Malua is at 14:04.79N 60:57.50 in Rodney Bay on St Lucia on 8/1/2013

We left Marigot Bay after going into the inner lagoon to fill with water and diesel. Our last fill was in the Canaries.  I calculated that Malua uses 1.75 litres per hour travelling at about 6 knots.  That is not bad. 

The weather forecast was for winds in excess of 20 knots with gusts above 25 knots so we knew that we would be in for some wind however we chose to keep relatively close to the shore to avoid the swell which would come round the northern part of the island.

I put one reef in the main and just unrolled the blade staysail and we headed out into the wind.  The sea was calm and soon Malua was beating into the wind at more than 6.5 knots.  We were going like a train.  The trip is only seven miles at about 040 bearing.  We steamed north but could not make the east side of the bay and started to get the heavy swell coming round the headland so I put in a tack towards the shore and the calmer water.

Before we knew it we were in the shelter of the bay, so down came the sails and we motored up into the bay to drop the anchor to the west of the entrance to the marina.  The chain did not sound good as it went down so I dived on the anchor.  It was hooked on a rocky ledge and the chain lay over a patch of rock and shale.  Malua was in fact sitting on top of a large rock only a meter or so below the keel.  It was time to move.  Up anchor and move east towards the beach and hopefully sand.  The wind was still blowing more than 20 knots.

Down went the anchor and we went astern to pull it in and it held first time.  Good swing room and few yachts within range to be of any worry.  Off to the flesh pots of Rodney Bay.

A magical moment on Malua