerings.
We sailed away from Marie-Galante on February 22 for the 105nm passage to Martinique. This was our first visit to Marie-Galante and hopefully not our last!
Peter and Catherine aboard S/V “Charlotte D”
“Il est sage pour d'etre simple.”
Book Of The Week, “The Tao of Pooh”, Benjamin Hoff, Penguin, 1983
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