We left our anchorage at Cabrits Point, Dominica at 10 p.m. and motored to the lovely and picturesque harbor of the main city in the Iles des Saintes (“The Saints”), named by Columbus on his second voyage in November 1493. These islands are a part of France and have approximately the same relationship to the mother country as the Hawaiian Islands have to the continental U.S. The inhabitants are French citizens, vote in all elections, and have all the perquisites of being French citizen and a member of the European Union. The official currency here is the euro.
The original 18th-century French sellers were indentured servants, largely of Breton stock, famous in mainland France for their boat building and fishing skills. After having secured their freedom from debt, they did what they did in Brittany and became fisherman and boat builders. Today the primary industry is tourism from the larger island of Guadalupe. The cost of living is also high as most goods are brought in by air and ship.
