Enjoyed seeing the racing Yoles (not Voles as I
called them last time - a 'racing vole' does not sound the most sleek and
fast craft) in Martinique.
We got a car for a day as well and went driving
about the southern side of the island. Martinique (with the exception
of St Martin) seems the most built up of all the islands. Last year we
stopped at quite a few places in Martinique along the coast, and the coastal
towns are often small and quaint, but once you head inland on the roads
toward Fort De France (the capital) the sheer number of cars and the number
of huge stores and drive-in McDonalds is like another place
entirely. The roads are all good for driving (as they are
part of France) - but are surprising, Traffic Jams in the Caribbean - not
expected.
We drove out to the east side as this is
somewhere we never see when we're sailing - usually you go up the west of
the islands for the sheltered anchorages. We drove out to a nature
reserve for a wander. they like their Barbeques in Martinique - in the
smaller towns you pass a road side BBQ every few miles selling whole
chickens mainly. The countryside in the south is quite low rolling
hills, some forest but as you look across it a lot of the land is
devoted to Sugar Plantations (Rum is important to Martinique) and Banana
plantations. We even saw fields (something you don't see on the
higher, steeper islands) and one valley looked pretty much like Dorset with
pastures and woodland(although warmer!). The north is more wild and
rugged and is dominated by Mt Pelee which you can see from the south
towering up above the island.
We went out to a peninsular on the east and had
a walk around the woodlands of the nature reserve there and down to the
mangroves swamps which at this time of year were almost dry with the odd
crab trundling about on the mud. The mangrove trees are interesting
though - tempting to try and walk out across the tangled roots but it could
all end in tears and exceptionally muddy clothes.
We enjoyed Marin this year - we didn't anchor
there last year and only went up once in the dingy, but this year braved the
lagoon with its reefs. There was no problem for the yacht - followed
the channel into the lagoon then found a spot between the reefs (and there
is a lot of room) and anchored in the silt. However, embarrassingly
after negotiating fine from boat to shore in the tender for several days, I
was in charge of driving one evening after dark. Bearings got
confused. . . I didn't go my 'usual route' through the boats and I managed
to ground the tender! not on a hard coral reef - but on a raised perhaps
once reef that is now covered with deep silt and turtle grass. . .. the
tender juddered as the prop hit the mud and we ploughed through it. We
could have got out and stood up, the water wouldn't have even come to our
knees. We had to raise the engine and row out with careful weight
distribution. No damage appears to have been done though, apart from
to pride.
Sailed back to St Lucia, it's a nicer
sail the other way as the wind is a bit further back and we went quick,
we've arrived back and are moored in the boatyard. Our first place on
the boatyard quay was in front of a small-ish tall ship with an enormous bow
sprit - not a lot of fun to get in, less fun to get out as there is a bar on
the quay and someone decided to come and help us. We were trying to
spring the boat out of the berth so we could get the stern out and clear of
the bowsprit before reversing (there was no room forward as it was the end
of the Quay). To do that you motor forward against a line tied to the
bow of our boat then brought right back to a bollard near the back of our
boat on the quay so the boat pivots and the stern moves out
(sometimes). Anyway - we started doing this - then the chap who had
been wanting to 'help' decided to help by removing this rope as we were mid
manouvering, add to this the fact that we were a little stuck in the
mud. We ordered him to put our rope back and with some pushing
managed to get clear, so now we're in a new space where the crane can get to
us so hope that thing go smoothly (touch wood).
Being back has also meant I can go back to the
ENT doctor here for the latest ears update. . . one ear fine, the other
ear not so good and rather badly infected, so more pills and sample of
the gunk sent off to the lab to work out if it is resistant to the latest
pills I have. A bit depressing as I hoped to be back in the water
soon, but he seems like a good doctor and so fingers crossed that it all
responds and is a lot better in a few days.
Some Pictures of Mangroves and Trees. . .
Adam on the walkway amongst the Mangroves in
Martinique (Tartane Peninsular)
Picture I forgot about from Mustique . . . but
since we were on trees and things - this tree is by a little church in
Mustique. Very odd looking tree.
More Mangroves - this time Mustique Salt
Pond
Lizard living in the mangroves
