18.05.523n 65.28.419w

One local described this island as the 'Wild West'. At weekends young men ride horses up and down the streets. There are no pavements, so it's best to stay out of the way. They trot the beautiful but wild looking horses fast all the time and lean back, riding the Romany way.

Music is everywhere at one volume only – loud enough to hurt your ears as the cars and trucks go by, or the motorbike, or the pedestrian, pulling an enormous speaker on a trolley!

We picked up a mooring buoy, but should have anchored. There was a hint that you were more likely to get robbed if anchored. The island has a lot of petty crime and that no-one reports it as the police are not trusted to do anything. Local printed advice includes locking all doors and windows, even 2^nd floor (U.S. speak) and not to walk on beaches on your own at night. The island sounds terrible, but has relaxed bars, great snorkelling and we stayed at Esperenza for 3 days. On the last day Caroline was snorkelling next to the boat watching large eagle and sting rays.

We then spent two very tranquil days and nights in a large, but empty hurricane hole at Ensenada Honda waiting for the wind to reduce so we could continue to St Croix.

A nudibranch

The beach next to our anchorage