SL Independance Day

Hi first 4 Pics of the race, they are taken by Ronnie, a young sailing man from Italy, one of my 2 crew and a very good helmsman on the tiller, in the sombrero is Sven my other crew member from Germany not Mexico. Pic 1= a good action shot from the bow, Pic 2= Sven and myself with three of the big boats in front of us. Pic 3= the boat 'Hot Chocolate' when we were ahead of them, Pic 4= this boat was 'Argentinia' a very fast modern Aluminium boat and the sort of boats we were up against.
More to come
Roy

St Lucia

Hi Everyone,
Well I have now had the results of the 'Indipendence Day Round the Island Race' actual indipendence day was yesterday Monday 22nd Feb, and prize giving was last night. Two days starting on Sat. 0930hrs from the SLYC start line, down the Atlantic side to Vieux Fort, had a terrible start, my 2 crew were late getting to the boat and as the final signal was sounded we were only just hoisting the mainsail! took us 10 minutes to cross the line, but we had a really good sail down the east coast. As you pass down, there are no roads here, so you see all the places you don't see from the land. Arrived at the finish at 17:07 not last but very near, then the anchorage and party ashore. Sunday I had a proper start and kept in reasonable contention with the modern boats, this up the leeward side back to Rodney Bay. GL did very well keeping very close to a modern yacht and sort of had our own little competition with them, sometimes in the lead somtimes behind, all good racing excitment, we were only about a minute behind at the finish line at SLYC. Will be posting the race sheet later, but over the 2 days overall, and out of the 10 sailing boats taking part, GL came 4th, not in the prizes but a very decent result. I had a free berth overnight in the Marina, and I moved back out to the anchorage again. Bit of a top up required for food, and I will be on my travels again.
Pics to come later when I get them.
Roy

St Lucia round island race

Hi Folks, Came back on Wednesday afternoon and arrived Rodney Bay at 11:00pm, have been getting the boat ready for the race and I am just going to the Skippers briefing in 30 mins 5:30pm my time. Race is tom Saturday starting at 8:30am and next post will be able to tell you how I managed to come last, hope I'm only joking.
Roy

Back to St Lucia

This pic of Scholcher with the Pitons in the background is the last one from Martinique, I am on my way back to St Lucia in the next few days to take part in the round island rally, the reason I visited was the St Lucia Yacht Club young sailors had arrived to take part in the 20th Martinique international Optomist and other dingy classes regatta hosted by Club Nautique, I went to show my suport and say hello to Danielle and Duncan who were also there.










So ends my visit to Martinique, but more coming.
Roy

Sainte Pirrie

Following pics of Sainte Pirrie, and the volcano Mont Pirrie that dominates the town, in 1902 and only 2 days after the eruption in St Vincent were 2,000 died and who were forgotton, Mont Pirrie blew its top as well, 30,000 died with only one survivor, a prisoner in his cell, the difference was, the ones that died were mostly the european colonists and land owners, St Pirrie was the capital and was concidered a mini Paris with many fine stone buildings... they were all destroyed, this changed the economics of Martinique, forever, anyway up to date the city was never rebuilt.
Roy

Following pics are 1,2 and 3 views of Trois Islets and 4,5 are 2 views of Stainte Anne

St Anne to Fort de France Bay

Following pics are on the way from Sainte Anne to Fort de France Bay, The rock is called Diamond Rock and when the French and English were at odds here, the royal navy plonked 20 men and some ships cannons on it and for 17 months the english seamen caused havoc with French shipping passing on thier way to Fort de France, so much so the Royal Navy raised the status of the rock to a ship of the line, HMS Diamond Rock, think its the only rock to be called a ship!
so 1= Diamond rock in the distance, 2=As I passed by real close, how did they do that, 3 & 4= 2 views of Fort de France
Roy

Sainte Anne

Hi everyone,
Martinique continued, Pics are 1=arrival at the anchorage 2= the town square 3=Church interior 4= a view
I am posting pics in separate posts
Roy

Martinique Feb 2010

Hi Everyone,
I have been doing a lot of moving about recently, there are many places to visit here, all with anchorages of various types, some good some not so good.
From my previous blog my itinerary has been as follows; Marin anchor for three days, Sainte Anne with trip ashore, Next morning a day trip to Fort de France bay to spot the layout and back to Saint Anne, Next morning Marin for quick shopping trip and dump garbage then trip to La Anse a La Ane with trip ashore, next morning a day trip to Saint Pierre and back, overnight in L'Anse a L'Ane, next morning clean dingy bottom on the beach and walkabout, Next morning trip a to Les Trois Ilets, this is close to The Domaine de la Pagerie, Napoleons Josephine birth place, trip ashore, as I arrived another Yole race (local boats as before), This morning start early 0700hrs, put sail up, run aground! 2.3 feet on my sounder which means only 4'6" water and I need 5'6", had to wait then like a complete idiot for the ferry to come in at 0900hrs, and with full astern the wake bounced me off the mud! then off to Sainte Pierre, trip ashore and where I am at anchor tonight. Each place has its own unique history, Sainte Pierre had a disasterous eruption of Mont Pelee in 1902 which killed just about all the europeans here, 30,000 people, with only one surviour. Tomorrow going back to Fort De France Bay to anchour at Fort De France city, see what I can find there. Will end this visit at Marin, they have good internet there so will be able to post the photo's I've taken, there is also a short movie of my shopping trip, why you may ask, well you go through a narrow channel through the mangrove swamp!
So more later
Roy

On the move again at last

Hi again everyone, Ive been on the move again, I left Rodney Bay Marina on Saturday 12 noon, I had a rough crossing but managed to anchor just before it went dark in Marin, Martinique. Sunday I cleared customs early, very modern computer DIY, when finished you print the form and the officer stamps it, thats it, no cost. Found it was local boat race day so did some quick shopping and back to boat to drop off the stuff, 1st race had started so took pics from boat, then off to beach to take part in the fun. pic 1= pic from boat, Pic 2= race 2 they start from the beach, pic 3= good fun as they jostle for position rounding the mark for the last time, Pic 4= these guys were so far behind but going like full speed, they won the race! see them hanging out balancing the boat with no keel at all.
more later
Roy