The Leeward Islands

This is actually a beach bar in Sint Maaarten, and should be at the end of the post.

From Les Saintes, JT sailed north up the west coast of Guadeloupe

 

 

to a lovely anchorage off the village of Deshaeis

 

 

where the fish were sold out of the back of the ute

 

 

and the locals protested outside the Town Hall.

 

 

From there a great sail north - the sailing has been just wonderful -

 

 

two reefs in the main and the genoa one third furled

 

 

closely supervised by the First Mate

 

to Antigua where we anchored in English Harbour, in the foreground with Falmouth Harbour in the background.

 

 

We climbed the hill to the famous Sunday evening Jump-up.

 

 

The steel band was excellent,

 

 

the cook looked well

 

 

he made hats for the tourists

 

 

We checked out Nelson`s Dockyard in English Harbour

 

 

 

 

and the Yacht Club in Falmouth Harbour

 

 

where we saw the Maltese Falcon, a modern windjammer

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and embarked important supplies.

 

 

Then on to Nevis where the pelicans were black and powewr dived into the water for their catch.

 

 

Great fresh fruit & vegies

 

 

Checked internet at the local bar

 

 

and took tea in the garden.

 

 

Next was St. Barths, where the rich and famous like to strut their stuff. Large motor yachts and boutiques.

 

 

A very pretty harbour, though the weather was a bit variable.

 

 

The anchorage at St Barths.

 

 

 

St Barths

 

 

We were there for carnival, a very French affair, and an excuse for all the locals, mainly French, to get into fancy dress.

 

 

There was a parade of sorts

 

 

and some action in the restaurants.

 

 

into the spirit of things again

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then on to an island with a split personality, Saint Martin on the north French side, and Sint Maarten on the south Dutch side.  So split is this small island that the electricity supply on each side is different.

We entered the lagoon through the bridge on the Dutch side

 

 

past the lovely Yacht Club

 

 

where people gather to watch the traffic

 

 

This old bus was a beach bar.

 

 

The harbour catered mainly for megayachts and we were small fry.

 

 

The Sunset Bar was where people again gathered to watch the trasffic, this time aircraft landing.

 

From here we are bound north via Anguilla to the Virgin Islands.

 

 



Sailing North

The anchorage at Ste Anne

 

 

While at Ste Anne we visited nearby Le Marin, an extensive marina complex with good shopping and chandleries 

 

 

 From Ste Anne we sailed past Diamond Rock which the British fortified and used to harass French shipping many years ago

 to an anchorage under the hotel at Anse Mitan, a popular tourist spot.

 

 

 We landed at the dinghy dock

 

 

 getting into the spirit of things.

 

 

The bbq chicken sellers were everywhere along the roadsides.

 

 

 Had lunch with the crews of other Ausie yachts, Malua and Sundancer 11

 

 

 then watched the routine of the beachside boutique.

The girls are kitting this woman in a new bikini

 

 while hubby watched

 

 

 and paid.

 

 

 We sailed across the bay to Fort de France, a big city and not to our taste.

This solo sailer had come all the way from Poland in his little boat.

 

 So we sailed north to Saint Pierre, a town which, in 1902 was obliterated by the explosion of the nearby volcano, killing 30,000 people.

 

 We had to anchor close to the beach.

 

 

This was the culprit

 

 

 The church bell was melted and crushed by the blast.

 

 

 Then on to Prince Rupert Bay on the island of Dominica where we took a mooring off Big Pappa`s

 

 

 where we went for a drink

 

 

and to watch the sun go down.

 

 

 The town was pretty poor and facilities were not great.

 

 

The houses were not grand

 

 

 the main street was quiet at times

 

 

 even at the bust stop.

We then sailed a short distance north to the beautiful Isles des Saints, part of Guadeloupe, which is part of France. Euroland again, and full of French tourists.

 

The dinghy dock and watering hole.

 

 

They sailed these unusual boats.

 

The boutiques were in lovely local houses.

 

 The bar at the "yacht club"

Houses in this part of the world are just as we would expect to see around Noosa.