"Iles Saintes - 2nd February"

Strong wind warnings were still forecast and the mooring although safe is very rolly and quite uncomfortable.  We gladly took the dinghy ashore and went for a walk up the hill to another small fort with wonderful views across to the surrounding islands.  The road was tarmac all the way, winding its way up through the trees, cactus and succulants, many in flower, lined the route.  Nannie goats, roaming free, most with twin kids grazed happily on the vegetation by the road side.  Tourists  who had hired scooters were disappointed to find the road blocked as the local authorities had declared the hill a Nature Reserve and no vehicles etc were permitted.  It really was a very steep ascent with little to stop a scooter, should it loose control at the several sharp bends in the road.  As we reached the summit the road ended and the final short track was rocky and narrow through the undergrowth.  The square stone fort was small, derilect and empty without doors and accessible.  We found a verticle iron ladder leading up to the first floor, so feeling adventurous we clambered up and now being above the trees, we were rewarded with magnificent views on all sides of the island.  Once back down the hill we enjoyed a beer sitting on the harbour side watching the world go by and the tourists gathering for their ferries back to Guadaloupe.  We have enjoyed the island but their only trade is tourism as it such a small island and not suitable for agriculture and their fishing industry has now declined.  It is very modern compared to other islands,  many of the small sea front properties are beautifully colourful and in good decorative order, but in between older original single storey unpainted, tin roofed buildings still exist.  The whole town has a holiday resort feel about it, the narrow roads busy with hired scooters and local school children coming and going to school on their bicycles and motorised two wheeled scooters.  The high street is lined with boutique shops selling brightly coloured locally made garments and artisan goods and small restaurants, cafes and icecream outlets are in abundance. 

"Portsmouth - 3rd February"

The windy weather system finally blew over during the night and we awoke to a much calmer sea and set off back down to Dominica after breakfast.  We had an idyllic sail, gentle winds, calmer seas and sunshine.  We arrived back in Portsmouth and called up Spaghetti on the radio, he was very happy to meet us and find us a buoy.  Strangely it felt like we had come home, everyone was happy that we had wanted to come back to visit the island again.  It is an amazing contrast to Les Saintes, so very different.  We had arrived back on a good day, Sunday is beach bar-b-que day!  This is organised by PAYS as part of their campaign to promote the harbour as a safe and enjoyable place for yachtsman to visit following the bad reputation that Dominica had acquired in the past.  Judging by the amount of yachtsman here, their efforts are being rewarded.  PAYS do not have a solid building but a covered Events area, the brick bar-b-ques were weighed down with chicken and fish, trestles tables were all covered in bright coloured tartan tablecloths and we were welcomed with a glass of rum punch or fruit juice.  All of the boat boys were there, either cooking, serving, clearing debris etc, evidently they do this every Sunday.  There were many nationalities and we were delighted to meet up again with four young Swedes whom we met in St Lucia.  They are all studying at University, three medicine and one economy, such lively enthusiastic young people.  They have a problem with their outboard which needs a new part, which they have been unable to get, but as one of them said to me, "it does not matter, we are all young and strong and we can row!".  They very much enjoyed talking to Noel about their chosen fields in medicine.

After a feast of chicken, rice and salad and some socialising, we returned to the jetty in the dark, it was so lovely to find one of the boat boys there, who insisted that we got safely into Rustle before he untied us and pushed us out from the medley of remaining dinghies bobbing about on the swell.  It's good to be here again!