The Voyage South and Neg Marons

This from the Captain’s Log

“It is the second week of the second month and as I last penned in this sea journal, the Windman Cometh had cometh and has yet to depart. In the clutches of this adversary, we make our plans. This captain and his mate resolve to sail south with full knowledge of the prevailing conditions bestowed upon the winds and seas, trusting their stout vessel will see and carry them thru.  “Set course and make for way to Ilet a Kahouanne”. That little speck of rock northwest off the rugged Guadeloupe coast was our north star. From there, head downwind to Pte. Du Gros Morne and Anse Deshaies. That deep water harbor will shelter us for the night, out of the eastly swell and winds. But it is well known that the little harbor serves up some might gusts flowing down the valley and out to all vessels hooked into its deep seabed. Dragging their anchors in the gusty nights is a most common occurrence to those luckless sailors in that lovely harbor, one that this captain is well aware of.  We set sail with reefed main and flew only the Yankee stay and made good our southerly course. The seas were up but not overpowering as we sailed into the early afternoon. We fetched up and dropped the hook in 5 fathoms. It set well, but the anchorage was full and our swing took our vessel uncomfortably close to a nearby sloop. In less than an hour, orders we given to weigh anchor and to make for Malendure before dark.”

The open roadstead at Malendure has ample space to anchor. Being half way down the west coast of the big island, it is immune, mostly, of any swell but the dreaded northerlies. None were forecast, and so it was the safe harbor that we sought. 

Arriving near sunset we dropped the hook close to shore. A few light showers passed by, but the evening grew still, and a restful night lay ahead without the concern of dragging anchors.

We stayed another day and lunched at the headland restaurant Le Rocher de Malendure. A very pleasant eatery. Before retiring for another peaceful night, we contacted a fellow cruiser, s/v BeBe anchored in the next Anse south, Bouillante. Bouillante is known for its geothermal power plant. The hot springs supply the energy for the town and surrounding area. The discharge of the warm water supplies a hot tub experience in the bay.

Arrangements were made to play Mexican Train Dominoes the next afternoon, which we did, and then made plans to sail to Le Saints at sunrise. That evening, the population of Bouillante, held a celebration ashore. It must have been a warmup to the French Carnaval in Forte de France. Drums boomed, voices in the night, a cacophony of competing bands echoed in the anchorage. Fortunately by 2100, they closed down and peace prevailed.

The sail to the Le Saints was not as difficult as anticipated. Despite strong winds and moderate seas, we crossed over from Vieux Fort without too much discomfort. Arriving in the Saints by noon, all moorings were occupied, and so we dropped the hook off Tete Rouge. This would only be an overnight stay, so no shore leave was granted. The next day we were off to Dominica. We were on a mission to get to Martinique before the winds and seas kicked up again. The sail to Dominica was not terrible and again spent one night in Portsmouth before continuing south to Martinique.

It is at the ends of these islands that the winds and seas build above the prevailing conditions that makes passages “sporty”. This is due to the “compression zone” where the easterly winds whip around the ends of the island, think of the amusement park ride – the Whip. Sailing off the southern tip of Dominica we were faced with 25 kts and short steep waves. Ugh! But an hour or so later, thrashing thru it all, the seas settled down somewhat for the remainder of the sail to St. Pierre in Martinique.

It would be another overnight in St. Pierre and then the final leg to St. Anne. The last 10 miles of that leg is a bear.

St Anne is ten miles due east of Diamond Rock. We got to Diamond Rock with favorable current but that meant it was wind against current. This builds short steep seas. Rounding Diamond was a challenge and passing close by nerve racking. Then we faced ten miles directly up wind to St Anne. The other option was to continue past Diamond and sail halfway to St Lucia and then tack back to Martinique. We opted to motor sail, close hauled, directly to St Anne.

By afternoon we dropped the hook in 3 fathoms in the Mouillage de Ste Anne. I made sure our hook was well dug into the sandy bottom and declared our 200 mile trek from Antigua was completed. The anchorage is choppy but not rolly and as expected, the Trade Winds are up again for another week. We will be here for a while! Time to enjoy French cuisine and a bit of “out and about” excursions. The first of which was to Le Village de la Poterie.

Ex-cruising friends , Nada and Polde(s/v NADA) are in St Anne for a month and they invited us to go with them to the Pottery Village near Trois Islets. Nada drove and despite some misdirection and a long traffic delay because of road repair, we had a lovely time and a great lunch at Le Jardin des Envies.

Le Village was a late 1600’s Jesuit cite and then a building materials facility in the 1700’s. Terracotta bricks are still made there. But today it is mostly an enclave for local artists, craftsmen, cafes, restaurants and yes, t-shirt vendors, including a go-cart track! I believe it is also home of The Men of Clay.

We have seen these “claymen” in the Fort de France carnival a few times. They paint  themselves in terracotta like makeup and parade in the carnival. They then freeze in the posture of clay statues in the style of the Neg Marons (runaway slaves and freemen of the Caribbean). It is really something to see.

We’ll be here for a few weeks before heading south to St. Lucia and hope the winds and seas become more amendable to moving about. Are we the Neg Maron’s escaping the clutches of the weather? Until then, viva la France!