Apres Tout
There is just so much delightful to describe about this place we needed a second report! Our final weeks in Les Saintes of
Guadeloupe provided us with new adventures and experiences.
There were the visits by dinghy to
Ilet a Cabrit, the location of the ruins of Fort Josephine and of
Enrique's Earthenware.
His shop is equipped with potter's wheel, paint table and numerous molds. He uses local clay and fires his product in a wood-heated kiln. We purchased 3 masks last year. He runs a summer program on earthenware pottery for children. Enrique introduced us to a culinary preparation of aloe (algave). The inner parts of the aloe leaves can be used to make an accompaniment for sushi or for BBQ magret du canard.
After the hike to the ruins of Fort
Josephine, overlooking the harbour, we recovered on the beach with a
swim, our packed lunch and a lie-about.
The hike to Fort Napoleon, sited 100 m (328 ft) above sea level, is longer, steeper and hotter with little shade along the way. The fort was built in 1867, has been maintained to some degree and houses a lovely museum with military, cultural, and maritime displays. There are portraits of admirals of the period and other artwork. Artifacts include old ship's hardware and a 20m (66 ft) length of whale vertebrae. The models of warships of 1800s and traditional local fishing boats are professionally done. There is a botanical garden with an impressive collection of cacti and other tropical succulents, crawling about with iguanas. There are shady spots to sit and savour the views.
The longest hike is to the top of le Chameau, 318m (1044 ft), eased by much shade. The way is paved, and happily closed to wheeled vehicles, so the walk is serene. Along the way we observed the flowers, hummingbirds, finches, and termite nests.
Le Chameau is the highest peak of les Saintes and is topped by a watchtower, from the 1800s, still in pretty good condition. It can be entered and climbed. We sat at the breezy top for our lunch of poisson fume with baguette. The view is spectacular. One can see the big island of Guadeloupe, Marie-Galante, and Dominica.
From the dingly dock it is a 30 min up-and-down walk to the trail head of our next hike. Fort Caroline is located only 90m (295 ft) above the sea, but this hike is the most difficult we made because the eroded treadway is steep and of rough, loose stone, with little shade. The rewards are interesting fort ruins and splendid views.
The return trail from Fort Caroline ends near the Plage de Pompiere, where we purchased salt cod sandwiches and beer from a roadside vendor, had a dip in the sea and a well-earned nap on the beach, before the walk back to town.
Less steep walks lead to the several
beaches on Terre de Haut and we took them all, including those to
Pompierre, Marigot, Grand Anse, Rodrique, Figuier and the nude beach
at Crawen (de facto but not authorized).
When a respite from walking, beach or swimming was
required, Catherine enjoyed her musical instruments. One of these
days she may treat you to a tune on the ole banjo. Roll over Flatt and Skruggs! Of course,
fiddling continues.
Occasionally, the traditional
vessels, Les Santoises, sail through the mooring field. These
colourful boats seem over-canvased, have little keel and no ballast
except for the crew, so they appear often on the verge of capsize.
Great entertainment!
There is a community program teaching sailing and kayaking to children. Click on the video below to see the kiddies in full riot.
Almost daily there were dolphins in the harbour and we were fortunate enough to swim with them! Their behaviour underwater is most interesting. We have all seen dogs, on their backs, feet in the air, squirming on the lawn. We were amazed to see dolphins doing the same actions, upside down, on the grassy sea bed. I observed a young dolphin swimming inverted beneath it's mother, apparently suckling underway, all the while holding it's breath of course! Fascinating! However, they are difficult to photograph!
Mardi Gras happened during our stay. The version in this small town is more modest than in larger cities and is mainly for children. It was fine with us that it did not carry on into the night.
An amazing event occurred one morning about 0630. The S/V Med Spirit, a sloop of some 75 ft collided bow-to-bow with a catamaran on mooring just behind us. At the time of the collision, which Catherine witnessed, there were 4 crew on her deck and another at her helm. Hard to imagine what combination of equipment malfunction and/or crew error could have caused such an unfortunate mishap as running into a stationary boat. The sun had not yet risen over the eastern hills, but there was plenty of daylight. Considerable discussion ensured between the two captains about the damages to the catamaran. We trust there was, or will be, an amicable settlement.
Our fellow cruiser, indefatigable Eduardo Klenk, continues selling his original acrylics, that he paints aboard his S/V Samsura. We purchased several last year to remind us of the Caribbean while we are home in Nova Scotia. Thank you, Eduardo, for sharing the tales of your cruising adventures.
Of course, we continued to enjoy the wonderful restaurants of Les Saintes.
The salade santoise included boudin (blood sausage) and saucisse.poisson (fish sausage). The Noix St Jacques (scallops with saffron, pomme, onions) was accompanied with christophene au gratin, igname, salade, banane creole and riz.
The local-caught lobster make a pretty picture and are tasty, but compared to Nova Scotia lobster, seem over-priced to us.
The meals are not the only attractions
of these restaurants. The waterfront locations are most appealing.
Click on the video below to see the “frigate bird war” just
beyond our table.
The fishing gear stored along the
waterfront creates attractive, almost artistic, displays.
A layover in Les Saintes of 34 days was not long enough to savour everything! There must be a return visit before we slip our cable for the Great South Sea of the Other World.
From Les Saintes we set a northerly
course upon which the ancient navigators never ventured without
propitiating the pantheons by ample sacrifices of nubile maidens.
For you techies, the instruments above show a boat speed of 5.18 knots, wind of 17.3 knots at an angle of 60 degrees.
We have make another stop at Ilet du
Gosier to savour the beach, the BBQ and the beer!
The BBQ is fueled with sea grape wood, coconut husks and charcoal to cook the red snapper, parrot fish and brochette au fruits de mer.
From Gosier we sailed southeast to
Marie-Galante. Click on the video below to see the Charlotte D
underway with perfect wind, sea and sky. Sorry about the wind noise
in the microphone.
Peter and Catherine, aboard S/V
Charlotte D, at Marie-Galante, Guadeloupe.
“Time is but a stream to go
a-fishing in.” Henry David Thoreau, 1854
