Iles des Saintes, Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles
This morning we dropped anchor in the protection of the charming group of small islands known collectively as “Les Saintes.” They are just 6 miles south of Guadeloupe, and like their larger neighbor, are part of France and the European Union. Red roofs cover the buildings in the small town of Bourg. Dry hillsides are covered in cacti and other vegetation, and Fort Napoleon sits perched on the highest hill. The fort was never actually used, and is in excellent condition.
Immediately after breakfast, snorkelers and swimmers went to a lovely small, sheltered beach. We donned masks and snorkels, and found trumpetfishes, wrasses and parrotfishes among the huge boulders and small coral heads. Others among us visited town, which has a distinctly French flavor, where women carry baguettes from market, signs are written in French and the currency used is the Euro. An uphill walk brought us to Fort Napoleon, which overlooks the harbor between the islands.
After lunch the anchor was raised and we headed north into Guadeloupe channel. Winds today were steady and strong, and sailors went aloft to untie gaskets and prepare for setting sails. With a good number of sails set, Sea Cloud II made nearly 9 knots! The strong breeze stayed with us even behind the hills of Guadeloupe, making it impossible to launch a photo Zodiac, but we had fantastic sailing. All of a sudden, the wind disappeared, and our speed went from 8.5 knots to almost nothing. Sailors hit the rig to furl the square sails, and we watched the spectacle as they ran with the downhaul to pull down jibs. As day faded into night, the lights of Guadeloupe lit the hillsides, and Venus lit the sky for a short while after sundown.
We enjoyed an outdoor dinner on the Lido deck, including tuna sushi prepared by the sous chef, Karsten. Following dinner, the Sea Cloud II Shanty Singers sang ‘salty tunes of the sea,’ and we sang along, and then shared drinks and conversation with the crew members.
What a beautiful day!
This morning we dropped anchor in the protection of the charming group of small islands known collectively as “Les Saintes.” They are just 6 miles south of Guadeloupe, and like their larger neighbor, are part of France and the European Union. Red roofs cover the buildings in the small town of Bourg. Dry hillsides are covered in cacti and other vegetation, and Fort Napoleon sits perched on the highest hill. The fort was never actually used, and is in excellent condition.
Immediately after breakfast, snorkelers and swimmers went to a lovely small, sheltered beach. We donned masks and snorkels, and found trumpetfishes, wrasses and parrotfishes among the huge boulders and small coral heads. Others among us visited town, which has a distinctly French flavor, where women carry baguettes from market, signs are written in French and the currency used is the Euro. An uphill walk brought us to Fort Napoleon, which overlooks the harbor between the islands.
After lunch the anchor was raised and we headed north into Guadeloupe channel. Winds today were steady and strong, and sailors went aloft to untie gaskets and prepare for setting sails. With a good number of sails set, Sea Cloud II made nearly 9 knots! The strong breeze stayed with us even behind the hills of Guadeloupe, making it impossible to launch a photo Zodiac, but we had fantastic sailing. All of a sudden, the wind disappeared, and our speed went from 8.5 knots to almost nothing. Sailors hit the rig to furl the square sails, and we watched the spectacle as they ran with the downhaul to pull down jibs. As day faded into night, the lights of Guadeloupe lit the hillsides, and Venus lit the sky for a short while after sundown.
We enjoyed an outdoor dinner on the Lido deck, including tuna sushi prepared by the sous chef, Karsten. Following dinner, the Sea Cloud II Shanty Singers sang ‘salty tunes of the sea,’ and we sang along, and then shared drinks and conversation with the crew members.
What a beautiful day!
