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Published: June 10th 2017
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We've been on something called a boat for 5 days now.
When we landed in Martinique, a wave of heat descended upon me. I was sweltering in my long onesie. They were all talking the language Mummy sometimes speaks to me. I think it's called French. Mummy did most of the talking.
We all hopped into a big box on wheels - much bigger than the car in San Francisco - and moments later we were walking on a path into the sea. We got on a rocking platform called a boat and mummy put up a new green covered playpen for me.
Mummy found a new language to speak - a man with big long pieces of hair who was darker than daddy with a suntan came and taught mummy some new words in Creole. While I played in my tent, everyone rustled around below deck moving tins and food for the adults. Even though there was already a lot of food in our boat, a woman came the next day and brought more! I don't need any though because I have mummy's milk!
Suddenly, the music man who used to look after me sometimes when
mummy went out appeared, got on our boat and collapsed on the wooden deck. He had come from Paris which is apparently even further away in a big plane than Martinique! George made some pretty music for us.
Everyone looked really tired that night. We all went to bed but it was so hot!
Day 1 (Sunday)
Our first day of sailing we headed out of Le Marin past Diamond Rock where, in 1804, 20 English sailors with 4 cannons protected the island of Martinique from the French for 17 months until they succumbed to the temptation of rum (or so Mummy read from her book called Grenada to the Virgin Islands). We anchored in Grande Anse d'Arlet and Daddy cooked some fish and rice for the big people.
Day 2 (Monday)
We did our first grand voyage and crossed the big sea between Martinique and St Lucia. I spent the morning playing in my peapod tent and then fell asleep. But when I woke up I felt awful. My tummy was turning upside down and I think Mummy felt the same way. I threw up all the yummy dinner, breakfast and morning tea I had drunk
all over Mummy and myself. It was a bit messy, but Mummy didn't seem to mind. She was too busy looking at the horizon and then she passed me to George in a big hurry and she also threw up her breakfast all over the side of the boat. The boat was leaning to one side and then the other and sometimes we got all splashed with water. There were big wild waves and Daddy at the helm was riding the boat up and over them. Mamie also looked a bit sick as she lay on the floor of the boat all afternoon!
When we finally reached land again, it was a huge wide harbour called Rodney Bay. A small wooden boat that looked like it was hardly able to stay afloat came right up to our boat with a funny looking man in it. He had lots of names - Jammin, Marley and John. He talked a lot about someone called Bob Marley. We talked to him for quite a long time and Mummy said she would like a coconut. But he didn't have his machete with him, so he went away for a long time. When he
finally came back, he told us he had climbed a coconut tree to get us some fresh coconuts. He said I should have some but Mummy didn't give me any.
That night Mamie cooked some couscous and Daddy made a rice pudding that Mummy liked. George read us The Old Man And The Sea by Earnest Hemingway. I fell asleep.
Day 3 (Tuesday)
After a relaxing morning, and a few more coconuts and mangoes delivered by jammin' Marley, we took all our passports to an office ashore while Daddy went to buy some sailing ropes (some were lost in the big rough sea yesterday). We had to go for lunch and return to the customs office because they were also on their lunch break and they weren't very happy to lose their lunchtime. I understand, because I get very unhappy when I am left hungry.
Mummy, Daddy and George ate at a local restaurant. The people here don't smile as much as Martinique, but Mummy made the waitress smile trying out her few words of Creole. They ate beans, pumpkin, plantains, salad, meat, fish and chow mien noodles. George had a roti. After lunch we went back
to the customs office and I got a pretty stamp in my passport!
That afternoon we set sail for Marigot Bay which another tourist from a sailboat in Martinique recommended. She said it was 'paradise' but there were too many tourists for our liking! Another man in a wooden boat called Noël (Santa Clause), wearing a Santa hat, got us an anchorage point and sold us some bananas and mangoes, even though we didn't want any! He gave me a banana and a mango because he said he liked children. I sucked on the banana and it was a bit weird but yummy!!
Everyone jumped in the water and disappeared. Then they tried to put me in!! It was much colder and bigger than my bath and I was a bit scared that Daddy would drop me! Maybe one day I will stay afloat like Mummy and Daddy.
Mamie read more of The Old Man And The Sea that night but everyone was so tired they all fell asleep! But I was listening to the story.
That night Mummy heard a buzzing sound and turned on the bright light and sprayed us all with something that
smelt funny. I don't think Mummy slept much!
Day 4 (Wednesday)
We left Marigot Bay late in the morning for Soufriere Bay further down St Lucia, nestled among two spectacular peaks - Petit Piton and Grand Piton. It was very picturesque. We moored with the help of some boys who looked very old to me - they took Daddy's money then left when we said we didn't want a guided tour to the waterfall and volcano.
We had many visitors to our floating kingdom. Everyone seemed to want to take our money. There was a nice man who had turtles made from soapstone that his village had made. Then there was someone selling fruit and vegetables - we bought some tomatoes, a paw paw and some cucumber. Lastly there was a man selling necklaces, but all mummy wanted was more coconut! He never came back with coconut. Daddy gave away all his American dollars though!
Daddy and George went for a swim to the beach and disappeared into the trees. Then Daddy went back again with Mummy. I stayed with Mamie. No one wanted to go snorkelling with Daddy on the nearby reef. He didn't ask me
though!
Mummy and Daddy cooked a big roast with pork and apple, plantains, taro and pumpkin. I of course didn't get to eat any.
Day 5 (Thursday)
Daddy woke up super early to set sail back up the coast to Martinique. But Mummy wanted a swim before we left so I was left with Mamie again. Daddy let me take the helm which was so much fun. I had to stand on the spindles of the wheel to reach though.
We didn't get to Rodney Bay to get our passports stamped until nearly midday. Daddy didn't want to wait for the officers to return but they didn't take long this time. By the time Mamie did her shopping in the Marina Mart they had returned! The immigration officials thought I was cute and gave me another stamp!
Then we crossed the big ocean again. I had a marvellous time sleeping and feeding but Mamie didn't like the big waves and grey sky... she prefers the sunshine. Daddy, on the other hand, had a big wide grin. I think he likes sailing the ocean. George slept like me but he went downstairs to bed and I had
mummy to cuddle.
We moored in the same place as before - Grande Anse d'Arlet. Daddy was bright red - I think he was embarrassed because he and George tried to drop the anchor twice before it held us. There were lots of sailboats around us.
George cooked us dinner but he didn't have all the ingredients he wanted for his pasta meal. Everyone seemed to like it, but no one offered me any. I am trying many things to eat, however - thumbs, books, helms, shoulders...
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MInke de Vos
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Adventures fomr a sweet voice
I sooo enjoyed the stories and pictures! You folks are brave, free and fun-loving! Have a great time ! See you pretty soon. Love to all MInke