We left Grande Anse D’Arlet on Friday morning at 9:00, after the radio nets. We motored around the headland to a little bay called Anse Noire, with a black sandy beach and high sides. It was supposed to be interesting snorkelling, and we did our best to discover it. The rocky edges had some colourful sponges, but the few reef fish were small. However, closer to the boat was an amazingly large school of fish, all about 4 inches long. We think they were reef silversides. They filled an area about 400 feet in diameter and 15 feet deep, making swirls and amazing patterns as they moved around us. We see fishermen from time to time netting these “bait fish” to take out to deeper water.
We carried on from Anse Noire after lunch, setting up double reefs in both main and jib as we crossed the broad expanse of Fort-de-France Bay, heading directly north for St. Pierre. Fort-de-France Bay gave us about an hour of 23 knots right on the beam, so we were happy we were reefed. It was a nice ride, with waves much smaller than the open ocean, reminding us of Grand Lake at home. Once past the larger bay, we had a lovely coastal cruise for about another hour and a half, enjoying the lovely green scenery provided by the northern mountainous area of Martinique.
The volcano Mount Pelee came into view just as we turned the corner to enter St. Pierre. This volcano caught the 30 000 people of St. Pierre in church on May 8, 1902, killing everyone but two people. A prisoner in a thick cell and a cobbler in a very deep, low basement survived to be dug out days later. The mountain is now quiet, green, and beautiful.
Mount Pelee in St. Pierre, Martinique
We anchored in the shallow water close to the wharf, and lounged away Friday night, declining to go ashore. Saturday, we went to the tourist bureau for some information, and set out on a great hike up one side of a cliff and down the other, finishing up in a butterfly garden filled with flowers, curious bits of building and crafts, and of course, lots of butterflies. Next door to this garden was “Restaurant 1643”. A little more expensive than our normal lunches, but we went for it, and enjoyed a most fabulous meal of salmon and vegetables, done with true French culinary attention.
You can see Cat Tales sitting here in the bay (third from the right)
This is where we had lunch today and bought an hour worth of Internet for 5Euros...I'd better type fast!
We returned to the boat to find a friend anchored nearby. Mike and crew aboard a monohull called “Jackfish” joined us for drinks, and then hiked the “urban ruins” of St. Pierre with us. It was a nice easy day after the previous day’s hike.
Here is Mike from s/v Jackfish. We affectionately call him Mike from Canmore. You can imagine why!
Here's the boat Jackfish out in the bay beside us:
Here is the salmon dinner we enjoyed at the butterfly garden after a long hot hike!
Musical instrument made of bamboo! Beautiful tones
This is where one of the only 2 survivors were found after the tragic eruption in 1902. Solitary confinement has some advantages afterall!
