Finally after a long wait and complicated paperwork, did we receive the new VHF.
Le Marin is used for loading yachts to specialised cargo ships and one was there when we were leaving. There had been a race from France via Madeira and on to Martinique. The race yachts were small and about 8-9 m and manned with two persons. Most of these yachts were to be shipped back to France.
The ship is almost fully loaded with yachts. The yacht along side is one of the small race boats.
On the 21 March we set sail and anchored in St Pierre, Martinique, after having had a great sail. It is a tight anchorage and many yachts were there. It is a nice town and we have been there many times.
St Pierre's brief story is: It was a prosperous town with ships picking up local produce and a lot of trading being done and the housing were first class. In April and May 1902 the Vulcan which the town was build on started to rumble and fears were that an eruption was imminent. But the Mayor refused to take the decision to evacuate the town, for fears of loosing the trade and profits. On 8 May a huge eruption happened and wiped out the town in a few hours. The 22 ships, anchored in the Bay, all sank, and can still be seen by diving only 10-30 m. The total population died, except one. The exception was a prisoner and he got out eventually, but badly burned. He was later employed by a Circus to be shown as the only survivor and showing his badly scared body.
The soil is very fertile and there is a huge Rum Distillery on the hills, which we visited last year.
The Vulcan with the sugar cane fields behind the town.
On the 22 March we sailed to Prince Ruperts Bay, Dominica and had a fast passage for the 52 NM with maximum speed recorded of 10.2 kn, which we covered from 06:30 to 13.35. Only - limited - attraction is the Indian River, which is expensive to visit, but we did it last year.
Another great sail on 23 March where we sailed to Isles Les Saints (speed close to 10 kn), which is one of our most preferred places in the Caribbean. It is a bit like St Tropez, with small streets and one can get all the French specialities, which we had missed for a long time.
On 24 March we reluctantly left Isles Les Saints and had this time a slow and difficult sail up along the west coast of Guadeloupe, where the wind turns from east to west and fluctuate between 5-7 kn and our speed ranged only 2.5-5 kn. We dropped anchor in Ance Deshaies, Guadeloupe. A tight bay always with many yachts. We stayed just the night and early morning on the 25 March headed for Falmouth Harbour, Antigua. Had yet another great sailing, as soon as we left the north coast of Guadeloupe and received the Trade Wind.
One of our neighbours was this restored wooded yacht from 1911.
The following are a few photos of the inside of New Dawn, as she was the other day (not really prepared for a photo session).
