Back in France!! (Marie Galante, The Saints, Guadeloupe)

 3 /3/2012
 

MARIE GALANTE MARKET

Christopher Columbus ran out of Saints’ names, so he named the little pancake island of Marie Galante after one of his ships. We had never visited the island as it calls for a tough beat from Portsmouth. The introduction of compulsory mooring balls in the “Saints” at 8 Euro per night decided us, having been to the Saints twice before.

HARBOUR AT MARIE GALANTE

Once again we found the quiet, quaint French charm. A neat little town, serviced by an excellent Fishing /Ferry harbour, together with easy and accessible FREE Poubelle bins!

The yacht anchorage between the reef and the harbour wall was very rolly, so we only lasted 3 days, before heading on to the Saints. (Our Navionics Charts were again wrong!! They indicated that we were anchored outside the reef…..approx 650 feet out!!)

MURAT RESIDENCE

OLD RUM DISTILLERY

Before we left, however we went for a walk up to the old Murat Residence and Rhummary, which was built in 1810 .Enormous, gracious and elegant… typical of the pre French Revolution aristocracy and opulence. The ruins have been partly restored and have been converted into a museum, complete with the original medicinal herb and spice garden. The masonry and stonework is very impressive, as were the brass bushed bearings, cogs and gears with which the windmills crushed the sugarcane. The precision and workmanship is quite amazing, given that  they are 200 years old!

On the walk back, I picked up a calabash gourd, which I turned into our  cockpit light .

CALABASH COCKPIT LIGHT

We had a quick 16nm downwind sail to the Saints, where we at first resented having to pick up one of the 57 new mooring balls. We had never been there in peak season, and were forced to rethink our initial opinions. When all the buoys are taken, they only allow 23 more yachts to anchor (for the same fee of 8Euros). This restricts the number of visiting yachts to 80, and it was at this level while we were there, and they were stretched to breaking point trying to cope with the Poubelle removal and water demands. Prior to the buoys and the limits, they just could not cope. As it was, the refuse removal and water ferries were running 24/7 to keep up with the 80 yachts and cruise ships. We left understanding the 8 Euro charge!

MAIN STREET,  BOURGE DES SAINTES

After 3 days , we headed for Pigeon Island half way up Guadeloupe, where anchoring was safe and free!! In addition we found a big Leader Price Supermarket, where we could again stock up on French goodies!! On the way to the shops, we passed a car wreck with the number plate “ANC 1”. Prophetic perhaps???

                                                                                                    

Pigeon Island is the Jacques Cousteau Diving reserve, and an important tourism destination in Guadeloupe.

 We sailed on to Deshaies after a few days, from where we could wait for the right weather slot to do the 50nm leg to Antigua. Kate was due to arrive in Antigua in another week. We took one look at the gribs (computer generated weather predictions), and decided that our best chance was the next day, despite the predictions of  20- 25knot ENE winds and 3m-4m swells. It was only going to get worse during the next week! We left at 6.00am, and the forecast was accurate. With an Easterly current set of 2knots, we had to sail hard and fast, to minimize its effect. With 2 reefs in the main, the staysail, and about a No 3 genoa, we covered the 47 miles to Falmouth in exactly 7 hours. It was rough, wet, and quite uncomfortable, and we were very happy to drop the hook in time for lunch. We later met up with a NZ couple who had left Deshaies at the same time in their 52ft yacht, and took 9 hours for the crossing! Go Sheer GO!!