Martinique to Bequia

2/20/2016 We left Dominica at 0600 and motor-sailed in a light breeze until 10:30 when the wind picked up at the south end of Dominica. We made good speed of about 6 to 6.3 knots until we were about 5 miles north of St. Pierre, Martinique when the wind died again. We anchored at Anse Turin, just south of St. Pierre. We decided not to go ashore; just planned to leave at first light to get to St. Lucia.
The next morning, we were awakened at 0530 by knocking on the hull. It was local fishermen who told us we had to move because they were setting out nets and we would be stuck where we were. So we pulled up anchor and headed out at 0544 headed for St. Lucia. We go to Rodney Bay about 1400 and decide to anchor out in the Bay and wait to check in until the next day which was a Monday. Checking in on the weekend costs about $100EC extra (about $40US). Little did we know when we went to check in with customs the next day that Monday was a holiday so we had to pay extra anyway. We took a slip in the marina and were in between Kalani and Macario. We made a grocery run and had the hull and stainless cleaned and polished by a local crew. We laid out the anchor chain and got all the kinks out of it. We had dinner at one of the marina restaurants with Tom and Barbara from Kalani and also tried the pizza one night. 


2/29/2016 We left Rodney Bay at 10:35 and had a great sail most of the way to the Pitons. We had all 3 sails up, making 6 to 7 knots in 12 to 17 knots of wind. The seas were calm and we had the best sail we'd experienced in a long time! We took a mooring at the Pitons and dove in for a snorkel. There were lots of fish and fan coral although the water wasn't the clearest. 

Fan coral

Trumpet fish

 

Barrel Spongge

Sea Plume

Boats on moorings at the Pitons

3/1/2016 We hauled anchor early at 0555 and headed to Bequia. We had a current pushing us the entire way, making 7 to 8 knots at times. Had a good sail across the St. Vincent channel this time and anchored in Admiralty Bay near the south end of Princess Margaret Beach.

On the way to Bequia

 We found Wahoo already in Bequia and met Fred and Dorothy from S/V Aviva on board Wahoo for happy hour. The 6 of us took a bus to the other side of the island to get lobster from the Step Down Bar. The lobsters were fresh from the sea and were only $11EC per pound (about $4US). We made a great dinner and had a fun couple of days in Bequia.

Roy and Dale from Wahoo

Fred and Dorothy from Aviva

Our lobster dinner

Then it was time to move south again...............

Dominica February, 2016

2/11/2016 We left Des Haies, Guadeloupe at 0625 and bounced around in the waves until we got south of Guadeloupe. The wind kept backing, allowing us to sail almost the entire way into the harbor in Prince Rupert Bay, Dominica. The PAYS organization arranged a Yachtie Appreciation Week and we got moorings for free for a week. Several special tours and events were planned. We got to see Martin again and had a great time in Dominica once again. Kalani and Growl Tiger joined the party and we met more members of the Salty Dog Rally. We also met Magoe and Clair on Macario, their huge catamaran. We had a happy hour on their boat for the Salty Dog Rally people and we were invited too. Tom and Barbara from Kalani and Greg, Josh and Joan from Growl Tiger were there too. Unfortunately, the wind was up and Kalani's dinghy came untied and floated out. After 2 hours of looking for it in the dark, the searchers gave up. Even though Tom and Barbara went out about 20 miles looking for it the next morning, they could not find it. They were able to order a new dinghy and outboard and got it in less than a week. Meanwhile, we had several adventures on land including another PAYS BBQ and tours and some hikes. We found a laundry connected to the Catholic church that helps some of the local ladies earn a little money and we got clean clothes once more. 

A hike up to Fort Shirley. The fort is now used for group retreats, meetings and educational programs.

Part of Fort Shirley, Portsmouth, Dominica

Looking at Prince Rupert Bay from Fort Shirley

Bunk rooms in the new part of the Fort

Canons to protect the Bay

The bunk rooms

Greg and Josh check out the aim of the canons

 The PAYS BBQ

Our table at the BBQ

Everyone enjoying the music

Liz Ann and Barbara on the dance "floor"

Friends from S/V Pratique won a floral arrangement

We took the dinghy over to Secret Beach and snorkelled and spent an afternoon on a secluded beach by ourselves. Unfortunately, the seas were up and the water was cloudy so the snorkeling was not very good.

View from Secret Beach

Our little spot of private beach

Boat passing by the hole in the rock

We got a ride to Roseau, the capital with a government office worked who came to speak at the PAYS opening ceremony for Yachtie Week. He showed us some of the devastation from the tropical storm last August and took us into town. We spent the day walking around Roseau and had lunch at a little local spot called the Orchard. We caught the bus back but had to wait until it filled up for them to leave. 
 

Flowers in a local driveway

Looking at Roseau from up the hill

Greg went on a snorkel trip organized by PAYS one day and we went on a tour of Titou Gorge, Trafalgar Falls, the Botanical Gardens and the Soufriere sulphur springs. We had lunch that day at the Rock Side Cafe.   
Greg's snorkeling trip:

Starlet Coral

Maze Coral

Blue Tang with Brain coral

Sand Dollar

Spotted Moray eel

  Our tour with PAYS:

A washed out bridge from the storm 6 months ago

Along the wwest coast of Dominica

The lighter water color shows where the river empties into the sea

A WOODEN pipe carrying water to the hydroelectric plant

Looking down into Titou Gorge

Liz Ann tring to brave the ICY cold water in the gorge

Looking out through the end of the gorge

Greg in the gorge

Looking through the narrow gorge

The larger waterfall at Trafalgar Falls

The double falls

Tree landed on a bus at the Botanical Gardens

Huge Banyan tree

Walking up Jack's Way trail in Botanical garden

Friends form Pratique in the sulphur springs

 Our hike along the Waitukubuli Trail

Looking out over Douglas Bay

Beautiful spider web with colorful spider

Beautiful home facing Douglas Bay

Found this neat little restaurant called Poonkies

 We met the owner of Poonkies, Trevor who showed us around his restaurant which he built himself all of wood. We didn't get to eat here because we didn't have a way back at night time but plan to go back next time.

River behind the restaurant

Trevor was cooking breadfruit out back

Entrance to Poonkies

We had a great time in Dominica as usual, but it was time to head on south.................