As planned, we spent Thursday anchored off St Pierre, towards the North West corner of Martinique. We went ashore for the celebratory lunch, and it did not disappoint. La Tamaya restaurant was quiet, hosting only ourselves and a solitary other diner, so we probably made madam’s day, particularly as we had the a la carte menu!

The anchorage is not particularly well protected from the prevailing, but was acceptable since the winds and swell were relatively light.

We have had a non-functioning speed log for a few days, even though we had removed it and cleaned it thoroughly, so suspect that there is something shrouding the paddle wheel where it emerges from the bottom of the hull….another job for the list.

Pelicans Crossing and Frigates Flying

We are now seeing lots of pelicans as we have moved further north. They are extraordinary birds, huge close up, with their scrunched up necks and massive bills. They hang around the fishermen’s boats hoping for an easy titbit, or they swoop low over the water waiting for a careless fish to surface and be swallowed.

The frigate birds are also big, with the largest wingspan to body ratio in the aviary. They are a bit ungainly on their legs, and cannot land on water – if they do, they can get stuck, so they touch down briefly to lift their catch, without actually stopping. They are a bit fussy, though, and we have watched them drop the fish back into the water so that they can come round and pick it up head first, to make it slip down their throats more easily. Just like the old queen mother, they must suffer from fish bones in the throat if they are not careful! 

Bon appetit,

Watergaw