Easter Sunday, 23rd March, at Anse du Colombier, St Barthelemy
Spellbinder
Sun 23 Mar 2008 15:24
On Tuesday we dinghied ashore to explore Nevis. A wander round Charlestown first, while Henry took care of the entry formalities, and a history top up at the Alexander Hamilton museum, a key figure in the early days of the USA. Then succumbed to Sam the taxi driver, and set off for a bit of a tour. Heard how the upmarket Four Seasons hotel had imported Royal Palms from Florida, which have introduced a virus which is killing off the coconut palms, so everywhere there are trunks with no foliage on top. Stopped for a look around a ruined sugar mill, no more sugar grown on the island, and also visited a "heritage village", where the guide gave us a very detailed run through the key dates in Nevis history. He explained his excellent knowledge was due to his school teacher taking against him, so he was careful to learn them all thoroughly to avoid a beating, a lifelong benefit - he must have been around our age. An interesting selection of buildings illustrated the various phases in the island's history.On to the Golden Rock plantation, now a posh hotel, where we enjoyed lunch on a terrace with fine views across to Antigua, Barbuda and Montserrat. Back down via the Nelson museum, since Nelson met and married his wife Fanny on Nevis, and so back to Charlestown. Light supper onboard.
Wednesday morning we were off by 7.40 for the 10 miles to St Kitts in a fairly gusty wind. One reef in the main and six rolls in the genoa, coupled with the lee of the islands, gave us an easy crossing, the channel between the two islands is only a couple of miles wide. In to anchor just outside the marina at Basseterre. We had hoped to get in to the marina, but they announced they were full, and a dinghy trip in failed to find a spot. Out of a total of 30 or so slots, half seemed to be taken up with local fishing boats, and the organisation was a trifle laid back.Decided the anchorage was ok, we were keen to be snug as a large storm off the coast of the USA was threatening to bring 18ft swells through the Caribbean on Thursday.Were just finishing a leisurely lunch when we heard a radio call fron another boat saying there was a yacht drifting. Hopped into the dinghy to go and help the chap who had called up. It was a charter yacht, where the family had all gone ashore in the dinghy, and the anchor was dragging. The boat was locked, so we could not put power on the windlass, and when we tried to operate it in manual mode we found that was seized up. Callum broke into the yacht, but could not find the anchor power switch, in the meantime Henry had managed to fiddle the winch so we could haul up more cable. Pulled another 60 feet on deck, and let it out by hand, which held. Invited Callum over for sundowners, along with his partner Colleen. Quck trip ashore to buy food and drink supplies. A jolly evening, very interesting and amusing pair, Callum from Sidney, and Coleen from San Antonio, Texas.
Ashore the next morning, with the aim of lunch at a plantation recommended in the guide book, but we were unable to slip past Veronica, who had given us a comprehensive brief on her island tour the previous afternoon. Despite setting off with the destination agreed of the Brimstone Hill fortress and the Rawlins plantation Inn, we quickly learnt thar resistance was futile, and settled down for a detailed description and tour of the island.The commentary was learnt by heart, any interruption and it started again just like a tape recorder on pause. Brimstone Hill is awesome, a huge fort complex, restored but very well done. Rawlins Plantation was delightful, a buffet lunch of delicious creole food in a wonderful setting. The island is notable for the vast tracts of sugar cane which have just been abandoned, the government owns them, and shut down production a couple of years ago, putting 2,000 out of work. No obvious efforts to introduce alternative crops to what appears to be very good fertile land. Finished up with a view of the enormous hotel at the southern end of the island, with new buildings going up all round the bays. Sufficient views of the windward side of the island to be impressed by the enormous swell that was running, so decided to wait another day before setting off again.
Cloudy, cooler morning on Friday, so John and Sue set off for a stroll around Basseterre, while Henry and Martin set about some jobs onboard. After lunch went ashore in the dinghy to clear customs, etc, and were offered a berth in the marina. Decided to go in, for a quiet night, and to top up with water, so were soon alongside.
Six am tea on Saturday, and off after an early breakfast for the 48 miles to St Barts. First few miles in the lee of St Kitts were fine, but as we came clear of the north of the island a rain squall hit us, and suddenly it was gusting up to 30 knots and raining. Fortunately on the beam, so off we shot, at up to 9 knots for an hour or so. All settled down again, and we finished off with a good sail in a lively force 4 to 5, arriving off Gustavia at 2pm.Very crowded anchorage, we found a spot, but were then advised by a neighbouring yacht that we had allowed insufficient swinging room. He pointed out an unoccupied private mooring, so we moved on to that. Henry, Sue and John ashore in the dinghy for formalities and shopping, after which we decided to anchor a bit further out, having established there was no chance of getting a mooring inside the harbour. General very negative impression of the place, full of super yachts, super rich, and posh "designer" shops.
Very rolly anchorage, so after a restless night, decided to move on Sunday morning to a sheltered bay at the west end of the island. Half an hour had us there, picking up a mooring in a nice sheltered spot, off a fine beach. Rewarded our efforts with coffee and Easter eggs courtesy of John and Sue. Swimming and walks planned for later.