You can see all the pics from this leg by visiting:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26402&l=ccc55&id=544472824
But here is a taster...
Finally having got our rudder fixed and the boat back in the water, we headed out of Antigua, headed for Guadaloupe – a French island. Sailing up to the island was beautiful. Very rugged, sharp mountains (volcanic) and all the steep slopes covered in tropical rainforest. We anchored up outside the capital Basse Terre outside the marina. We anchor up wherever possible as it does not cost anything versus staying in a marina. As we have a good generator, two watermakers and a big flat screen TV in the saloon we are pretty self sufficient. Marinas cost a lot here, so we spend the money on car hire to tour the islands and meals out instead! So we headed ashore to a restaurant called Le Barracuda. Very appropriate as Ryan had caught two of them on our way in, but not big enough to be worth keeping. I had moules mariniere my favourite French dish and Richard and Ryan had lobster. Very nice. We were so tired from the sail that we headed back to the boat for some well earned rest.
Next day, I hired a car and tried and failed to check us in to customs (closed) while the boys fixed the windlass and a winch. Then we headed into the rainforest up in the mountains for some exploring. Driving the little car up the windy mountain roads was fun. We walked round a tropical ‘preserve’ which showed you all the native plants and animals. The raccoons were very cute! Some of the parasitic plants and flowers were incredible. We watched a long line of huge ants carrying giant pieces of food and leaves to their Queen. Then we got harnesses on and walked through the canopy on Indiana Jones style rope bridges. Great fun. After that we headed to a waterfall with a pool below it and went for a swim as it was so hot. It was a stunning spot, just like the Herbal Essences advert. The water was so clear, clean and cool. Then we headed for the hypermarket to provision for the next few weeks. We especially stocked up on French wine, cheese and pate. It has been a good chance to practice our French and for Ryan to learn some too. Unfortunately when he went to ask a guy in a bar if he could use the toilet, he unfortunately said to him “You are a toilet” in French! After I picked myself up off the floor from laughing, I had to quickly teach him the French for ‘I’m very sorry’ and he went back and the guy didn’t punch him thank goodness. Sadly for Ryan he didn’t have a toilet either.
Gaudaloupe really has the most beautiful rainforests.
Next day the boys headed back up the volcanic mountain into the rainforest and walked all the way to the top to see the vent. It was steaming and the sulphur smell was strong. They took pictures of what they thought was a snake in a tree but turned out to be just a wiggly branch! They looked like drowned rats when they got back as the top is shrouded in thick mist and rain stops and starts all the time. Then we got back to the boat and decided to head off to the next island as our anchorage is very rolly, the swell keeps you awake at night.
After a good sail, we arrived just after sunset to Portsmouth in Dominica. Straight to bed after an exhausting day. In the morning one of the many ‘boat boys’ came alongside, offering fruit for sale. We went for mangoes and grapefruit. Both were fantastic, sweet and fresh. Even better than M&S ;-) The guys selling stuff paddle out on surfboards and if they can build up a bit of cash they eventually get a boat and build up regular customers and make a decent living I guess. So we were happy to pay them a bit over the odds for fruit etc. Local boat mechanic Igna - who was clearly as capable with his one arm as most people are with two – helped Richard fix the broken windlass. Luckily it did not involve horrendous amounts of money or parts as rare as hens teeth! He regaled us with stories of his days shipping goods between the islands on old style island gaff rigged boats. Right up until the eighties they were delivering cargo under sail only, no engines.
Having just done a long sail, of course we decided next day to go on a boat trip! But on a small rowing boat down the Indian River. The forest canopy covers over the river and you quietly go past all the beautiful scenery. Herons, crabs, iguanas, bloodwood trees with crazy convoluted roots, like mangroves you will have seen but they grow like waves. We stopped off and hiked a short way, looking at all the parasitic plants and tropical flowers. After a refreshing tamarind juice it was back down the river, a swim off Quintessence and a rest. We were playing cards when we had a visit from the local Customs and Immigration. Like all customs officials I have met so far, they are efficient, polite and have no sense of humour whatsoever. After some standard questions and checking of our ships papers, they headed off as were clearly not suspicious enough to warrant a search of the boat. We were not sure where to have dinner, so we putted along the shore in our dinghy in the evening and were drawn to Big Pappa’s Bar and Restaurant as we could hear a saxophone playing across the water. An old guy was singing rhythm and blues and it was very relaxing. Caribbean curried chicken and plantain was very nice, washed down with a cocktail. We were all so tired, we went straight off to bed.
Next day, we did a tour of the island in a minivan, with 3 guys from Colorado. Ryan felt right at home as he’s from Boulder. Our guide Gregory really knows the island, especially all the exotic plants and flowers; wild orchids, epiphytes, bird of paradise, banyan trees etc. En route he would find fruit growing near the road and would even scamper up trees to pick something fresh. So we had bananas, papaya, grapefruit and grafted orange. All straight off the tree, sweet and delicious! We had so many “Kodak moments” during the day we filled the camera up. Hiking and then climbing to some waterfalls in the jungle was a highlight. A swim in the pool below was heaven – cool and crystal clear. Dominica is definitely a place I we would like to come back to.
We are now in Martinique about to go exploring....watch this space...and some more pics soon!
xxx
