14:28.05N 60:52.00W

4 March 2012

Marigot Bay is a great place to just sit and relax.  Little wind, no waves or swells, great resort that allows use of some of the facilities, nice people, great immigration staff, nice taxi drivers, what else can I say.  It just sort of creeps up on you and then you are caught.  The marina staff is great, helpful, courteous, and gets to know your name in a matter of seconds.  They really go out of their way to make sure everything is fine.  Even when they are “ stressed” they are pleasant.

This is also one of the few places in the Caribbean that has black water pumpouts (toilet water).

So eventually time requires that we make progress.  Maybe Higgs boson causes use to move (check your sub atomic physics).  So after a very pleasant stay heading north is a calling.  The trip north is short but open to the full force of the trades.  Heading out of the bay we set a reefed mainsail and about ½ genoa.  Along the coast the winds are affected by the hills and can be variable.  Once we cleared the headlands the winds took a steady direction.  With the initial winds our heading was almost due north and our boat speed was 8-9 knots with minimal sails.  I even reefed the genoa further to keep the gunwale from being totally submerged.  It looked like bath towels for sails but the speed was great in the 30 knot winds and 3 meter seas.  In fact as we kept going the seas were breaking over the bow with great regularity and the dodger (sprayhood) was working overtime.  In fact this was the most water we have taken on deck since maybe Bay of Biscay when we bought the boat.  Things that never broke free below were now all over the floor.  However with the sails set the rhythm was not bad but a few times we could see the huge wave and knew the boat was going to be heeled over enough to cause the basil plant to fall over (a sure indicator of rough seas). 

About half wave across the channel to Martinique the current was so strong that we were heading west of the island even though the heading was almost east.  It became obvious that continuing on this path was going to be an issue so we use the modern technology of a diesel engine and forced our way toward the destination.  Now the seas were almost head on and great surges of salt water over the deck was normal.  Eventually were powered our way into the protection of the island and entered the natural harbor.  From the entrance to the marina it is almost 2 miles but it is well marked.  This being a French island they treat it as part of Europe and spend money on many things including navigation markers.

Once close to the marina we hailed them and they responded and showed us our berth.  We had pre-arranged the berth through a agent so everything was great.  Tie up in typical Med mooring style without issue in the 25 knot winds on our beam.  Years of Med mooring pays off.

So we are now in Martinique at the southern marina called Yacht Harbour Marina.  Huge place with over 600 boats. 

Now we will have a few weeks to explore the island and re-learn out French phrases and attitude.

A 226 foot boat entering the marina for its berth.  Not a hair width of room to get in but the Captains of these beasts can maneuver them into the tightest places if needed.  That is an older Wally sailboat next to its stern.