Well it’s only just over there about 4 miles away.  We made a day from to St Johns which is on th USVI by ferry, mainly to collect a small,package of electrical parts for the generator that we had arranged to be sent from MASE North America to a cousin of one of our friends from the ARC+ rally who lives and works there.  Why didn’t we take the boat you may ask?  Unless you have a full visa (we just had ESTA) you have to go and get stamped in by public transport first, then you can take your boat.  A lot,of formalities for just one day, and departure tax to pay both ways as well as ferry fare much more expensive than going to Arran.  We had a look round and went for an interesting walk, most of the island of St Johns is a national park.  Before that we had taken advantage of nice weather to visit the remote island of Anegada (surrounded by reefs) and have been drifting about what they call the Channel Islands, this means the Francis Drake channel and small islands such as Peter, Cooper, Salt and Norman Islands. Some good snorkelling, saw some sharks and barracuda and big fish called Tarpon lurking under the boat but there are far too many boats, it’s busier than the Solent.  And all on the VHF trying to make their dinner reservations and competing for the buoys.

From St Barth we spent a night at an uninhabited island in the National Park, lots of turtles and good snorkelling, then a couple of nights in the French part of St Martin (the island is part French, part Dutch).  From there it was an 80 mile passage downwind which we did overnight, it was almost like doing the Atlatic again with the sails poled out.  We arrived in Virgin Gorda and joined a cruising Association rally which also became a bit of a ARC+2015 rally as more boats joined in, it was great to see our friends from Lea (Norway), Chimo (Holland), Cookelu Meu (Finland, though Panos is Greek) and Odyssey (UK, Liam had taken over organising the rally).  We met for lunch at Saba rock, then a beach party in the evening on Prickly Pear Is then next day a cruise in company to Cane Garden Bay Tortola, where we all went for dinner.  It was great to see old friends and meet new ones.

We sailed the 60 miles from Barbuda to St Barts overnight.  The island was French then was apparently bartered for some Baltic trade rights and became Swedish then in 1878 or so back to French as it is now.  It is a free port and was a haunt of smugglers and freebooters, now the capital, Gustavia, is the St Tropez of the Caribbean with Super-yachts (haven’t seen Justin Biebers yet) and designer shops.  There are some humbler ones though, a good supermarket and chandlery.  We had lunch at the Select bar, made famous by a Jimmy Buffet song about “a cheeseburger in paradise” which of course was what we had.  The town is very pretty, most of the streets have French and Swedish names.  We are anchored outside the harbour in clear water with turtles swimming around, no room in the harbour for such as us, but there are showers and wifi included.

Sailed to Barbuda from Deep Bay Antigua.  It is a very low island and only visible in the last couple of miles, notorious for shipwrecks as also surrounded by coral reefs.  We navigated very carefully with lookout at the bow and full attention to paper and electronic charts to anchor off the beautiful Cocoa beach.  Apparently Princess Diana used to come here with the boys but her favourite beach was a little further north.  Next day we moved to anchor at Low bay which is just a thin strip of sand as there is a large lagoon between here and the main (only) settlement of Codrington.  Next day we went into sleepy Codrington to clear customs etc and then got a trip to the Frigate Bird Sanctury.  Saw lots of fluffy young birds, adults in elegant flight and a few males still in mating display – bright red pouch inflated under the chin –

although breeding really should be finished by now.

Went first to Jolly Harbour where we met up with friends from Walden again, then battled back south to anchor at Falmouth.  Falmouth has amazing super yachts.  Have walked across to English Harbour for lunch and to look at Nelsons Dockyard again.  Antigua is an ex British island.  Easter has rather crept up on us heathens but they obviously take it seriously here –  surprised to find that not only can you not buy alcohol from the supermarket on Good Friday, can’t get beer with your lunch at the hotel either.

Too windy to stop at Pigeon Island so did not see Jaques Cousteau.  Now in Deshaies at N end of Guadaloupe where apparently Death in Paradise was shot.  Beautiful blue sea and sky but very windy. Boat is anchored with all the chain out and the wind generator is whizzing round charging the batteries.   Just visited the impressive Botanic Gardens, parrots and  lorikeets as well as plants, as is usual out here all the things we grow inside as house plants or in greenhouses flourish outside here (e.g. Poinsettia).  Also great view of the bay and the anchorage.  Hope to set off and sail overnight to Antigua tomorrow, so need to stock up with French wine and chees before we go.  Back to British style officialdom after the relaxed French version.

From Dominica we had a great sail north to Iles Saintes which are part of France.  One night in a remote anchorage where we could snorkell and watch Pelicans and frigate birds, then to the main town of Bourg des Saintes on Isle de Haut to check in with customs, shopping etc.  It is a charming island, very French, great bread and restaurants, everyone goes about on scooters or electric buggies.  We made an interesting visit up to the Fort Napoleon, great views of the island.  Apparently Admiral Rodney was victorious against the French in the battle of the Saintes in 17 something or other.

Now on Guadaloupe in a sleepy little place called Rivière Sens.  We are in the marina which gives a chance to catch up with the washing, shopping and Internet and a few more jobs.  It’s not all lying in the sun you know!  In fact it has rained quite a lot recently.

Hoping to stop next at pigeon Island at the Jaques Cousteau under water park.

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Sorry about lack of updates, wifi is scarce. People say that a local sim is the way to go but this doesn’t really work when you are going from Island to Island and each one is a different country and would need a different sim. Often neither wifi or cellular work very well, presume just too many people trying to use it these days?

Anyway will try to put more photos when I get a better connection. We spent a few days in Fort de France the capital of Martinique, mainly doing some shopping, then North to St Pierre which used to be the capital until it was destroyed by the eruption of Mont Pelee in 1902, killing all but 2 people there. Lots of interesting history and we did a (very hot) walk to visit a rum distillery.

On to Dominica which like several of the islands was alternately British and French but finished up British and is now independent, but they still drive on the left same as UK. We moored at the capital Roseau for a couple of nights and did a taxi tour of the local sites, waterfalls, sulphur springs, impressive gorges etc, but gave up on the higher sites as there was horizontal rain and murk – just like Scotland, but we were not dressed for it. We had a boisterous sail on to Portsmouth which is a big anchorage. Next day we were about to go ashore when the heavens opened, torrential rain and also thunder. Out of the murk with waterproofs and running lights on came our friends on “Walden”, whom we know from Hayling island which is near the other Portsmouth. So, once rain had stopped or at least slackened for a bit we could all meet up in a local beach bar to compare notes. More sightseeing today then off ashore for dinner.

We are back in Rodney bay AGAIN this time to collect the new dinghy and outboard that we ordered. It is a Zodiac 2.7 with inflatable keel and aluminium floor and the outboard is a Tohatsu 9.8 hp 2 stroke, so we will be able to whizz around on the plane like everyone else or we will once the engine is run in anyway, only allowed half throttle for the first 10 hours. It seemed to take them a long time for them to make the Chaps sun cover (apparently the material took a long time to come) it was promised Tuesday then Wednesday and then they had forgotten to make up the lifting bridle so we had to wait another hour or so. We said a sad goodbye to our old faithful Avon dinghy which we traded in. We bought it 2nd hand in 1984 so it is well over 30 years old.

Have just spent half the morning in the chandlery buying security stuff for the new outboard and dinghy. We have checked out of St Lucia again with the customs and paid our Marina dues, then we will probably spend the night at anchor in the bay before at last heading north again on Friday.

Parts for the engine finally arrived and fitted, generator we hope is fixed, we even got the speed log working.  Left the marina to anchor in the bay last night then sailed north to Martinique this morning, nice fast reach over a sparkling sea, lots of flying fish.  Now anchored in St Anne on Martinique.  Lots of yachts in the bay, just waiting to do our Customs clearance on the clunky old computer in the Internet cafe.

NB all 3 of the water carriers we were carrying on deck cracked and split, one after the other – UV of course.  Lest the same thing happen to the diesel cans I made them some rough covers from Acrylic, now need to make another for the new water carrier.

We are continuing our exploration of local foods.  Got this huge apricot from the Farmers market, also  Dasheen – a starchy thing.  The other item with Puffa penguin is a medium size lemon (see lower picture).

Puffa penguin with an apricot ( believe it or not) a Dasheen and a lemon

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