We arrived to Guadeloupe on Valentine's Day just before dusk in to meet up with my sister Susanne. We anchored in the bay off the town of Deshaies and were just getting cleaned up from our day sail from Montserrat, when we heard shouting in English from the break wall. There stood Susanne calling and waving to us! A few minutes later, we were embracing her on the dinghy dock.
We easily checked into the country using the clearance kiosk in Le Pélican, a little clothing store. Within minutes, we were roaming along the streets of Deshaies, as the shops closed and the restaurants came alive. Being Valentine's Day, we were lucky to find a table in the packed restaurants, and shared a lovely French Creole meal.
Dining at L'Amer on Valentine's Day
Guadeloupe is a fairly large island that is shaped like a butterfly. It is a départemente of France and has been under French control since 1816. It has many mountainous areas and gorgeous beaches. To its south, Guadeloupe includes a small group of islands called Iles des Saintes and the island of Marie-Galante. We were excited to visit the island and enjoy the sea life, along with the French Creole cuisine. We also wanted to practice our French a bit. Our stores were running low, and we were eager to provision in the large supermarchés in Guadeloupe. Our usual practice of doing a big shop is to fill the cart, and then load ourselves up like donkeys and trek back to the dinghy. Susanne still had her rental car for another full day, so we took full advantage of her wheels to go to the big Super U. I was overwhelmed with the choice of wonderful fresh foods including French cheeses, breads, and gluten free items including puff pastry!
Simon helping chop vegetables for dinner
Using gluten free puff pastry to make "pigs in a blanket"
New recipe!
Once we were stocked up again and Susanne moved aboard, we headed south along the west coast of Guadeloupe to Pigeon Island and the Cousteau Underwater Park. There is some of the best snorkelling in this part of the Caribbean, and we were eager to spend some days in the sea. Along with several other yachts, kayaks, and dive boats, we picked up one of the day moorings in the marine park. The kids slid into the water and were soon squealing through their snorkels as they spotted scads of fish and coral. A great day at the park, you might say.
Sailing with Auntie Susie
Simon in between swims (taken by Susanne Litke)
Braids for Wavey courtesy of Auntie Susie
Sunset in Guadeloupe (taken by Susanne Litke)
School of blue tang (taken by Susanne Litke)
Coral (taken by Susanne Litke)
Wavey exploring (taken by Susanne Litke)
Simon's underwater photo of the bottom of a glass bottomed tour boat
Simon's snorkelling selfie
Sunset and green flash? (Photo taken by Simon)
After several hours we left the island and motored less than a mile over to the mainland, and anchored off the small town of Malendure. Lots of boats were anchored nearby with a view of two beaches filled with swimmers and snorkellers. We continued to swim off the boat and snorkel our way to the beach. We were delighted to find several green sea turtles chomping at the sea grass around our boat. We spent hours swimming with them as they ate and surfaced. They are beautiful and majestic creatures. Susanne took the great video below of Wavey swimming with the turtle.
Green sea turtle (taken by Susanne Litke)
Green turtle coming to the surface (photo taken by Simon)
Swimming with the turtles (taken by Simon)
After another day of basking in the sea life in the marine park, we continued south to Basseterre, the capital of Guadeloupe. We stayed at a marina for a couple of nights, which felt strange as we had not been at a dock for the night since Halifax. It was great to have access to internet, unlimited fresh water, and the best part: lots of kid boats!
Wavey, Simon and Sasha in Basseterre,
Within a few hours at the dock, Simon and Wavey had made a new friend and disappeared on a French boat three boats down. It wasn't long until all three of them emerged and came over to build Lego on Nahanni V. Their new friend Sasha only spoke French, and it was wonderful to hear the kids chatting en Français. The following day, there were more kids that gathered together. When I came back around noon with bread from the local boulangerie, I was attacked by four children led by Simon and Wavey, who snatched away my baguette and munched it down as they ran down the dock.
Playing Lego on Nahanni V with Sasha
Lego joy!
Later that day, we went for a three hour hike with families from two other boats: Sasha and his parents Gwen and Damien on Anouki, and Sebastian and Lily with parents Mike and Kiley on Slice of Life. The kids were blissed out running with their peers. We enjoyed contact with other parents comparing our experiences cruising with kids.
Kids playing with some goats at the top of the hill
Sasha and his Dad observing the goats
Wavey, Mike, Gwen, Lily, Damien, Sebastian, Simon and Sasha watching the goats
One night, we also got to know a man named Mikael-Ange who was on a boat down the dock from us. He kindly helped us get into a packed restaurant despite the fact it was getting late in the evening. He joined us for the meal and helped us with our French and told a few sailing yarns. (Unfortunately as the night went on, Wavey could not keep her eyes open.)
Dinner out with Mikael-Ange
It was hard to drag the kids away from Basseterre and the freedom of having easy access to other kids. After many goodbyes, we sailed south to Les Saintes (or The Saints.) These islands are very pretty with lots of little anchorages, a quaint town and lots of visiting yachts. We picked up a mooring (€10 a night) for a few nights, and spent our time swimming, playing games and hiking.
Sailing to Iles des Saintes
Crew on deck
Exploring the town in Terre-de-Haute
Street scene in Terre-de-Haut
Nahanni V in anchorage
Pain-a-Sucre where we anchored
Hiking to Fort Napoleon
Simon at the fort
During our visit with Susanne, the kids frequently woke her early to play games. I often awoke to the slap of cards in SkipBo or the yells of Dutch Blitz. The day often ended with a few more games before bed. After the kids were in bed, us sisters would crack open the wine and the Scrabble board (with the Canadian Oxford Dictionary of course,) and battle our words until we could keep our eyes open no longer.
Fierce game of Dutch Blitz
Our plan was to visit several other anchorages in the south of Guadeloupe, but the weather was forecasted to bring stronger winds, so we opted to head north along the west coast. We spent another night in Malendure and in Deshaies, before getting ready to sail north to Antigua to meet John's Dad and Stepmom, Bob and Carol. Susanne was game for the ride north, and was added to our crew list as we checked out of Guadeloupe (in the same little clothing store) on the last day of February. Unfortunately, the passage was on the rough side, as we beat into 20-30 knots of wind (with gusts to 40), and waves breaking over the deck. We all hunkered down in the cockpit for most of the 15 hour passage, as we pounded through 2-3 metre seas and swallowed some Gravol. (No one was in the mood to snap photos this day!) The Skipper and I were the only ones awake prior to midnight as we approached English Harbour in Antigua. Everyone woke when we entered the channel in the dark and found a place in the Nelson's Dockyard anchorage crammed with boats. By 1:00 am, I was feeding an omelette to a tired and hungry crew, who retreated to their beds soon after. As we had not yet fixed the leak in the kids' bunk (we now know where it is coming in), they slept in the nest to avoid their salty, wet forward cabin. John and I spent considerable time in Antigua in February 2002 after our challenging passage from Halifax in late 2001. We spent weeks here completing repairs and getting used to the cruising lifestyle. Fifteen years later in the historic Nelson's Dockyard, it was fun to see it hadn't changed too much. The harbour was filled with many mega yachts and classic racing boats; there was even a boat anchored in the bay close to us that was there in 2002. We don't think it had moved since then.
John walking by the old sail loft in Nelson's Dockyard
In our last two days on Antigua with Susanne, we recovered from the passage with a day at the beach and more games. With Susanne's help, the kids put on a show called The Deboaters (spun off The Debater's comedy show on CBC Radio) on our final night together. The kids had us in stitches as they debated hard vs. inflatable dinghies, fast food options, and polyester vs. cotton towels. There were some tears as we said goodbye to Auntie Susie, and bid her happy travels to other Caribbean adventures.
Montserrat is not an easy place to get to. Once you make it to the Caribbean, you can take a ferry or small plane to get there. You can also arrive by private boat, which is how we found ourselves here on February 7th. The port of entry is Little Bay, which became the main port after Plymouth was devastated by the volcano in the late 1990s. Little Bay can be rough with a swell that rolls in, making it a little lumpy for anchoring...and a bit challenging to get to shore.
Port of Little Bay
Nahanni V from the shore
Walking around Little Bay
John and I visited Montserrat several times from 2001-2004 to visit John's mother Lois (Granny) and her husband Jim, who had a home here. We have fond memories of this special place, and we wanted the kids to experience it too. Although Granny no longer has a home here, the kids were interested to see the place she visited for so many years.
Celebrating our arrival to Montserrat with a little Ting
It wasn't too rough upon our arrival and we got to shore to check in with Customs and Immigration. Then, we moved the boat a few miles down the coast to Isles Bay, a lovely bay that was once in the Exclusion Zone due to its proximity to the volcano. It is presently safe to anchor here, as there is no current threat from the volcano. Isles Bay was also close to the home of Jean, a dear friend of Lois' who invited us to her home for a visit.
Nahanni V in Isles Bay
We were all excited to spend some time off the boat. We quickly loaded our overnight bags, and (with Jean's blessing) packed several bags of laundry into the dinghy. We were a little overloaded, so we thought we would make two trips ashore. I wish we had photos of what happened next.
There was a bit of a swell in the anchorage, but we did not think it would be an issue beaching the dinghy on the beautiful black sand beach. With Jean watching us from the beach, we managed to get the dinghy ashore with only one wave pooping us as we landed. Most of our items came ashore dry. I managed to fall out of the boat as we were beaching, but only suffered a few scrapes on my foot. After we greeted Jean, John pushed off the beach to return to Nahanni V for the final load. He had some difficulty getting through the waves, as he got a bit swamped on the way out. After bailing some water out, he started again. He got the second load from Nahanni V, and started rowing his way back to the beach. Just as he was about to reach the beach, a large breaking wave lifted the stern of the dinghy up and pitch poled him upside down onto the beach. It was a terrifying moment, as I was certain he had broken his neck as his body slammed to the beach underneath the dinghy. We all screamed and ran to rescue John, as well as the items that were tossed onto the beach. Luckily, he walked away with a few scrapes and a goose egg on his head. The insult to his injury was that he was completely covered with volcanic sand. We slogged our gear down the beach, and shoved it into Jean's car. She drove our soggy lot to her home, where we unloaded our sandy belongings (including a huge bag of laundry soaked in seawater and sand.) Luckily, she had an outdoor shower, so John could shed the pounds of sand before entering her home. The kids were ecstatic to see that they had their own rectangular beds decorated with mosquito nets, and a gorgeous pool to swim in.
Jean's patio with a perfect place to watch the sunset
Lovely pool and gardens
Breakfast
Simon and Wavey made a crown for Queen Jean, our amazing host
Prior to the volcanic activity in 1995, Montserrat was a travel destination off the beaten track. Of course there were tourists, but it was never a mainstream destination. The capital of Plymouth was the heart of the island. Plymouth had been rebuilt after Hurricane Hugo whomped it in 1989, and was a thriving town. We were told that Montserrat was a place where the rich and famous frequented, including several musicians who recorded at the Air Studio owned by Sir George Martin (producer of the Beatles.) Jean told us her son once played on the beach with Sting. Much of the present tourism on the island includes visits to the areas damaged by the volcano. Two-thirds of the island were destroyed by the volcano, leaving two-thirds of the population displaced. There is a lot to see, and John and I were curious to see how things had changed since our last visit here, when the volcano was very active. We were fortunate to have Jean's Tours, where our host gave us several excellent trips around the island, complete with stories and historical facts. We toured the newly developed north part of the island, as well as the exclusion areas close to Plymouth.
The new airport
Jean is an intrepid driver, taking us places we would never have ventured on our own. With every scrape on the bottom of her car, we were reminded how difficult it is to get around some parts of the island.We had several reflective moments during our travels thinking about the past twenty years on the island; how with every eruption and evacuation, thousands had to leave the island, no longer having a home, a job, or a school for their children.
Many times, Jean dropped us off near a trail to walk on our own, and other times, she drove us to tour the newly developed north part of island, as well as to the devastated areas. We visited the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO), visited the beach, and did some fabulous hikes.
Seeing goats on walk up to MVO
Walking up
Standing on helipad with the volcano steaming in the distance
Volcanic rocks
From the deck of the observatory
Hiking to the Cot (which we never found on the trail, but had a lovely time in the rainforest)
Bananas growing on the trail
Woodlands Beach
Woodlands Beach
Steaming volcano
Sign outside the ruins of the former Montserrat Springs Hotel
The pool at the former Montserrat Springs Hotel
Walking along the corridor to the ruins of the hotel rooms
Simon at the Check In desk at the hotel
Beach at Foxes Bay
One evening, we walked down the road to the Olveston House for dinner. See www.olvestonhouse.com/History.html for some history. Olveston House was the home of Sir George Martin, which is maintained by his family following his death a year ago. When the family is off-island, Olveston House opens as a restaurant and guest house. We were able to tour around the house in between courses, see the photographs on the wall by Linda McCartney, and imagine the days when Beatles hung out here.
The Crew at Olveston House
Another morning, we went to the Hilltop Coffee shop for waffles and met our family friend Delali. It was fun to see her again and take in the volcano and music memorabilia that owner David Lea has around the shop. David was the videographer of the volcano for years and set up a video while we waited for our breakfast. (https://www.themontserratreporter.com/new-hilltop-family-centre-and-coffee-house-opens)
With Delali at the Hilltop Cafe
At the Hilltop with David Lea
Delali and Wavey with their amazing waffles
Wow!
Hilltop Cafe
Tribute wall to Montserrat musician Arrow at the Hilltop
Tribute to Sir George Martin
Delali also took us to Runaway Ghaut, so the kids could drink from the water. John and I drank from it in 2002, and we returned, so it must be true!
Wavey drinking from the Ghaut
Simon having his drink
Jean is a devoted volunteer at the Montserrat National Trust. During our stay, she invited us to join their Garden Tour, which is a fundraiser for the Trust. The kids volunteered to work with Jean handing out wrist bands and maps, and serving refreshments after the event. John and I travelled with our new friend Elinor and visited six homes and gardens on the island. The sights were quite impressive!
When Jean wasn't schlepping us around the island, we were chilling out in her pool, meeting friends, and eating delicious meals. Jean is a wonderful cook, and spoiled us all with her daily homemade goodies and amazing dinners.
In the kitchen with Jean
The kids giving the car a wash after our touring adventures
Kids giving lessons on Minecraft and Subway Surfers
Visiting with Lois' friend Vicky
In between the activities, I caught up on the laundry that had been piling up since Bermuda. It was wonderful to hang each load out on the line and pack it up smelling so fresh!
After a week ashore, we started to make the transition back to the boat. Due to the swell in Isles Bay, we had been only been able to get on board the boat once to check on her.
Checking on the boat from Hank's Beach Bar
On February 13th, we loaded up our clean and dry items into Jean's car and we headed back to the beach. The waves were still breaking on the steep beach, and we were all a little wary of how we were going to get Bome. We decided there was no way we were going to transport our belongings via the beach, but we had to get someone and the dinghy to the boat.
After about an hour of hemming and hawing, John went into the surf and tested it out. There was not much of an undertow, so we decided he and Simon would swim the dinghy to Nahanni V and sail it to Little Bay where Jean, Wavey, and I would meet them with our stuff. They doubled the line on the dinghy to give more distance between them and the dinghy, to prevent it from crashing down on them. They got in the water, and I pushed off the dinghy. Wavey started filming the event, but unfortunately, my iPad was full and we never got the shot of the dinghy going straight up on the wave and surging down towards Simon. Luckily, the dinghy missed him and they continued to swim and reach Nahanni V safely.
Pushing off the dinghy
Timing the dinghy launch with the swell (that of course does not look as scary in photos as it was in real life)
Leaving Isles Bay and Hank's Beach Bar
Our crew was finally reunited in Little Bay where we officially checked out of the island, loaded our dry belongings aboard, and waved goodbye to our sweet friend Jean.
Kids with Jean in her garden next to her "Q-Tip" bush
Monserrat can be a challenge to get to, but once you get a taste of the place, it is very hard to leave. Many thanks for everything Jean! On February 14th, we set sail for Guadeloupe to meet up with my sister Susanne, who was vacationing and awaiting our arrival. As we sailed along the Montserrat coast, we got some wonderful views of the volcano and the devastated areas of island.
South of Montserrat from the sea
Leaving Montserrat
We arrived in Deshaies (pronounced Day-ay), Guadeloupe after a great sail, before the sun set. More on that adventure soon!
