Moorglade's Voyage - Waves, mooring wars and trees

Waves, mooring wars and trees

Moorglade's Voyage

Ted Wilson

Tue 1 Feb 2011 00:53

Our position is 15:17.25N 61:22.62W

We did leave Martinique on Sunday, but not exactly at first light. The first part of the trip across the Rade de St Pierre to Pointe la Mare was a cracking reach under full sail, where Moorglade proved the equal of a catamaran leaving at the same time and was touching 7.5 knots. However once round the headland and still off the NE coat of Martinique the wind died away to virtually nothing in the shadow of Mt Pelee. Much frustration followed but eventually we made it out into the Dominica-Martinique Channel where the wind was a steady 15-20 kn ENE. This made for quite an uncomfortable close fetch, with 2 reefs in the main, and the waves coming across the boat and quite a few breaking into the cockpit. We didn't stay wet for long as the sun was hot, but we ended up pretty salt encrusted. After 3 hours we were pleased to be in the lee of Scotts Head at the SW corner of Dominica where the sea was a lot calmer and the winds much lighter. In fact we had to motor to lay the course to the Roseau anchorage.

About 3 miles out we were approached by a boat at full speed. Pancho was gloating that he had beaten the other boat boy because his engine was bigger. He asked if we wanted a buoy and when we said yes razzed off at top speed and vanished. The slower boat then arrived, stated he was Sea Cat's representative, Jason, and offered us a free buoy, which he accompanied us to at a speed we were able to achieve. When we arrived at the free buoy (sited about as far as it was possible to get from the town) Pancho reappeared and an almighty slanging match ensued where they both accused each other of lying and Pancho stated that the buoy was not available as a boat had only vacated it temporarily and Jason wasn't from Sea Cat in any case. I went below to radio Sea Cat and see if I could get some truth out of someone but no-one answered. (It later transpired that Jason had the Sea Cat radio but had left it on charge) While I was below Pancho charged off again at full speed (I think he spotted some more lucrative fish to fry) and Ted established that the buoy in question was some sort of community buoy and that we could have a proper Sea Cat buoy, nearer the town for $10. Pancho responded to my radio calls to Sea Cat and stated that he was withdrawing from the fray and going to tow someone in with engine failure. Much later, after we were safely moored up, he stopped by to apologise for the fracas. Jason in the mean time had claimed to be sueing Pancho for some injury he had suffered when Pancho drove his boat over him! We enjoyed the sunset, but still didn't see the elusive green flash.

We awoke early the next morning (but not as early as we should have owing to my phone resetting its time zone in the night) and headed in to clear customs. A painless process as we had given advance notice on the internet using the e-sea clearance available in some of the islands. We had expressed interest in doing a trip with Sea Cat and no sooner were we back from Customs than he was raring to go. After a brief detour to drop his mother off at hospital for some therapy on her back we were off to see if the aerial tramway was open. In the book it says it only opens on cruise ship days but then it's really crowded. There was one small cruise ship tied up to the dock so I was a bit hopeful and sure enough, when we got there not only was it running, but there was hardly anyone there. We had a gondola intended for eight (and Pearl our guide) all to ourselves. The tramway runs through a dense rain forest. One direction is taken relatively low down and the return is at tree top height. At the halfway stage you get out and walk through the trees and over a bridge suspended over a deep river gorge. It was a fascinating experience to be up amongst the trees with only the sound of birdsong. The slight disppointment was that for all the birdsong, sightings of the birds were very few as they are very elusive.

Back on the ground it was off to Titou Gorge to swim up to a waterfall (or in our case nearly to a waterfall, as the force of the current was more than even Ted could swim against). The site was somwhat unscenically situated near to some of the workings connected to the hydro electric scheme, but the gorge was natural and the water not as cold as I had feared. By then we were feeling hungry so we were taken to a roadside cafe where we ate curried goat while overlooking a waterfall and trying to photograph a humming bird feeding on a tree just beside the window. The curried goat was accompanied by undressed coleslaw and what the lady in charge called 'provisions' which turned out to be large pieces of breadfruit, yam, sweet potato and plantain. It was all delicious.

After lunch we were off to Trafalgar Falls. No fears about swimming after eating - we clambered over the rocks to the pool at the bottom of the waterfall and had yet another unsuccessful attempt to swim up to the bottom of the fall or even behind it. The force of the water was immense. After the cold waterfall swim it was a real luxury to relax in the hot springs - hotter than any shower we've managed on the boat - and an interesting pink colour. Again we had all this to ourselves although quite a big party of French people turned up as we were leaving.

By then Sea Cat reckoned he was on overtime but he still took us to see the sulphur pools and demonstrated the heat that lies just below the surface by heating up a stick and a leaf. He claimed the island was thinking about tapping the geothermic energy rather than just relying on hydro electric power, and it certainly seemed a waste not to. There was just time to drive through the botanical gardens and up to a view point above the city and then it was back to the boat to fit the mosquito nets and hope it won't be too rolly tonight.