15:52.38N 061:35.08W

Friday, 16 March 0810

 

Monday, 12 March spent in Deshaies.  Pretty and miniature town.  All the necessary shops and administrative stuff, plus tourist restaurants and boutiques.  After check-in formalities, at the Pelican boutique, we relax a bit, have creole lunch ashore for EUR17 each.  Struggle with wifi.#

 

Tuesday and Wednesday, 13-14 March.  Morning spent in Deshaies with another nice lunch ashore for EUR19 – this one included an aperatif – punch or planters!

In the afternoon we set off for Pigeon Island (Ilet a Goyave) and the Jacques Cousteau National Park.  Pigeon Island did not offer good anchorage but on the “mainland” we found a spot after some trials and tribulations trying to get the anchor to set in one or two places.  This was a good move, since the breeze got up in the night and we were thankful to be secure.  Next morning we find that we are in a turtle garden.  Go snorkelling.  Lovely coral and fishes and turtles.  Spend time to rearrange stores in preparation for Wellesley visit and make the forward cabin available.  Evening sundowners seem to be getting to us as we start to interpret cloud formations.  Here’s one of the bunny and the big fish above it!

 

 

Thursday, 15 March.  Early start. Motor south past Basse Terre to Vieux Fort, on the very southern tip of Guadeloupe.  Anchor in tiny harbour of Anse Dupuis and go ashore.  Another excellent creole lunch with view over the straights to  Les Saintes (see picture).  It looks too rough for us.  Buy some fresh fish off the back of a pickup from fisherman celebrating Mi-careme.  All good fun and very friendly.  We can’t stay where we are because we are getting mixed up in the laid moorings, so go a short distance back and anchor.

 

 

Friday and Sat, 16-17 March.  Another early start.  Motor sail to Les Saintes and pick up a mooring in the Bourg des Saintes.  Lovely spot, surrounded (almost) with shelter and everything we need ashore as well as internet afloat.  We spend two nights on our mooring here.  It’s only EUR11 per night and they will deliver bread and croissants in the morning!  Love’n it.  We stay her two nights.