16:48.84N 62:12.47W Montserrat
Marestail
Sat 13 Apr 2019 15:03
March 20th. Great weather, and a lovely sail on a reach to Montserrat. We didn't quite know what to expect, as two thirds of the island are closed off since the volcanic eruption devastated the island a few years ago. However, it is a beautiful place, trying to recover some trade through tourists.
We booked a taxi tour with Reuben, who used to be a police officer for 27 years so knew the island and all the inhabitants well. He took us to a small supermarket with good internet, so Annie and Jonathan could book their flights from St Kitts. Then we wentup to Hilltop, where Dave Lea has an amazing collection of photographs he took of the eruption, and others from the press. He also collects music memorabillia including a lot from John Martin's studio on the island. a fascinating place for a coffee stop. Next was a trip to the Volcanic Observatory, which had a good film show, though it is raining and grey so the views of the actual volcano and the ruins of Plymouth were not good.
Finally we drove towards the old capital, Plymouth, and stopped at what was the best hotel on the island. It's now like a ghost place, covered in ash with a swimming pool filled to the top with rubble and plants.
After lunch, when we put on the generator we found a weld had broken on the radiator, spraying everything in the shed with salt water. Very annoying, that genarator has been nothing but trouble since it was installed.
