Position 15:34.79N 061:27.71W

On Friday we went ashore in the morning to clear out and get some meat and cheese at a really nice French deli.  In the afternoon, after the worst of the heat, we went to the beach adjoining the bay we moored in and swam and took in the sun.  After a restaurant meal at Le Genois (second time there – good food and nice atmosphere).  There we got talking to a really nice couple Phillipe and Danielle who were boat owners and kept there boat in Martinique until it was destroyed by Hurricane Hugo.  Since then they have chartered boats every year (this was the 12^th year) and were currently on a trimaran with accommodation for 8.   Back to the boat for the night.

This morning we left at 07.15.  Weather was overcast, with occasional heavy rain, but the thing that surprised us most was that the wind, which varied between 14 and 30 kn, was on the nose from The Saintes to Dominica – so much so that we motored most of the way to avoid tacking.  Arrived in Portsmouth Harbour, Dominica at about 11.00.  Portsmouth has an organised system of boat boys, who are registered and will meet you and arrange tours, laundry, customs etc., and who also look after the security of boats and mooring buoys in the bay.  We were initially met by Edison in his boat who offered to help us anchor.  When we explained that we wanted to pick up a mooring he told us to call Alexis on the VHF.  No response so we went ahead and picked up the mooring ourselves (with a little help from Providence {boat boy, not the almighty!}).  After buying some fruit from a man on a windsurfer, Lawrence of Arabia called on us and we have arranged to have a trip up the river in the morning (at 07.00!!). 

Later we cleared customs (you can clear in and out at the same time providing your stay is less than 2 weeks, which really simplifies matters) walked a bit in the town, and then had a beer at the Blue Bar before returning to the boat.