Guadeloupe
ALICE'S ADVENTURES
ANDREW AND CELIA SHARPE
Sun 13 Mar 2011 09:25
After a lovely few days with Debbie and Mark we left
them and went back to Jolly Harbour for a night where a very large dolphin came
right up to the boat in the harbour. Then round to Falmouth for
another night and the inevitable customs and immigration for checking
out.
Debbie and Mark came down to the boat and met us and we
set off for Guadeloupe. They obviously weren't put off by our sail in the
Spanish Rias last year and have come back for more. We had an excellent
sail over to Deshaies, averaging over 8 knots. We went ashore to the
pretty village. Customs clearance was in a gift shop!
Next stop was the Saintes. A very large turtle
came close to the boat. We got caught in a very heavy squall and saw a
water spout! We anchored in Anse du Boie Joli on Terre Du Haut
by which time the sun had come out again. We went for a
snorkel which was like swimming in a tropical fish tank, so many different types
of fish that I dont know the name of! Mark made us get out of the
water in a hurry though as he had seen a sea snake! The
small town was fascinating; many one room shacks on the waterfront.
Had a lovely meal at Les Petits Saints - a recommended restaurant 10
minutes walk out of the town.
We left after breakfast on Saturday morning and motored
due to lack of wind - a very rare occurrence round here. We were very
worried as we were chased by gendarmes who came alongside the boat.
Apparently someone had reported that our mast head light was flashing (it
wasn't) and that we may be in trouble (we werent)! They were very friendly
and sent us on our way. Shortly after we saw a mother and
baby humpback whales. A great experience. We watched from a distance
as we did not want to disturb them. These whales migrate south in the
winter and give birth to their babies in warmer tropical waters then swim back
up the east coast to the USA and Canada. Adults are about 50 feet
long and even the babies are 20 feet! Apparently not many people see them
so we were very lucky. We went into Bas du Fort marina in
Point-a-Pitre. On the pontoon waiting to help us moor up were Thomas and
Regula on Balu - a Swiss couple we first met in Oeiras in Portugal back in
September. This part of Guadeloupe was VERY busy. We got a taxi to
take us to Carrefour which involved going down a motorway! The shopping
mall was very similar to the one in Cherbourg - very strange. And
every thing is in Euros too.
We decided to leave the next day as the forecast was not
good for the middle of the week - strong winds and big swells again. We
motored along to Saint Francois at the eastern end of Guadeloupe. The
anchorage outside the harbour was packed out so we went into the marina and
spent the night on the waiting pontoon. The marina staff go home on
Saturday afternoon until Monday so it was a free night! A nice
seaside town and buzzing marina adjoining many one room shacks in the
adjoining streets. Alice proved an attraction to the French who once again
stared up at our mast!
We were all up at 6 and left the marina at first light
to make the trip back to Antigua. A very quick trip back although quite
boisterous seas. Debbie and Mark left us in Falmouth after yet more
aggravation from immigration who did not want to let them back in the
country!!
Got back to Jolly Harbour on Tuesday and went in to the
marina as all the buoys were taken. Met up with Gavin and Pat again on
Seahawk and had a lovely evening with them at the local pizza evening together
with Jill on Nychea.
One afternoon we walked to the beach to go for a
swim in the sea. A wedding was being set up on the beach. We waited
to watch everyone arrive. It looked lovely; sun, turquoise sea, palm trees
and the wedding march played by a steel band.
Another ARC boat has moored across from us on the
pontoon - White Whisper - an Oceanis 46. They only got to the Caribbean
last week as they had got stuck in the Cape Verde Islands for 2 months!
There is a professional skipper on board too who has done the ARC several
times. Thank goodness it didn't take us that long!
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