Pigeon Island - Guadeloupe

Stargazer of Southampton
Susie and Adam (both think they are skipper)
Sat 23 Apr 2011 01:15
22:04.11, 16:10.32N 61:46.81W
 
OK, so we're not quite in Grenada just yet. . . . got up this morning after a good sleep in Deshaies (no dragging our anchor across the bay this time) to a very hot day and an exciting 8 knots of wind. .. . .
 
We motored out and put the sails up (which was probably a bit optimistic). .  8 knots is not enough to go anywhere downwind.. . . . so we motored a bit with the aim of finding some wind. . . found none. . .  so after covering about 9 miles decided to give up for the day so we've anchored in a bay next to Pigeon Island on the West coast of Guadeloupe.  We actually did intend to go here this year hence the decision to stop since the sea around pigeon island is the Jacque Cousteau marine reserve.  With no wind it is was so hot after anchoring that we both jumped straight in to cool down as nothing else works, so we both went to do my (Susie's) job which is to go and look at the anchor to make sure it is dug in OK (OK - I say it's my 'job' but means that I get to go for a swim when Adam is usually putting sail covers on and things).  Quite impressed to see several turtles grazing on the turtle grass under the boat - we never thought we would see as many turtles here as we have done, you see them pretty much every day.
 
Got the tender out this afternoon and the dive kit and have been across to the island which is only about half a mile away from our bay and did a dive - the numbers of fish and variety really is pretty spectacular here, the reefs around the island are good for the caribbean with schools of all sorts of fish.  Most of the fish here are twice the size of those you see elsewhere  - shows what banning fishing for a couple of decades can do even in a small area.  Been for a bit of a wander about ashore but there isn't much here other than about 10 dive centres on the beach.  We're thinking of staying tomorrow then leaving tomorrow night or Sunday morning when hopefully it will be a bit more breezy.. . . . .