Saint Lucia Redux

Leigh flew down from Baltimore (around 25 degrees Fahrenheit) through Miami (around 51F) on the 11th, arriving at Rodney Bay to a welcoming squall but temperatures well into the 80's.  Hooray.  After a lovely late afternoon swim and dinner on board (goat curry and a long overdue callaloo soup), we spent another night and day and overnight in Rodney, and then took a short (three hour) sail to Anse Chastenet, where we made a lunch stop at the resort restaurant, had a snorkel, and had a walk between their two "private" beaches.  We decided to try our luck at finding a mooring around the corner near the bat caves to the south of Soufriere, and we did indeed get lucky, though the nature of the luck may be in the eye of the beholder.  The roll was (ahem) a bit intense and the wind died so we spent the night being alternately turned on our heads, being banged into by the mooring ball, and alternating between too warm and too cold.  No matter - it's still a lovely spot, in the shadow of the always awesome Pitons.

We headed back south after JP and Susan took another quick snorkel

and came down to an outside morning at Marigot Bay.  We came ashore for a light lunch and so Leigh could download some files (one out of two accomplished - oh well); we'll head back to Rodney early tomorrow as there is a big blow coming.

Here some additional photos from my first few days back.

That water color!

The other kind of cruising

Our neighbors in Marigot

T 

The ever obedient Scheherazade

Our lunch spot in Anse Chastenet

I forgot to take the Tungsten filter off the camera!

How the other ?% lives - Jade Mountain Resort

Waiting for the Admiral in Rodney Bay

Groundhog Day

We had an early start from St. Vincent and expected a long motoring trip to St. Lucia, but the trades had held at a steady 17-18 knots, and we had another fast passage between St. Vincent and St. Lucia, fast enough that we could get all the way to Rodney Bay on the north of the island.

We are enjoying the bay and the alternance of a rare calm with a good blow, the anchor firmly in the sand and the sunset (and sundowners) regular as clockwork. We have developed a new method of discouraging anybody from anchoring too close to our boat (see picture).

El Kabong!

Leigh should join us in a few days for new adventures - stay tuned.

A quick visit to the Grenadines

January 28, 2016

Before leaving Carriacou, we went to see the ongoing build of a traditional wooden tuna fishing boat. Very impressive, considering it is all hand done.

We had decided to enter Saint Vincent in Union's Chatham Bay rather than the busy harbor of Clifton, and to enjoy the calm and the small beach shacks' lobster dinners.

Chatham Bay

Of course, this means a cross island trek to go and clear in customs in Clifton.

The views are well worth it, however, and we got to talk with the mail lady and with Araline, a one-time and still occasional yacht cook selling break goodies to schoolchildren in Ashton.








Susan also found the perfect source for (island) fashion.
















January 31 2016

After only a few days we had a favorable wind window, and decided to move to Saint Vincent, bypassing Bequia. A brisk 6 hours took us to Young Island Cut on the south coast, finishing on a reach at 9-10 knots. We moored at Charlie Tango's and betook us to the French Verandah for some fine french dining and red wine to wash down the salt.

West approach to Young Island Cut

Meanwhile Susan is perfecting the stovetop focaccia recipe - the last one is a rosemary, thyme and sea salt combo.

Truth in advertising section

Old Sparky, or where to start your engine when turing the key does nothing

What comes up when you raise anchor - hook line and sinker