Monday, April 29th to Sunday, May 5th - decommissioning at La Phare Bleu Marina

On Monday, we depart Prickly Bay and travel four miles east to Petite Calivigny
Bay on the south coast of Grenada.  Petite Calivigny is home to La Phare Bleu Marina, which will be our home port for the next week as we prepare Cutter Loose for yard
storage during the summer and fall.

The process of decommissioning involves servicing the engine, generator and
outboard motor, pickling the water maker with storage solution, cleaning strainers, replacing filters, removing sails and cockpit canvas, polishing stainless steel deck hardware and thoroughly cleaning every square inch of the boat’s interior.  Summers in Grenada can be extremely hot and humid.  One of our
major concerns is the potential for mold and mildew.

At 12 degrees north latitude, Grenada is said to lie south of the hurricane
zone.  Prior to Ivan’s arrival in 2004, Grenada had been hurricane free for nearly 50 years.  Ivan was a Category 3 storm when it made landfall on Grenada on September 7, 2004. Prior to Ivan, many of the local boatyards and sailors had become complacent about
hurricanes in Grenada.  Ivan was nature’s wake-up call.  Hundreds of boats were lost in Grenada during this storm.  Now, most boatyards in Grenada utilize steel cradles, tie-down cables and other effective damage prevention measures.  There is no question that Cutter Loose will be in harm’s way during the coming hurricane season.  We will hope for the best, prepare for the worst and make sure the insurance premium is paid in full.

After enjoying the simplicity of the cruising lifestyle for 188 days, our lazy routine has been rudely interrupted by work.  Every day from 8 AM to 5 PM, we attack the extensive decommissioning checklist.  One of the benefits of a slip in a marina is access to shore power in order to operate the air conditioning system during the heat of the day.  Usually, the easterly breeze renders outdoor tasks bearable. By 5 PM, it is time for our daily cooling off period in the marina’s swimming pool.

La Phare Bleu is an altogether pleasant environment in which to prepare Cutter
Loose for summer storage.  The marina offers views of waves breaking on two reefs at either side of the entrance channel.  The staff is helpful and friendly.  Our friend Staron, the dockhand, is a polite and capable young man who visits several times each day to say hello and check on our progress.  Since this is the summer season, there are only 20 boats in the marina and fewer than 10 are live aboard vessels.   Life here is pleasant and ultra-quiet.  During our stay, one of our goals is to consume the remaining contents of the fridge and freezer.  There are two restaurants on site should we achieve this goal before the end of the week.

The signature attraction at La Phare Bleu Marina is Vastra Banken, a steel Swedish
lightship built in Stockholm, Sweden in 1901.  Lightships are frequently named for the area that they protect.  Her last official assignment was Vastra Banken at 60 degrees north, 17 degrees east.  The owner of La Phare Bleu found her through a ship brokerage in Stockholm.  She was refurbished in Germany and shipped here in 2006.  At La Phare Bleu, she functions as a bar and an upscale restaurant as well as the marina’s shower facilities and restrooms. The view of the harbor from the upper deck is superb.



[caption id="attachment_5005" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="On station in northern Sweden"][/caption]

 

By Sunday, our mission at La Phare Bleu Marina is fulfilled.  Cutter Loose is clean and shiny, both above decks and below.  She appears naked as a jaybird, being stripped of sails. We will wait one more day before removing the cockpit canvas.  Come Monday morning at 9 AM, she has an appointment with the Travelift at Grenada Marine boatyard.

Thursday, April 25th to Sunday, April 28th - Carriacou and St. George's, Grenada

On Thursday morning we arrive at the Immigration office in the Hillsborough Police Station shortly after 8 AM.  The immigration officer is perched on the sidewalk in front of the office.  He advises that the office is being cleaned and asks us to return in ten minutes.  With his permission, we explore the downtown before clearing Grenada Customs and Immigration. 



Shops and restaurants on Main Street are just beginning to open their doors for the day.  There are a few shops geared towards tourists, but Hillsborough is largely an unspoiled seaside fishing village. 

Today is the final inter-island passage of the winter voyage of Cutter Loose.  We depart Hillsborough on the island of Carriacou at 10 AM and set sail for Grenada, the Spice Island.  Our destination is St. George's, some 32 miles to the south.   

Unlike most days in the Windward Islands when the easterlies are blowing 20+ knots, today is a day for relaxed sailing with 10 to 12 knot winds on the quarter.  It is as if we are seniors in high school during those last few easy-going days before graduation.  The exams are over.  Our college plans are set. We are coasting to the finish line making 4 to 5 knots over ground on a gentle broad reach…plenty of speed to make St. George's by late afternoon. 

The anchor is down at 5 PM near Ross Point in the outer harbor at St. George's.  Actually, this anchorage is more of an open roadstead than a harbor.  Our objective for the weekend is to become familiar with St. George's so that we will be able to provision the boat next December when we return here to begin another season of cruising.  The wind all but disappears overnight, replaced by a slight swell from the north.  In the absence of wind, Cutter Loose is riding to the tide.  At mid-tide, the swell is on the beam, creating a rolly motion and some sleepless moments in the forward cabin. 

[caption id="attachment_4966" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Herman, the Information Officer of Grenada"][/caption]

On Saturday morning, we take the dinghy into Port Louis Marina to explore old town St. George's.  While walking along the waterfront, we are intercepted by Herman, a well-dressed and polite middle-aged gentleman who introduces himself as the "information officer" of St. George's.  Walking with us, he asks if we are enjoying Grenada.  Within a few minutes, he is into full guided tour mode.  Herman never hints that there will be a fee for his services.  Unlike the boat boy in Clifton, Herman is warm and friendly and eager to please.  He leads us past the fort to the cruise boat shopping area.  But there are no cruise boats today.  The cruise boat season has ended.  Local guides must snare cruising sailors in order to put food on the table.



Herman treats us to a full-fledged tour of the open air public market and the fish market.  We pause for lunch at a cafeteria-style Creole restaurant where the cricket game on the television has captured the attention of patrons.  Herman corrects our misguided interpretation of the Japanese-financed fisheries complex on the waterfront in St. George's.  Japan’s motive is NOT to purchase fish from local fishermen.  Japan financed this structure to gain Grenada’s support for unrestricted whaling.  Apparently, there is an international fisheries organization whose members determine where various types and locations of fishing are permitted.  By financing the fisheries complex in St. George's, Japan bought Grenada’s vote in support of unrestricted whaling.  Our time with Herman comes to an end as we must move Cutter Loose to a more protected anchorage.  We compensate him for his services and bid him farewell.



The anchor is up at 2 PM for the short hop from St. George's to Prickly Bay on the south coast of Grenada.  En route, we briefly cross below 12 degrees north latitude, the southernmost point of our winter cruise.  In the island vernacular of Jimmy Buffet, we have arrived in those "little latitudes".

Prickly Bay is a southern suburb of St. George's and a haven for cruising boats.  At the head of the harbor is Spice Island boatyard, Prickly Bay Marina, a few restaurants and a Budget Marine chandlery.  From here, it is a ten minute bus ride to Spiceland Mall in the Grand Anse suburb of St. George's.  Several U.S. style grocery stores are located in or near the mall, as are several resorts and the long white beach at Grand Anse.  Learning our way around this shopping area will pay dividends in December when we return here to provision Cutter Loose from scratch.

A short distance from our anchorage in Prickly Bay lies the campus of St. Georges University (SGU) .  SGU offers degrees in medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, nursing and business.  With an enrollment of 5,000 undergraduates plus 8,000 post graduate students and an academic staff of 850, SGU is a major economic force in the region.  University buses transport students from the campus to the shopping district.

SGU played an important role in Grenada history.  In 1979, a Marxist coup forcibly overturned the government of Grenada during which time President Eric Gairy was forced into exile in the United States.  At that time, the University was in its infancy.  All told, there were 1,000 U.S. citizens in Grenada when President Ronald Reagan launched Operation Urgent Fury in 1983.  The reason given by the Reagan Administration for the invasion of Grenada was the evacuation of American medical students at St. Georges University, four years after the coup.  Grenadians were amazed to witness air strikes and the arrival of U.S. landing craft on the pristine beaches of this tiny tropical island.  Apparently, the enemy consisted of a small number of Cuban soldiers clustered in a rural area of the island.  Many Grenadians still hold the United States in high regard as a result of Operation Urgent Fury.  Grenada is boat-friendly and fond of Americans.

The south coast of Grenada is a series of bays, each offering pristine protected harbors.  This is prime cruising territory.  Many cruising sailors spend the entire season on the south coast of Grenada.  From Prickly Bay, it is a 30 minute walk through a neighborhood of upscale homes to Secret Harbor Marina in Mount Hartman Bay.  The restaurant at the marina serves as the social hub for cruisers docked at the marina and anchored in the harbor.  When we arrive on Sunday, cruisers are playing Mexican train dominoes and talking about the schedule for live music at nearby restaurants during the coming week.  Many of them return to Mount Hartman Bay year after year. 

On Monday, we will move on to La Phare Bleu Marina to begin the process of preparing Cutter Loose for summer storage.  Before the work begins, we will enjoy one final night of relaxation on the hook in Prickly Bay.

[caption id="attachment_4974" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Beach at Grande Anse"][/caption]

Sunday, April 22nd to Wednesday, April 24th - St. Vincent and the Grenadines

As it turns out, our anxiety about personal safety and security in Vieux Fort is unwarranted.  The only threat here was the squally weather that persisted for most of the night.  The anchor is up at Vieux Fort, St. Lucia at 6:45 AM on Sunday morning.  Our destination today is the small island of Bequia, about fifty miles to the south.  Bequia is part of the island nation known as St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The island of St. Vincent lies directly on the path to Bequia.  Most boats sail past St. Vincent without stopping, due largely to its tarnished reputation as a place of unfriendly behavior on the part of some residents towards yachties.  For decades, stories about aggressive boat boys, dinghy theft, boat boardings and personal injury have persisted.  These rumors still circulate within the cruising community.  None of these warnings appear to be substantiated by fact, but who amongst us wishes to take the risk? To make matters worse, the St. Vincent restaurants and shops that advertise in the Windward Island cruising guide state that they patrol their moorings and dinghy docks to insure the safety of their guests.  This type of promotion further reinforces the existence of potential security problems.  As a result, our intended non-stop sail to Bequia is via the windward (east) side of St. Vincent, the shortest distance to our destination.

We have become accustomed to the reality that wind gusts will be highest and the sea state will be most confused at the northern and southern extremities of each island in the Windward Island chain.  Today is no exception.  Dark low clouds and drizzle remain from last night’s squalls, setting an ominous tone at the outset of today’s journey.  To add insult to injury, a two knot adverse current is seriously impeding our progress.  After an hour of battling the current, we opt instead to sail to Bequia via the leeward (west) side of St. Vincent.  This change in tactics improves our speed over ground dramatically while providing a glimpse of the harbors on St. Vincent’s west coast.  As predicted, there is not a single cruising boat at anchor in the harbors of St. Vincent today.  The island is steep, green, lush and gorgeous. How frustrating it must be for local restaurants, shopkeepers and other tourist related businesses to be unable to attract visiting yachts.  Hopefully, its image will someday improve to the point where cruising sailors feel comfortable calling at this beautiful tropical island.

[caption id="attachment_4916" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Off to the Customs office in Bequia"][/caption]

Once south of St. Vincent, it is only seven nautical miles to Bequia.  Located in Admiralty Bay, Port Elizabeth is the principal town of Bequia and an official port of clearance for customs purposes.  Admiralty Bay is filled with cargo ships, ferries and cruising boats.  It is reassuring to be in the company of others in the waters of St. Vincent.  We opt to anchor in the less industrial part of the harbor near Tony Gibbons Beach, a decision we would later regret.  A local boat boy offers us the use of a mooring, but we politely decline.  We have heard that the private moorings scattered throughout the harbor are never inspected and that yachts sometimes are cast adrift from failed moorings in the middle of the night.  Under these circumstances, we opt to rely upon the security provided by our 88 pound Rocna anchor.  At 4:30 PM, the anchor is down just off the beach with the yellow Q flag hoisted to the spreader.  We will relax aboard Cutter Loose tonight and clear customs in the morning.

In the middle of the night, the wind subsides and a northerly swell materializes, seemingly out of nowhere.  In the morning, Cutter Loose, along with all of the monohull sailboats anchored nearby, is rolling from side to side.  Given the early start to the day, we are ashore in time for the opening of the Customs and Immigration office at 8:30 AM.  Bequia’s tiny Main Street is already humming when we arrive.  The open air market is filled with vendors and customers.  Taxi drivers are busy working the crowd at the ferry dock.  Even the local Pizza Hut is open for business at this early hour.

 Bequia is the northern gateway to the Grenadines and today is a delightful day for a sail to Tobago Cays, a National Marine Park located 25 miles to the south.  Clearance formalities and shopping behind us now, Cutter Loose is underway at 11:30 AM on Monday.  With 20 knot easterlies, it is a lively five hour broad reach past the island of Mustique (home to the rich and famous) and the island of Canouan, home to the Moorings charter boat facility.  Five miles further south is the island of Mayreau, the closest island to Tobago Cays.  Here, the navigation becomes more challenging as several separate islands give the appearance of being joined as one island until they are in close range.  Even with the electronic chartplotter, it is quite easy to become temporarily disoriented when attempting to discern which island is which from afar.  



Approaching Mayreau, we pass between waves breaking on Catholic Island and Baleine Rocks, then turn southeast towards the two small uninhabited islands of Petite Rameau to the north and Petit Bateau to the south.  Here we enter the National Park.  To the immediate east of these islands is Horseshoe Reef where waves crash furiously on the underwater coral.  Between Rameau/ Bateau and Horseshoe Reef is a small piece of heaven.  Anchoring inside the protection of a reef is an awe inspiring experience.  The unimpeded breeze blows steadily at 20 knots, but the water inside the reef remains relatively calm.  The constant howl of the wind taken together with the sound of waves crashing on the reef provides nature’s audio entertainment.  Despite the fact that the daytrippers and charter boats visit here from nearby Union Island and Canouan, the anchorage still seems wild and remote.  This is by far the most spectacular anchorage we have experienced during our winter cruise.  Regardless of the looming deadline ahead, we will absorb the beauty of this special place for another day.

As if to welcome us to Tobago Cays, a feathered friend joins us in the cabin for breakfast on Tuesday.  To celebrate our Tobago Cays anchorage, Pat has concocted French toast made with coconut bread.  Our  guest flutters through the companionway and proceeds directly to the galley where he/she perches on the rim of a bowl containing the leftover egg mixture.  All creatures on board Cutter Loose this morning are wildly enthusiastic about Pat’s creation.

This afternoon, we snorkel with green sea turtles at the turtle sanctuary near Baradel Island.  This area is marked by white floating buoys in order to prevent boats from anchoring in the sanctuary.  But in reality, sea turtles are visible throughout the Cays.  The turtles graze on underwater sea grass, then rise to the surface every few minutes to replenish their air supply.  Most of them have ID tags on their fins.  They mow the grass seemingly without regard to human intruders.  The water temperature today is perfect for snorkeling.  Unlike the Bahamas where the water can be chilly, we have not donned our wetsuits since arriving in the Caribbean.  Late in the afternoon, Mr. Quality comes alongside Cutter Loose in his skiff to inquire about our interest in purchasing a custom designed tee shirt.  Virtually all of the vendors operate under a nickname or alias, perhaps to create an identity for marketing purposes.  The vendors here in Tobago Cays are not pushy in the least.



Regrettably, we must leave this lovely setting on Wednesday morning to make southerly progress through the Grenadines.  The anchor is up at 8 AM. We retrace our steps to Mayreau Island, then turn south towards Union Island and the settlement of Clifton, an official port for customs clearance. 

This is a tight harbor, filled with anchored and moored boats.  A boat boy (actually a grown man) by the name of Tiger approaches us in his skiff as soon as we enter the harbor.  He smiles and welcomes us to Clifton and asks if he can lead us to a mooring.  He explains that the moorings are free because the town wishes to encourage visitors to return to Clifton.   We politely decline Tiger's offer.  The cruising guide warns that moorings in this harbor are substandard.  As we circle the anchorage searching for a spot to anchor, Tiger points to an open area near the reef.  Once our anchor is down, he maneuvers his skiff alongside Cutter Loose and requests compensation for services rendered.  We explain to Tiger that we did not engage his services.  Tiger now plays the guilt card, insisting that had it not been for his services, we would not have been able to find a spot to anchor on our own.  We politely disagree.  Tiger is outraged.  Now he is shouting at us.  He wants us to believe that some harm could come to Cutter Loose if we do not pony up with some cash.  Perhaps his outrage is not an act.  Tiger feels strongly that he is entitled to compensation.  We agree to pay half of the amount he requested.   He takes the money and leaves in a huff.  

Panhandling and harbor hustling are a way of life here.  Just saying a polite "no, thank you" to a panhandler or a taxi driver is generally sufficient to ward off additional solicitation.  The boat boys and tour guides, however, are more subtle and persistent in their technique.  They spring into action without having been formally engaged, sometimes causing visitors to feel indebted against their will.

As a visitor, one can choose to allow the experience of being hustled become a source of frustration.  Alternatively, one can accept it as a challenge to extract value from the transaction, to gain insight into the cultural territory and to contribute to the local economy.  We now know at the moment of initial contact that, without a doubt, we are about to be swindled.  The only question is how the scenario will play out in the end.  These scams usually involve just a few dollars.  After a while, it becomes a game of chance to see if it is possible to outmaneuver the hustler or escape the con.  Admittedly, our success rate at this game is abysmally low. 

After clearing customs, we take a stroll along the sole street in Clifton, purchasing fruit and vegetables from friendly sidewalk vendors along the way. We always make it a point to spread our meager purchases across several vendors. This village and the people who live here are struggling economically.  Other than cruisers calling here to conclude customs formalities, there is little semblance of a tourist economy.

The anchor is up in Clifton harbor at 2 PM.  Cutter Loose is bound for the island of Carriacou, some 14 miles to the south.  During this leg, we depart St. Vincent and the Grenadines and enter the island nation of Grenada and Carriacou.

Monday, April 15th to Saturday, April 20th - St. Lucia

The anchor is up at 7:40 AM on Monday in Sainte Anne, Martinique.  Our destination today is Rodney Bay on the island of St. Lucia, some 23 miles to the south.   As has been our experience here in the Windward Islands, the trade winds are in our favor again today.  A broad reach in 20 knots of wind places  Cutter Loose in her slip at Rodney Bay Marina precisely at noon.  We are escorted into the harbor by a junior tag team of dolphin.

This is our first marina experience since February 1^st at Nanny Cay when we stopped to bid farewell to Caribbean 1500 friends Ken and Laurie of Adagio.  Cutter Loose is equipped to cruise for months on end without visiting a marina.  However, she is pampered with maintenance during her stay at Rodney Bay Marina.  After a thorough wash, her topsides are compounded and waxed and the stainless steel deck hardware is meticulously polished.  It is nearly impossible to stay ahead of the cumulative effect of saltwater on deck hardware.  The powerful rays of the sun here have faded her canvas and gelcoat.  The Caribbean exacts its toll on boats that cruise these waters.   On the other hand, we are spending more time sailing and less time motoring, resulting in a 33% reduction in engine hours for our Caribbean cruise compared to last year's trip to Florida and the Bahamas.

[caption id="attachment_4887" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Neighborly Helen from Common Crossing"][/caption]

Time passes rapidly here at Rodney Bay.  Boat chores and provisioning are accomplished by day while socializing begins just before sundown.  There is a community of sailors from the U.S, Canada and the UK that make Rodney Bay their home away from home.  With reasonable dockage rates, floating docks, excellent security and an abundance of available amenities and services within walking distance, it is little wonder that this marina is a popular stop along the way.  Within hours after our arrival, we are invited to an impromptu dock party to meet some of our new neighbors.   As luck would have it, Helen and Peter from the UK aboard Common Crossing are docked next to Cutter Loose.  We have crossed paths with them continuously since St. Martin, but never had the opportunity to become acquainted.  We enjoyed our time socializing with them and hope to see them again next season.

In contrast to Martinique, Rodney Bay offers some of the best grocery stores that we have experienced since St. Martin.  The downtown area features two shopping malls, three modern grocery stores, a casino and dozens of restaurants.  From the marina, a five minute jaunt in the dinghy takes us to an intown dock located within steps of all the action.



There has been a distinct change in the weather here in paradise.  Several times each day, squalls bring high winds and heavy rain interspersed with periods of sun and clouds.  This is a departure from the five minute variety rain showers we have experienced thus far in the Caribbean.  Apparently, a stubborn upper level TROF in the southern Caribbean basin is not expected to disappear anytime soon.  Marine forecaster Chris Parker warns that there is the possibility of squalls every day for the foreseeable future.  Locals tell us that this weather pattern is more characteristic of June or July.  In Dominica, recent flooding and landslides have resulted in the loss of life.  Hiking to Victoria Falls and Sari Sari Falls would be inconceivable under current weather conditions.

Pittsburgh friends Tricia and Mark arrive at a nearby resort on Wednesday afternoon.  Prior to their arrival, we receive a special request from Tricia via e mail.  She and Mark wish to renew their marriage vows aboard Cutter Loose.  She wants to know if we can accommodate.  Special orders don’t upset us, especially in places such as Rodney Bay where English is spoken and supplies are readily available.  With ceremony script in hand and flowers and champagne chilled in the fridge, Cutter Loose is underway from her slip in the lagoon en route to Rodney Bay where we anchor in the company of several cruising boats near Pigeon Island.  Bride and groom are dressed in wedding attire. The foredeck ceremony proceeds without a hitch.  After the couple seals the arrangement with a kiss and an embrace, the anchorage erupts in cheers.  Later that evening, Mark and Tricia treat us to dinner at the Edge Restaurant.  During their stay, we enjoy meals, conversation and time spent together.  We wish them a lifetime of marital bliss.



The tempo of our winter cruise changes dramatically after our stay at Rodney Bay.  Gone are the days when we relax for weeks on end at anchor in an enjoyable spot.  We now have a date with the silver bird.  There is a considerable amount of work involved in preparing the boat for hurricane season prior to our departure on May 8th.  Cutter Loose is on a fast track to Grenada.  Under these circumstances, our remaining stay in St. Lucia will be brief.

After clearing customs and topping off the fuel tank with duty free diesel, Cutter Loose is underway from Rodney Bay Marina on Saturday morning, bound for the town of Vieux Fort at the southernmost extremity of St. Lucia.  The sky is overcast with intermittent rain showers.  The busy port of Marigot appears to be quite interesting from the cruising notes.  Several cruising boats are entering and leaving this harbor as we pass by. We make a mental note to call here on a subsequent cruise.  Twenty miles south of Rodney Bay, there is partial clearing in the sky as we pass the Pitons…two huge volcanic projectiles dramatically rising from the water.  A mile offshore, a boat boy comes alongside Cutter Loose in his skiff, welcoming us to paradise as he offers a mooring for the night.  It would be delightful to wake up tomorrow morning in the shadow of the majestic Pitons, but we feel compelled to move further south today in order to make for a shorter sail to St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday.

We are a bit apprehensive about anchoring in Vieux Fort for the night.  There was an alleged incident involving forced entry into a pleasure boat in this harbor while the owner was dining ashore.  Since we have already cleared out of St. Lucia, we will not be going ashore in Vieux Fort.  Besides, the harbor is well protected from the easterlies and today’s weather is deteriorating rapidly.  We are pounded by yet another squall three miles shy of our destination.  In the interest of safety in numbers, our strategy will be to anchor in proximity to other cruising boats.  Upon arrival, however, there are no other pleasure boats in the harbor.  There is a definite industrial feel to this place.  A small container ship is being unloaded at the deep water port.  Cutter Loose is the sole representative of the cruising fleet in this harbor tonight.   

The area of the Windward Islands south of Rodney Bay in St. Lucia to Bequia in the Grenadines requires vigilance. Documented cases of theft and personal injury aimed at pleasure boaters are rare.  In the immortal words of Ben Franklin, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  Since St. Martin, our standard practice has been to chain the dinghy to the boat and lock all ports, hatches and companionway hatch boards before retiring for the evening.  Besides, the weather tonight is dreadful.  Presumably, petty thieves do not operate in pelting rain and wind.  By sunrise tomorrow morning, Cutter Loose will be underway to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Wednesday, April 10th to Sunday, April 14th - south coast of Martinique

At this stage of the voyage, it would be altogether natural for one’s focus to gravitate towards the finish line.  After all, it has been 173 days since we departed our home port of Rock Hall, MD last October.  In the past six months, we have visited 19 islands including each of the six islands that collectively comprise the French West Indies.  One might believe that repetitive arrivals and departures and the novelty of discovering volcanic islands that jut abruptly out of the sea may have become passé at this juncture. Yet during the past ten days, Martinique has cast its spell upon us. 

What makes this island so compelling?  For starters, there are sufficient cultural and language differences to impart the feeling of being in a very foreign place.  The combination of small seaside villages, a vibrant metropolitan capital city, a major yachting center and protected anchorages all contribute to making Martinique a highly rated cruising experience.

After six days of exploring the Fort de France area, including Anse Mitan and Trois Islets, Cutter Loose is finally underway again.  A short distance south of Fort de France, the small village of Grande Anse de Arlet beckons as an overnight destination.  To our surprise, the harbor is filled with free moorings for transients.  Obviously, this community is hospitable to cruising sailors. 

Since the mooring balls lack a pennant, the foredeck hand (aka Pat) is now lying prone on the deck, stretching to thread a bow line through the ring at the top of the ball.  These contortions attract attention in the harbor.  Nearby, a female single hander on a French flag vessel observes Pat’s struggle.  Within seconds, mademoiselle is in her dinghy and has both of our lines looped through the mooring ring.  She is a woman of few words due to the language barrier.  Mission accomplished, she offers a quick smile and a welcoming wave before returning rapidly to her boat.  

Serendipity is one of the most rewarding aspects of cruising. Just the other day, a French skipper steered his vessel within inches of Cutter Loose as we were getting underway with a knot or two of boat speed from our anchorage at Fort de France.  Given his facial expression, he was obviously irritated with us about something.  Our knee-jerk reaction that day was to negatively stereotype the French.  Today, we become the beneficiaries of a random act of French kindness.  Cutter Loose is the only U.S. flag vessel in the harbor today.  Perhaps our minority status in this area of Martinique has evoked this casual but generous gesture?  We must learn not to judge an entire nationality or culture based on the actions of a single insensitive individual.   

Ashore, Grande Anse de Arlet features an excellent dinghy pier, a beach, a promenade along the water and a dozen restaurants and small shops fronting on the promenade.  Tourists frequently stop here for lunch and a swim on the beach during their rental car tour of Martinique.  

From the waterfront, it is a short walk to the trailhead for Morne Champagne.  Our objective is an afternoon hike to the neighboring village of Anse de Arlet, a few miles to the south.  Two hours later, we are still climbing uphill through a natural drainage swale.  Obviously, we have taken a wrong turn inasmuch as our destination is nowhere in sight.  After an about face to the familiar territory of Grande Anse de Arlet, we pause for a beverage at a beachfront café before returning to Cutter Loose. 

On Thursday morning, we are underway for our 13 mile journey to the village of Sainte Anne on the south coast of Martinique.  Diamond Rock, a gigantic volcanic protrusion from the water, marks our turn to the east.  In the early 1800s, British forces established a fort on the promontory of Diamond Rock from which they harassed French ships bound for Fort de France.  To this day, the Royal Navy still considers “HMS Diamond Rock” as being in commission.  When passing, HM ships are required to show due respect, meaning that personnel on the upper deck are required to stand at attention and face the rock while the bridge salutes. 

From Diamond Rock, the final nine miles to Sainte Anne is directly into the prevailing wind.  The harbor here offers crystal clear water and protection from the easterlies, which afford swimming opportunities as well as calm nights at anchor.  The small village of Sainte Anne is a tourist destination with several patisseries and clothing shops.  Adjacent to the town pier are bars and restaurants that front on the water.  Late in the afternoon, these establishments become filled with patrons who come here to witness an outstanding view of the sun setting over Diamond Rock.  It is a short walk from the town pier past the colorful cemeterie to the beach north of the village.  The beach is an entertainment district unto itself, offering a variety of restaurants and watersports facilities.  The highly manicured Club Med Buccaneer Creek facility with its light green colored roofs is located just beyond the town beach.  Cruising sailors come here to relax and enjoy the slow pace of the village and its amenities.



On Saturday, Cutter Loose is underway once again to the nearby town of Marin.  The well-marked entrance to the Cul-de-Sac du Marin is strewn with shoals and reefs.  Waves break constantly on the shallow reefs on either side of the entrance channel.  Once inside, the harbor is an inland sea of masts.  We find an open spot on the north shore to drop the hook.  While our anchorage is close to the Leader Price grocery store dinghy dock, it is a 20 minute walk to the marina complex from here.

Marin is the Annapolis of Martinique.  For French sailors, Marin is holy ground.  If you live in Martinique and own a sailboat, or if you are a sailor living in France, chances are good that Marin is familiar territory.  Marin’s waterfront is home to a dozen charter agencies, yacht brokers, a vast array of marine services and supplies, a 600 slip marina, condos and a variety of eating and drinking establishments.  There are another 400 boats at anchor and on moorings.  Some of the anchored boats are obviously unoccupied and visited infrequently.

[caption id="attachment_4857" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Clearing customs in Marin"][/caption]

On Sunday morning, we hike through town to the office of the Captanerie for the purpose of clearing customs.  A dozen pale white French skippers are already in line to use the clearance computers.  They are recent arrivals in Marin, setting off on a charter vacation to explore the islands to the south of Martinique.

After 15 days in Martinique, we will bid a fond farewell to this picturesque and interesting island.  On Monday, we will set sail for Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia.