14:31.735N 061:05.321W
Whisper
Noel Dilly
Mon 21 Jan 2013 01:11
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"Anse Noire, Martinique - 20th
January"
We are in the tiny bay of Anse Noire on the SW
coast of Martinique, after an idyllic sail
here from St Anne's. The wind was behind us and then on our beam as we
turned north up the coast past Diamond Rock. We arrived at lunch
time when there were three yachts and several small power boats, this evening we
have the bay to ourselves, just as the Windward Island Guide stated. There
is no noisy bar music, as there was until the wee hours in St Anne's last
night. It has been lovely to sit peacefully and watch and listen to the
local people enjoying the beach and the dinghy dock, where there was not a lot
of dinghy activity, but it makes a wonderful diving board for the
children, some swimming round to the steps, whilst the others scrambled up the
sides of the dock, to just jump or dive back in again. The bay has reefs on both
sides, so we enjoyed a swim and saw several huge clams, live sea urchins with
their many spines and other dead ones which are the round pink shells without
spines, which we see for sale at our seaside resorts at home. We saw a
sting ray, pipe fish and sea squirts with shoals of tiny fish swimming in and
out of them and other colourful tropical fish.
In the Navy, shore bases are called Stone Frigates,
Diamond Rock was truly a Stone Frigate. In 1804, although Napolean had a
strong hold on Europe, the British with few ships still had naval supremacy in
the Caribbean waters. The island of Martinique has always been mainly
French since it was colonised and the Empress Josephine grew up here.
Diamond Rock was an ideal spot to have a British ship to keep Napoleon's ships
under control, if they had one. Someone thought that it would be a good
idea to commission the rock as a ship calling it H.M.S. Diamond
Rock. The steep, barren, snake infested pinnacle was soon equipped
with cannons, water and supplies for a full crew of men and proved to be an
unpleasant surprise for unsuspecting ships sailing into Martinique.
Napolean was incensed and ordered his navy under Admiral Villeneuve to sail
to Martinique, free the rock and dispose of Lord Nelson too. The
fleet managed to slip out under the British blockade of
France but Lord Nelson with his battle-ready fleet got wind of
the plot and headed off in hot pursuit but was sent on a wild goose chase to
Trinidad. Villeneuve liberated Diamond Rock and headed back to
France. However, Napolean was incensed that the British still had control
of the high seas and ordered Villeneuve to report in disgrace. Preferring
death to dishonour, Villeneuve with his ill-prepared fleet put to
sea to fight Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar where ironically, Villneuvre who
wanted to die, survived the battle and it was Nelson who was
died.
As the sun went down we were very amused to
see six pelicans fly into the bay and roost in a tree on the cliff side
above us. They had been settled for a short while, when a raptor
flew over head, clearly searching for his supper. The pelicans took off
and circled around until it had disappeared, then the fun began as they tried to
get to their roost again. Several attempts were made, either they were too
low or one of them got in the way and they would have to circle again. One
by one they settled, the first choosing the firm branches, the others settling
and disappearing into the softer greenery above. Out they would struggle
and woe betide them if they were too close to their chums, beaks opened and
wings flapped until peace was declared and all finally returned to calm and
tranquility.
Photo: "HMS Diamond Rock"
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