Diamond Rock

Ile Jeudi
Bob and Lin Griffiths
Thu 10 Apr 2014 20:00
14:26.51N  61:04.94W
 
Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 April 2014
 
We have heard a lot of negative comment about Le Marin but our experience has been mainly positive.  We have loved the basic eating such as moules frites and galettes as well as fine dining at two restaurants, the good internet and aircon at ‘Le Mayday’, the laundry with hot water, easy access to a fresh food market and to 3 supermarkets, fabulous chandelries and easy garbage disposal.  We have not loved the coffee, the smoking and the smelly water near the Leaderprice dinghy dock.
 
On Tuesday we did various jobs around the boat and on Wednesday upped anchor in Le Marin, topped up the diesel tanks and motored around to the anchorage in St Anne.  We went ashore to the post office and had an average lunch ashore and lazed around during the afternoon.
 
Wednesday 10 April 2014
 
Distance Run 15 nm
 
On Wednesday morning and we set sail west along the south coast of Martinique towards Diamond Rock which marks the southwest turning point before sailing north towards Grande Anse Bay on the west coast. 
 
In the distance is Diamond Rock just off ‘mainland’ Martinique where we passed between the two:-
 
m_Diamond Rock
 
 
 
Anyone who has been on a cruise in the area has probably been told this;  In 1804 Britain had naval control of the Caribbean but did not have enough ships to defend her interests.  Diamond Rock is situated about where the navy would station a vessel so the rock was commissioned as a ship.  A full crew of men was stationed at ‘HMS Diamond Rock’ and they were tasked with climbing the 570 ft high rock and bringing up enough cannon, ammunition and stores to support the crew.  French ships were greeted with a surprise as they approached Martinique and the island was defended this way for a year or two.  Napoleon was a touch miffed (Empress Josephine was born in Martinique) and he ordered ships to sail from France to free the rock and take naval control of the area.  Horatio Nelson fancied a bit of the action and set off from England in pursuit but sailed to Trinidad based on duff information.  The French Admiral Villeneuve succeeded in liberating the rock but had avoided the English fleet and returned to France having not taken control of the area.
 
Villeneuve was ordered to report to Napoleon in disgrace and chose death rather than dishonour and put to sea again to fight Nelson at Trafalgar where Nelson died and Villeneuve survived!
 
 
 
Closer to the rock.  The boat in front is a 38ft catamaran with a mast about 50ft high.  How did they get cannon and supplies up there!
 
m_Diamond Rock-004
 
 
 
Another view with the rock now in our wake as we sail north:-
 
m_Diamond Rock-009