Malendure Beach anchorage is a lovely place, which we have grown to love -
everything we need is here, a beach with small lively bar/snack area and
dive shacks, a supermarket and car hire within 10mins walk, and the COUSTEAU
RESERVE of Pigeon Island, a diver's paradise.
We have seen some amazing underwater sights....it appears to be the mating
season for many fish species, in particular we see male Sargeant Majors
fiercely guarding dark-blue eggs that the female has smeared on a rock
surface and pretty blue Trunkfish mating in quite an ecstatic fashion!
Paul has also dived the Franjack wreck with Archipelago Plongee, but
afterwards had very mild decompression symptoms, so as a precaution went
back to the dive shack for a dose of oxygen - before he knew it he was on
his back in a Helicopter flying low around the coast to the main Hospital in
Pointe-a-Pitre at the centre of the Island. This meant that I, Rosie, had
to return to Barada by dinghy on my own for the night - but all was well and
early next morning I rented a car and drove across the mountains and
rainforest to pickup Paul from the Hospital. The Dr advised Paul not to dive
for a week as a safety measure. Therefore, change of plan, we hired a car
and visited the mountainous region of Basse Terre: the picturesque
waterfall 'Cascade aux Ecrevisses' in the rainforest; the Volcano Soufriere
where Paul made it to the summit at 1,467m and we enjoyed a bathe in the
natural pool of warm thermal waters on the way back down; the Chutes du
Carbet with waterfalls at 3 levels and the highest in the Carib. We also
visited coastal villages and got lost in the pretty countryside lanes; we
looked around the workings of 'Damoiseau' Rum Distillery, set amongst fields
of sugar cane, which was very interesting and flavoursome. The delightful
small Humming Birds are a joy to watch and Bananaquits, yellow and black
finchlike nectar feeders enjoy steeling the sugar from sugar bowls in Cafes.
Guadeloupe is a beautiful island, not generally frequented by the English
and not on a direct flight route from the UK (direct from Paris) but we
would thoroughly recommend it as a holiday destination with variety.
Then on Wednesday morning we awoke to an onshore swell making it difficult
to get ashore to return the hire car - a yachtie neighbour had mentioned an
approaching northerly swell up to 14-18'. We found the dinghy dock had been
dismantled and waves were crashing onto the shore and rocks, but Paul
managed to get from Tinker onto a dive boat at the end of the dive-pier and
I went back to Barada. At anchor there was just a gentle roll.
We later listened to Montserrat local radio news at 1800, which reported
that the more northerly islands had been badly affected by the northerly
swell with all ferries cancelled and locally a dinghy had not been able to
return to its yacht due to the size of the surf on the shore. The forecast
confirmed worsening conditions through to Sunday with accompanied high
winds. We had hoped to weather the swell at Malendure, but for safety
immediately decided to up-anchor and motor-sail overnight down the west
coast of Guadeloupe, around the south coast and up to the centre of the
Island to the protected southerly Harbour at Pointe-a-Pitre, the Capital.
We arrived at 1005 this morning and are now anchored near the entrance to
the Marina 'Bas du Fort' following a 15 hour journey, half of which was
against the wind and waves so very slow-going in Barada but with a nearly
full moon, which is always a bonus. We have had a sleep and the anchorage
is very calm, like a millpond though overcast and rainy.
We will add some pictures in the next day or two so watch this space. HAPPY
EASTER to you all...Paul & Rosie
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