On Route to Guadeloupe

Barbados northern shore.  Wild with enormous breaking waves far out to sea.

After almost a month enjoying friends’ and family’s company in Barbados, it was time to depart.  We picked up some diesel at Port St Charles.  Peter Douglas ran down to say farewell just as we cast off.  No time for a hug but a big thank-you, Peter and Dale, for hosting us.  We had a fantastic time.

We set sail at 3:00 p.m. for what we figured, according to wind forecasts, would be a 36 hour trip - 140 NM with light winds.  We could make it on one tack on a close reach (slightly upwind…again).  

The Barbados north shore was awe-inspiring with huge breaking waves far out from the northern point.  We stayed clear but admired the view.  And then another night at sea.  Beautiful sky with some bioluminescence and a very small waxing moon - the night was so dark that it was difficult to distinguish the horizon.

My poor photography technique with blurry eyes or camera.  These are the screens we look at all night when not checking the horizon.  Radar on the left, the chart on the right. 

 During my watch, the wind veered (that is it began to turn from east to south of east ) so much that for a short time we were almost headed back to Barbados.  Navigation corrected, sails trimmed. Then it died - genoa furled, main sail in, motor on.  Then it came on strong and gradually backed.  Back on track and up to 20 knots - genoa out, mainsail trimmed, motors off.  No time to listen to podcasts on this watch and only some deep kneebends for fitness.  I was busy!

Dawn.  As always, beautiful.

Peter’s watch was, of course, completely uneventful.  It’s that 2000 to 2300 watch that sees all the action - I must suggest a switch!)  Because of the higher wind then expected through the night, we had only 78 NM to go at 8 a.m.

Peter going into and under our cockpit sole locker to fix a squeaky autopilot.  As you can see, he loves this stuff.

Lovely sailing through the day.  Dominica was visible - mountainous contours made us look forward to exploring her later in the season.  Just before sunset a pod of dolphins came to dance at Milly’s bow.  This was the best show yet.  The water was so clear that we could see them easily - when underwater, it looked like they had been glazed with aquamarine watercolour.  They scooted back and forth, under and over each other.  We could almost feel the spray from their blowholes and we could definitely smell the fish they had eaten for lunch. 

Sunset over Dominica

Problem was that, again, we would be getting to Marie Gallant, our destination and an island of Guadeloupe, well after sunset.  Instead, of tacking outside the harbour all night on slo-mo as we had done when arriving in Tobago, we decided to attempt anchoring in the dark.  This is contrary to all the best advice of veteran sailors.  According to our cruising guide, there was a wide open anchorage off a beach on the west coast that offered good protection and holding.  We edged in, Peter at the helm, myself on the bow looking for fishing buoys that marked trap locations.  A few were spied which Peter negotiated.  Finally, we dropped anchor in about 7 meters of water.  We held fast and toasted arriving in a new country.

Next morning, we awoke to the lovely, bucolic Marie Gallant off our bow - and to our stern, starboard and port side fishing buoys as far as we could see.  The sea gods had been smiling on us the night before.

Marie Gallant seen from our anchorage - a little far from shore, maybe.

We didn’t even step ashore on Marie Gallant - we’ll have to check it out next time around.  Off to celebrated Iles des Saintes to clear in.