Anse Deshaies, NW Guadaloupe 16:18.3N 061:48.0W
Ticketeeboo
Sue & Alan
Sat 8 Mar 2014 23:12
Well here we are on hook at Deshaies having enjoyed three hours of sailing up the west coast of Guadaloupe yesterday. Notably having passed close by Pigeon Island (seems like every island in the Caribbean has it's own 'Pigeon Island'. This one forms part of the Nature Park 'Reserve Cousteau' made famous by Jacques Cousteau. As we passed we saw plenty touristy boats and were glad to keep moving because we barely kept ahead of an impending nasty squall, which we could see coming our way from the east.
This is quite a busy anchorage and our friends Sandra & Garlos on Namaste were already here (night before) who kindly invited us to join them for afternoon/evening carbonara 'Brazil-style'. Really good too.
There's a Hemingway Hotel here, which is quite brightly lit-up. Last night this was useful because like couple of nights earlier, it blew a houlie for a while. Amazingly we had dead-calm spell for an hour or so in middle of 30'odd kns wind. Biggest gusts preceeded another free yacht-wash just after 4 a.m. so at least Ticketeeboo is almost salt-free. Needless to say Sue & I are bit jaded today, having been up several times during the night to check we're OK, as well no other yachts (or cats) dragging on to us! There's over 50 yachts/cats on hook here so we dropped our hook in the suburbs and have nearly 80m chain out. We swing a lot but ain't going anywhere unintentionally.
Haven't been ashore yet and being quite windy this morning it's been a bit of a lazy day. If the wind is kind tomorrow we might go ashore. When we checked-in on the Coconut Net 8170kHz this morning the net controller informed us there is an interesting river within walking distance and worth the effort so maybe we will indulge?
Talking about SSB nets. Been checking-in regularly on the USA Maritime Mobile Safety Net www.mmsn.org on 14300kHz. Want to say what a great service these people provide for us yachties. Total admiration for their dedication and will certainly be checking-in with them when pointing Ticketeeboo mostly easterly across the ocean in couple months time.
No yacht polishing today........... I'm all polished-out for a little while and me wrists are goin' limp prematurely!
We will be needing to check-out of Guadaloupe from here and thinks we will be here few days before doing the 40'odd NM jump northwards towards Antigua. 40'odd NM don't sound much but it can be quite exciting and energetic sailing between islands in these parts where yeah can get some marvelously invigorating acceleration zones with strong winds and BIG beamy Atlantic seas. Sue can't wait!!!
Our love to R,S,M & T and J,F,P & S xxxxxxxx
PS Looks like we're gonna munch our way through another section of the wapping Tuna, which joined us few weeks ago!
Ticketeeboo MMSI 235071989 Callsign 2CED3, Ham callsign = m0hng
At 07/03/2014 16:10 UT our position was 16°18.33'N 061°48.01'W
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www.winlink.org/dotnet/maps/positionreportsDetail.aspx?callsign=m0hng