Dominica, Martinique and St Lucia

True Colours
James Scrimshaw
Sat 24 Jan 2015 20:51
We arrived at Rodney Bay, St Lucia this afternoon. Sarah is leaving us here, flying back to the UK on Monday. We are disappointed that she will not be with us to visit Bequia and places further south, but understand her wish to get home.
We had a good couple of days in Roseau, Dominica. We took a Roseau Valley tour with Octavius (Sea Cat), who was recommended in Doyle's Guide. Sea Cat was excellent, stopping to show plants, fruits and vegetables, and James & Sarah also swam in Trafalgar Falls, and got most of the way to the end of the Titou Gorge-the current eventually proving too strong.
A great sail on Thursday to St Pierre, Martinique. Full rig, close reach, 14 knots of wind, 7 - 8 knots boat speed. One day of swimming, and visiting some of the ruins left by the 1902 earthquake, followed by a nice meal at Alsace (we do like it when, on ordering 3 gin & tonics, the owner just brings the bottle plus plenty of tonic and ice and leaves it all on the table).
We left St Pierre this morning with a reefed main in deference to the forecast. Another close reach, winds up to 20 knots (towards the end we also furled some Genoa in). The 45 Nm took us 6 1/2 hours, and that included probably 1/2hour circling in Rodney Bay, stowing sails, preparing ropes and fenders, and waiting for a berth allocation.
New process for clearing in - we had to visit a nurse and fill in a questionnaire, satisfying them that we were not potential Ebola carriers.
James and Rosemary will stay here a few days before moving south towards the end of next week.