2009-2010 Caribbean / Bahamas Trip
February Pictures
Leaving Dominica and heading to Les Saintes
Les Saintes in the foreground,
Guadaloupe in the background.
We're loving the 20 knot reach.
Les Saintes takes advantage of the trades.
Front row seats for the green flash
This guy was parked by a local bar waiting for his master to finish his
'' lunch"
This is the first real fish market that we have seen all winter. The French really do shop early. By 10 am all the fish was gone.
Our hiking destination. A look out tower with a 360 degree view used by the French.
The walk to the trail head was a nice mix of old and new buildings
On the way we saw a flock? of goats being fed. This baby's mother had no more milk so he got two bottles of baby milk. You should have seen his tail wag.
At this point I was really feeling the effects of no leg exercise. We still had a way to go.
As we climbed the views got better and better
We made it. Yesterday's windmills that we sailed by in the distance.
I look a little worse for the wear than Amy. Our next destination in the distance, Guadeloupe.
Yesterday's sail from Dominica.
Here's our anchorage in Les Saintes
Downtown Les Saintes heading for lunch out. Our reward for our climb.
Here's our lunch spot next to the harbor.
Another French island, another beautiful road system. Amy is walking up to Fort Napoleon
The view from Fort Napoleon down to the Les Saintes harbor. The tall hill to the right was our previous hike
Very impressive fort, but the British in 1782 under the command of Drake, established their dominance in the Caribbean by defeating the French navy in a large naval battle between Les Saintes and Dominica.
The British captured the island without Fort Napoleon using any of its cannons.
Any clue? There were many of these trees around the fort.
Back to town
More original architecture
Our last view of downtown as we return to Shango to head for Guadeloupe. Les Saintes has been one of our favorite spots.
The southern tip of Guadeloupe
Montserrat erupting! The whitish diagonal coming down the right side of the island is ash flow. Not visible on the photo behind the white plume was a plume of black smoke as well. The island was closed to all boat traffic.
Guadeloupe pink, cat and monitor.
Pretty late afternoon colors in Deshais, Guadeloupe
Passing closer by Montserrat on the way to Antigua. We won't be stopping this trip.
The Pillars of Hercules, guarding English Harbor, Antigua
The Officer's Quarter's at English Harbor. The entire British fort and facility is now a museum/ chandlery/sail loft/restaurant/shop complex. Quite a nice piece of restoration.
Not sure what these pillars held up. Currently the setting for Sunsail Charters
Falmouth Harbor, a short walk from English Harbor
Not sure what this was
A Classic
No, it's not an empty resort in the Bahamas, it's an empty resort in Barbuda. Great to see white beaches and sparkling clear water again....but not the swells.....see log!
Pat our Frigate bird sanctuary tour guide.
Barbuda has the second largest Frigate bird sanctuary in the world. The Galapagos are number 1
The red pouch is a male. The pouch attracts the females. A 1 month old baby is the white guy to the left. It was a very interesting tour.
Although Thierry is an astrophysicist today he enjoyed bird watching as well.
Shango and Ceres all by themselves on the western shore of Barbuda.
St. Martin. Simpson's Bay Lagoon. Quite a change from Barbuda
St. Martin's main/?only attraction.....fantastic marine services. Budget Marine and Island Water World have their headquarters here. Budget Marine was the finest marine store we have ever seen. Shows just how bad West Marine has become.
Intermediate stop between St. Martin and St. Bart's, Isle Fourche. Glad to be out of Simpson's Bay Lagoon.
St. Bart's, Anse de Colombier, a marine park with a Rockefeller house and this mini Eiffel Tower and.....
Whatever this is.
St. Bart's main harbor, Gustavia, had some amazing boats.
Boat as art
and architecture
Mega sailboat with Pacific Island outriggers
Downtown Gustavia, St. Bart's
Quite an organized place
These two W class boats were built in Brooklyn, Maine. They spend the winters here in St. Bart's.
No island tour is complete without a library shot
Or a Rotary shot for Jon Bursaw
St. Bart's takes care of the boys.
These guys were leaving the same time as us. They headed south we headed north
After a very nice overnight sail, Amy was greeted by these dolphins as she passed the southeast side of St. John heading to Cruz Bay to check in to customs.
On the first day of our visist with our Plum Island friends we went on a walking tour with a Park's ranger. This is a very old tree with a very active termite nest.
Amy during our circumnav of St. John