Isles des Saintes

On the way to Antigua we stopped back in Iles des Saintes. This time we picked up a mooring in Bourg des Saintes. The main island Terre-de-Haut is perfectly sized for a golf cart tour.

Wonderful views can be had when visiting Fort Napoleon, and the museum and the gardens are also great.

View from Fort Napoleon

Pratique off the port bow of the big ship

We also realized we were low on gasoline for the dingy engine, so we figured we'd bring the gas canister with us in the golf cart.  First chance we would get, we'd fill her up for the rides to come.  So for future generations of visitors we are, like others before us, presenting our albeit belated "Words to the Wise."  Fill up before you get to Les Saintes.

We quickly learned that the only fuel available is on the east side of the Baie de Marigot, on the north end of the island. So we took the golf cart to the small village at the head of the bay, and started asking questions of the locals.  My French did not fail me, and it wasn't long before I was able to ascertain that there was a trail through the woods that led to the Marina.  "Great, let's go," I told Susan.  The local suggested that I wait for a scheduled boat to arrive around noon that would shuttle my tank to the marina for me and then return it same time the next day.  But I had a "better plan" which was to walk the trail to the pumps and then take the fore-mentioned boat as a ride back.  So off we went.

"Don't follow us to the gas station.  We don't know where it is"

"Ou se trouve l'essence?"

Half hour or so in to the hike, with the steep slope of the trail going down to the water to the left, I was happy to be carrying an empty tank, and excited to know that I'd be avoiding the hike back with a full tank in tow by getting a boat ride back.

Then we hit a dead end:

"OK, who put the chicken coop here?"

Dead End

So we turned around and hiked back down the trail and found it again.  Time to get moving, since I didn't want to miss the boat ride back, or have to wait for a two hour "closed for dejourner" to end.

Almost there! Hope that isn't the ride back!

Ha!  Made it!

Indeed, I was able to fill up as advertised!  And our ride back was right on schedule, so we did manage to avoid the hike back with a full tank!

On the ride back I mentioned to Susan that this experience was reminiscent of a blog I thought I had read a long time ago.  So later that afternoon I Googled it, and sure enough Skip and Maddie had published one of the more descriptive posts of a similar (but less productive) experience on their blog.  Fortunately for us, notice the pump on the left is, at least in 2015, standing!!

Part III: Dominica

Dominica was as far south as we had planned for this season, so when we dropped anchor in Portsmouth we experienced a definite sense of accomplishment.  This beautiful, lush island is another Leeward Islands "don't miss."

Here are our Top Five Dominica highlights:

#1.  Portsmouth and the PAYS:   Like other cruisers before us, we were told about the local guides who are members of a very well organized group called PAYS (Portsmouth Association of Yacht Services).  They do a great job of introducing themselves by sending one of their guides on their brightly painted wooden boats, often before you have even dropped anchor! Knowing of their m.o. in advance was helpful, as was knowing that you really cannot go wrong with any of them!  And in fact when the boat ahead of us was greeted, but we weren't (yet), I felt a bit like how it was as a kid when choosing sides for basketball:  "Isn't someone gonna pick me now?"  But it wasn't long before we were greeted by Alexis, who by the end of the week had helped us with local trip planning, shopping, getting fresh water, and just generally making us feel welcome and safe.

Portsmouth, with Dominica's natural beauty as a backdrop

Future guide in training?  "The wifi is better over there"

Easy water fills!

                                                                                .


#2. Trip up the Indian River.  No motors allowed, so one of the PAYS takes you up river for a scenic half-day round trip.

Up the creek without a paddle, at least not by us!

Witches Hut from the Pirates of the Caribbean

Tied up at the rum bar up river. 

#3.  Rain forest hike:  Another of the guides took a group of us on a half day hike into the Syndicate Rain forest and to the Milton Falls.  A pretty easy hike and well worth the effort!

Red Sox Nation is everywhere!

Milton Falls

#4.  Hike up into Cabrits National Park and Fort Shirley.

Fort Shirley

Protecting Portsmouth since the 18th Century!

Ruins of cannons deeper in the forest

Looking north back towards Guadeloupe

#5.  The market in Portsmouth:  First we tied up at the dock and were greeted with some lovely Caribbean lobsters.  I much prefer eating the Maine variety, but these Caribbean lobsters were going to be someone's meal

In town, the market was in full swing:

Yummy salted fish treat

It wasn't easy leaving Dominica, but it was time to start back north.

On the way back north to Les Saintes