February 10, 2009, le Marin, Martinique – Rodney Bay, St. Lucia
Chris Parker forecasts 20 knot winds this morning, building to 25-30 knots this evening. Moderate seas this morning will build during the day and by tomorrow will definitely be uncomfortable. The windy conditions area expected to last most of the week. We decide to leave as soon as possible while conditions are still fairly moderate. Larry clearas out at customs, and we raise the anchor for departure. Lars reports that the chain, which has been lying in the mud at the bottom of the harbor, is covered with all kinds of muck. We set 2 reefs, roll out about half of the jib and sail the 23 miles at about 7 to 7.5 knots on a beam reach. As forecast, the seas are building, but have not reached the uncomfortable stage when we round Pigeon Island to Rodney Bay. We head into the lagoon to Rodney Bay Marina to clear customs, and all of us conclude that staying at the marina for a couple of nights is a good hing. Dinner is sautéed entrecote and eggplant a la Leif with a good salad. We eat well when Leif is around.
February 11, 2009, Rodney Bay
Today Leif proves that he is a true friend. We have to replace the 3 way valve that directs the effluent from the head either overboard or into the holding tank as well as most of the old hoses that make up the “sewage management system”. Although we flush the holding tank several times with fresh water it is still a hot, smelly, disagreeable job that takes most of the day. Not to be outdone, Lars pulls the anchor chain out of the chain locker and scrubs it down to get rid of the mud from le Marin. He found it to be overly fragrant during the night, as he is sleeping forward adjacent to the chain locker. We go ashore to Bosun’s for dinner. Leif and Lars are disappointed in their mahi mahi, but Larry’s ribs and fries are OK. We return to the boat for nightcaps and a spirited political discussion. Larry thinks that Lars is somewhat to the right of Attila the Hun, and Lars is convinced that Larry is well to the left of Karl Marx. Leif referees. We manage to go to bed still friends, but at times it is a near thing.
February 12, 2009, Rodney Bay
Leif and Lars above Castries Harbor
Castries Harbor
Drying manioc to make cassava bread
Soufriere and the Pitons
Today we engage Floyd, a local taxi driver, to take us on a tour of the island. We stop for photo opportunities at the governor’s mansion in Castries and at Marigot Bay. We stop to sample bread made from manioc (cassava) as the Indians used to make and find it surprisingly good. We talk to a local who offers to let us take photos with his pet boa constrictor, which we politely decline. We tour the botanical garden and visit the sulphurous national park at “the world’s only dive in volcano”. Floyd takes us to a small restaurant in Soufriere that we would normally never find, and we enjoy rotis, a traditional west Indian wrap type sandwich of curried meat and potatoes introduced by immigrants from India. Back at the marina, we hear that things continue to get worse on the French islands, and we are worried that, with no fuel available, they (Leif and Lars) will not be able to get to the airport from the harbor and Elisabeth and the Swansons won’t be able to get to the harbor from the airport. We begin an email exchange with a skeptical Elisabeth about changing travel plans.
February 13, 2009, Rodney Bay
Leif and Lars at their favorite bar in Gros Ilet
February 13, 2009, Rodney Bay
Leif and Lars at their favorite bar in Gros IletLarry refers Elisabeth to a cruisers’ forum on the Internet that convinces Elisabeth that the situation in Martinique is serious. She arranges to change Leif’s and Lars’ flights to St. Lucia , and starts working on changing hers. We decide to go for a walk, and go into Gros Islet where they are setting up for their big Friday night street party. The beach here is not inviting. Leif sees an attractive looking hotel up te beach a ways. We get a taxi to take us there. Iit is a Sandals resort. We go to the beach bar for a beer and find that they don’t take cash. It is an “all inclusive” place, so you have to have a little pink bracelet to be served. Leif is still thirsty, so he finds a marketing person and says we want to consider booking rooms for next year. She serves us beer while we listen to her sales pitch. We return to the marina much refreshed, having left vague promises about spending valentine’s day their next year. Leif marinates chicken thighs and legs for dinner. We grill them and serve with salad and sautéed potatoes and onions. Wonderful!
February 14, 2009, Rodney Bay
Leif and Lars decide that they want to go to the beach today. Beach is not Larry’s thing, but he goes along to be sociable. While Leif and Lars go swimming, Larry walks down the beach beyond the resort area . he finds the local fishermen pulling in their nets that they had laid in a big semicircle from the beach this morning. As they pull in the nets they are enthusiastically assisted by a couple of tourists. Two of the fishermen swim around the outer perimeter of the nets to make sure they remain effectively supported by buoys. We cannot see what has been caught until the net is almost completely on shore, but eventually it includes a large moray eel, a puffer fish, a mackerel, 2 rays, a sizeable turtle and about a hundred smaller fish of indeterminate type. The tourists who are gathered to watch immediately set up a cry to release the turtle, and one of the bolder ones frees the turtle from the net and releases it to the bay, accompanied by cheers from the onlookers. The fishermen do not object, and we suspect that they would have released the turtle anyway, but the tourists feel that they have performed a noble deed. We return to the boat and once again Leif performs magic in the galley – marinated grilled pork chops. We go ashore for ice cream for dessert.
February 15, 2009, Rodney bay
Leif, Larry and Lars at the Charthouse
February 14, 2009, Rodney Bay
Leif and Lars decide that they want to go to the beach today. Beach is not Larry’s thing, but he goes along to be sociable. While Leif and Lars go swimming, Larry walks down the beach beyond the resort area . he finds the local fishermen pulling in their nets that they had laid in a big semicircle from the beach this morning. As they pull in the nets they are enthusiastically assisted by a couple of tourists. Two of the fishermen swim around the outer perimeter of the nets to make sure they remain effectively supported by buoys. We cannot see what has been caught until the net is almost completely on shore, but eventually it includes a large moray eel, a puffer fish, a mackerel, 2 rays, a sizeable turtle and about a hundred smaller fish of indeterminate type. The tourists who are gathered to watch immediately set up a cry to release the turtle, and one of the bolder ones frees the turtle from the net and releases it to the bay, accompanied by cheers from the onlookers. The fishermen do not object, and we suspect that they would have released the turtle anyway, but the tourists feel that they have performed a noble deed. We return to the boat and once again Leif performs magic in the galley – marinated grilled pork chops. We go ashore for ice cream for dessert.
February 15, 2009, Rodney bay
Leif, Larry and Lars at the CharthouseThe girls at the ice cream shop for Lars
Larry goes to customs to sort out our plans as Leif and Lars will depart from St. Lucia instead of returning to Martinique with the boat. We had planned to walk to Pigeon Island, but Leif’s foot hurts after an accident on the boat yesterday, so we decide to go back to the beach. Leif and Lars take a local bus most of the way to the beach, and Larry walks to get some exercise. Larry arrives just as Leif and Lars emerge from their swim. We repair to the bar at the Rex Resort for some much needed beers. We then tour the local restaurants to select one for dinner, then return to the boat. It is Leif’s and Lars’ last night, so Larry makes pina coladas, then we go to the Plantation House, our selected restaurant. We are startled to see that only one table is occupied. That makes us suspicious, so we switch to the Chart House, which has been recommended by Rickard, a Swedish sailor we have met at the marina. F=Good choice! We get ice cream for dessert at Elena’s, then taxi back to the boat. A great last evening.
February 16, 2009, Rodney Bay
It is a rainy morning. We have a leisurely breakfast at Scuttlebutt’s, then Leif and Lars spend the rest of the morning getting ready to leave. Floyd picks them up for the ride to the airport at 1:00, and Larry goes to a local travel agent to try to help with Elisabeth’s travel change from Martinique to St. Lucia. The agent is singularly unhelpful, so a frustrated Larry returns to the marina and suggests that Elisabeth find a travel agent at home. Dinner is a much simpler affair when when Larry is alone. Tonight he enjoys a can of chili and a salad.
February 17, 2009, Rodney Bay
With the help of Jonathan on Phoenix Rising, the boat in the next slip, Larry manages to drill out the old throttle machine screw, and to through bolt the throttle handle to the shaft. Now he doesn’t have to use a vise grip to change engine speed. In return, Larry helps jonathan replace a through hull fitting and sea cock that had corroded immediately when a local mechanic had left a hot (electrically) wire in contact with the bronze seacock. The resulting current had completely destroyed the seacock in no time. They are able to make the change without hauling the boat – a technically intricate but economically rewarding process. Arifa invites larry to dinner, a shrimp and pasta feast after cocktails on Singoalla.
February 16, 2009, Rodney Bay
It is a rainy morning. We have a leisurely breakfast at Scuttlebutt’s, then Leif and Lars spend the rest of the morning getting ready to leave. Floyd picks them up for the ride to the airport at 1:00, and Larry goes to a local travel agent to try to help with Elisabeth’s travel change from Martinique to St. Lucia. The agent is singularly unhelpful, so a frustrated Larry returns to the marina and suggests that Elisabeth find a travel agent at home. Dinner is a much simpler affair when when Larry is alone. Tonight he enjoys a can of chili and a salad.
February 17, 2009, Rodney Bay
With the help of Jonathan on Phoenix Rising, the boat in the next slip, Larry manages to drill out the old throttle machine screw, and to through bolt the throttle handle to the shaft. Now he doesn’t have to use a vise grip to change engine speed. In return, Larry helps jonathan replace a through hull fitting and sea cock that had corroded immediately when a local mechanic had left a hot (electrically) wire in contact with the bronze seacock. The resulting current had completely destroyed the seacock in no time. They are able to make the change without hauling the boat – a technically intricate but economically rewarding process. Arifa invites larry to dinner, a shrimp and pasta feast after cocktails on Singoalla.
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