The next morning, we got an early start, and were anchored off Basse Terre, at the southwest end of the island by about 0900h. Dawn sat with the fresh anchoring job near the main dock, while Dana, Walter and I motored ashore to look for a rental car for Monday. After a trip to a tourist bureau, a bus ride, and a 20 minute fast march, we returned to the boat victorious. We up-anchored, and continued on for a three-hour series of tacks to the Saintes, where we anchored again to spend a quiet rest of the day off the main town, crowned with a trip to Dawn‘s favourite pizza stand. The next day included hiking to two beaches for swimming, lunch, exercise, and lyming, and an elegant meal in a restaurant on the main street.
A relaxing crossing from Guadeloupe to The Saints:
Scooter rentals have taken over in The Saints. Check out the dog on this one...not his first trip, I would guess!
Does this look like a relaxing way to lounge on the beach?
A short rest after covering every road on the main island in The Saints:
Walter dinghied in for baguettes each morning while we were in The Saints. I love baguettes with cheese; what a delight!
Local race in The Saints:
We had a lovely sail back to Basse Terre the next day, so nice that our guests both napped; waking up as Dawn and I prepared the anchor, and after the boat was rinsed and the mainsail put away. The town was pretty dead, as it was Sunday. We had a relaxing walk along the boulevard, and enjoyed another evening of social exchange in the cockpit. We also had one of Dawn’s “one-pot-wonders” designed around most succulent smuggled beef tenderloin.
The next day, Walter picked up the car, and we piled in for a fast tour of the rainforests and roads on the volcanic west side of Guadeloupe, interspersed with two short hikes, a truly interesting lunch of local food and a couple of bars. We were zonked when we returned, and just as well, as Walter and Dana had to be on the dock by 0445h to drive to their 0740h flight from Pointe-a-Pitre. Dawn and I went back to bed, thinking we had done more in the last 6 days than we normally do in 6 weeks, and that with the company we had the week before, we have been extremely busy.
Walter and Dana rented a car for a day and whisked us off to see the island of Guadeloupe. Walter drove aggressively like a local and kept up with the pace here on the highways. Glad we weren't driving!
Walter and Dana on the left; Laurie on the far right:
Walter and Dana, visitors from Boston:
Laurie and Dawn near falls in Guadeloupe:
We think both sets of company unwound and relaxed, making us realize, that we are used to things so slow that we may not be able to function back on the continent. ;-) Maybe I’ll overhaul an engine or something before I slow down to the normal pace.
We’re now back at The Saints taking care of chores and visiting with friends on Kokopelli.
