Marie Galante to Antigua by JoJo

Caribbean, March 2016

Marie Galante was the perfect place for Lochlann to get better.  He had a low fever that would not go.  We visited a doctor, but he could not figure out what the problem was.  Simon and Finbar found a wonderful walk that we all enjoyed.  It took us through the remains of a sugar factory.  One of hardest things about the Caribbean is the history of slavery.  This was a peaceful and welcoming island with friendly people. No volcanoes for Simon to climb but Marie Galante was enchanting, quiet and as the wind blew we started to work on the boat getting her ready to cross the Atlantic.

At Anchor in Grand-Bourg, Marie Galante

Marie Galante Sugar Factory

Marie Galante mango tree

We had not finished all our jobs, but the weather was better so we decided to go back to Les Saints. While we had been there the boys made a film and they wanted to do a few more shots. But when we arrived we found that the anchorage now had moorings and we had to pay! Sadly, safe and free anchorages are becoming scarer in the Caribbean! We stayed just one night and set sail for Guadeloupe and Pidgeon Island.


We had a fast and furious sail as we broad-reached North, then as we sailed up the West coast the wind soon died and we were motoring. At some point we remembered the fishing line and started to pull it in. We were a bit worried that it may have become entangled with a local net as it seemed quite heavy! But
there was a fish, a tuna, well, what was left of it! It must have been a big tuna because the head was over a foot long.  A shark must have had a good dinner.  There were bite marks where the shark had come back for second and third helpings.  But there was still more than enough for Lochlann and me to share.  What we would have done with the whole tuna I really don't know.
We continued on our way and anchored off Guadeloupe near Pidgeon Island. The snorkelling around the island was really good, but this was a rolly anchorage, so we only stayed a few days before heading North to Deshaies.

Marie Galante Sugar Factory

After a couple of day we picked up a free mooring in Deshaies and enjoyed a couple of weeks there.  Simon went off walking and got to know Bass-Terre. We continued to work on the boat making sail covers and varnishing. There is a particularly enchanting walk up the river, jumping from rock to rock which the boys really enjoyed.
Then friends turned up! Jack and Fizzy on Carpe Diam, Gale and Tim on Wild Bird and Rob and Jen on Sephina. We had a wonderful few days, walking and drinking and eating, before they all went their respective ways.
The next celebration was Lochlann's 15th birthday!

Happy 15th birthday Lochlann

Happy 15th birthday Lochlann

We hired a car and went to visit la Soufriere, a 4,000 ft high volcano on the southern end of Base-Terre.  We took coats and warm tops, but it got wetter and colder the higher we walked.  It was amazing to walk around an active volcano. It took us about two hours to walk up to the top which was misty and eerie, but everyone agreed it was well worth the effort. When we got to the bottom again we warmed up with a swim in a natural hot spring. A memorable way to celebrate your 15th birthday.

Soon after we set sail for Antigua and the Antigua Classics Regatta.

La Soufriere volcano, Basse-Terre  Guadeloupe, with smoking vent

La Soufriere volcano, Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe - I think Lochlann is hungry