15:52.944N 61:19.317W
SV Eleonora
Michael A. Andronov
Mon 15 Jan 2018 10:35
Arrived here at about 1030, after sailing from St. Louis. The plan — to check-out for Antigua. ( Grand-Bourg is marked as a port of entry ).
Experienced some technical glitches:
— on leaving St. Louis — the main engine refused to start… ( May be it was a bit too early in the morning ?! ;-)). So, St. Louis anchorage has been left under the sails, and anchoring at Grand-Bourg has been done under the sail… The positive moments — some techniques have been practiced….
— on leaving Grand-Bourg, as I was nearly ready to raise the dinghy motor, the plastic clip on the motor harness snapped… A few more seconds… and the motor would be under the water…. Yes, I’m attaching the security lines as I’m raising it… but salty bath for the motor… I’ve dealt with that once… I think it is enough…
Otherwise, Grand-Bourg is a nice small place. Really small — on islands scale — but at the same time, bigger then St. Louis. A town of fishermen and tourists…
Tiny small harbour, full of fishermen boats… The fish market on shore… where fresh catch is sold as fishmen arrive…
A few colonial style buildings, new building construction under way…
A feeling of France everywhere… small cafés, friendly people…
And… we failed to check out… It is true that Grand-Bourg is city of entry. But the custom officer seems to be the only Government official on the island, and it seems that he ( or she?) considers the island his/her small kingdom… Probably that explains why the officer is working when he feels so… And, frankly, who is going to work in that paradise? Especially, if you are paid by the government anyway…
All attempts to contact the custom by phone — failed… The tourism office — who runs ‘diplomatic relations in Grand-Bourg kingdom’ - apologies for inconvenience, the local people — laughed… and we left to Guadeloupe with the hope to be not late to check out in Base-Tiere…