Clarkes Court Bay - voyage 1!

Stargazer of Southampton
Susie and Adam (both think they are skipper)
Sat 26 Nov 2011 15:44
25:11:11, 12:00.39N 61:44.19W

It's great to have the boat back in the water again, we did an epic 5 mile voyage around the corner the other afternoon to Clarke's Court Bay - we had to get out of where we were - Adam had been there two weeks and because it is at the SE of the island it gets all the rain and all the biting things.. . .  The noise of the jungle is lovely, the occupants are not so lovely.

We spent the first night on the mooring off the boat yard attached to a mooring buoy - I forgot why we hate them! - we hate them because the boat doesn't like to sit a metre or two away . . . no matter how long you tie the line the boat likes to sail right up to the buoy so that you hear it thumping against the side of the hull, .  I say this is because our keel is so fine. . .turning the wheel makes no difference

So Thursday afternoon we ventured back out into the sea proper - the wind here is actually really calm at the moment so nice for a little trip around to Clarkes Court, this is a really deeply inset and huge bay. In the bay there are a few islands and it's almost like a large lake with reefs protecting from the sea.  We anchored and all was peaceful and still, no bashing.   This bay was where the rum trading ships used to dock - I hoped they may have dropped a few super aged barrels over the side but unfortunately it isn't clear enough to see.

This is Woburn - the little village at the end of Clarke's court Bay


We bought a load of fruit from a lady who has a fruit van that travels around the island - last year we never bought grapefruit as we thought that they looked a bit ropey.  In the UK Grapefruit are perfect spheres of yellow. . . although I don't like them unless I eat them with tons of sugar.  In the Caribbean Grapefruit are slightly mishapen spheres, varying in colour from green, brown to yellowish green.  They are huge and the skins are about half an inch thick.  BUT - they are lovely - easy to peel and needing no sugar and all grown on the island. 

The other fruit we have discovered is Soursop - I thought that this sounded more like an insult than a fruit - however, we bought some Soursop cordial and it the best - like slightly sour pear. Yum. So now we're in search of fresh soursop.

Went in the dinghy to Phare Bleu Bay behind an island - Adam has repainted the outboard so it's looking good  (he didn't go for Red/Yellow/Green - just grey - maybe more caribbean colours next year!) As there is a customs office there and we wanted to try and renew our cruising permit.  There is a v pretty little marina there and a little wooden customs hut.  The guy arrived and it was a bit like being in 'death in paradise' on the telly - super smart customs uniform. .  but he wasn't bothered about us getting a permit, he said we can get one when we leave.. then he wanted to chat about why our boat was called Stargazer. . .  and if we were particularly scientific people having a name like this - I don't think he see's many folk in his office over the summer. . 

Here's Adam waiting for customs  to open at the dock watching the fish from the bridge.

We're now back in Port Louis in the Marina getting stocked up with food, water, fuel and finishing off getting the boat clean and tidy

Himself relaxing in the shade at Clarkes Court Bay