St Barthelemy

February 10, 2015

9 - Dominica, 10 - Iles des Saintes, 11- Guadeloupe, 12 - Antigua, 13 - Barbuda
14 -  St Barthelemy 

A - Gustavia

St Barthelemy

St Barts is the Riviera of the Caribbean.  The picturesque port is  charming and draws many of the rich and famous to it’s beaches, shops and restaurants.  

You are going to have to take my word for it -- that's
a whale. The only one we have seen on our voyage.
He breeched five or six times for us as he swam next
to our boat and then he was gone.

Located in the middle of the Lesser Antilles it’s history includes ownership by the British, French, Spanish and Swedes.  In the 1600’s it prospered as a pirate base.  Captain Montbars became known as Montbars the Exterminator as he spread terror throughout the region.  The French gave St Barts to the Swedes in 1784.  It was made a free port at that time and remains so today.  In 1878 the French made it a commune of France.      

Gustavia from the fort.  It must be a covenant in the
city that all buildings have red roofs and white
exteriors.

Our first night at anchor in St Barts was horrible.  The swells got larger as the night went on and everything in the boat seemed to be in continuous motion sliding and clanking.  We got off early the next morning and had a great day walking Gustavia, the main city.  As we headed back to the boat we realized that the swells were much closer together and larger than they had been earlier in the day.  By the time we got to the boat, we all knew we were facing a very dangerous situation.  The swim platform (where we needed to enter the boat) would drop three to four feet like a guillotine heading for our dingy.  Each surge would draw the dingy toward that

The turbulent coastline

raised platform wanting to pull it under.  We had to fight to get close enough to step off the dingy without letting the platform slam down on us.  Jon, the most agile, was the first to jump.  While Brian maneuvered the dingy with the motor, Jon held it’s lines to help control it.  We all put on our life jackets.  Bonnie and I watched the wave cycle and called out when the rhythm gave us the best opportunity to make the jump.  One by one we made it to the safety of the boat and celebrated with a group hug and a prayer of thanks.  There was no way we were going to spend a second night in that bubbling cauldron. 

Time to relax and enjoy a beverage.

We left St Barts like thieves in the night.  Even though we wouldn't arrive in St Martin until well after dark.  We were in full agreement.  This is not where we wanted to spend another night. 

We can't help ourselves -- put us on a beach and
not even topless sunbathers can distract us from
shelling.

Le Select -- the oldest restaurant in town.  

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!

One of my favorite restaurant signs!

Antigua and Barbuda

February 6 - 9, 2015 

9  - Dominica, 10 - Iles des Saintes, 11 - Guaeloupe, 12 - Antigua, 13 - Barbuda

-

A - Jolly Harbour, C - Falmouth Harbour

This beauty was on a dock near us in the harbor.
Nero at 296 feet is the 40th largest yacht in the world.

Antigua is one of the yachting capitals of the Caribbean.  Many of the popular regattas originate here drawing entries from all over the world.  While we were visiting we saw over 20 mega yachts.  The largest was a whopping 280 feet! 

I didn't know anyone still put mastheads on boats and then we
saw these two: an American Indian and a dragon.
Fantastic works of art on these mega yachts!

The entrance to the fort and a cannon
guarding the entrance

English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour attract 100’s of cruising yachts each year.  It’s success began in 1745 when the harbors (that almost touch) became Britain’s main navel station in the Lesser Antilles.  Both harbors met the trifecta for secure ports.  They were easily defendable, with immediate access to the trade winds and they afforded excellent protection in a hurricane. The English Harbour Dockyard was completed in 1789 and thanks to restoration work it looks very much the same today.  The dockyard is now known as Nelson’s Dockyard.  Named after one of Britain’s favorite heroes in spite of the fact that he was not popular during his stay as naval commander and he didn’t like living in Antigua.  

These old forts never run out of
cannons or ways to use them.

Not exactly an original part of the fort,
but certainly British.  
Harry Potter fans - Brian thought 
this might be a portal to Hogwarts.

Restored buildings are now used for restaurants
and shops.

No erectile disfunction here---
The pillars were built in 1797 to support
the sail loft where the British Navy's
  sails were repaired.  

We walked to the dockyard and enjoyed poking around the old buildings.  However, arriving by boat the next day gave us a genuine understanding of what an exceptional harbor it is.  The narrow mouth has three forts protecting it.  Once an unwanted ship began to enter, their destiny was guaranteed….  With no way to retreat they were an easy target for the cannons on the hills.       

Forts on both sides of the narrow opening to the bay.

A good view of the narrow entrance and forts.

The last glimpse of Antigua.
Reefs, atolls and small islands make electronic
charts imperative.

A - Cocoa Point

Barbuda

Leaving Barbuda at dawn.  It's difficult to see the
island.  It is so flat.

Barbuda is the least populated, flattest and most natural of the islands we visited.  The island is only 62 square miles with an elevation at it’s highest point of 125 feet.  Most of the island is only twelve feet above sea level.  The 1500 residents are descendants of slaves that were brought to the island by the Codrington family.  The Codrington’s leased the island from England for one fat sheep beginning in 1685.  Barbuda was used mainly for growing livestock and root crops for the family’s estates in Antigua. 

Pulling the anchor.  We're on to our next island!

We were looking forward to walking the beach, but arrived to find rough water with continuous swells.  It was impossible to download our dingy.  As we discussed our options a neighbor came by in his dingy to see if we would like to join them for a ride to the beach.  He and his wife couldn’t manage their dingy in this wild surf alone.  Perfect!  We piled in, rode a wave up to the beach, had a great walk and made some new friends.  David and Jill on Sweet Chariot are from Australia.  They have  traveled around the world and are on their way home.  Back on Gotta Smile we convinced them (over a glass of wine) to go to St Barths instead of heading directly to St Martin.             

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!

  

Two French Islands: Iles des Saintes and Guadeloupe

February 2 - 6, 2015

7 - St Lucia, 8 - Martinique, 9 - Dominica, 10 - Iles des Saintes, 11 - Gradeloupe

One thing that we love about the French islands — the food!  We made quick stops in both Iles de Saintes and Guadeloupe, but there was definitely time to sample their restaurants and bakeries.  

Iles de Saintes  

This restaurant caught our attention
 the bow of a boat attached to a building.

Main street Bourg Des Saintes.

Every town has a church in a
prominent location.

Dinner at Au bon Vare

Guadeloupe

We found a beautiful anchorage late afternoon at Deshshaies.  It was cloudy and the rain came down just as we were secure.  You know what that means -- free boat wash!  The next morning we enjoyed breakfast at the French bakery and then a visit to the botanical gardens, which were amazing.

As we were anchoring this ship put up all 14 sails 
and left the harbor. So beautiful!

All of the sleeping flamingos had their
head tucked under a wing and were
standing on one leg.
Is that a yoga pose?

Bananas at the very beginning.

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!

February 6th was the 50th anniversary of our first date.
Who knew we would wind up living the native life?

Dominica

January 31 - February 2, 2015

1 - Grenada, 2 - Carriacou, 3 - Union Island, 4 - Tobago Cay, 5 - Mayreau,
6 - Bequia, 7 - St Lucia, 8 - Martinique, 9 - Dominica

A - Portsmouth, B - Carib Village

Dominica was one of our favorite islands as we traveled south.  This second visit did not disappoint us.  We saw totally different things and had another great visit. 

Off to the customs office with Providence.

Portsmouth is a quiet harbor that always gives boaters a personal welcome.  A group of young men have formed an association called PAYS (Portsmouth Association of Yacht Services). They welcome boaters, set up tours, take care of any needs that we might have and patrol the bay to insure safety.  Since we arrived on a Saturday, we needed help.  The customs office is not opened on the week-end, but you can register if you know where to go.  Of course, our boat boy knew who to see.  

A large crowd from Europe, Canada & the USA.

Every Sunday night the PAYS group sponsors a barbecue for the boaters.  However, because a pre-Carnival parade was on Sunday, they were having their dinner on Saturday night.  

After dinner: music and a campfire on the beach.

Some of the smallest homes still have beautiful 
 landscaping.

Sunday morning we snorkeled, swam and cleaned the boat bottom before walking into town for the parade.

Small stores line both sides of the main street.

The parade was supposed to start at
3:00.  It didn't actually begin until 5:30.
That left time for a drink at this beach 
bar.

Hard to see, but those are old toilets stacked on top
of a container downtown.  We were looking for a
 bathroom, but this was a little too exposed.  

Excellent people watching.

And, finally, the parade began!

The rider kept falling off.  Maybe one too
 many beverages...  

Someone always has a wardrobe
malfunction.

The stilt walkers were the BEST!
They walked without a break for over 2 hours.

And then everyone was in the street!

Even us!

Before 8 Monday morning Brian and Jon were at the car rental.  They got the last available car.  Then the problems began.  The car was totally out of gas and so was the one gas station in town and the two gas stations in the next closest towns.  Time for some quick thinking -- the dingy's spare fuel tanks had four gallons which gave us a half tank.  Only in the islands!!!       

The last time we were here we missed the Carib Village.  That was our first stop this time.  The Carib people don't refer to themselves by that name.  The men are Kalinago and the women Kalifuna.  Today there are about 3500 in the tribe.  Hiding in the hills saved them from annihilation in the 1500's when they were reduced to about 300.  Today they live off of the land and sea using many of the same tools and techniques that their ancestors used.  

The meeting hut - Karbet

Carved from the trunks of giant ferns,
these heads represent the former chiefs.

A communal hammock.  

Sugar cane press

Stream, turns into falls and drops
into the ocean.

Meet Mary and Elizabeth.  They are the main reason Bonnie and I wanted to
visit the village.  They make beautiful baskets and each of us bought until
 the guys ran out of money.  No credit cards accepted here!   

One last stop before we left Dominica.

We walked to Fort Shirley for an early
morning view of the bay.  

The 144 Englishmen that founded
Jamestown, Virginia landed here on
March 24,1607 for 2 days.  

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!