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.

Wednesday, April 3rd to Wednesday, April 10th - Fort de France, Martinique

[caption id="attachment_4805" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Abolitionist Victor Schoelcher"][/caption]

On Wednesday afternoon, the anchor is up in St. Pierre. Cutter Loose is bound for Fort de France, about 15 miles to the south. Since it is late in the afternoon, the decision is reached to anchor for the night in the town of Schoelcher, a northern suburb of Fort de France. Victor Schoelcher devoted his life to the elimination of slavery and an end to French colonialism. As such, he is a national hero. Slavery was abolished in Martinique in 1848. Statues and buildings named in honor of Schoelcher can be found throughout Martinique.

On Thursday morning, we move on to the designated anchorage area next to Fort Saint-Louis in Fort de France, the capital of Martinique. By far, Fort de France is the most highly populated area in the Eastern Caribbean. The population of the city of Fort de France is 94,000. Another 135,000 Martiniquais live in the outlying suburbs, which are extensively developed. The total population of Martinique is 409,000. To place this in perspective, the entire island of St. Thomas has a population of 51,000 of which 11,000 reside in the capital city of Charlotte Amalie.

[caption id="attachment_4834" align="alignleft" width="125" caption="La Savane"][/caption]

Fort de France is located in the northwest corner of an indentation in the west coast of Martinique that is nearly four miles from west to east and three miles from north to south. The Baie de Fort de France is a harbor with many sub-harbors, including a cruise boat terminal, a deep water container dock, islands, marinas, smaller suburban waterfront communities and resorts. All of these places are connected to Fort de France via ferry. It is not often that Cutter Loose is anchored in such close proximity to a major metropolitan city. Fort de France is quite accommodating to cruising sailors. There are no port fees and the huge dinghy dock is conveniently located next to a well-maintained and well-illuminated urban waterfront park known as La Savane. There is little wonder why cruisers are attracted to this area.

[caption id="attachment_4803" align="alignright" width="111" caption="Headless Empress Josephine"][/caption]

In La Savane, there is a headless statue of Empress Josephine (wife of Napoleon) who was born on a plantation in the nearby village of Trois Islets. Martinique natives are not particularly enamored with Josephine since she was raised on a plantation that made use of slave labor. The statue was decapitated in 1909, but the head has never been replaced. Martinique officials fear that it would only be a matter of time before the new head would suffer the same fate as the original head.

The most visible form of development in the harbor is the new 20 story Pointe Simon waterfront condo/office tower, which is in the final stages of construction. Ashore, Fort de France is a mixture of old buildings in need of repair alongside new and renovated buildings. As is the case with all urban areas, some streets are downright seedy in appearance while other places are quite attractive. A multi-modal transit center on the waterfront functions as a place where ferries, buses and taxis converge.

[caption id="attachment_4804" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Schoelcher Library"][/caption]

Schoelcher Library was built in Paris, disassembled, transported to Fort de France and reconstructed on a site next to La Savane. The former Hotel de Ville (City Hall) is being rehabilitated into a center for the performing arts. It’s courtyard connects to a popular intown shopping mall known as Cour Perrinon. Nearby, the French government is building a new federal appeals court.

Rue de La Republique

A pedestrian mall has been created on the Rue de la Republique which makes it an ideal location to pause for a café and a pain de chocolat while observing the passers-by. The bells of Saint-Louis Cathedral toll every 15 minutes and can be heard throughout town and across the harbor.

Fort de France is a vibrant city. Its narrow sidewalks are filled during daylight hours with vendors and consumers. Every night, there is some form of entertainment on the waterfront plaza. Sometimes the music is quite good. While cruise boats occasionally call here, the town’s economy is geared largely to local consumption. There are a few glitzy jewelry stores, perfume shops and t shirt stores near the waterfront, but most of the stores sell basic clothing and housewares.

There are several open air markets scattered throughout the downtown where fruits, vegetables and flowers are sold. Given the French emphasis on food and fresh ingredients, it remains a mystery that the three grocery stores in the downtown are amongst the poorest quality we have experienced in the Caribbean. We are told that the larger, more modern grocery stores are located in suburban malls.

With the help of the tourist office, we locate a bicycle repair shop in downtown Fort de France. The owner is a bon homme who speaks passable English. When he becomes lost in our conversations, he nervously summons the neighboring shopkeeper whose English is near perfect. There is no problem repairing the broken spoke and trueing the wheel. However, in order to reconnect the rear brake, a special cable is required which is not available in Martinique. He apologizes profusely as he jury-rigs a fitting for the rear brake. He explains that he is a professional and that he is disappointed with his work on the rear brake because it is below his high standards. He asks us to purchase a new brake cable when we are in the U.S. this summer and return to Martinique with the cable next year so that he can finish the job.

[caption id="attachment_4794" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Fort de France bike shop"][/caption]

As is the case with most towns in the Caribbean, there is no public Wi-Fi in Fort de France. Internet service is provided by a handful of restaurants and bars where access is free with the purchase of food and/or beverage. This means that we routinely carry our devices ashore in a waterproof bag.

There is more English spoken here than in other areas of Martinique. Almost every shop or restaurant has at least one employee that speaks a few works of English. Fashion and music in Fort de France are decidedly more American than French. Shops gear their marketing and loud music largely towards the gangsta hip-hop preferences of the young men.  For mademoiselle, the emphasis is on day glow-colored, skin-tight clothing. Vive la difference!

Part of visiting new places requires a cultural adaptation to local toilette etiquette. For example, a trip to the rest room at the Cours Perrinon brasserie creates some anxious moments. In the traditional manner, there are two separate doors to the rest room…one for madames and the other for monsieur. However, once inside, both doors lead to a common lavatory area surrounded by a row of separate stalls that are used by both men and women. One’s initial instinct is to apologize and depart rapidly upon entering a rest room filled with members of the opposite sex. But here, the custom is to share and share alike. It is considered polite and appropriate to carry on cross-gender conversations at the lavatories.

On Sunday morning, April 7th, Erwan Tabarly (FR) crossed the finish line in Fort de France after 20 days and 22 hours to win the Transatlantic Betagne-Martinique single handed race. The Beneteau Figaro class race departed Brest, France on March 17th. Tabarly completed the 4,455 nautical miles with an average speed of 8.85 knots in his 33 foot one-design racing sailboat. The closest competitor arrived in Fort de France 35 minutes later. Gradually, the remainder of the fleet crosses the finish line, docking stern-to the quay at Pointe Simon. The accomplishment of these intrepid single handed sailors is nothing short of incredible. Yet their arrival in the harbor this morning goes largely unnoticed by Martiniquais.



[caption id="attachment_4791" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Beneteau Figaro one design ocean racing machine"][/caption]

The real excitement today is on the beach near the dinghy dock where spectators surround a fleet of yoles. Yole racing is a national obsession in Martinique. Yoles are a traditional, round hull, wooden sailboat constructed from a hollowed-out tree trunk. They have no rudder and no keel. The boat is steered by a single rotating oar affixed to the stern. A total of fourteen boats are lined up on the beach for today’s competition. The colorful rectangular sail plan is rigged and ready to go.

Each boat has a crew of 12. Each yole is 30 feet in length and made of heavy wooden construction with hiking poles that extend outward on each side. Acrobatic crewmembers slide out to the end of the bamboo hiking poles to counterbalance the heeling motion of the boat. At the starting gun, there is abundant screaming and splashing on the beach as crew members engage in a concerted effort to launch their heavy boats.

At first, the fleet makes slow progress through the anchorage. As the wind fills the sails, the boats begin to move more rapidly and there is more shouting as the yoles weave their way through the anchored boats. After two windward legs and a downwind run, the final leg is a reach to the finish line at the beach.

Today, it is an exciting photo finish between the two lead boats. As the finishing horn sounds, there is a loud cheer from the winning crew and their supporters on the beach. After lunch, there is a second race. When the racing is over, the beach party begins and lasts well into the evening.

On Monday, Cutter Loose is headed south across the bay some three miles to the peninsula of Anse Mitan on the south shore of the Baie de Fort de France. Anse Mitan is a resort community with hotels, condos, a marina and a small, upscale business district with the usual collection of touristy restaurants and shops. As such, it is the Bainbridge Island of Fort de France.

Many cruisers prefer to anchor off the beach at Anse Mitan and take the ferry to Fort de France when the spirit moves. Bus service is also available from Anse Mitan to neighboring towns and Fort de France. A short bus ride away is the tiny village of Trois Islets, also fronting on the south shore of the Baie de Fort de France. Napoleon’s wife Josephine was born on the family plantation near here, now in ruins. We will resume our journey south on Wednesday. In the meantime, we will enjoy the pleasures of Anse Mitan.

[caption id="attachment_4843" align="aligncenter" width="221" caption="Trois Ilets waterfront"][/caption]