April 13th 2010, 4 nights out from Rodney Bay
Slipstream Web Diary
Bill Cuthbert
Wed 14 Apr 2010 01:09
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We are having a good time of it.
Four Flights for the Price of
Two
Virgin VS035 was barely half full when we took off
from Gatwick on Friday 9th Apri;. Things were looking good as Nic stretched out
over 4 seats and tried for a quiet snooze. We landed in Barbados - yes Barbados
- which was a scheduled stop which they forget tp tll you about when you bok the
flight! Alas, in Barbaods the cargo doors would not open and we sat on the
tarmac for 2 hours whilst time ticked away for our transfer from Anitgua to St
Lucia - a route necessary to pick up Slipstream and start the route north to St
Thomas USVI.
US$20 later, via a special handshake, and we were
miraculously booked for St Lucia that evening but...via Barbados. So we flew
Gatwick-Barbados, Barbados-Antigua, Antigua-Barbados, Barbados-St Lucia all on
one day. Much plane changing and a few beers between flights enabled us to see
much of Lee Westwoods' progress on day 2 of the Masters. We all had very full
passports after three trips through customs.
Rodney Bay was were we had left it in January. So
was Slipstream. Her bottom was scrubbed and topsides groomed by "Shervon" - our
boat boy. After a g
reat nights sleep after 23 hours on the road, we
got the dails on, filled the fridge up, cleared Customs & Immigration and
left the Bay at around 1300 bound for Marigot Bay. The short 2 hour run
south was rendered very exciting by a two hour squall. Stair rods does'nt cover
it. The rain was really quite wet. Billy barfed brutally in the ensuing
swells.
Once in Marigot Bay Marina we sterned-to next to an
Oyster 62 (better than Penthouse) and made a run for the swimming pool and bar.
We enjoyed the highlights of Day 3 of the Masters whilst George (henceforth to
be known as Archegynical) had her first real Caribbean Pina Colada.
Next morning, at 06.00, Nic and Bill made a quick
getaway and we had a lovely sail north....to Rodney Bay to try to get a spare
gizmo for our starboard main winch which was behaving badly. No luck, Sunday
trading laws are not flouted in St Lucia.
We headed north again around 10.00 a.m. and had a
great roaring beam reach at 8 knts average towards Martinique. We made a
landfall around 3.00 p.m. and had our first well earned dip in the Caribbean.
After a cocktail ashore priced as if served in the Ritz in Mayfair but in fact
was in a scruffy French bistro in a derilict marina, we repared back to
Slipstream for a supper aboard. We saved the mooring fee on the buoy because the
owner's cafe had been destroyed by a cyclone a year ago - the mooring buoys were
the only relics of his passing. EUR10 saved!
We, the over-fifties, again made a quick getaway
and sailed off the mooring at 6.00 a.m. and had a magical crossing of the Fort
de France bay in Martinique. Genny only, with George at the helm, we glided over
at 2-3 knots without waking the young ones. French patisserie ashore was as good
as Paris. The ladies were prettier.
We left the anchorage under the walls of Fort Louis
in Fort de France and had a flat calm run up-island to our overnight anchorage
at St Pierre. This pretty see-side town at the north end of the island was
graced by Slipstream's presence from noon onwards and we made a great
afternoon's sport wreck hunting with snorkels. Bill and George made use of the
warm water by swimming about 1km with a shadowing dinghy beside. Billy and Henry
made use of the warm water by performing and act which, to my dying day, I will
consider impossible. A syncronised underwater movement whilst treading
water. Two such fellows to be precise. I did'nt think the heads were that
bad? Anyway, Richard Baines has been well and truly gazumped.
We had a great local meal in the restaurant
overlooking our anchored yacht. No English spoken here, payment in Euros - this
really is France.
Nic and I, once again in the rain, started things
off at 5.45 next morning and we covered the first 10 miles to tha head of
Martinique very smartly. Alas, as we hit the swells of the Dominica Passage
between the islands the wind died and we had an uncomfortable crossing. One puke
from Billster and Henry retired hurt down below. After 3/4 hours the wind picked
up and we roared on with full rig and a more steady motion. Scopoderms patches
were applied to Billy and seemed to work. Hen remained below. George read about
100 pages of her book and di some Neurology. We all got the spare spinnaker to
fly.
Our chosen night spot was Portsmouth on Prince
Rupert's Bay right on the northern tip of the island. Unbelievably idyllic and a
great sunset after 9 hours of hard graft sailing. 500cl of "fat" coke revived
Henry who then splashed around with Billy for an hour before Salade du Canard
follwed by Thai Green Curry - it was getting dark so the colour is that
suggested by the tin. All tasted good. We declined to clear in stayed onboard.
It all looked wonderful from the cockpit.
Breakages: so many! A wonky starboard main winch,
challenges with the primary oil filter, broken swimming ladder, minor issues
with unwanted guests in the flour (AGAIN but more so) but....the blog maker
works!
Off to Isles des Saintes tomorrow early for another
low mileage day.
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