Blog 2.3

Out~Rageous
Derek & Lynn Giles
Sat 30 Jan 2016 20:19
 
So we finally managed to extract ourselves from St Lucia, and headed toward Dominica for a long overdue reunion.
Although Dominica was the island where Lynn fell, it remains our favourite from last year’s trip.
 
We were greeted by Andrew who helped me together with his partner Mait sail Out-Rageous from Dominica to Trinidad at the end of last season.
After helping us hook onto a mooring buoy, Andrew was quickly aboard and catching up with all the news over a few beers.
Later that night we were invited up to Andrew and Mait’s house for supper, a few more beers and stuff!
 
Living on an Island like Dominica can have its draw backs, for instance one supermarket that regularly runs out of the basic commodities until the next ship arrives, Amazon does not deliver!
One of the things that Andrew asked for last year was a good set of oilies as it tends to rain quite a lot. 
Unfortunately whilst we were on Dominica, Mait whilst walking her dog was attacked by another dog which resulted in a bad injury to her leg requiring many stiches; so for the remainder of our stay
we helped her recover; including visits to to the hospital where nine months ago Lynn was a patient.
 
It was with sad hearts that we said goodbye to Andrew and Mait and Dominica with promises to return next year and hopefully sail together.
We headed North to explore new islands; our next stop was the French Island of Guadeloupe.
Just below Guadeloupe is a small chain of islands called Isles Des Saintes. This was where in 1782 the British fleet gave the French a thorough rogering and the French bless em, have dedicated a room on the island describing how the dastardly English tricked the French by using ungentlemanly tactics like using real guns filled with gun powder and shot; however there is no getting away from it, they were rogered fair and square.
 
Isles Des Saintes, Martinique and Guadeloupe are so different from the other Caribbean Islands. First off, they are full of retired French. You could be in the Mediterranean. There is a noticeable fact that the Caribbean people are in the minority, all the businesses are run by French, they are unfriendly and are just another part of France and are totally dependant on France and partially funded by EU money!
All the other Islands that we have visited have character and are unique, they may not be so developed but they are vibrant, there is always music playing so different.
So we loaded up with wine and had a few decent meals ashore and moved on as you do!
 
It was whilst we were in the Isles Des Saintes that we met up with Dave and Soi on Easy Rider. We had crossed with them on the ARC last year and it was good to see friendly faces whilst on the French Islands.
We have had some good times with them and I feel there are plenty more to come!
 
Our next destination was I guess a goal achieved for us, Falmouth in Cornwall to Falmouth in Antigua. I often wonder where all the Super yachts that visited Falmouth in the summer went for the winter. Now I know. There were many familiar names amongst at least fifty others. It was mega yacht city. It never ceases to amaze me what size and what shape super yachts can take when money is not a limitation.
We visited Nelsons Dock Yard where the British West Indies fleet was based from 1704 – 1889.
We are still Antigua and are currently in Jolly Harbour awaiting our next guests, Dale and Sue.
 
 
Although we like Antigua we are both worried that we have left the true Caribbean Islands behind us as the French appear to have been to a lesser extent replaced by Americans!
Me I prefer the Americans.
 
One last thing, its official coming from my mate, the sailing weather this year has been a vast improvement over last year, we have had some cracking sails and Out-Rageous bless her has been doing us proud.
 
 
Derek and Lynn