A champagne breakfast & a farewell

Knowing the dock in Falmouth harbour is a dangerous place to be ( due to the strong influence of expresso martinis and rum) and feeling dusty from the two previous nights we set off for Carlisle bay. Carlisle bay is home to a 5 star resort who were friendly to visiting yachts and happy for us to use the facilities and stay for lunch. We had gained a stowaway in the form of Caroline who was on holiday in Antigua after the boat show. That afternoon was spent paddle boarding, swimming and playing scrabble as the sun gave us a spectacular show as she set. 

Having safety drilled into her conscience, Freyja (having gone very quiet as the last of the rosé went down) announced (the rather obvious but unobserved by others fact that...) we were now the only boat in the bay....bobbing all by ourselves : ( With a bit off a swell already making us roll the decision was soon made to move back round the 3 miles to Falmouth harbour. A late night adventure!

The decision worked out well as the following day we had to say goodbye to our lovely Amy. After a breakfast of pancakes and Champagne we took her ashore to go start her epic 4 day journey home to Australia. 

Slowey nestles with the super yachts

Leaving at the antisocial hour of 4am we crept out from the protection of Guadeloupe into open water. A solid 15-20knts just forward of the beam set us up for a beautiful sail to Antigua. Storming along at 6.5knts we all stayed on deck as down below was not a pleasant place to be. Freyja found an old Christmas cd and we sung and laughed our way across the sea to Antigua.

We expected to be arriving later after lunch but as always Slowy surprised us with her need for speed we arrived at 10 am! 

The harbour was rammed with super yachts and we felt very teeny creeping onto the dock just outside Skullys! It wasn't long before we saw some familiar faces. We launched the tender and pootled off to pigeon beach for a swim and to cultivate our plan of attack for that evening! 

We headed off for dinner at Abras which quickly escalated into a "14 strong" girls dinner (and one token man who we renamed Jessica). After that the music started and we danced the night away with most of the harbour. Luckily we have no pictures to show from our night out and it would be deemed a good thing by most. The earliest one in bed was around 3 and others shortly after sunrise. 

The following morning coffee and juice was incredibly necessary. We went back to Pidgeon where we sat in plumfy chairs overlooking the seas and floated around in rubber rings and noodles! The cobwebs were swept away. 

Isle De Saints to Guadeloupe - a hill climb & 7.7 knots!

After four beautiful days in the Isle de saints we were getting itchy feet to leave and explore pastures new.

On such a small island we met so many locals during our time there that we almost felt like a local as we walked down the street. Familiar people waved hello and some even attempted to hitchhike a ride north with us, we politely informed them this was our holiday and we didn't have room for anyone else!

One character we met was trying to kayak his way to Florida, seeing our blog inspired him as he told us he has been moving around the world one day at a time. For the last 24 years he has only planned as far as his next meal. Leaving Terre du haut in the morning we had an open idea to where we were going. We needed fuel and water and had an aim to get to Antigua at some point this weekend. We planned to sail up the western coast of Guadeloupe but this didn't leave us much choice in location for a fuel dock. Our only option was a Marina in Basse-Terre just off the south west tip of the island. 
We had a beautiful sail dodging squalls up to our first port of call. Amy having told us she wants to learn to sail was delegated boat captain and as we came out the back of squalls (and down a wave) we had Slowey up to 8knts! (Camera only managed to capture 7.7). Rounding the corner the wind died and we dropped sails to head into the harbour.

We were a little dubious about this marina (the only one with fuel and water) as our cruising guide and a couple of charts had shown that the entrance had been destroyed in a storm and could now maybe not be deep enough for us! Another said it had been dredged and would be fine. The marina office wasn't answering the phone. After much debate and more phone calls we were almost abandoning the plan altogether. One final phone number found in the back of an old book finally went through, the marina assured us we we're fine to come in and fuel up.
Motoring on to the dock and refuelling wasn't a problem. Getting off the dock was slightly more exciting. The marinas water supply wasn't working and we all voted we didn't need to shower until Antigua so we bailed on topping up the tanks.

First part of the plan accomplished we decided the location wasn't overly selubrious and we needed to leave. There was a heavy surge in the tiny marina and it took everyone's knowledge together to work out a way to get off the dock without the ability to spring off or drive off straight forward or astern. Knowing 'slowey' does not go astern but also knowing astern was our only option out of this we went for it. Esme said after that she had misplaced her cool in the marina and regained it back up somewhere outside the marina entrance upon escape. Even when we were perpendicular in the tiny entrance channel we kept calm and Esme performed amazingly. It was quite possibly the worse dock we could have gone onto and slow flight doesn't like to move in the direction you want it to... When you want it to.

Safely out of the marina all was forgotten, lunch was made and we headed north to the anchorage of Deshaies. With just shy of 45 miles to Antigua from this point we decided after a tedious trip up the coast that we would spend the following day here and depart from Antigua from there. 

The following day was hot and humid and the wind was funnelling through the mountains sending crazy gusts into the anchorage. The idea to stay was the perfect plan as the trip to Antigua would have been rough. 

As it was slightly over cast we decided to go for an explore along a walk to the next beach. The tourist information said it would only be a short 20 minute walk (which turned into 3 hours) over the hill to a lovely beach.
Flip flops on and totally un prepared we set of to find the beach for a swim!

After a strenuous climb over huge rock boulders and down slippery muddy paths Freyja and Esme... with dry mouths and a distinct lack of preparation and liquid turned back. Determined to carry on Amy convinced Pippa that we would make it for a swim and it wasn't to much further.... We powered on down the hill (that felt like a mountain) for another half hour....Only to arrive at a cannon and a fairly un interesting view point... Calves aching, dehydrated, hungry and possibly slightly lost we decided to head back up and to the anchorage where we had planned to meet the girls in a local restaurant for lunch...3 hours later (we suspect the tourist information lady had never left her air-conditioned office!)

Isle De Saints - bumpy nights & clear kayaks

Leaving the main town in search of a solitary beach or nook to spend the day we went a little way around Terre de Haut to a little anchorage called Pain au Sucre, translated to 'the sugar loaf'. We were not the only ones here but the water was clear and inviting so we decided to stay. The holding was bad but on the second attempt we dug in our anchor and drew straws on who would have to dive on it to check. Happy we were secure we used our traditional paddleboard snorkel technique that we perfected in the Exumas to explore the rocks nearby and the beach. Freyja and Pippa feeling sleepy went for a nap whilst Amy and Esme went off on a paddleboard mission.

That night wasn't as relaxing as we had hoped for. A squall with high winds and lots of rain came through at around midnight waking us and all the boats around us up (except for Pippa who could sleep through a firework display inside her cabin if she wanted to). Slightly on edge as we knew the holding in the anchorage was unreliable we sat awake and checked our transits until it passed and we were happily still in place.

Due to some strange tidal eddies and random gusts coming off the land around 4am all of the boats in the anchorage were facing every which way. The Ducker girls started noticing funny goings on earlier and were already snoozing up on deck. They awoke with the stern of a small sailing boat swung round towards us uncomfortably close to the side of our hull. Using her body as a human shield Freyja leapt in to hold the boat away as Esme grabbed the key and turned the engine on ready to move. Amy being up previously in the night woke up knowing what was probably going on and went straight for our anchor to help. Pippa slightly confused from her deep slumber was wondering why Freyja was in her bikini and if she had gone for a late night swim! Not wanting to attempt re-anchoring in the dead of night we motored back round to the mooring buoys to tie up and continue our slumber uninterrupted.

Sleeping until a mammoth 9:30, we arose for a lazy breakfast in a cafe on the shore followed by some shop perusing. Feeling energised by lunch we decided to go hire some completely clear kayaks from a local company ashore, an upgrade from last years paddle boarding snorkelling technique. We could paddle ourselves around, see the fish and the eerie boat wrecks beneath us and as Freyja put it... Not even get our hair wet. 

Paddling around the coastline we could get to places that even divers could not get to, the kayaks could be taken over the top of shallow reefs with out harm to the coral or disturbing the creatures that resided there. Three hours later we were feeling crispy, bronzed and tired so paddled back to the beach for a much deserved ice cream and a shower before we went out to dinner in the evening.

Esme had read in the cruising guide about a restaurant hidden in the hills behind the town named Les Petite Saints. The review mentioned the chefs previous experience working as a pastry chef in some top restaurants across the world. As if the promise of fine deserts wasn't enough the food was also supposed to be exquisite. We were not disappointed, with a view overlooking the harbour and amazing food we left feeling sleepy and happy. Pippa in particular as living with three vegetarians has deprived her, she had her opportunity to consume a full 300g of steak!
Full on butter, wine and chocolate pudding we walked on down to the dinghy dock and headed back to slow flight to hit the hay...

Becalmed on the way to Guadeloupe

After a quick stop in Dominica (not as quick as Christopher Columbus who we found didn't even go onto the island that he ransacked and changed the name of) we wanted to carry on our journey up the islands whilst the weather held.

Leaving after breakfast we set sail for the Isle de Saints. A small collection of islands just south of Guadeloupe. Set sail wasn't quite accurate though as the water was once again glass and the wind non-existent, such a change from last year! Slow Flight turned into a motor boat and we motored the 20 or so miles up to the largest of the islands, Terre du Haut. 

On our way we saw just one other boat who were much more hardy than us drifting along in the 3knt breeze with full sail, obviously being stubborn and not wanting to put their motor on. We did the usual "I'm on a boat, you're on a boat" wave and cruised on by.
Freyja kept busy doing what she does best, being a good daughter on the trip and fixing the winches, Esme was using the brilliant lighting and the flat sea to take some arty photos. While Amy and Pippa topped up their tans reading and snoozing in the sun. 

We navigated our way around the minefield of lobster pots dotted along the coast as we approached the channel between the islands to reach our destination.
Unlike Martinique the Saints feel much more european in their 'Frenchness'. There seems to be a large population of restauranteurs who open here in the season. Some having come from various high end restaurants across Europe. The European vibe was increased more when we stumbled across a Carrefour express! Quite a culture shock from just 20 miles south where the jungle is thick and the food is delivered on paddle boards straight from the source and the unrefrigerated meat truck which stops outside houses for the weekly stocks.

The first morning we were up and Amy and Pippa went out to try their hand at paddleboard yoga! Some spectacular fails and impressive moves were busted out, especially by Pippa. 

The afternoon called for a bit of sun and some beach time. Upon arrival back to the boat the sun was setting, we were rinsing off on the bow only to realise a classic sailing yacht was slowly tacking in and out of the moored boats! They must have thought us amusing as embarrassingly they came by for a second turn! 

We are looking forward to spending a few more days here as there are lots of things to see and places to explore. Especially looking forward to sampling a few of the islands best restaurants.

More soon,
Love Esme, Freyja, Amy and Pippa X