St Lucia
Author: Shirlz
Monday, 13 May 2013
I had promised myself a second look at Rodney Bay and it was an easy 30-odd mile sail from Fort de France. This time I anchored in the far SE corner within reasonable rowing distance to a small beach for getting ashore. The thought of rowing nearly a mile to reach the dinghy dock buried deep in the illustrious interior of the Rodney Bay Marina didn’t really appeal. My corner of the bay is quite peaceful and all the action seemed to be clustered on the other side near Pigeon Point. The final night of a big jazz concert reverberated into the wee hours of the morning. Fortunately Sinbad likes jazz and I could switch off my hearing apparatus when I was ready to go to sleep.
A colourful boat all a-flutter with flags from many countries comes by each day with a good selection of fresh fruit and vegetables. Mangos are in season and drippingly juicy and sweet.
I put the dinghy up on a sandy beach and walked to the marina to get cleared in and out for a quick 3-day visit. The marina is a major complex with up-market shops and restaurants. I spent a pleasant half hour at the water’s edge indulging in an icecream and making use of the free wifi. At the next table four pensioner-tourists consulted their guide books and rested their painfully sunburned feet. Soon I was trudging back along the road to the village to do some grocery shopping. A small steak for Sinbad and some fresh green broccoli for me.
Next day I moved across the big bay to anchor close to the beach at Pigeon Island. There was no one around so I took Sinbad ashore for a quick roll in the sand. I hadn’t realised that it was a nature reserve and before too long a park warden with neon-pink and lime braided hair appeared and Sinbad was politely but firmly ordered back to the boat. I meekly obeyed, then rowed back to pay the entrance fee and do the hike to the fort on top of the hill. A good path winds through the trees and then climbs steeply to the summit. Magnificent views in all directions. Then down again and up to another lookout higher up.
On the way I passed the spot where, in 1780, Admiral Rodney arranged to raise the cannons to the lookout points by rigging a pulley from one of the masts of his ship which was anchored stern to the island where the water is deep right up to the rocks. It must have been a hair-raising procedure. The double rations of grog well earned.
The sun was shining, the water was clear, struggles to build a fort long past and back on the boat I relaxed and then did a bit of snorkelling. The bottom of the boat still looks nice and clean after its recent anti-fouling.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013
I sailed away from St Lucia at the first crack of dawn heading back to Tyrrel Bay. The wind was quite strong but mostly on the beam and we did the 100-odd nm trip in 24 hours. No sleep of course as I was careful to stay upwind of my course which took me really close to the coast of St Lucia. Spectacular views of the famous Pitons as we passed. Then a fast but rough passage across the channel to St Vincent before hugging that shoreline. I had thought of making a quick stop in Chatham Bay on Union Island but it was still dark when we arrived there so I decided to just press on and was comfortably anchored back in Tyrrel Bay for breakfast.