Guadeloupe
Simanderal
Michael Hughes and Ger White
Sat 2 Feb 2008 12:26
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We left The Saintes for Guadeloupe on 31st--a short
hop, only exposed to the Atlantic for about an hour--and really no swell to
speak of. Sailing started off nicely on a beam reach in 10 to 15 knots of
wind--and of course glorious sunshine, but we're beginning to take that for
granted. But when we closed Guadeloupe the wind died away and started coming
from every direction in the 360--I understand the effects of mountainous islands
but this seemed a bit extreme!! So on with the iron sail--and I reflected that
this was the first time we had used the engine for passage making as opposed to
mooring since we arrived in the Caribbean--indeed apart from 4 hours since we
left Las Palmas!!
However within the hour we had a decent sailing
wind back--albeit on the nose for virtually the first time since Las Palmas--and
as we beat into it, the wind and seas increased on the nose, so we decided
to call it a day around lunchtime and anchored in Anse a la Barque--a nice
little bay, with good holding--indeed would be a stunning bay if not for the
main road that runs round it. It was a good call--some good snorkelling in the
bay, and a quiet night--apart from the road there was nothing
ashore.
On Friday we headed up to Deshaies, a nice quiet
sail until the wind was up again on the nose for the last 5 miles--so we beat
into it for a bit and motored the last couple of miles. We are anchored
again in a well sheltered bay with good holding--but this time surrounded by
civilisation, restuarants, shops etc. And here we will stay for a few days
before heading for Antigua--it's a good place from which to see some of
Guadeloupe.
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