We realize that, to many, our life looks like a non-stop vacation. We know we are incredibly lucky to be able to live our dream, and we appreciate every day of it. But, the truth is, it is also everyday living. I cook and clean and shop and take care of the dogs just like I did in Florida; some of those chores (think shopping) are a lot harder than they were back then. John is constantly planning for the next leg, maintaining the boat, driving, and checking weather. So, every now and then, just as in a house, a vacation is a welcome thing. I found my vacation spot here in St. Lucia.

We arrived in St. Lucia on Friday, June 17^th. We chose to stay in Marigot Bay as we knew there would be several days of heavy seas and the marina here is a true hurricane hole, meaning there is excellent protection from wind and waves. It is also the most beautiful bay on St. Lucia, and, according to James Michener, the most beautiful bay in the Caribbean. Dr. Doolittle, starring Rex Harrison, was filmed here, and Eddie Murphy, who remade the movie, was anxious to visit on his yacht to see the original setting. Countless stars have boated to the marina and its adjoining resort, and I understand why they come here.

Everything about the marina and the Capella Resort here is flawless. The people who work here ask you your name when you meet them and then they remember it. They are friendly and will go to any extreme to make sure your every wish is granted. Not a day goes by without the staff stopping by to ask if everything is ok and if we need anything. Kirby has made great friends here, too, especially with one gentleman named Darien. They meet every day for a friendly talk and pet session.

Capella Resort, Marigot Bay, St. Lucia

After arriving, I made a stop to the little gourmet supermarket that is just steps from our boat and did a quick re-provisioning before leaving in search of the pool. Thankfully, all of the amenities available to the hotel guests are also open to the marina guests, and I was thrilled to be able to use the pool. What I didn’t expect was that there are two pools, both absolutely gorgeous. For the whole week we spent here I made good use of them both! One is for adults only and is a little cooler than the main pool, which is much larger and features a swim up bar as well as a shallow pool that has floats in it. Such decisions! Either choice was a great one. As soon as I arrive at a pool each day a friendly staff member brings me an ice bucket with a water bottle. About every hour someone comes by with a complimentary small drink or an appetizer or fruit skewer. One day was a little cooler and I found an incredible hot tub, complete with a hot water waterfall. I made it my goal to not miss a day at the pool and, in fact, I will be spending my last afternoon there again as soon as this post is complete!

Father’s Day, on the 19^th, came and I offered to treat John to a dinner at the restaurant at the resort. Truly, it was one of the most memorable meals we have ever had anywhere. We ate outside, under the stars, surrounded by scenery that was so beautiful it was difficult to imagine it was real. Palm trees swayed, the breeze blew, the water sparkled, and the boats in the bay were calmly at rest. But, if that wasn’t enough, the meal was spectacular. A special Father’s Day menu included homemade bread, seafood soup, salad, floats (a kind of bread that tasted similar to a less sweet raised donut), boneless beef ribs, pork tenderloin, grilled chicken breast, an assortment of Creole sauces to put on the meat, ground provisions (you might remember that they can include any root vegetable or other vegetables), and pumpkin pie with cinnamon whipped cream. When trying the floats, our waitress told us how she likes to make them on Sunday mornings and serve them with cocoa tea. Of course, we had never heard of cocoa tea, so, after our meal, she asked the kitchen to brew us a pot full to bring back to the boat and to drink the next morning. It was a perfect night, and the tea the next day was amazing too!

Because we knew we would be here a few days, we wanted to see more of St. Lucia. I checked Trip Advisor and looked for a private tour. The taxi tours in the islands seem to be the best way to get to see a lot and to do what you want, especially because of the roads here and the driving on the left. We found Real St. Lucia Tours to be highly recommended, so I contacted them and arranged a tour for John, me, and Craig from La Sirena.

Casteries, St. Lucia

We met Jamal at 8:30 on Tuesday morning right at the marina, and off we went for a day that was absolutely perfect. The company had sent us a list of places tourists often like to visit, so I had taken some time to research the sights. The three of us agreed to a list and we were ready to start out. First we went north and stopped at an overlook to see Castries, which is where the cruise ships arrive. Jamal told us that in low season, which is now, only a few ships come each week, but in high season, three or four ships arrive each day. It is hard to imagine what this peaceful island is like during the high season!

The banana plantation

We soon stopped at a banana plantation. Bananas are an important crop for St. Lucia. Only tourism adds more to their economy. We learned that the blue plastic bags you see on the stalks keep birds and other animals from eating the produce before it is picked.

Small towns and villages line the coast.   Beaches are black sand – a product of previous volcano eruptions.

Next we went through other small villages where the streets were busy with people going about their lives. Women walked with baskets or packages on their heads, there were little shops that were a flurry of activity, and women were gathered at the stream doing their laundry in the running, muddy water, just as they have for hundreds of years.

First sights of the Pitons with Soufriere in the foreground.

We began to get views of the famous Pitons, St. Lucia’s pride and joy. The two, Petit Piton and Gros Piton appear to be close together, both in pictures and in real life, but our guide, Jamal, insists that they are actually three miles apart. They rise out of the sea and they are incredibly beautiful.

Soufriere, St. LuciaA view of Petit Piton with Sugar Beach below.  John and Craig at the top of the hike.The incredibly beautiful island of St. Lucia.Our guide for the hike.Sugar Beach – the sand is brought in from Trinidad as all of St. Lucia’s sand is black.Everywhere you turn there are beautiful views.

As we traveled to Soufriere, a town in the south of St. Lucia, we first passed through a rainforest, where Jamal told us houses were not built because of the boa constrictors that lived there. John was anxious to keep moving through that area. Our next stop was the Tet Paul Nature Hike. We were guided on short hike of about 45 minutes to “Paradise”, up the “Stairway to Heaven”, and then even higher. The highlight of the nature preserve, where all kinds of plants, fruits, and vegetables were grown, was the 360-degree view of the Pitons and the surrounding lands. To say it was breathtaking would be an understatement.

The bubbling, steaming volcano.

The Caribbean’s only drive in volcano was next on the list. Here smoke still spews and mud still boils from the mouth of a dormant volcano, much like the hot springs in Yellowstone. We enjoyed watching the action, but all chose to skip the mud and mineral baths that are part of the park.

In the botanical gardensDiamond Falls.  Note the colors of the rocks behind the falls.

After leaving the volcano we moved on to the Botanical Gardens and the Diamond Waterfall. Here we walked a path through tropical gardens with every kind of plant or flower you can imagine. I always find it so interesting to see the plants that I grew in Florida growing wildly here, and I also love seeing the ones I did not grow. Cocoa trees, with their pods, nutmeg trees, breadfruit, cashew nut trees, and of course, mango and papaya trees are everywhere. As we walked along we came upon the beautiful Diamond Falls in a setting that almost shouldn’t be real. Here the water changes color depending on what volcano mineral is most prevalent that day, and during our visit, the water was white. The back of the falls takes on colors too, making them look more like a rainbow than a diamond.

Once again back in the van, Jamal took us to a Creole restaurant in Soufriere. This was a restaurant we would have never even seen, truly a local establishment. We wished we could find more like this on our own. John and Craig both had huge dinners with fresh caught tuna, salad, and vegetables, while I chose a chicken roti, a Creole specialty, and for the three of us our bill came to a total of $19 US.

Marigot Bay

On our way back to Marigot Bay, we had one more stop to make. A very nice lady runs a shop where she sells the sauces she makes as well as other homemade goods. Her shop also just happens to have a perfect view of Marigot Bay, perfect for photographing. John and I bought some spicy mango salsa and the most delicious hot sauce you have ever tasted and we were rewarded with free rum punch for our purchase. Rum is a big deal in the islands!!

Finally we went back to the marina and I had fallen in love with St. Lucia for good. Every day this week we have tried to get a project or two done, and I have finished my work in time for an afternoon at the pool. Tomorrow morning, however, very early, we will start again on our way south. We have a very nice weather window for the next few days and we expect to be in Grenada, our final goal and our most southerly stop on this trip, by Tuesday.

Here is where we are today, and where I will sadly say goodbye to St. Lucia tomorrow.

We are definitely working on a latitude adjustment! Finally we are really traveling south. If you look at a map you will see that most of our trip since leaving Florida has had an easterly component, or at least southeasterly, but now we are pretty much just heading south. Currently we are in St. Kitts, at latitude 17 degrees, 35 minutes. For comparison, back in Canada last summer Bay Fine, our most northerly destination, was at 48 degrees 60 minutes. Our insurance policy dictates that, by July 1^st, we need to be out of the hurricane zone, which is below 12 degrees, 30 minutes; for us that will be Grenada. We are on our way.

Leaving the British Virgin Islands was as hard for me as I expected. The seas on our overnight trip to St. Maarten didn’t make it any easier. The waves were five or six feet and the swells were under eight seconds. Both Kirby and Jake were a bit traumatized by the big seas, and I was not a happy camper either. Our anchorage in Simpson’s Bay on the Dutch side of the island was a bit rolly, something that is never welcome after an overnight trip. The 16-hour trip ended around 8:30 AM, and we all needed a rest before venturing out on the dinghy for lunch.

Probably an explanation is needed as to why we would travel overnight to do a 16-hour trip. Anchoring at night is difficult and dangerous; some anchorages are surrounded by reefs or other obstructions that cannot be seen when it is dark. It is, however, safe to travel on the open seas at night. There is far less boat traffic at night, and, with the use of radar, it is fairly easy to see ships that are nearby. If trips are planned carefully, they begin in daylight and are completed after sunrise, allowing good sight lines for anchoring. I understand the rationale for overnight trips, but I hate them, and so does John. Hopefully there will be no more for a very long time for AfterMath and her crew.

St. Martin’s French sideRosemary’s daughter was quite the sales lady when we were choosing a restaurant.  This type of restaurant is called a lolo.  It is open air, has a wooden roof and lovely little tables.  Also it has delicious food!

Along the streets of St. Martin
I could have spent a whole day just taking pictures of this building.

St. Maarten/St. Martin is an interesting island in that it is part Dutch and part French. There is a lagoon that is shared by both countries in the interior. Boats anchor in the lagoon, but we did not as the bridges that need to be opened to allow access in and out operate on a limited schedule that would have prohibited our planned early departure for the next day. We did go to shore with the dinghy, though, and had lunch on the French side before walking around the town. A stop at the boat store on the way back and a ride over to watch the low flying planes take off near the beach completed our shore time on the island.

The day we arrived in St. Maarten, May 26^th, was a momentous occasion for us as it marked exactly one year since we left Mystic, CT and started our voyage. In that year we traveled 4920 nautical miles, which is 5662 statute (regular) miles. We visited 10 states, 33 islands, and 10 countries. It is so hard to believe that a whole year has passed by. We have seen so much and yet there is so much left to do.

St. Bart’sI have a few grandchildren who might think this slide would be fun!

After the long trip to St. Maarten, we decided a short day was called for on Friday. St. Bart’s was only about 20 miles south, so we took a leisurely, but still rough, ride to get there. Once there, we pulled into in the harbor in Gustavia, only to be curtly told that there was no room for us on any mooring and there would not be any room all day. I would have liked to walk around the town there, but it was not to be. Not too far away was a national park with a very nice beach, so we turned AfterMath around and found a mooring in a lovely setting there. The only problem was, because it was too far for the dinghy in heavy seas, we couldn’t get to town. Therefore, we could not clear customs and we had to stay on the boat instead of ever making it to land.

The sight at the dinghy dock in Nevis.While this Royal Poinciana tree was probably planted here, they grow wild throughout the islands.  We were told they are called Flamboyant Trees here.The extinct volcano on Nevis from our anchorage.  The top is almost always covered in clouds according to the locals.

We decided this boat’s owner was a Gator fan, but others think he might be a Met’s fan!

The following day, Saturday, we arrived in Nevis. Although that is an island that many are not familiar with, it is part of the country that is made up of St. Kitts and Nevis. It is two miles south of St. Kitts and is an island that is much the same now as it was many years ago. There is a ferry that runs back and forth from St. Kitts to Nevis, which is how tourists who arrive by cruise ship can visit. Again the anchorage was, unfortunately, rolly and, again, the weather dictated that we needed to stay more than one night.

A fun note on getting to Nevis was that John called me from the dinghy deck, about 12 feet above the water, to tell me that I had finally caught a fish! I wasn’t at all sure what he meant, but I went up there to see, and, sure enough, there was a fish on the deck. Apparently one of those crazy flying fish we see when in deep water misjudged his flight and landed right next to the dinghy. I had seen quite a few seagulls following us for a while and had no idea what they were doing. After finding the fish I realized they were trying to help themselves to a tasty, free meal.

One of the friendly St. Kitts Coasties during our boardingThe seas were rough for them to climb off and on our boat, but they did just fine.  These two stayed on the boat while the others came aboard AfterMath.

By Sunday night it became obvious that the seas would not be in our favor for a few days, so we decided to move 10 miles north and get a dock at a marina in St. Kitts. On our way, because we finally had calm seas, I dropped a line in the water from my fishing pole and took a seat in the cockpit to watch over it and wait for that fish I was hoping to catch. All of the sudden, I noticed a boat that looked like a police boat quickly approaching us. Soon the lights came on and I knew they would be stopping us for something. I pulled in my line, and called John to tell him the situation. It turned out to be St. Kitts Coast Guard aboard a Customs boat, wanting to come aboard. I know most boaters dread this situation, but, because I knew we were safe and had nothing we shouldn’t have, I looked at it as a great photo opportunity. John handled all the documentation and showing them our safety equipment while I took a few pictures. All was well, and we were back on our way. I thought it was just a few minutes, but John tells me it took about ½ hour. Time flies when you are having fun!

Once in the marina I was so happy to be able to be at a dock where we could have power to do some cooking and baking and to do laundry. Also, it’s nice to be somewhere every now and then where you don’t need to take a dinghy to get to shore. Soon after we arrived on Monday I was off and exploring the town.

St. Kitts cruise dock.The cruise ship shops while no ships are in port.

St. Kitts is a destination for cruise boats and, true to form, there are streets lined with shops near the cruise docks for when they arrive. We are here out of season, and up until today, there have been no ships at all, so the shops have been mostly closed and it has been quiet and empty. However, we were told that when in season, up to 12,000 people walk around the area on any given day. It is so hard to imagine what those streets must be like! I am anxious to take a walk today to see the difference one cruise ship can make on this sleepy little island with a total population of only 40,000 people.

The bakery in St. KittsScenes around Basseterre on St. Kitts

We always prefer the less touristy areas, and, instead of browsing through the upscale shops, we went for lunch and a walk on Tuesday in the historic district. Here there are stores, restaurants, tiny street side stands of fruits and vegetables, little stands with chaffing dishes full of local favorites, and taxis galore. Buildings are old, and sometimes in disrepair, but it is here that you get the flavor of what St. Kitts is really like. We walked into a tiny bakery to buy some rolls for breakfast and in the little space there, people sat on the windowsill, drinking beer and chatting with their friends.

The Circus

In the rainforest
An old sugar mill and rum distillery

Mangoes, and more mangoes everywhere!Watching a demonstration about how batik fabric is made.Gorgeous colors – all done by hand.

At Fort BrimstoneJohn climbing the stairway to heaven??

Black sand.  The result of volcanic activity.The point at which the Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans meetBlack rocks deposited by the volcano.You can be sure this is open today while the cruise ship is in port!These guys were just hanging out near the lava rock over view.

One of my wishes for St. Kitts, because we had a few days there, was to take a tour of the island. Looking on Trip Advisor, I found a service that was highly recommended: Rose and Jim’s Tour and Taxi. We found Jim in the center of town, called the Circus because it was modeled after London’s Piccadilly Circus, and we made arrangements for him to pick us up on Wednesday. We found Jim to be a wonderful guide. He was easy to understand (although people on St. Kitts speak English, sometimes the dialect is difficult to catch) and very knowledgeable. He was born on the island, lived in London for over 20 years, but came back to St. Kitts many years ago. Jim explained that St. Kitts official name is St. Christopher, but years ago “Christopher” was shortened and now the island is known by both names. He showed us a rainforest and sugar mill, a batik factory where beautiful fabrics are made, Fort Brimstone, the place where the Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans collide, a black sand beach, and a beach populated with black boulders formed from lava from the now extinct volcano on the island. John, Craig from La Sirena, and I were the only ones on the tour so we had lots of personal attention from Jim.

`Yesterday was a workday for John and for me. We both had jobs that we needed to do around the boat, but it was so nice to be able to have time to get things done without any rough or rolly seas. We expect to leave for Nevis again tomorrow, Saturday, June 4th. This will be our staging anchorage for our next stop, Montserrat. We had hoped to have time to stop and tour that island and learn more about the volcano that is still active there, but, again, the weather is king. We have only two good days for this next leg and we want to take advantage of them. After Montserrat we will move to Guadeloupe, where we will spend a couple of days. Every island now is a little farther south and a little closer to 12 degrees, 30 minutes. Truly, when we reach Grenada, we will have changed our attitudes and latitudes!

A few latitudes for perspective:

Here is where we are today.