Orft up to Martinique for a few days with the Chadwicks. Rough and windy so 2 reefs and many genoa rolls. Christine, still recovering from double knee jobbies, was wary of the movement and fought her way gamely around the boat. Rod brought all his dinghy and navy skills to bear so we were never short in the talent department. We anchored, beautifully I’d have to say, in the CROWDED anchorage by the fairway at Le Marin. My new elastic snubber line technique worked a treat with the old CQR (what the hell does THAT mean?). Dinghy trip to big Carrefour hypermarche for lots of froglet consumable goodies for the galley. Stroll around the very french bourg of Marin.
Met up with Christine’s school penfriend Nicolle, a Martinique resident, who took us out to lunch at an east coast beach-side cafe . That evening, we watched as a jolly big superyacht jobby made its way up the narrow channel into the harbour and graunched to a halt just outside. Most embarassing for all concerned. I guess the skipper was taken away and shot. Saw a traditional Martinique yole out sailing, very hairy scary stuff, with lots of crew balancing out on poles (these poles get everywhere).
Last couple of days of our little sailing trippet was a fast breezy jaunt over to Anse d’Arlet on the west coast. Sooper little seasidey beachy type place in between the hills. Anchoring was exciting as the wind had not lessened any but had gone digital instead. That is to say it was either 0 or 1. The 1 being a very Big 1, about 25 knots every 25 minutes. You’d be sipping your Earl Grey one minute in your straw boater, and the next youd be struggling around the deck waiting to fend off gyrating boats while recovering the washing line and wayward dinghy. Very unsettling these williwaws. Great blocks of air tumble down from the mountains every time the pressure up there reaches a trigger threshold. The air feed is from the tradewinds on the other side of the island.
Anyway good old CQR held again so we had a couple of days exploring and snorkelling. This place had to have the best customs clear out method EVER. Small cafe at end of beach. Dusty computer terminal propped in the corner right by the deep fat fryer. Do DIY form on computer, to beat of Reggae music. Then print out form and take it to dancing girl in bikini on beach. While still dancing she stamps the form. Easy. Why can’t they all be like that?
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