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Log #42E Martinique
and Guadeloupe to Antigua
Written at: Ordinance Bay, English Harbour, Antigua
Dec. 19, 2006
We were looking at a 34 to 36 hour passage from Marin on Martinique to Antigua,
a distance of about 170 miles. To enter in daylight we would have to start with
a night departure. However, Marin has a shoal strewn entrance that I did not
want to navigate at night. So after we checked out with Customs and Immigration
(they never did stamp our passports in or out) we motored out in the afternoon
to an outer anchorage at St. Anne (14 26.17N, 060 53.19W), from which we had an
open exit available to us for a night time departure. This procedure is referred
to as a staged departure.
Martinique is the northernmost of the Windward Islands, the southern group of
the Antilles facing north at a 90 degree angle to the easterlies. The next group
of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies veers off to a north-northwest
direction and are referred to as the Leeward Islands, starting with Dominica,
then Guadeloupe and up to Antigua. There are a few other islands west and north
of Antigua as well, bur we have not planned to visit them this season.
 We weighed anchor after supper at 1840 (sunset was at 1733), heading under full
sail around the southwestern cape of Martinique, past Diamond Rock, past Fort de
France, Martinique's capitol city that we enjoyed last spring on our way south,
and northward up the west coast of Martinique. By 0200 we were at the north end
under the lee of Mount Pelee, the volcano that devastated St Pierre a hundred
years ago with a death toll of the entire city of 30,000 (there were only two
survivors), and had to motor sail into ENE winds for a couple of hours in light
force 4 winds. As we rounded the northern part of the island we were able to
again sail by 0300. However as we progressed across the 30 mile channel
separating Martinique from Dominica the winds increased to force 7 to 8 (25 to
40 knots) and by 0450 we were using double reefed main and genoa.
When the easterly winds hit the east sides of the Caribbean islands, they (the
winds) go up over the mountains, through the valleys, and around the north and
south tips creating varying wind patterns. As we were going up the west coasts
of the islands we would experience a wide and unpredictable range of wind
patterns and speeds. Sometimes, in the lee of the islands' mountains, there
would be very light breezes, but if the winds were coming through the valleys
they would accelerate, squeezing between the high barriers, and vent out the
west sides of the islands at great speeds. (Think of putting your finger
partially over the end of a garden hose to spray the water further.) At the
southern and northern tips the winds curve around, compressed and faster at the
tips, but spreading out, and changing directions as they work around. Such areas
are referred to as "acceleration zones", as we saw in the Canaries. The channels
between islands are subject to these varying patterns and speeds, making the
crossing of these channels ... interesting, as we have experienced previously
and certainly found out as we were crossing the channel from Martinique to
Dominica as indicated above.
Going up the west coast of Dominica we had variable winds and variously motored,
motor sailed and sailed, reefed and under full sail in east and northeast winds
from force 3 to force 6. Judy took some pictures of the Pitons on her watch at
sunrise, a couple of very dramatic volcanic mountains. Again when crossing the
channel between Dominica and Guadeloupe we hit heavy weather, and ocean swells
of three metres coming all the way from Africa. It was an arduous crossing in
force 5 to 6 winds (17 to 27 knots) and heavy seas, but at least we were plowing
through it under full sail. However, Judy was feeling the heavy motion
(especially as, after we were at anchor, she found the scopolamine patch she had
thought she was wearing stuck to the pillow she had used earlier) and said that
sailing was supposed to be fun, and this was not. (Incidentally the winds were
from a more northerly direction and two force levels higher than predicted.
What's new?) So rather than continuing through the night to make a morning entry
to English Bay in Antigua, we altered course at 1720 and headed for the
southwest coast of Guadeloupe, to Riviere Sens on Basse Terre nine miles away.
We approached the black coastal area cautiously, another nighttime anchorage in
a strange port area. There is a breakwater for the local marina, but we could
not make it out as it was not well lit. We knew there was an anchorage area
north and south of the breakwater, and that we could (should) go close in as the
bottom drops deeply 100 yards off shore. So ... we slowly motored in (without a
working depth sounder) towards a black beach area south of what we thought was
the breakwater. We saw a catamaran at anchor and thought we could anchor
parallel to it, but how close to the indistinct shore? As we approached, we then
saw another boat at anchor, without anchor lights, and had to circle around
again to avoid it. We finally dropped anchor at 1900 (15 58.80N, 061 42.99W),
had a drink and supper and tried to unwind from a heavy 113 mile, 24 hour
passage. It is interesting after anchoring in a strange area at night to see
where you are come the morning light.
We were OK when we awoke in the morning; however I noticed the British sloop
that did not have an anchor light drifting past us, with no one in the cockpit.
He was dragging! We called to him and when he came from below we told him he was
dragging. He was single handing and after he got his boat under control with his
engine, he thanked us and said that his anchor rope had parted and he had lost
his anchor, so he headed into the marina to get help.
We had another 60 miles to go; should we stay here, check in with customs and
then leave for another night time departure? The water seemed calm inshore and
so we decided to head out and up to Deshaies on the northwest coast, anchor
there and head to Antigua next day, weather permitting. Time was running short
for Judy's flight home. The passage started out lightly motoring across a quiet
offshore sea. However, even though this side of Guadeloupe is called Basse Terre
(low land), it has two high mountains which funnel wind through the valleys and
around them.
We left at 0745 in flat seas but force 7 winds (about 30 knots) which dropped
progressively down to force 4, 3, and by 1000 to a drifter of force 1 as we
motor sailed up the west coast. However by 1045 the wind increased to force 5
from the east as it swooped off land. The winds alternated from no wind to 30
knots as we sailed with full main and genoa. Half way up the coast we passed
Pigeon Island, which has the interesting Cousteau Underwater Park. We made a
note to stop there next season for a few days to do some diving. Another reason
that island stands out in our minds is that just before passing it, I caught
another 12 pound tuna. Mmmm ... sashimi for lunch! Judy, starkers, cleaned it
while I handled the boat in the increasing winds. She does a good job of
filleting the fish, as we don't want fish scales all over the cockpit. I hose
down the cockpit sole, the lazarette, and Judy, after the fillets have been
bagged and put in the refrigerator. By 1130 we were being buffeted by force 9
and 10 winds gusting up to 55 knots, with a full genoa out! In the next lull we
furled the genoa and lowered the main to motor through now reduced winds of only
force 2 into the bay at Deshaies on the NW tip of Guadeloupe, and dropped anchor
at 1230 (16 18.43N, 061 47 .87W) after an exhausting 5 hour passage.
We hoisted flag Quebec to be semi-legitimate, although we knew we could not
check in with Customs or Immigration there. We read in our pilot book that doing
this is often acceptable if anchoring for only a night or two, and nobody is
there to check if the crew goes ashore or not. After lunch we were visited by
Graham and Wendy, a couple from Peterborough, Ontario, from Bravo 2, their
catamaran. We last saw them in Hog Island and Prickly Bay on Grenada. We gave
them a bag of tuna fillets as we had two more for ourselves. We said "Hi" to a
British 40 foot Jeanneau Odyssey, Tarporley Two, that anchored astern of us.
(They were going to leave next day for Antigua, and we would encounter them for
an interesting situation in Falmouth Harbour as I will recount in my next log.)
Later that afternoon we went ashore to stroll the pleasant sleepy village.
Sleepy is right, as everything was closed until 1700. Siesta time?! In the early
evening everything was open, except the post office. We shopped at the local
Spar store for some groceries available only in France, such as frozen duck
breasts, cheeses and wines.
We left next morning at 0615 with a bit of trepidation as we knew the light
winds we were experiencing as we left the anchorage could be radically different
once we were in the channel between Guadeloupe and Antigua. Several boats left
about the same time, but all being larger than Veleda were well ahead of us and
out of sight by half way across the 40 mile channel. The weather was OK,
easterly about 15 to 25 knots. We shook out the reefs in the main to motor sail
most of the way across. Even though I trolled a line, no fish were biting, and I
hauled in my empty line before anchoring in English Harbour (17 00.32N, 061
45.70W) by 1415 back in familiar Antigua, in plenty of time for Judy's flight a
few days hence, and to be able to relax here until our departure for Cuba early
in the New Year.
More about our time in Antigua in my next log, the last for 2006.
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