Fast sailing, whales, turtles and guests.

Oriole
Sun 22 Mar 2009 15:09
Admiralty Bay, Bequia  13:00.645N  61:14.430W

On Monday morning the anchor was on deck by 0600 and from St Anne, Martinique we had a broad reach down the windward east coast of St Lucia.  There was an enormous swell running with some impressive breaking seas and we had another roller-coaster ride.  It always amazes us when we see small open fishing boats with one outboard motor in these conditions - a tough life even in these temparatures. 
 
 
Just occasionally we get the chance to run dead down wind.
 
As we sped on the wildlife showed itself and we had a visit from a small pod of Humpback Whales which were breaching close by and then a Giant Leatherback Turtle.  We see whales regularly but not frequently but this is the first time we have seen a Giant Leatherback at sea although we have seen them coming ashore in Trinidad to lay their eggs - a wonderful sight.
 
 
Sunset from Vieux Fort.
 
We tucked into Vieux Fort close to the airport on the southern tip of St Lucia.  Tuesday dawned as a totally different day with heavy overcast and then a procession of black squalls which bore down on us with heavy rain and peaks in the wind speed and troughs in the visibility as we headed for St Vincent and Bequia.  We were on an exact reciprocal course with a container ship making for Vieux Fort but our AIS (Automatic Identification System)  gave us its name and we were able to call it on the radio and satisfy ourselves that it had seen us and would pass clear.  This system will identify a ship up to 60 miles away giving its name, position, course, speed and the closest position that it will approach us (CPA).  When the CPA gets to a few yards the alarm bells ring!!!
 
The new crew take shore leave on Bequia.
 
We met Dudley and Lorna off their little twin engined flight from Barbados having started from Cape Town 36 hours before.  They were surprisingly chirpy and we have been quietly doing Bequia with them and are planning a tour of St Vincent by road tomorrow before heading south for the Grenadines and some reef snorkling, walking and hopefully some quiet anchorages and some reasonably priced lobsters.  Darrell and Alison Marshall are here having their annual trip from Noss Mayo to Bequia and we joined them for rotis at the Green Boley - the nearest thing to Cornish pasties available here.