Marigot Bay
Ile Jeudi
Bob and Lin Griffiths
Tue 16 Apr 2013 21:33
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13:57.98N 61:01.45W
Distance Run 9 nm
Monday 15 to Tuesday 16 April 2013
We set off late morning under genoa only for a
gentle sail south along the west coast of St Lucia, past the capital Castries,
to picturesque Marigot Bay. The island certainly looks very impressive
when viewed from the sea. Lots of hills and mountains covered in lush
foliage and houses clinging to the hillsides.
Marigot Bay is surrounded by mangroves and is well
known as a sheltered hurricane hole. There is a long narrow approach
leading to the inner bay behind a sand spit lined with palm trees. A hotel
in the outer part is where the film Dr Doolittle was filmed in the late
60's.
'Doolittles' on the hillside:-
 The sand spit lined with palms. The inner
lagoon lies behind, hidden from sight. It is said that Admiral Nelson hid
part of the English fleet from the marauding French navy behind these palms and
ordered the crew to cover the masts with palm fronds:-
 The same sand spit viewed on a sunnier day from
inside the lagoon:-
 The bay has been developed quite a lot in recent
years. There is now a 'Marina Village' and a hotel. The marina has
20 moorings in the inner lagoon and we decided to take one of these so we
could lie to what little wind there was. We had a lovely, if somewhat
expensive, meal at the 'Rainforest Hideaway' restaurant.
The Rainforest Hideaway restaurant is just about
visible at the waters edge beyond the aft of our boat moored in the centre of
the lagoon.
 A beautiful yacht came into the bay on Tuesday
afternoon, 'Rainbow' which is a 'J Class'. The J Classes raced between the
wars and were used to contest the America's Cup (all won by the US).
In the last 20 years some have been restored (Velsheda, Endeavour and
Shamrock). More recently wealthy owners have been building new J's from
original plans and racing them against other J's. This Rainbow is a new
boat built to the plans of the 1934 original.
The boat on the left is about 43 ft long!
:-
 The black hull is polished like a mirror.
Beautiful:-
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