Could it be safer at sea?
Oriole
Sat 10 Feb 2007 18:52
Isles des Saintes, Guadaloupe. 15:52.19N
61:35.05W
We bade a fond farewell to Andrew over supper on
Oriole on Monday night after which he took his cousin for a drink or
three. It is Saturday today and she is recovering well! Mirabella V
gave us another loud blast on her siren as we left on Tuesday morning and sped
across the 40 miles to Guadaloupe with Jane's expert hands on the helm for much
of the time. We do not at this stage know when we will see Andrew
again.
We have had a desire for a while to
do the walk up the river behind Deshaies Bay inspite of being warned
by a mountaineering friend that he had turned back defeated by impenetrable
jungle and roaring torrents. The guide describes the cool shady walk as being
from rock to rock up the river but did not mention the slime on the rocks making
grip with even the most suitable footware a rather hit and miss affair.
However hazardous, we did eventually make it and were rewarded by wonderful
vistas and a cooling skinny dip, but we might have been safer had we been guided
by a mountain goat and had cast iron ankles. We got away with no more that
a gashed shin (John's)
John fell into this one deliberately
but some dips were not voluntary.
On our way from Deshaies to the Saintes we passed
Maltese Falcon under sail or rather motor sailing as there was little wind in
the lee of the island - quite a sight though.
Jane has hired a scooter for the day as
a defence, we think, from being marched up a steep hill yesterday to Fort
Napoleon to admire the view on a particularly hot day.
Jane with Oriole somewhere in the
background.