Heading South
Simanderal
Michael Hughes and Ger White
Wed 15 Apr 2009 14:48
|
We finally left the Saints on 11 April with a fast
sail to Dominica--only 20 miles and covered in 3 hours--a close reach in 17/19
knots of wind. In Portsmouth,Dominica we met up again with Martin
Carriere--Providence--who sorted out a mooring and took me to clear in etc. He
also organised a tour on Monday 13th--to the rainforest and Syndicate Falls--we
had been there last year, but it was good to spend a day in the mountains and
forest. There were a lot of boats in Portsmouth--lot more than last year--it
seems the troubles with strikes in the French Islands has boosted numbers going
to Dominica. But otherwise the island seemed much as before.
Then on 14th we had a longer sail to St Pierre in
Martinique--over 50 miles with an early start and arriving about 1600. We had to
motor most of the way down the Dominica coast==the mountains act as a pretty
good barrier to the wind--but once clear of the island we had a very fast, salty
sail down to Martinique--again not quite close hauled and a 1.8m swell, 20 knots
of wind--so well reefed for a bouncy trip. And a good French meal ashore when we
arrived.
Today--15th--we plan to spend in St
Pierre.
|