Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Pics 6

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Pic 1 group photo of the divers, pic 2 trip to Deshaies, pic 3, 4= beach Deshaies, 5= dingy dock up the river Dashaies.
well thats all pics from log, still some in camera to post but haven't got them in computer yet. This lot should keep everyone happy for a bit.
Roy

Pics 5













Melandure and Michelines Dive hol.
pic 1=on my way, pic 2=anchored by the rocks, pic 3= the beach bar, pic 4, 5= M with her dive buddies.
Roy

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More views of the Saints, and another land crab, found him in a car park, Pc 1= town centre, Pic 5 = Guadalupe in the distance.
Roy

Pics 3

Hi everyone
Pics here are from Les Saintes pic 1= is a cruise boat that came in, pic 2, 3, 4 = views and 5 is the house built like a boat

Roy




Monday, March 29, 2010

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These pics are of the mini amazon Indian River Trip. 1= 'Fire' our local guide, and 2,3,5 views 4= a land crab, very hard to take pics of these as they shoot down the hole when approached, see his large eye.

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Hi everyone Internet at last, 1= prize for taking part in the race. 2= Portsmouth beach, 3= Big Papas Restaurant, 4= beach 2 and 5= hurricane wrecked coaster that nearly blocked the entrance to indian river, now you have to enter it right under the stern of this coaster
Roy

Nostalgia Trip

High Folks,
Well I went to the marina at Jolly Harbour and took on fuel and water on Saturday, then went to do the internet, I'm afraid I failed again, no where could give me both connection and power, so will have to wait.
I moved GL Sunday morning, lifted the anchor at 0530hrs then the trip to Engish Harbour and Falmouth Harbour. Present Position: 17,00.60N , 061,46.67W at anchor just off Pigeon Beach Falmouth Harbour.

I won't be able to describe how poignant this is to me, when I joined the Merch Navy (May 1975) I already had the dream of going round the world in my own boat, and these two places had fired a lot of that ambition as somewhere to see.
Since then I went to the caribbean many times over the years and after joining the Mega Yachts even went there as well.
However none of these times did I fully fill my critria on; How, how far (Log reads 6,746 Nm), what time (0830hrs), what day of week (Sunday), what I would wear, and so many others, the list is long, but every item had a tick yesterday, even what I did on arrival during the day :- lamb curry Sunday lunch at Admirals Inn, Nelsons Dockyard, a red wine at the Galley Bar, a trip to Shirley Hights to listen to the best steel band playing all afternoon, with a view un paralelled anywhere I think, then down again to the bar by the tender dock Falmouth Harbour, no longer 'the odd spot' now called 'Mongoose' what a good day, I could actually come home now, not bothered about going anywhere else (but still more to see). Will be trying to contact the Classic Race Regatta Coordinator today, Helen Spooner, hopefully working something out about taking part, will post result when I find out.
Roy

Friday, March 26, 2010

Antigua 1

Hi Everyone,
Have arrived in Antigua, I left Deshaies on Wednesday afternoon at 1300hrs and made it to Jolly Harbour at 0230 Thursday morning, wind was wrong for Falmouth Harbour so have cleared customs here, I am anchored off the beach at Cove Bay Position: 17,04.60N , 061,54.0W, after clearing in I went to the beach, its coral sand here unlike the islands so far which have been volcanic sand, its half a mile long and I had it all to myself all day, deserted, great. Had a little drink in the YC last night and will stay the weekend I think. I have a marvellous view of Montserrat just East of me, as its not that far away. Hoping to find internet this afternoon and will go saturday to catch up, prob take me all day, keep your eye out for next post as should have pics in.
Roy

Monday, March 22, 2010

Rendezvous

Hi all,
Well I can report a successful rendezvous with Micheline and friends, we met up on week last Sunday night, I had a magic time and some good laughs, also invited to the group evening meal one night, very interesting people these divers and they all seemed to enjoy themselves.
Micheline was able to come with me for a caribbean sail on GL up the coast Thursday, when we arrived however we found there was a bus strike on and we only had a short time to say goodbye, I think she visits Beaumaris on Tuesday, so if you are out and about she will tell you all about it.
I am now preparing for my trip to Antigua, but the wind has been a bit strong with very strong gusts, will leave it for a day or two then off to English or Falmouth Harbour.
Still no internet and thats been quite a while now, but pics are waiting to be posted.
Roy

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Deshaies

Well I am at anchor in a quiet bay Position: 16,18.43N 061,47.82W, there is a nice place to land in the dingy at the top of a little river that comes out by the port, only local boats in there but the bay is 3 to 5 mtrs deep great for me to anchor in. Will be here a few days but haven't found internet yet.
More later
Roy

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Moved again

Hi everyone,
The Saintes Ilses were very nice but the anchor place was awfull, rolling about all the time, mostly due to the ferries going full tilt through the moored boats. I was so far out as well, so anchor depth was 15mtrs, a bit to much for me to cope with, (15mtr chain + anchor = I can't lift it easily)
So have moved again, a night time passage with a good kip on the way, Pointe Malendure about 500 yards from the cliff,
Position: 16,10.40N 061,46.85W, left Monday at 1600hrs and arrived there at 0600hrs Tuesday. The beach is popular and is the staging post for the dive boats and glass bottom boats, many tourists but not many cruising yachtsmen, went to the beach yesterday very hard to get ashore because of the steep beach and large swell, (a bit of the jetty has washed away) then a 15 min walk to the small town. No real facilities for yachts here, so while I wait for Micheline to arrive I will go round the corner to Deshaies as the town is behind the beach, and anchor off Anse Deshaies. Will maybe get internet there as well and post some pics again.
Roy

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Ilses Des Saintes, Guadeloupe

Hi Everyone,
Well everything went to plan yesterday and I left the anchorage in Portsmouth, Dominica, at 10.00am yesterday morning, a quiet sail across the stright and arrived at the ilse of Terre-De-Haut and the town Boug Des Saintes at 17.00hrs last night, Position: 15,52.90N 061,35.14W, after a quick tidy myself up, went ashore to sample the delights, found a very Hot Hot Hot sundowners bar, many French girls dancing about with wild abandon, great, a few beers were consumed by yours truly, (will pay another visit tonight!) its a very busy tourist town and very pretty too, theres a house built into the cliff on the north side of the bay in the shape of a ships Bow and bridge deck coming out of the rock, will get a pic of that and post.
More later
Roy

Friday, March 5, 2010

Travelling again

Hi Everyone,
On the move again, I left St Lucia on Tuesday 2nd March, I know I stayed longer but...They gave me the option of taking part in the St Lucia Sailing Club championship Race, as a crew member aboard No. 3 'Atitude' a J24 class racing yacht, they have six J24's and we had 6 races, we didn't do so well and our race sheet was 6,6,6,6,5,4 We had good racing though, what a fun day it turned out to be, Hoping Danielle will send some photo's to me so I can post them on the blog.
So back to the move, I passed Martinique during the night, lost the wind a few times but made good time just the same.
I came round the bottom of Dominica just before dawn and passed Roseau at 0600hrs, I carried on up to Prince Rupert Bay and anchoured off Big Papas bar Portsmouth, Position: 15,34.84N 061,27.74W. Big Papa (who I met there) had a regge night and I joined that and had a good evening. One scary incident however, while away going to customs my boat dragged the anchour and was rescued by a local man! whew! I will be leaving sometime today for Guadeloupe Les Saints islands, closer to where I will meet up hopefully with Micheline and friends. Pics of my trip up the Indian River (mini Amazon jungle river) on Thursday later.
More coming
Roy

Monday, March 1, 2010

More Pics and news

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pic 4
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pic 1

Hi everyone, Well today is farewell to St Lucia, I am leaving as soon as ready today 2nd, not sure yet if I will stop at Dominica or carry on to Guadilupe, depends on wind. A few pics of the race taken by others,

pic 1= GL on her way to SL from Martinique, pic 2= at the start on Saturday, pic 3=Ronnie at the helm, Sven and myself at the Start on Sunday, pic 4= Duncans boat 'Sephina' Duncan & Danielle on board,pic 5= Danielle and me at the party.
My best wishes to everyone I met in St Lucia, not forgetting Peter (Pedro) Barnard who is recovering after his Op. Please keep in touch, I will miss you all!
Roy