On December 29, Jeroen, Rajesh and I sailed on to Les Saintes. Team Mabul decided to stay one more day in Dominica and go diving. They arrive in Les Saintes on December 31. Les Saintes is an archipelago located in the Caribbean Sea, just south of Guadeloupe. It consists of two main islands, Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas, as well as several smaller islands. We had seen in the wind forecasts that there will be strong winds in the coming days of around 25 knots. From Portsmouth, Dominica to Les Saintes it is 24 NM sailing. We left at 9:00 in the morning and have taken into account that as soon as we pass the island of Dominica we will immediately have to deal with this strong wind and had already reefed the jib, mainsail and mizzen. It is a bit of a shock when we have passed the island and the wind comes hard in our sails. But after a few minutes we are used to the swells again and Jeroen and Rajesh soon fall asleep. We head towards Les Saintes with wind speeds between 25-30 knots and a nice boat speed between 8.5 and 9.6 knots. On the way we have to take into account the currents between the islands. The area around Les Saintes is known for its strong currents, so it’s important to navigate carefully and pay close attention to speed and heading. Three hours later we are already safely anchored in the bay of Le Pain de Sucre. The bay of Le Pain de Sucre is a popular spot for sailors and we were lucky enough to find a spot next to the Take Five boat, crewed by Emmanuel, Suzi, Candice and their son Michael. Their other daughter Roxanne is currently visiting her boyfriend in Argentina.
The next day Jeroen and I, together with Emmanuel and Suzi, decided to explore the island and take a walk to the village. Rajesh, Candice and Michael decided to go for a swim. The hike was not difficult and the view from the top was absolutely beautiful. We could see almost all the islands of Les Saintes, but also Guadeloupe and Marie Galante and the strong winds on the Caribbean Sea. The hustle and bustle of the small town of Les Saintes, known for its charming streets, colorful houses and delicious seafood, took some getting used to. Golf carts, electric scooters, bicycles and scooters are everywhere. In addition, several ferries full of visitors are dropped off every day, so the streets were very full. We had a drink at a café and picked up some local honey and baguette on the way back from the supermarket.
On New Year’s Eve, Jeroen and I do our last shopping for that evening. We have decided that everyone will make something to eat and we will eat it together on board Take Five. Around 3 pm in the afternoon, the boat Mabul also entered the bay and they also experienced very strong winds. It was a tough but very nice sailing trip for them. New Year’s Eve on the boat Take Five was an unforgettable experience. The evening started and everyone had brought something to eat and drink to share. It was impressive, to see the diversity of starters, mains and desserts. While we enjoyed the delicious food and drinks, conversations and laughter ensued. As the clock got closer to 00:00 we were suddenly woken up by fireworks on the coast at 23:25. Unexpectedly, we enjoyed a spectacular display of colors and shapes, and saw the night sky light up. The highlight at midnight was when we raised our glasses and celebrated the arrival of the new year 2023 with champagne and chocolate. New Year’s Eve on the boat Take Five was an unforgettable experience, full of laughter, great food and a great atmosphere. It was an evening we will always remember and cherish.
On January 2, our sailing adventure took us to Marie Galante, an island in Guadeloupe. The trip was challenging, as we had to go into the wind, which meant tacking frequently. However, it quickly became a journey of unforgettable memories. One of these memories was losing our dinghy while out at sea. Rajesh noticed the rope had broken as he was about to cast the fishing line, and saw our dinghy drifting off in the distance. Quickly we lowered our sails and gave chase. With full speed ahead we were able to overtake the dinghy and I skillfully positioned the boat in front of the dinghy. Jeroen then jumped into the water and climbed aboard the dinghy. Once Jeroen was on board he threw a line to Rajesh on the boat, who was able to catch him and reattach the dinghy to our boat. After about 20 minutes of effort, the dinghy was safely back behind the boat and we were able to set course for Marie Galante again. This was another good example of teamwork and an exercise in man overboard procedures. At 5.15 pm we were able to anchor close to the Saint Louis.
Together with Mabul we chose to rent a car to explore the island and visit the many sights. This gave us the freedom to explore the island at our own pace and to stop at the popular sites such as the Eco-musée de Marie Galante, Habitation Roussel Trianon, Distillerie Bielle, Distillerie Bellevue, Moulin de Bezard,Viewing point Pisiou, Anse Canot and Anse de Mays. The Eco-musée de Marie Galante is a museum on Marie Galante Island that focuses on the island’s history and culture, including sugar and rum production. Habitation Roussel Trianon is a former sugar cane plantation on Marie Galante Island that has been converted into a museum. Distillery Bielle is a rum distillery. It is known for its aged rums, which are aged in oak barrels for several years. We taste various types and buy various types. Distillery Bellevue is another rum distillery. The distillery traditionally produces a variety of aged and flavored rums. Here too we taste and buy various types of local rum and olive oil (from Greece). Moulin de Bézard is a windmill on the island of Marie Galante that was used in the past to grind sugar cane. Viewpoint Pisiou is a scenic viewpoint from the island of Marie Galante on the Atlantic Ocean, which offers a panoramic view. Anse Canot is a beach located on the island known for its clear waters and many turtles. Once we arrived it was very busy and everyone was towel to towel. We decided to drive a little further to Anse de Mays beach. Turtles should also be swimming here, but we did not see them. We did swim in the waves and enjoyed some cooling.
We admired the sunset in the bay where we lie while enjoying a rum punch and baguette. Then we took it easy for a few days. In the afternoon, every now and then to the beach for a walk and some beach games. Marie Galante was an island we had not heard of before and pleasantly surprised us.
On January 6, we sail a short distance to the other side to Pointe-á-Pitre. Alex’s mother has been sailing on board Mabul for the past 3.5 weeks. Here in Pointe-á-Pitre, Guadeloupe, she flies back to Germany. The anchorage for our boat is terribly ugly in an industrial environment. We “look” through this to enjoy another 2 days together with Petra (Alex’s mother). Pointe-à-Pitre is a town on the Grande-Terre Island of Guadeloupe. Founded in the 18th century, the town was named after a nearby plantation owned by a Frenchman named Pierre. The city quickly became important as a trading center and by the 19th century it had become one of the most important ports in the Caribbean. During the colonial period, Pointe-à-Pitre was an important center for the slave trade. Many enslaved Africans were brought to the city and sold in the local slave market. The city also played a key role in the sugar and coffee trade, with many of the local plantations worked by enslaved Africans. After the abolition of slavery in 1848, Pointe-à-Pitre experienced a period of economic decline. However, it recovered in the 20th century and became an important center for tourism and industry. In 1946 Pointe-à-Pitre became an overseas department of France and in 2002 it became a commune of the French overseas region of Guadeloupe. Today Pointe-à-Pitre is the economic and cultural center of Guadeloupe. Graffiti and street art can be seen on the sides of buildings, bridges and other public spaces in Pointe-á-Pitre. Many local and international artists create graffiti murals throughout the island, particularly in urban areas such as Pointe-à-Pitre. What was supposed to be a cultural theater, but was not finished due to corruption, was eventually seized in the COVID period by a group of artists who turned it into a graffiti cultural center. These artworks often depict local culture, history and social issues. Street art is also seen as a way to revitalize neighborhoods and bring color and life to the city.
Because Karin arranged a taxi for Alex’s mother, we found out that there is Carnival in Pointe-á-Pitre that evening. The Carnival in Pointe-à-Pitre, is a popular annual event that usually takes place in January or February. The carnival features colorful costumes, live music and parades and is one of the largest and most famous on the island. The Carnival is a celebration of Creole culture and heritage. This was very good to see and especially to feel. The spiritual power in the songs, facial expressions of the people and costumes felt like a cry for liberation.
Karin and Alex stayed another day in Pointe-á-Pitre, because they had to wait for parts. We have chosen to continue to Pointe Malendure, a coastal town on the west coast of Guadeloupe known for its picturesque black sand beach. The beach is a popular spot for scuba diving and snorkelling, and the Jacques Cousteau Nature Reserve, named after the famous oceanographer, is close by and offers excellent diving and snorkeling. Rajesh, Jeroen and I have been looking forward to diving for a while. Rajesh, after getting to know the underwater world through snorkelling, is very driven to learn how to dive, and for Jeroen and me it’s been 15 years since we last dived, so a refresher course is very welcome. We were lucky that there are 3 places available for the next day, and we register with great enthusiasm. We all participated in the test dive and were excited to see what the underwater world had to offer. After the trial dive, Rajesh decided to take the Open Water course, and Jeroen and I booked a refresher course with two additional dives. We look forward to exploring the depths of the ocean and discovering the unique marine life. The next 3 days we dive around Pigeon Island. This is a popular dive site in the Jacques Cousteau Nature Reserve. It is known for its clear waters and wide variety of tropical fish and a variety of coral species. It is an ideal spot for novice divers as it also boasts a number of shallow dive sites. As we descended into the depths of the Caribbean Sea, we felt like a kid in a candy store and couldn’t wait to explore it all further. As we dived deeper I was greeted by an array of tropical fish. It was like swimming in a giant fishbowl, except instead of one fish there were hundreds! Brightly colored parrotfish gracefully swam among the coral, their vibrant hues contrasting sharply with the blue of the water. Schools of yellowfin snappers darted through the water, their silver scales glistening in the sunlight filtering down from the surface. The coral reef, a living ecosystem teeming with life. Rajesh, Jeroen and I swam around trying to explore every nook and cranny of the reef. After what felt like hours, we reluctantly surfaced, feeling as if we had just left a magical underwater world. But the best part? We all passed our diving course and refresher course and now we are ready for our next adventure! Who knows what kind of fish friends we will meet next?
MESSAGES ON BOARD
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