Quiet harbors of Dominica

We left Roseau in search of less rolly anchorages, and as we motorsailed north along the coast, we noticed an anchorage in the sailing guide near the little village of Mero, by the ruins of the Castaways hotel. We could not pass this up since the guide promised the best fruit juices of Dominica. 

We anchored Raconteur and took the dinghy ashore (there is no dock there) and a large wave deposited us a bit wet on the black sand beach just in front of Augustus Mason's fruit juice stand. We enjoyed his delicious fresh-made smoothies of papaya, banana, pineapple, grapefruit and orange, first as is and later before dinner, enriched with local "bush rum" (don't ask).

We took a walk through the village, very quiet, few yachts stop there and we were alone in the anchorage. Susan did a variant of geocaching (you have to answer questions about the locale and send a selfie).



Dinner was at Romance Cafe, a surprising and really good lamb Provencale.  

The next morning, we moved just three miles north, to Batali Beach and the best (and only) Belgian restaurant / hotel of Dominica, Sunset Beach Club.

A single portion of grilled lobster

Roger and Marcella are as welcoming as ever, and were doing land office business between Valentine's Day and a very active weekend crowd, both on yachts and from the nearby medical school.

We spent two nights moored there, absorbing many tasty calories and losing some of them at the pool and by snorkeling along the nearby cliffs.