Anchoring - in the French Islands

We've watched the anchoring 101 video play out many times while cruising in the Islands for the past 5 seasons.  Yesterday we watched it again and I was able to take a few pictures.

1 - You drive your boat up in front of and as close to another boat as you can. 

2 - You drop anchor hoping that the anchor/chain on the other boat stops your anchor.

3 - You let out way to much chain - does not matter - just let the chain fly.

4 - You realize that you are to close to the other boat so you quickly get out a fender.

5 - Then everyone jumps in the dink and goes ashore for the rest of the day.

Pretty much the way it plays out - The large catamaran in these photos came in and anchored across the wind right on top of the smaller mono hull.  They sat on board for a little while and then realized that they were way to close so then they strung the fenders out - and left.  For the next day and a half we watched as the two boats tempted fate but never once hit. So got a few photos of the two this morning before we went ashore for some minor provisioning - French wine, baguette, Beer, produce, some nice pork filets and some chicken.

Carneval coming to a close

I'm able to pick up some WiFi signal here using the Bullet2HP Radio and a 12dbi omni antenna - speed is not great - but beats going into town.

Last gasp of Carneval here now - everyone dressed in black and white and music gettin louder!

Having Souflaki, basmati rice, stuffed grape leaves, Greek salad, and home made pita's.  Another feast on the good ship Gra'inne.

Hope the stores are open tomorrow after the celebration - need to pick up some fresh veggies and of course a baguette or two!

Once we have better WiFi will add some images to recent posts.

Heading South Again

We left Roseau, Dominica Monday morning headed for St Pierre, Martinique.  Weather was good and we had a great trip down but as we neared St Pierre the wind shifted to the West and we started to have light rain.  As we neared our normal anchoring spot we noticed that all the boats were lying toward the lee shore. With the steep drop off here and odd winds we decided to come on around to Fort de France.

Arrived in time for the BIG CARNEVAL PARADE and we have been front row center to a whole lot of partying.  The place where we normally clear in/out was closed so I took the dink around to the fuel dock near Carenantilles and was able to clear in easily.

Went ashore yesterday morning and picked up a few things at Leader Price and then came back to the boat and took care of small chores.

Happy Hour aboard Jalan-Jalan

Had a nice get together with the crew of Jalan-Jalan on their Island Packet 380 last evening.  We were just back from a hike in the Cabrits National Park, showered and went over for a visit.  Had a nice time and hoping to meet up with these folks again in the future.

Walk the whole Island of Dominica

Lose a cannon??

Gun carriage overlooking Prince Rupert Bay

Fort Shirley, Cabrits National Park

On to Roseau leaving Portsmouth this morning and then back to Martinique tomorrow and the land of baguettes!

Ventana arrival

I've watched as two Island Packets came in and anchored so when I went in to pick up more fuel and some Acetone I took the dinghy by to check them out.  One of them is Ventana, a 40 that just recently completed a circumnavigation.  Spoke briefly to Rob but we are going over for a visit in a little while.

Went back over and had a nice, but brief, visit with Rob and Dee.

New Grocery Store

We walked into the area near Ross University yesterday for lunch at the "Tomato" and then stopped by the new IGA grocery store to check it out.  Got back to the boat and finished the teak on the starboard side - will start on to the port side next.

Today will be routine maintenance - oil change on the generator, top off the fuel, and taking it easy on Valentines Days.

Cooking Class

Yesterday morning Martin picked us up and we started the morning by shopping in the market for local ingredients for a Dominican Cooking Class.  Once we had all of the ingredients we headed back to the classroom.

The classroom is the Portsmouth Association for Yacht
Security (PAYS) events building.

Martin preparing breadfruit

Breadfruit in the fire

Cooked breadfruit

Prepping for saltfish

Breadfruit ready to eat

Lunch is served

Saturday in Portsmouth

Martin stopped at the boat this morning to pick us up and take us to the local Saturday morning market.

As we neared the new fishing dock at the market we could see the old wrecks lining the ocean front near town.  Martin indicated that Venezuela was helping to cut the old wrecks up and haul them away.  This will be a great improvement and really improve the look of the area.

Wrecks ashore

Saturday Market

Boaters and locals

The egg "Maam"

Fresh banannas

Dominica - the Nature Island

We took off early this morning with Sea Cat to see the rain forest and all of the flora and fauna.  It rained pretty heavily last night so we expected to have damp conditions - we did - got to experience a rain forest while it was raining.  Cold, damp, wind, rain, incredible birds, plants, flowers, what can I say - photos tomorrow after I'm rested.

We stopped along the way to take some nice scenery shots of different plants (trees) in bloom, pick and eat some local fruit, and smell and taste some the local smells and tastes.  We made it to the parking area up in the Trois Piton Nation Forest and walked for about an hour till we reached Boeri Lake.  The lake level was down as we are in dry season (tell that to my tired, wet body).  Clouds over the lake with visibility of about 50 feet or so - sometime more sometimes less.  Lots of amazing plants and flowers along the way and a great hike.

 

Traveled from Boeri Lake to Fresh Water Lake but it was raining so hard and visibility was limited so Sea Cat asked if we would like to go somewhere else - we did.

We drove to the Trafalgar Falls area and parked.

After a short hike saw two amazing waterfalls (camera batteries dead so will try to borrow a few images from Island Wanderer) one fall is hot water and the other cold - we chose to go swimming (actually soak) in a few of the hot water pools - man did that feel good.  I stayed in until I was wrinkled up good then was disappointed to learn that the wrinkles were not water induced!  I dried out but the wrinkles were still there.

We then drove to an area further down the Roseau Valley to an area loaded with steam vents and boiling fumaroles.  Incredible smell of sulfur and steam so hot it would cook you.  Water boiling up from beneath the earth and a cave belching steam - amazing planet we live on - you get to see just how much so here on this island.

When we returned to the boat we noticed another Island Packet on a mooring up near the Cruise Ship terminal - probably a 350, 370 or 380 but to lazy to put the dinghy down and go for a ride to check it out.

Shower time now and then time for leftover chicken curry, steamed rice, mango chutney and shredded cabbage.

Beautiful beam reach today

We left Ste Pierre, Martinique this morning and had a great beam reach to Roseau, Dominica.  Winds were on average 20 knots with light gusts to 25.  Seas were in the 8 - 9 ft range with a period of about 8 to 9 seconds.
Seas and winds were right off the beam and we had our Yankee, staysail, and about 75% of the main up.  What a great ride and we arrived here just after noon and washed the salt off the boat then went ashore to clear in.

We plan to stay here in Roseau for 3 - 4 days and hope to do an inland tour with SeaCat in the morning.

We saw pilot whales and dolphins on the sail over and more than the normal amount of what we think is Sargasso weed - will have to see what that is from.

Now it's time for Chinese at the Yacht Inn Restaurant!

Moving North

We had a nice stay off Fort de France and moved up to St Pierre this morning.  Had a nice visit with the owners of Island Wanderer and then had to use our air horn to run a French couple off.  They were within about 10 feet of hitting us and nearly backed into a nearby Cat.  Amazing thing was that I spoke with the guy at the bow on the way by and told him he was to close - we are in 50 feet of water with 200 feet of chain out and really shifty winds.  He wouldn't listen so I gave him two toots on the air horn - he did not even look my way but started dropping chain as the wife started backing - even before the anchor was anywhere near the bottom!.  His wife starting giving us crap as they nearly hit us then they picked up and moved a bit further north.

A little while later we noticed a large Cat with fenders still hanging come in and pick up a dive mooring on one of the wrecks behind us.  And within the past 30 minutes we've watched as another anchored CAT went adrift.  Anchor light is still visible in the distance but it is clearly drifting away!  Won't they be surprised when the get in the dink later to head back to the boat!

On to Dominica tomorrow at or before first light.

Near Le Marin

We went into Ste Anne yesterday - moved the boat over and anchored off the town dock.  Went in to our favorite Panini shop and had lunch then came back to the boat and moved back to our favorite private anchorage.  I say private as we have only seen two other boats anchored here - one was several years ago when we had Larking About as company.

We will pick up anchor shortly and will move around to Fort de France for a few days before heading for Dominica.

Some Maintenance Complete

We rebedded the stanchion and it looks great and I finished doing the starboard forward teak caprail.  Also cleaned, Cetol'd and rescreened the foward berth overhead hatch.  Will wait to do more teak till after we move to Dominica.

It was really blustery yesterday so we worked on inventorying all spares and getting like items in one container - amazing how things can travel from container to container. 

Started working on Income Taxes - downloaded information that we need from various websites and have started filling out forms using TurboTax Web version.

We plan to move to near Ste Anne after breakfast this morning and then go ashore for a Panini, fries, and ice cream.