The Saintes
Moonbeam
David and Lynn Wilkie
Sun 13 Feb 2011 12:03
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15.51.698N 061.36.087W
We had come to the conclusion we had been long
enough in Prince Rupert Bay when the locals started telling us about plots of
land for sale and asking why we didn't just move there permanently! The locals
realise that with a total population of only 72,000 it is difficult to be
Independent. So after a quick trip into 'town' on Thursday morning to buy some
fresh fruit including the most perfect looking bananas you will ever see we
lifted the anchor after 12 days ( the luxury of time! ) and sailed the 20 miles
to the Saintes, just south of Guadaloupe.
A brisk reach in 20 knots of wind was quick and
interrupted when the fishing rod bent and the reel screamed! It was impossible
to reel in so we eased the main and rolled up the genoa and eventually reeled in
a 3ft long Mahi- Mahi with the yellow skin shining blue in the sunlight;
unfortunately it had only just hooked itself and as I tried to use the gaff it
broke free--- the freezer would have been full as it was a full 12" longer than
the ones we caught on passage across!
We anchored in the lovely bay by "Pain de Sucre"
just around the corner from the main town Bourg.
     
We had a snack lunch here ! A hard life!
at anchorFriday morning we went ashore and walked into town
past the delightful multi coloured houses and seemingly obligatory goats- I
presume we will see it on the menus here. We checked in at the "Mairie" which
seems to double as police office as well- the process is very relaxed and you
get the feeling that the policeman has quite a good time here- his official
scooter was propped up inside the " Mairie". After a wander through ' town ' it
was back to Moonbeam via a pleasant hotel on the beach for a snack
lunch.
"Breezing Up" arrived with Brad and Ann and family
aboard- we had not met them before but they had been at Ardfern for the CCC
festivities last summer so there was lots of chat over drinks aboard
"Shian".
They had seen Moonbeam in the mid 70's in Nova
Scotia and had also sailed on "Windigo" which we have sailed on- now skippered
by Andy Rentoul.
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