SEA BEAR

After anchoring at Le Marin, I think it took a while for it to really sink in that we were here in the Caribbean. Firsts things first, after a cup of tea, of course, sail covers on , take off the staysail, tidy up all the ropes, dig out and rig the sun awning. Then it was inflate the dinghy and time to go ashore. We found the dinghy dock and the customs office, but that was closed then wandered along the beach road to the beach where we found a welcoming bar, fresh fruit drinks went down well than to celebrate a t-punch. It was wonderful just to sit there and let it all wash over you, the people the sights the sounds the smells after so long at sea and let it gradually sink in.
Later on we found the supermarket that was open, wine and baggettes and cheese were bought for a picnic on the beach and I found the shower block in the new marina, spirited my way in when someone came out and despite not having a towel or soap had a delightful shower to wash off all the salty spray.
Later that eve there was some bands playing on a stage set up near the beach, good music too.

I ended up staying at La Marin a few days, it was nice just to rest up to be on the boat that was secure at anchor and not moving around all the time. I took the staysail to the sail loft as the topmost eyelet for the piston hank had corroded away and there was a little bit of chafe on the leech despite looking out for potential chafe points ever day, but on a black night they can be hard to spot.
The crew departed, Bertrand wanted to remain in Martinique and I felt the need to reclaim some personal space, it had been a long time coped up together in a small boat.

Olly on “Solage” arrived via Barbados, his first comment to me was its a long way isn’t it.

After getting back the staysail from the loft and reprovisioning, the nearest supermarket had a dinghy dock – very civilised, I was ready to leave.
I had a very pleasant gentle sail past Diamond rock and round to the west coast where I anchored in the bay of Grand Anse. Oh what a lovely place this was, a beautiful bay with water so clear you could see the bottom at anchor in 5 meters. Starfish on the sand, fish swimming by, I even saw turtles, amazing.The tidal range here is only about 2 feet so no worries on that score. There was a golden sand beach, some palm trees all backed by lovely wooded hills and some of beach restaraunts and shacks. Oh the water was such a lovely temperature for swimming. Perhaps this was as close to paradise as I will get.
Next day I walked up and over to headland to the next bay, Petite Anse, saw a hummingbird, swam, walked back and at a lunch of grilled fish creole style. I would have stayed longer here but I have this date to get to Antigua for so I left the next afternoon for a short hop to Fort De France. Coming into the anchorage I found myself in the midst of Yole race so had my work cut out to keep out of all their way. They sure know how to party do Martiniques, a stage set up in the park by the beach and bands playing that eve, for free of course
I had intended to stay just the one night but the following day it was blowing pretty hard, plenty of white horses out in the bay so I stayed, took the opportunity to wander the streets a bit, swim from the beach. Next day I sailed to St Pierre, the town that was wiped out in 1902 by the Volcanoe Mt Pele. This is a suitable jumping off point for continuing North, next stop Dominica.

St Pierre

Retite Anse

Diamond Roack

Grande Anse

Beach at Grande Anse

Weds
Sitting in Sea Bear at anchor off Roseau, Dominica, she is rocking gently and there are sounds of reggae music drifting out to us across the water. I’ve just finished a G&T after dinner. We made a good passage from St Pierre, Martinique. I left with just the faintest glimmer of dawn light in the sky to make sure of getting to Dominica before dark, but we had a really fast passage. Mostly the wind between 15 & 17 knots on the beam, conditions Sea Bear seems to really like, all plain sail set until we took a reef in the main when some gusts pushed 20 knots. For the first time since leaving UK the log was showing an average speed of over 5 knots , in fact 5.5 at one point so we did the passage of 38 n miles in 8 hours, I was really pleased with that.
After anchoring I dinghied ashore and walked to customs to do the paperwork. Quite painless and quick and I liked the clearance document they gave me:
“Commonwealth of Dominica, port of Roseau. This is to certify to all whom it doth concern that Chris Ayres, Master and Commander of Sea Bear burden of 5.89 tons, GRP built and bound for Les Saintes, Guadeloupe having on board ships stores hath here entered and cleared his said vessel according to law.”
After clearance I wandered around town a bit, very different to Martinique, which is very French. This is very, well, Dominican and in a way kinda much more of what you suspect the Caribbean to be like if you have never been. Instead of French supermarkets and boulangeries and cafes, there are little grocery stores, all sorts of little shacks and shops, roads with big open gutters, pavements which well are broken and uneven and all different materials. Its more like life in the raw.
The island is more mountainous too with lusher vegetation, its all a riot of colour too, greens of the trees & vegetation and brightly painted houses and shacks. There were clouds over the mountains and rain showers and beautiful rainbows over the tropical forests.
The people are different too, there are more guys with dreadlocks for instance and it helps that English is the language.

Thurs
Decided would be a pity not to see some of the interior of Dominica so hailed Pancho as he went past this morning, he is one of the good “boat boys” and asked about organising a trip in. As it happened, two other couples, one French Canadian the other English were about to go and could do with another person to make up the numbers, so I hopped aboard Pancho’s boat and off we went. Anyway all aboard a minibus and off, lovely drive up into the mountains, first to a waterfall in the national park, in steep tropical forest in the mountains and we bathed in the pool under the falls, then another waterfall and pool, both a bit of walking through the forest which is quite incredible. A spot of lunch at a roadside eating spot , baked chicken drumsticks and fried plantain, then to a beach at Soufriere. Here volcanic gases bubble up through the sand and heat up the sand and the water, hence bubble beach. Ooh and I saw pelicans too for the first time in the wild.

Fri
Now at Portsmouth, Dominica, anchored in Prince Ruperts bay. I had hoped to see whales today as they are supposed to like this coast but no luck. Had read bad things about the Portsmouth boat boys but they were good, they have formed an organisation and seem a nice bunch of guys. Always very polite, friendly and helpful, very careful not to bang their boats into yours. I bought some of the sweetest juiciest grapefruits that I have ever had from Christian in his little rowing boat, very welcome after a hot sail up the coast.

Sat
Well I might have said that the Martiniques know how to party, can only say Dominicans do it more so.! Music drifting out over the bay all night till about 7 this morning, and carnival not started yet, starts Sunday apparently, guess they were just having a Friday night warm up!

Took a trip up the Indian river this morning, by rowing boat, only those allowed, no outboards etc, cos its a national park site. Thick with jungle type trees and coconut palms and lianas. Its where they filmed parts of Pirates of the Caribbean, when they went up the river into the jungle, was a good little trip. Shared a boat with the English couple and their two kids who I meet the other day and went to the waterfalls etc with.
In the evening the Portsmouth boat boys aka PAYS put on a beach barbecue for all the sailors, plenty of rum punch, chicken legs, grilled fish, rice and salad and of course loud reggae music.

Sun
Carnival starts, the small town of Portsmouth was packed with crowds lining the streets, music blaring out and beer and punch drinking and then came along the procession. The biggest loudest sound systems I have ever see or heard, dancing girls, beauty queens, stilt walkers and then a band . There was dancing in the street, people having fun, all rather wonderful.
I will leave in the morning to cross the Dominican channel bound for Les Saints and Guadeloupe.

Roseau

Waterfall

Emerald pool

Indian River

Carnival

Carnival

I had really enjoyed my stay in Dominica, only my deadline for being on Antigua stopped me from staying longer and doing more exploring of the interior.

There had been rain overnight, but it had cleared by early morning when I raised the anchor at Portsmouth and headed out towards the Dominican channel. There was a light breeze at first which strengthened to between 15 to 18 knots. Sea Bear romped along and just over 3 hours later we entered the Passage du Sud-Ouest and passed between the rocks of les Augustins and the island of Terre-de-Bas of Les Saintes. Here the wind was gusting to 25 knots so we were down to 2 reefs in the main and the staysail. Soon enough though we were picking up mooring bouy in Anse de Bourg on Terre-de-Haute. Fortunately another boater saw my firts attempt to pass a line through t he ring thawted by an untimely gust and hopped in his tender and helped me secure my line. Many thanks to that man.
Formalities ashore soon completed thanks to the computerised French system, you just fill in your details yourself, print out the form, sign it and get them to countersign it.
The town is very pretty but almost overrun by tourists who visit via the fast ferry from Guadeloupe.

Next morning I walked over to Baie de Pt Pierre for a swim, a beautiful sandy beach with coconut palm trees. It’s also one of the beaches that turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. No sign of them of course, they do it at night.

I crossed the next day to Guadeloupe itself. Coming past the top of Ilet a Cabrit I had to watch out for the fishermen setting some nets, Done with their fast “santoises” but they amaze me by swimming alongside the nets, something I also saw in Dominica. Bear in mind too this is open water with sizeable waves a mile or so offshore.
With a lovely fresh beam wind I saw the log record a speed of 7.6 knots at one point, very good going for little old Sea Bear. Past the lighthouse on Pte du Vieux Fort, the wind fell light and the seas flatter until eventually faced with a flat calm I resorted to some motoring, then sailing then motoring. Eventually we dropped the hook in Anse de la Barque, a nice little cove with a palm fringed beach but apart from the road passing by nothing else. I took a swim around the boat, bold for me this swimming when I am out of my depth.
Carrying on up the coast next day we passed Bouillante, with it plumes of steam and then Pigeon island, which is Reserve Cousteau, a marine reserve. Arrived at Anse Deshaies and anchored.
A nice little place this, a dinghy dock, some beach front restaurants a few shops, oh and home of Madame Sorbet who sells delicious homemade ice cream from the back of her van in the afternoons. Saw more turtles swimming in the bay here.

Baie de Pte Peirre

Baie de Pte Peirre

Anse de la Barque

Deshaies

For whatever reason I didn’t sleep well, so since I was awake at 4 I thought I might as well leave. I had wanted an early start to make sure that I made the 40 + mile crossing and arrive by early afternoon, but didn’t mean this early, first light I thought. Anyway the moon was up and stars in the sky, so I stowed the dinghy, hoisted the main and left. There was a gentle breeze which gradually freshened as I made my way away from the coast. I wanted a bit of offing to avoid the headland to the north, the shallow patches and the offshore island of Kahouanne
Later I began to doubt my wisdom, the sky had clouded over and in the half light pre-dawn it looked rather ominous, thought I might get rain squalls but in the distance it looked clearer. In the end I missed all the rain, although I could see it falling on Guadeloupe behind me and gradually the clouds passed and it was another sunny day in paradise. I could get to like this trade wind sailing, a steady NE breeze between 12 & 15 knots so with the course desired the apparent wind was around 60 degrees, a close reach and with very little swell our speed was good.
Away on our port beam was Monserrat and with the aid of binoculars you could see the ash flows from the eruption of 20 years ago which had caused the evacuation of the island. Ahead were the hills of Antigua, at first looking like a group of separate islands but as we drew closer they merged into one coherent mass. Closer still and I could identify parts of the coast, that surely was Cape Shirley and to its left the Pillars of Hercules marking the entrance to English harbour. Off Snapper Point I handed the sails and motored in between Charlotte Point and Berkley Point to arrive at Freemans Bay, English Harbour. The anchorage was pretty crowded but I found a spot to drop the hook, made the obligatory cup of tea and then sat in the cockpit taking it all in. After all these months I had arrived at my destination, tired but very happy.

English Harbour

I have been here in Antigua for 5 weeks now, the last month in the delightful company of Wendy who flew out to join me. When I arrived first on the agenda was the need for a bimini. The sun shades I had were all very well for when at anchor but some shade whilst sailing was desirable and whilst waiting for Wendy to arrive seemed the ideal time to get it sorted. A visit to AF sails set the process in motion, a process that took some time and was not completed until after Wendy had arrived but eventually Sea Bear was fitted with a bimini and so shade whilst sailing, it made a lot of difference to comfort in the cockpit.
Plans to do a little Island hopping were shelved as we have been having unusually strong winds, days of constant 25 plus knots of wind and higher and at times a rough sea state. There has been plenty to do nonetheless, some delightful anchorages and bays to visit,mainly on the west side of the island, Carlisle bay , Hermitage Bay, Five Islands, Deepbay, Dickenson’s Bay, Turners beach and Jolly Harbour but also in the North, navigating through the reefs to anchor off Jumby Bay, Great Bird Island, a beautiful deserted island, where we saw turtles, stringrays, lizards, hermit crabs, tropic birds, frigate birds and more. Beaches to swim from and walk along. Walks over Middle ground, to Shirley heights and up Fig Tree Drive. Reggae music drifting out at time across the water. A bus ride across the island to St Johns for the markets and lunch in the Palm Court Restaurant, sounds grand but in fact a small local eatery with Creole style food. Fish and lobster meals in beach side restaurants. It has all been pretty perfect really, the people are friendly and helpful, the sea a most amazing turquoise and such a perfect temperature for swimming, the sunsets wonderful.

Sea Bear At Anchor

Carlisle Bay

Coral fan Deep Bay

English Harbour

Approaching anchorage at Great Bird Island

Sleepy Parham

At Great Bird Island

Wendy helming

It was time time leave Antigua once Wendy had left to fly back to England. I got clearance from customs and immigration at Jolly Harbour and after settling marina fees I reversed Sea Bear out of the berth, always an interesting exercise in a long keeler and went and anchored outside the harbour ready for an early departure in the morning. The weather had reverted to norm now, wind about 15 knots rather than the 25’s we had been having and next day I had an uneventful passage to Monserrat where I anchored in Little Bay. Ashore I completed entrance formalities and realised I was a day late for the St Patricks day celebrations. many of the early settlers were Irish and the tradition is still strong and Guinness drank in the bars.

A swell was finding its way into the anchorage so the night was not peaceful but anyway next morning I went ashore determined to explore the island. I walked up to the ” main road” intending to take a bus but got offered a lift by someone who had seen me land and on the way he told me something of the island and the changes caused by the volcanic eruptions. He wasn’t going all the way to Salem but stopped another car who he reckoned was going there and they gave me a lift the rest of the way, good kind, friendly people on this island.

At Salem I walked up to the volcano observatory an interesting little walk in its own right arriving at a fine viewpoint of the volcano and the ruins of Plymouth in the distance. I walked some way back towards Little Bay, but at a fork in the road, no signposts of course I sat and waited for the bus. They are a good way to see something of the island. It is mountainous and very forested with plenty of wildlife only a bit of a nag about the safety of the boat made me return to Little Bay, There, seeing the boat OK I had a lunch of fried fish at a beach front bar a beer and an interesting chat with some locals.

Monserrat from Little Bay

Beach Bar Little Bay

view towards ruins of Plymouth

Forest & Volcano

Little Bay Monserrat

Pinney’s beach

Nevis Peak

Charlestown

a bar in Charlestown

I would have staid longer in Monserrat but the anchorage was so uncomfortable, very rolly and the noise of the crashing surf disconcerting, I had spent two virtually sleepless nights so it was time to go. A shame as I liked the island, mountainous and very forested with lots of wildlife, the pace of life seemed slower too a lovely place. Someday I may go back there and find better anchoring conditions. The course to Nevis passed close by Redonna an uninhabited rocky island and reckon I must be getting a bit soft or something, I couldn’t see how they would have landed let along got up the cliffs to mine the phosphate and build a post office! its so steep and looks so loose. I had a good passage and picked up a mooring in the afternoon at Pinney’s beach, just past Charlestown the capital. Lovely peaceful conditions and a good restful sleep was had. Formalities completed the next morning and after a look around Charlestown, its a small little place I went to lookup a fellow member of the Vancouver Org, Mark who lives on the Island, has a Vancouver 32 “Pearl of Nevis” and owns a bar/restaurant on Pinney’s beach. He made me very welcome I must say. Nevis is a nice place to stay, the beach is superb the swimming idyllic and the forest quite wild. I went for a walk hoping I might get to the top of Nevis Peak but the trail just petered out high up in the forest and it would have been all to easy to get lost if I pressed on. Mind you I did see monkeys which was good. Also at Pinney’s Beach is the renowned Sunshine’s bar and grill. All painted up in Jamaican/Reggae colours, music pumping out and serving the famous Killerbee punch – care needed!

I caught a bus up to Qualie beach which is at North end of the island, where I hired a bike and then rode right around the island. It is lovely with some bits like Herbert’s beach just fantastically beautiful – doesn’t sound with that name like it should be do it? But it is completely undeveloped,  open to, but protected from the Atlantic by a reef. Very few houses at all in this part of the island. The book said the roads are relatively flat for cycling, but the writer of the book has obviously never cycled around the island. There was a big hill, Zion on the road up to Gingerland that was hard work in the hot sun but of course a lovely run down the other side back to Charlestown. Here I dropped in at the agriculture show – lots of stalls so had a good meal of rice and beans veg and baked chicken and lovely refreshing home made lemonade. Got a puncture going to Fort Charles, which was a bit of a drag but the bike had a spare tube and pump. Owner of bike hire shop, Winston was lovely happy guy and he gave me a lift back to Pinney’s beach. A swim soon washed off the sweat from the ride, probably eased the legs too before back to the boat.

After a few more days of relaxing, swimming, it was time to move on again. A short sail took me to Basseterre on St Kitts. Anchored off the town, it was very rolly and uncomfortable but went ashore for a quick look around, it will repay a further visit. I left there that same afternoon and went across to the southern peninsular of the island, about 5 miles. To anchor in White House bay,very little there, very peaceful.

The whole southern end of the Island has been bought by a rich American developer who wants to, has already started to dredge the salt pond for super yacht berths, build a golf course, expensive restaurants lots of condos all that sort of thing in what was a virtually deserted and unspoilt part of the island. Doubtless it will be all done in good taste but another bit of wilderness gone for good.

A few days with plenty of swimming and short walks ashore. I did visit Basseterre again but with bad timing as it was Good Friday and the place was virtually shut down, it is all too easy to loose track of time.

At White House Bay I meet another Brit on a lovely 37 ft double ender, we dined on each other boats and talked of this and that. It was nice.

Once more though perhaps it is time to move on, so many islands still to see and towards the end of the month I will have turn south to get out of the hurricane zone before June.

Herberts beach Nevis

Basseterre St Kitts

White House Bay, St Kitts

The morning I left St Kitts, Terry came aboard, gave me a St Kitts cap and a book, and we motored, it being calm, the 2 miles to Frigate Bay where we anchored. Terry thought I should experience a breakfast at Shiggy Shack, so we went ashore and had the full monty, that is full English breakfast. Seemed a bit incongruous eating a full breakfast on a Caribbean beach, was my first cooked breakfast for maybe 8 months and I haven’t missed them but this was nice for a change and proper set me up for the day. Back at the boat I had a gentle breeze so made sail northwards along the St Kitts coastline. I’ll go back some day to see more of this lovely island. Departing from the northern tip we had calm for a while but then the breeze was back and the shortish passage to Statia was made. The proper name for the island is St Eustatius but the locals call it Statia. Arriving of Oranjestad, the main town and port I anchored off the beach. It seemed that Easter holidays were in full swing as lined along the beach under the cliffs were sound systems, bands, barbecues, kids on the beach. They certainly like their partying do the Statians. Ashore next day all seemed to be shut up, the Port Office, the National Park Office so I couldn’t complete formalities. I decided to walk up the volcano, called the Quill which dominates the town, you are supposed to buy a hiking permit but as the offices were shut I decided to go anyway. The way up from the old town, situated on a narrow strip between the beach and the cliffs, mostly destroyed since its heyday in the 18th century, was up the old paved slave road which led from the beach up to the old slave market on top of the cliffs. One wonders what would lead western society to treat Africans in this way, and we called ourselves civilised.!!!! Passing through the outskirts of the town there was a huge tortoise in someones front garden, must have been a foot and a half long. Higher the track led through woodland, here were purple clawed hermit crabs, they used large snail shells for homes. We are used to thinking of crabs as seaside creatures not 800 ft up a mountain. Arriving at the crater rim you could look down into the crater itself which is full of forest, silk cotton trees and strangler f The morning I left St Kitts Terry came aboard, gave me a St Kitts cap and a book, and we motored, it being calm, the 2 miles to Frigate Bay where we anchored. Terry thought I should experience a breakfast at Shiggy Shack, so we went ashore and had the full monty, that is full English breakfast. Seemed a bit incongruous eating a full breakfast on a Caribbean beach, was my first cooked breakfast for maybe 8 months and I haven’t missed them but this was nice for a change and proper set me up for the day. Back at the boat I had a gentle breeze so made sail northwards along the St Kitts coastline. I’ll go back some day to see more of this lovely island. Departing from the northern tip we had calm for a while but then the breeze was back and the shortish passage to Statia was made. The proper name for the island is St Eustatius but the locals call it Statia. Arriving of Oranjestad, the main town and port I anchored off the beach. It seemed that Easter holidays were in full swing as lined along the beach under the cliffs were sound systems, bands, barbecues, kids on the beach. They certainly like their partying do the Statians. Ashore next day all seemed to be shut up, the Port Office, the National Park Office so I couldn’t complete formalities. I decided to walk up the volcano, called the Quill which dominates the town, you are supposed to buy a hiking permit but as the offices were shut I decided to go anyway. The way up from the old town, situated on a narrow strip between the beach and the cliffs, mostly destroyed since its heyday in the 18th century, was up the old paved slave road which led from the beach up to the old slave market on top of the cliffs. One wonders what would lead western society to treat Africans in this way, and we called ourselves civilised.!!!! Passing through the outskirts of the town there was a huge tortoise in someones front garden, must have been a foot and a half long. Higher the track led through woodland, here were purple clawed hermit crabs, they used large snail shells for homes. We are used to thinking of crabs as seaside creatures not 800 ft up a mountain. Arriving at the crater rim you could look down into the crater itself which is full of forest, silk cotton trees and strangler figs. Here too was a feral rooster and feral chickens, one rooster followed me to the rim, quite a bold beast would eat out of your hand. I went some down into the crater but the thought of the climb back out deterred me from going to far, beside I had left my full water bottle on the boat and was feeling a little parched.There were lots of little geckos too but I did not spot one of the Statia iguanas. Back at the beach the party was just warming up again and in the evening things were really hopping. The sound systems all blaring out vying with the bands and the motor bike boys revving their 1000cc bikes up to the full. Mind you there are not that many roads for a burn up on an island that is 4 miles long and 2 mile wide. Crazy crazy Statia, a lovely gem of an island. igs. Here too was a feral rooster and feral chickens, one rooster followed me to the rim, quite a bold beast would eat out of your hand. I went some down into the crater but the thought of the climb back out deterred me from going to far, beside I had left my full water bottle on the boat and was feeling a little parched.There were lots of little geckos too but I did not spot one of the Statia iguanas. Back at the beach the party was just warming up again and in the evening things were really hopping. The sound systems all blaring out vying with the bands and the motor bike boys revving their 1000cc bikes up to the full. Mind you there are not that many roads for a burn up on an island that is 4 miles long and 2 mile wide. Crazy crazy Statia, a lovely gem of an island.

Anchorage at Statia

Purple clawed Hermit crab

Quill Crater

Rooster

Gecko

Beach Party

The passage to St Barts was not enjoyable. I left the anchorage at Statia early and though I would go around the south of the island as it would give me a better slant on the wind to cross However tacking around the south of the island proved just too hard, winds too strong and waves big so after hour and half I had made little progress.Turned around and was back level with the anchorage in 15 mins! so up to the north tip of the island then across. A course almost hard on the wind should have seen me across, not like the passage notes in the pilot that suggest it should be an easy reach. What with leeway, the current and the waves all pushing me northwards it was soon obvious that I would have to go hard on the wind. The waves seemed unusually large considering the wind strength, just about 18 – 20 knots, sometimes a bit lower and arrangements down below got re-arranged., with stuff all over the cabin floor. As it was I entered up motoring the last miles as I had been headed by the wind and it turned into a race against the sunset, punching into short steep waves with spray everywhere. It was the sort of passage that makes you wonder why you sail at all! Oh and the sunset won, just so I anchored in the dark. Not too bad though channel buoy lights and other boats at anchor.
Here I am back on the mainstream cruising circuit and there are hundreds of boats. Unlike Monseratt, Nevis, St Kitts and Statia where there are relatively few yachts about.
I had had to anchor some way out and so it was a long dinghy ride into Gustavia to complete entrance formalities. It feels more like the Med here than the Caribbean, there seemed a surprising lack of black faces, the population seemed European, its very French, very smart very chic and expensive too. 5 Euros for a coffee. After a couple of day I moved just a few miles up the coast to Anse du Colombier. This was much nicer, a very lovely bay with turtles swimming about and a gorgeous beach. I walked along a nice coastal path to Anse de Flamades, saw lizards and iguanas. Back at the boat I spent some time diving under the boat scrubbing the bottom watched by some attractive fish.

Anse du Colombier

Anse du Colombier

Path to Anse des Flamandes