• Martinique to Quadaloupe

    May 17–18, 2024 in Martinique ⋅ 🌬 30 °C

    First things first, fill up with fuel and water. Martinique is European prices and quality. Then head for an anchorage in the bay not to far from the supermarket. This doesn’t sound like adventure sailing but chores are chores. Off to Carrefore to fill lots of shopping trollies with fresh food. Most people don’t realise that the french caribean islands are actually France. And get euro subsidies etc and they feel like France. Very weird. So couple of beers and a burger in a bar ready for an early start in the morning. When we wake the po po are checking boats in the anchorage for some reason they ignore us. Sails up. Anchorage up and a downwind exit through the sand banks of Marin to the open sea. Turn right. About 120miles today to a bay on Quadaloupe. No despising yet on final big sail destination. Colombia too hot. Azores bit short handed with funky weather systems developing. Decide tomorrow. A nice 8 kt down wind drift towards diamond Rock which is a nature reserve with many birds and great diving. Then right again toward Dominica. Wind is perfect 16 to 18 kts on the beam the mighty Morvenna punching along at 8 to 9 kts hardly a boater to be seen, just the way I like it. As we reach the gap between quadaloupe and Dominica we find a boat that doesn’t know we are racing them. We race them until we reach Dominica and the day ends. No wind in behind the island we motor sail the length of the island. Taking turns to sleep there are many lights on the shore and many fishing floats to avoid in the sea. By the time morning comes I am on watch and we have reached the tight pilotage at the entrance to cul de sac Marin. Which is a name we should have heeded. I manage to sail through the channels in half light no engine so I didn’t have to wake sleeping beauty. The town looked very industrial so one past the reef we gibed and headed for a little lagoon in by Douville. Perfectly flat water between 2 reefs Time to make a discussion on where to go next. We look at the 2 options and there is no obvious answer. The weather is complicated to cross the Atlantic. I decide to get some second opinions. And text Jack who has just that day completed a transat back to Azores done in 7 days from Bermuda. I know that Jack Scarlet and the gang on his boat will have plenty of experience and ideas. What a fateful decision this turns out to be. The owner and the skipper are very enthusiastic and there consensus is for us to not bother with Azores. Go to Nova Scotia via Bermuda. Boom there’s a plan we hadn’t considered. And head back across the Atlantic next summer via Greenland, Iceland and Faroe island. I like this plan has a bit more adventure in it..
    We nip into town for some beers and pizza and the plan is settled. Bermuda tomorrow. And find the cold weather clothes.
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