15:52.42N 61:33.85W

27 March 2012

With the rolling seas coming into the anchorage I was really ready to get away.  So I woke Pat up early and said time to go.  Just plain tired at being slapped around (Humphrey Bogart :  You will take you slaps and like them – To have and Have Not).

So we released from the mooring and immediately had issues with the  electrics.  However since I was not wanting to stay in this harbor one minute longer we headed north under motor power as the wind was useless.  It turns out that the key was turned off on the ignition and all the gauges do not operate properly when that happens.  Easy fix but in the early morning not so obvious.

So we motored 38 miles up to the southern islands of Guadeloupe called the Saints.  These are a group of three islands that provide a natural secure anchorage in the middle.  With the winds from the northeast we chose Cabrit as the place to anchor just south of.  As we entered the area it turns out they have placed several substantial moorings.  This is a great idea.  Anchoring is fine but it destroys the coral formations and sea grass as the chain drags around.  These mooring were designed by an enthusiastic engineer so they are well founded.

Turned out to be a great place with good protection from the winds over the next several days.

So the trip was 38 miles in calm seas.  It took 5 ½ hours to complete.  The mooring buoys have a large metal rings to which it is easy to attach a line and at a height reachable from the boat.  However, it is prudent to secure the mooring ring up against the bow roller to prevent the metal ring from slapping against the hull during the night.  Not everyone realized that and you could hear the metal banging against the fiberglass hull during the night.  Not brilliant on our part as I read a blog before mentioning the issue.

So we arrived safely and had a good night sleep with a safe and secure mooring.