Approaching the entrance to the marina at Rodney Bay, at the top end of St Lucia, there was a massive swell with breakers crashing onto the shore, and boats see-sawing like crazy.  This was not comfortable. and we had visions of having to anchor out in the bay, or going somewhere else   We circled a few times, then Mike sensed a lull and we went for it, peak revs and pointed at the narrow harbour entrance.  No photo of us going in (the photographer's fingers were crossed) but here is a pic of the chart, and the view back from inside the pool at the marina.  The marina was originally a lagoon, and once inside it is calm as could be. 

 

 

 

 

 

Once inside we could see some really up-to-date vessels

 

 

These sea conditions were unexpected.  Coming up from Bequia the swell was modest.  Mike reckoned that the waves hitting the shore at Bequia were up to 5 metres high.  The wisdom of the old salt had been to anchor in deep water.  Those further in were in trouble ; he saw a 45 ft ketch being knocked on its side by the breakers before righting again.   No gin and tonic could survive that.  The fact that the same level of surge was hitting St Lucia, 9 hours sail away, suggests quite a big disturbance somewhere.  (I didn’t actually witness the Bequia surge at daybreak because  I was undergoing eyelid therapy, which was completely successful)

 

We have not get ashore on St Lucia as yet.  It is a hilly and heavily wooded island, very attractive from the sea, but with a couple of scars that we saw.  First a monster floating block of flats completely dominating a little bay further south.  Second some tacky developments, maybe designed by the bloke who was thrown out of Spain for screwing up the Costs Brava.

 

More on St Lucia when there is more to say.  Thanks for reading, and while I am am at it :  fondest love and best wishes to the rest of last year’s crew – Charlie, Aileigh, Gabriel and Joshua.

 

(PS Last night’s band on Bequia was Mice in Chaos, and we met a guy who had dreads down to his calves; he had to loop them over his arm).  There is always fun stuff happening in the West Indies