st lucia to st vincent

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BEQUIA TO ST LUCIA

Ok, where did I leave you? We spent almost a week in Bequia, we met another HR but much bigger than ours, a 53 , called Saskia. The couple, Simon and Jenny, and their teenaged children were really nice, we invited them for a drink at 5.30pm, by 1.30am we were all best friends! Next day Simon made us some wonderful rotis, it was a very enjoyable lunch.
We went diving again and did the devils reef, we cleaned up the boat, did jobs, and went out again with Peter and Veronica. Did some ou work, trying to be enthusiastic. Then we had a day where it just rained all day. We sailed over to Wallibilou, and had a quiet night there, before going to St Lucia the next morning.
From the log:
Clearing the island, 13 23, 61 12, wind gusting 30+ reefed sail, motor sailing to about 6 miles out.

Sailing, 7 knots.
Anchored off Soufrie.

This is a small village/town, truly Caribbean. When we went ashore to check in with the customs there were lots of people on the dockside. I said they must have known I was coming but really they had just had a huge shoal of tuna swim into the bay and all the boats were full of big tuna. They were whooping and shouting, carrying off their fish. Everyone had one it seemed. The crowd was very colourful and happy., Even the customs man had one, he showed it to us in his sink. We walked around a bit until a man who was sitting outside a bar said ‘what you looking for’ We replied
‘Nothing really, just looking..maybe a restaurant for tonight.’ He was sitting outside a little bar, relaxed with a beer, beside him was a blanket covered in small black things, they were cocoa nuts. He had lived in London for 6 years and directed us to Camilla’s, a local restaurant.
Back to the boat which was on a mooring ball, it is a national park here no anchoring, when we arrived I tried to grab the mooring, but the boat was pushed by the wind and I dropped the boat hook. Alan was not amused, and we had a big job to get the mooring without it. Then we snorkelled and he found it straight away so alls well that ends well. We went back to the town and ate at Camilla’s; we were the only customers, on a rickety balcony overlooking the street and the nightclub. Alan had Creole fish with chips, fried plantains, lentils, and rice. We asked about wine, a bottle of sunrise was to be 87 ec, far too much so we made do with rum punch that knocked your socks off.
That night the boat started to roll, I had to get up and make sure everything was tied on as things started falling around. It was horrible and hard to sleep but in the morning the swell had gone, probably tidal. We went for a snorkel to anse chastenet, the last time we went there was with Tony and Katherine when they were sailing to New Zealand, and we met them in St Lucia. How funny, now we are here in our own boat. We couldn’t face another night so decided to motor up to Margot bay. It was good to get there and get some fuel, but Alan was not too happy with the price, 12 ec a gallon, in Rodney bay it was only 8.50/ Still we filled up with water as well. Then the guy found us a mooring and tried to charge us 80ec, Alan had a few words with him and he reduced it to 50, still far too much. If we go there again we will anchor in the entrance for free , just as quite a few other boats had done. Marigot bay is a very sheltered place, a deep inlet with a lot of building around the edges, but so well designed that you only see the green. There is a small shopping village and store.
We went for a swim in the next bay with the dinghy and then came home,. Showered and set off for the two for the price of one bar. The first bar we went to handed us 4 rum punches and then charged exactly what we had paid in every other bar for two. But they were good, we went across the bay and there was a really nice resort, with a good bar, the people round it were very chatty, so that was good, and even better it was half the price of the other one and still two for the price of one. Alan drank beer, but I am sorry to say after 4 rum punches I was not a pretty sight. Still made the dinner and then fell asleep. Woken at 5 am by Bruce texting, to hear about his attempts to get to Gatwick in the snow. Seems really bad, but now he is at the airport, and will come tomorrow.
I did the washing this morning, and now we are sailing at 8 knots with the wind behind us, on the way to Vieux fort. The anchorage close to the airport. We have never been there but apparently it is very local. More later on this , and if bruce
Ever gets here. The boat is going v fast now and I am clinging on as I type this, will have to go, more later. TOO MUCH SAIL ALAN!!!!


Bruce arriving

So we arrived at Vieux fort, basically a commercial container ship port , a little fishing harbour and a big airport. We went ashore and immediately realised that we were definitely not in tourist land. We walked up the main street, ladies selling vegetables and fruit, loads of little stalls, people just hanging around the wooden shed like structures, rum shops, and dogs lying on the dirty pavement. We named one corner, dog corner as there were so many. Nobody bothered us much but just stopped us and asked us if we were having a good time. We walked up to the shopping mall , found a great supermarket and took home Kentucky fried chicken to eat later...what a treat!! But walking home this incredibly creepy man started following us, and touching Alan's pockets, and he just looked like he could be planning anything. In the end we jumped into a shop and shook him off. We were at the bottom of the scruffy street, old wooden houses, peeling paint, pavements for about 5feet and then a huge hole to trap the unwary. It must be a night mare at night. A lady selling fruit wearing very tight very pink leggings called us over to buy her last bit of pumpkin. She was a big girl to be wearing that outfit, but seemed very friendly. She told us that a Belgian yachtie was mugged last week, and he is waiting in the bay to testify. They put a knife to his throat. ‘You watch yourselves, Dere is people here desperate for money’ she said waggling her finger at us.
That night the boat rolled like a pig as the wind and the swell got up and we were struggling to sleep.

We got a taxi to the supermarket the next day and did a huge shop up. Could not get mushrooms don’t appear to be a common vegetable here. The taxi driver was great, although we had the usual st lucian entourage, where they all wanted to carry a bit, and guard the dinghy, and take your rubbish (to throw it into the sea) anything for money.
The taxi driver came back a few hours later to take us to the airport, we had to add Bruce to the ships paper s and check him out as well. We were waiting for an hour as his plane was delayed, then when he finally arrived he and I had to wait another hour while Alan checked out. When we finally got back to our rolly home we were too shattered to face another dealing with the beggars, so had sausage and mash, and very nice it was.


Wednesday

We got up early. Another rolly night on a hideous anchorage, will pay for Bruce to fly back I think. We set off early and the sea was rough and the waves big, at least a 10 foot sea running. We sailed with reefed down main and genoa, and all went well. We got here about an hour ago, it took about 5 hours, then as we entered the anchorage of wallibilou it seemed all the locals were out in force, they all got little things, one a woolly hat, one a shirt etc etc.
Ron of the twins came by in his rowing boat, seeing that Bruce and Alan were about to go diving he volunteered to take them to a good lobster spot, then he will cook them tonight so watch this space, they have been gone about half an hour, peace at last. It is beautiful weather and I have just swum round the boat, clear and cool. The anchorage is so lush here, really really a characature of a desert island. Bruce loved it at first sight. Alan and Bruce went just round the corner, but actually ended up going about 4 headlands down the coast, then they had to tow a local fishing boat back to its' village, and ended up with just fumes left in the tank! They did two dives, and saw loads of lobsters but all really tiny. The diving was really good they said.
We went up to Ron and Ronnies for dinner and Ron sat with us and we had a good chat. They are really nice guys, but very hard to tell apart. As ever the boat boys have been fun and very chatty. It is interesting to hear about their lives here.
This morning Alan and Bruce are doing two dives and then we are going on to Bequia.

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