Rally Round Guadeloupe

The Motley Crew stayed on anchor in Pointe-à-Pitre, using the time and internet availability to catch up on admin and complete yet more boat chores.  With the large Marina Bas-du-Fort close by, we were able to refill fridges, re-fuel, re-water, surf the net, pay bills and fix more broken boat bits.  No-one escapes from chores, no matter how exotic the location…

Reporting the Shipping News from our anchorage

As luck would have it, we also welcomed aboard our next visitor, Mr Lozza, who eventually made his Caribbean destination after flights that could have otherwise had him circumnavigating the world by air.  He needed rest and time to recoup after leaving sub-zero temperatures for those 30+.  So, we quickly filled him in on the shipping news (the comings and goings of the largest Port in the Eastern Caribbean) and then threw him in a car for a few days tour round Guadeloupe. (A whirlwind rally... no pity spared!)

Are they working? Or comparing fashionable shorts....

Guadeloupe is made up of two islands joined at the hip by the Rivière Salée, (salty river), a navigable mangrove creek that we thought might be fun to sail through until we discovered that the two bridges crossing it open once daily, and only at about 4 in the morning for an hour (maybe).  Hence the decision to hire a car.  We had planned on covering the windward island, Grande-Terre, first. 

However, with no Google maps (no phone) and only rough diagrams in French to guide us, we missed the turn and instead ended up scaling the mountainous and cloud attracting heights of Basse-Terre, the leeward island.  First stop through a large National Park was at the delightful Cascade aux Ecrevisses, were we sat in the car out of the drizzle and ate our picnic lunch (asparagus quiches and pain au chocolat no less!).  Then it was time to brave a short walk out to the picturesque falls before retreating to the car to continue our drive north to the town of Deshaies. (Death in Paradise Fans take note!  The French do not know anything about this very popular British series.)  Next stop was Sainte-Rose to visit a very interesting Rhum Museum and working sugar cane farm.  Aside from an historical overview of the sugar cane industry (and a rum tasting), the museum also dedicated rooms to collections of model sailing ships, Creole culture, and an impressive butterfly (and insect) display.  There was enough time for us to make a dash for the south of Basse-Terre, although the damp weather and thought of trekking on foot up the heights of La Grande Soufrière, an active volcano, did not enthuse us.  The drive along the eastern seaboard along a well-used roadway, saw us reach the now sadly neglected Mémorial Christophe Colomb at Capesterre-Belle-Eau, erected in 1916 to commemorate his landing at this site on 4^th November 1493.  We did not stop but took the opportunity then to turn back for Pointe-à-Pitre. 

We're obviously over-dressed for the occasion, Mr Lozza!

One for the DIP fans

And then we had to stop for a few refreshments...

The next day saw us heading out, in the pouring rain, for the flatter lands of Grande-Terre with its windswept coastal lookouts, long beaches and sugarcane fields dotted with windmill relics.  Somehow, we missed the turn-off yet again, crossed the Rivière Salée and looped round the airport to join the morning’s commuters heading for Les Abymes.  A little judicious off-roading and some flooded roads did not deter us from our quest - there were more quiches and pain au chocolat to devour.  (Oh my, just how do those French girls stay so skinny?)  Despite being overcast, we wanted a nice beach to sit on for our picnic and found a popular Plage du Souffleur near Port Louis.  Along with some rather too friendly no-see-ums.  

View over the Atlantic from Hell's Gate.
And another day not to be out on the water.

Continuing our clockwise route, we managed to get lost down narrow country roads, but found a well setup stables (for racing horses) near the village of Saint Jacques, before finally reaching the coast at the aptly named Porte d’Enfer (Hell’s Gate).  With violent currents and strong winds, the protected bathing area had become clogged with sargasso weed and was reeking.  No swimming today either, then!  Heading south through well-tended cane fields and small, tidy villages, GS was afforded a brief stop to take some scenic photos (the sun was finally out!); then onward through attractive coastal towns and resorts dotted along the south coast to circle back to Marina Bas-du-Fort.  The boys washed and cleaned the car while GS shopped for provisions.  As luck would have it, we had a great weather window the following day to make a break for Iles des Saints.

Sugar Mill ruins dot the cane farm landscape