Back in Bequia

Last Monday we headed out of Rodney Bay, St. Lucia for the 18  mile sail to the Pitons where we would spend the night before heading out on the long sail to Bequia in the Grenadines.  We've seen the Pitons many times now but are still always struck by their beauty.  While moored between the Pitons we saw something we've never seen before.  I guess you would call it a moonbow, a rainbow at night.  It was incredible!  The colors were very muted but the arch was definite.  Jim tried to get a picture but even on a manual setting his digital camera wouldn't take the picture.  It was too confused and didn't know what to focus on in the dark sky.  I wish we could show it to you.  Another new surprise from Mother Nature!

We said goodbye to Pat and Carol on S/V Songbird who we had been traveling with since St. Martin.  They stayed in Rodney Bay awaiting the delivery of a boat part. They also wanted to move in to the marina for a few days to attend to a few boat projects.  Can you say air conditioning and cable T.V.?  They may never want to leave!  We felt like it was time to move further south.  The forecast was wrong again.  No wind on the windward side of St. Vincent and pouring rain for part of the trip.  We arrived in Bequia after dark, too tired and disinterested to even fix dinner.  This has been a strange year, certainly very different then last year.  We just aren't getting the nice sailing.  Things seem too unsettled.

Bequia is a wonderful, quiet haven after the noise and activity in Rodney Bay.  I'm glad  we moved when we did because since then the weather has been rainy.  Everyday brings showers, thunder and lightening.  We are currently (along with every other cruiser in the Caribbean) watching the weather reports as a huge tropical wave moves across the eastern Atlantic.  It is located about 850 miles SW of the Cape Verde Islands and looks like it will develop into a tropical storm by mid-week.  It should pass through the Windward islands well north of us but we wait and watch.  Predictions are that this will be hurricane Colin by next weekend.  Florida - Heads Up!

Stay safe everyone!

St. Lucia Carnival

So Many Islands!  So Many Carnivals!

This time we are celebrating in St. Lucia.

Waiting for the parade in a downpour.  Good thing I brought the umbrella.  I was planning on using it for shade!

We started watching the parade about a quarter of a mile from the start but the bands weren't too organized and most of the participants were just walking, not really performing.  They just weren't into it yet.

St. Lucian's enjoying the party.

Watching the parade from his art gallery.

When the bands pass by the music is deafening, pounding in your chest and ears.  This guy will have no hearing left by the end of the parade.

We decided to go farther in on the parade route and eventually things got moving.  Maybe they were more warmed up or maybe the alcohol was kicking in but we finally saw some action.

We kind of liked the sailor band.  Wonder why?

There were discarded pieces of costumes all along the parade route.  You'd think they would try to keep it together until they passed the judges but when you're partying, you just can't worry about those things.  The St. Lucia carnival makes 7 for us so far.  I wonder if we'll make it to Grenada in time for theirs?

The rain continued to fall for the next few days.  During one short break we decided to make a run for it and go get some pizza.  Here's Pat and Carol doing a drive-by with the umbrella up.  The good news was that we were able to collect enough rain water to fill our tank and jerry cans, about 60 gallons.  We like when the water comes to us and we don't have to go get it! 

Next stop, Bequia in the Grenadines.

Martinique

Boy, are we behind on keeping up this blog thing!

Our friend Tim emailed us the other day and wrote, "Where the heck are you?  It's been over two weeks since you updated the blog."  So here's a quick update on our time in Martinique.

After a great sail from Dominica, the first order of business was get to a restaurant.  The French islands have such great food.  Here's Pat (S/V Songbird) and Jim enjoying a some cold beer in Le Corsaire restaurant in Anse Mitan.  Note to our cruising friends; you can now clear customs at the marina in Anse Mitan.

Anse Mitan is a pretty tourist area with lots of great restaurants and shops.  This sign caught our eye.  Anyone interested in some tripe in cider?  Blegh!

This resort is uniquely Martinique.  It and the adjoining beaches are set in a series of small coves with shallow, calm water, perfect for families.

We didn't get in much sightseeing while we were here.  You may remember when we visited Martinique in early 2009 the island was on strike.  Fort de France was a ghost town with the businesses all closed, no taxis or buses running.  This time we found a bustling city of a 120,000 people.

We wandered up along the river to see the fish market and stopped in a few shops along the way.

This beautiful building houses a theater.  Then it was off to a mall for some more shopping and lunch before catching the ferry back to Anse Mitan.  There would be many more pictures if I had remembered to charge the camera up before we left!  We didn't get any other sightseeing trips in. Been there, still didn't do that!

The weather was very unsettled while we were there.  This is one of the many storm systems moving through the area one night right at sunset.

But the clouds did provide for some great sunsets.

Next stop, St. Lucia

The Carib Indians

There is no shortage of things to see in Dominica and so once again we headed out on a tour.  Our trip took us to the windward or eastern side of the island where there is one beautiful vista after another.

Our destination was the Carib Indian reservation.  The Caribs prefer the name Kalinago.  Carib is the name the Spaniards gave them.  We had previously thought that the Carib or Kalinago culture had been wiped out but here on the reservation are the decendants of this race of people.  Most have intermarried with people of African decent but there are still some full-blooded Kalinago. 

Our guide told us that the Kalinago would bring the bones of their dead family members back to their homes to worship them.  When the Spaniards arrived and saw the human bones they asumed the Kalinago were cannibals and gave them the name Carib.

This building is a replica of the common building or meeting house that would have been at the center of their village.  Only the men were allowed to enter.

An inside view of the meeting house.

This man is making Cassava bread the traditional way.  Cassava is a root vegetable that is ground to make flour.  We sampled some and found it delicious!

A traditional Kalinago canoe, carved from a single tree.

One of the small huts in the village.  Of course now the Kalinago live in modern homes.  They elect a chief who represents their interests in government.

An idol carved from the trunk of a tree fern.

Coastline view from the reservation.

Our guide told us about a tradition that the women still observe.  They collect a combination of herbs, always an odd ammount like 7, 9 or 11, never more then 21.  They go to where this stream meets the ocean and bath with the herbs,  The herbs are then thrown into the sea and the women walk back up the hill, never looking back.  It is supposed to cleanse the spirit.

Basket making was historically done by the men but has become the domain of the women.  The beautiful colors are achieved by soaking the fibers in stains from vines or from the colors of the soil. 

The work is beautiful.  These two small, covered baskets and the fan sold for just 13 EC each or about $5 U.S., remarkably inexpensive for such intricate work.

After many visits, we continue to find new things to love about Dominica.  It is truly the unspoiled jewel of the Caribbean.