An Interesting day! We left the Saintes at 0730 via the south channel which
is real rock dodger territory. Anita was on the helm until she decided that
the reefs were too close! Cleared them all with no trouble - mostly eyeball
stuff as they say in the trade. Four hours later we were approaching
Portsmouth and got a wrap in the main sail and around the furling gear.
Error on Johns part - trying to be too smart. Sorted it our once we got into
Portsmouth but found that the sunbrella was damaged and may have been the
original cause. Decided we would fix this in Martinique where there is
supposed to be a good sailmaker. Looked at Portsmouth and decided we didn't
like it. Headed for the fuel and water dock to find they had no fuel - but
we did get water. Committee decision was to then head as far south as we
could in the day to shorten the leg to Martinique. We reached Rouseaux, our
present location, at about 1530 and had some difficulty working out where
everything was. We were then bounced by what used to be called a bum boat
who offered us a mooring for the night. We checked his credentials and this
chap called Harrington seemed genuine. So for USD 10 we were given a mooring
adjacent to the Anchorage hotel. As he seemed like a good guy I then put
Anita in his care and sent them off to find a guide book we have been
looking for whilst I secured the boat and put up Anita's tent. That was at
three thirty and by five I was starting to wonder if I had judged Harrington
correctly. They did turn up at about 1730 and Anita has all the stories to
tell on her trip around town which she can post a little later. She did
collect a second hand version of what we were looking for and did get us
invited courtesy of Harrington to an unknown local restaurant. He is going
to pick us up in his boat at 1900.
The difference between the French Islands and the British is dramatic and to
quote a Dutchman we met in Saintes " best bypass the British Islands" - all
ex of course. The French Islands are mostly very tidy and organised and
there is no crime to speak of - The ex British Islands are poverty stricken,
untidy and bedevilled with crime. I wonder where the difference came from.
More Later.
