Saufriere

The Travels of Running Tide
Mick Norman
Sun 17 Mar 2013 22:50
We decided to stay in Cumberland Bay one more day. Its so nice here even if half of St Vincent agreed and turned up last night. We were inundated with catamarans full of French. Not that we have anything against noisy French.
 
Norm and I managed to secure a guide to lead us up the local volcano Saufriere. We walked to the crater rim 706m height from Richmond Beach through rain forest and  collection of small holdings. Some of the higher ones specialised in marijuana it appears.  It was a slog in the heat and humidity the track wasn’t exactly well kept. I think Norm will never forgive me for dragging him up there. The view over the crater rim revealed a dry lake bed and fuming central mound. On the rim it was wet, windy and a bit chilly.
 
Along Richmond Beach we were picked up by plain clothes police. It was suspected someone had tipped them off that foreigners were up in the marijuana belt. It was all very pleasant, but I was slightly worried as we had logged out of St Vincent when were in Bequia and should have been out of the country 36 hours ago.
 
Pat took the easy option and was searching for exotic fruits in the jungle and looking at water falls.
 
Richmond Black Sand Beach with Soufriere in the background.
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In the Forest
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John our Guide
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At the Rim Looking into the Crater
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Getting Back aboard RT
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