We have been stuck here now two weeks.  Made the mistake of thinking that with all the services for yacht repairs this would be a good place to get things repaired.  Well yes and no.  Yes there are many more services than the islands south of here.  Our boat is a French built boat so much of the equipment is available in this French island.  However, the French way of doing things is also present since they have controlled the island since the 1600’s.  Everything is like you are in France.  The roads have the same signage, cars are French, language is French, much better marine rescue than any other island, good weather forecasts, fresh bread, etc.  But also there is the complete socialist government of France.  This is treated almost like being on the continent.  They have elected officials to attend the European Parliament, medical system just like France (advanced diagnostics but poorly maintained buildings), similar educational system, and of course strikes.  Since we have been here the post office in the largest city, Fort de France went on strike, the local post office had a separate strike, and now the gas stations are on strike.

Work practices are just like France, 35 hour work week.  Nearly everything is closed on Sunday and half of Saturday.  So different than the islands to the south.  The customer is maybe not wrong like France but they are clearly not respected at many places.  Not to be to overstating this there are some very nice stores and services that go out of their way to make sure you are treated well.

In the small town that is the home to the large marina there are many stores and shops catering to boaters.  However the supermarkets are not much to marvel at.  Most are limited in selection with little fresh items like meats, poultry or even veggies.  The large Carrefour near Fort de France is a normal well stocked store but is about a 20 minute drive away.

The marina is an average place.  Huge number of berths but a strange stern to mooring method that requires the marina staff to tie the bow line to a mooring buoy, not the most effective way but they do help out.  Half the berths are sideways to the prevailing winds so some interesting antics happen daily and boats come and go.  The marina office is closed on Sundays!  They even close the toilettes during the night.  At the berths they charge for water but electricity if not metered and is free?  The locals buy regular window air conditioners and duct them into their boats in very interesting ways.  Free electricity must be a social right here.

The superyachts do not frequent the place.  Probably because there is little to see on shore near the marina and the docks are really too small except for a few spots.  Also the cost of supplies and food is right up there with Europe so it is not competitive with the other islands.  There are no “must see” places on the island to make it a place to go intentionally.  Even the international flight all go through Paris if you are headed to Europe!   It is better to take a ferry to St Lucia then fly out of there.

So we hope to be out of here this week.  The sails are out to be re-cut and repaired so we are hostage to the sailmaker.  We tried to get several other items repaired but it is complete frustration and many other on the docks have told us the same story.  Technicians promise to come but never show.  If they do show they are hours or days late.   We did  have a good navigation technician who came, identified the issue and actually came back with the item repaired. 

New shops at the marina.  These are a real improvement to the place.

Small church at top of hill in town

Above ground cemetery.  During the funeral they play the slow blues music just like New Orleans.

Typical French flagged live aboard at the marina.  There must be fifty of these derelicts that have people living aboard.

Maintenance on the charter boats has this innovated method to avoid hauling out.  With so many bareboat chaterters crashing into rocks and coral the balloon is used every day.  Simple and effective using just a household vacuum cleaner to inflate the bag.  They must be changing a propeller per day and in some situations replacing the entire sail drive.