Martinique: Kidney Stones and Shopping

We arrived in St. Anne, Martinique on January 6, 2018.  It had been about six months since our last visit here and we were all longing to buy French cheese, wine and produce.

Unfortunately, John had his third attack of kidney stones the day after we arrived. Fortunately it didn't happen while we were underway because he was completely incapacitated, doubled up in our cramped forward head for the day. It was horrible. The attack lasted many hours leaving him exhausted, and then suddenly, remarkably, the pain was gone. Our fabulous family doctor from home gave us some email advice and suggested we get some tests done. 

The next day, while John was curled up in a ball on the floor, suffering through another attack, I went on the morning radio net and got some advice about where to find a doctor who spoke English. Later the kids and I went ashore in this small town to inquire about medical services. We ran into our friend Catherine from Wakataitea who gave us some information on medical care including some advice on where not to go. 

The following day started with another agonizing kidney stone attack. The kids and I watched as John was reduced to a sweaty mass of pain on the floor. John is pretty stoic when it comes to being sick, so we knew it was bad. Once he recovered, we quickly weighed anchor and took the boat a few miles to Le Marin, a larger centre with more facilities. We sat with fingers crossed that John would be OK to leave the boat the next day.

The following morning, we drugged John up with Gravol and Advil and got him to shore by 0900. We found Dr. Gutmann, who saw us within an hour. This English-speaking doctor agreed with the diagnosis that John likely had kidney stones and gave us a referral for x-ray and ultrasound to rule out a blockage or other nasties.  However, she felt it was unlikely that we would be able to get all the tests in Le Marin, and would likely have to rent a car or take a taxi to another city. Ughh.

As John was still able to walk, we went to the x-ray clinic immediately to find it completely full with patients. We waited at the desk, only to be told that we could get an appointment...in two weeks.  When I started to get my hackles up, a lovely local woman came forward and gently translated that my husband needed to be seen now.  The receptionist went to speak to the doctor and came back and said we would be seen that day. (I now believe in angels.) We were so relieved.

From the time we arrived, John had both tests done in about 90 minutes complete with copies of reports and x-rays. We went back to Dr. Gutmann (who just happened to be in her office!) with the reports, and she told us that no stone was "stuck." We were so grateful that no further intervention was needed and that John just had to stick it out. We were also amazed how reasonable the costs were to see the doctor and have the tests done. (Note the absence of photos for this part of the blog.)

The following day, John announced that the stone had passed. We all screamed with joy!

With a healthy skipper again, our focused turned to putting in some solid days of school and preparing for our trip to Dominica.  Months earlier we started making inquires about volunteering on Dominica to help rebuild after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. We found Rebuild Dominica, an NGO based out of the U.S. According to their website, they are an organization that has been involved in raising funds since Dominica was hit by Tropical Storm Erica in 2015. They put us in contact with their people on Dominica, so we could find out what they wanted us to bring, and how we could help once we arrived.

After several emails and phone calls, we had a list of things to bring: tools for roofing, cordless drills, safety harnesses, solar lights, and food for their children's program. We were also told that help was needed to put roofs back on community buildings. 

Most goods in Martinique are imported from France, so we sailed to the capital, Fort de France where we would be close to the best shopping. 

Fort de France

Fort de France

Wavey playing at the park next to the dinghy dock in Fort de France

For several days, shopping was all we did. We must have looked quite stunned in the big box stores. It was culture shock having so much choice and variety. It was also good to brush up on our French.

One of many dinghy loads

Sorting the food

Market in Fort de France

Market day

Bus to industrial park

Getting bus pass

Shopping for drills and safety gear

Home improvement store

Before leaving Fort de France, we did our laundry. There is nothing quite like a French laundromat with those big front loading washers that have hot water and long cycles...

Our last stop before heading to Dominica was St. Pierre where we met up with our friends on Trismic for a quick visit and to do a final shop. It was not a tearful goodbye as we planned to meet up again in a day or two.

John making a call home after doing more shopping

Nahanni V at anchor

We left for Dominica in the early morning on January 25th and arrived around 8:00 pm after a great sail. We were excited and ready for this new volunteer adventure!

Underway: Preparing the mainsail and bound for Dominica!

Christmas in St. Vincent

We left lovely Bequia on December 19, 2017 to make the short sail to St. Vincent. We were  excited to spend Christmas with John's Mom, Lois and her friend Alyce. We found a mooring at the Blue Lagoon Hotel and Marina and had one day to get settled and explore before they arrived on December 21st.

Blue Lagoon Marina

Dockside restaurant

Mini Mart

Dinghy dock at Blue Lagoon. (Nahanni V is back there somewhere.)

Granny's coming soon...

Granny's here!!!

Alyce and Lois getting into the taxi at the airport. Lois still has her winter coat on!

Once Lois and Alyce were settled into their hotel room, we explored the grounds of this boutique hotel and marina which is a base for charter boats sailing out of St. Vincent. Simon and Wavey were thrilled with the pool and we spent many afternoons hanging out while they splashed around.

Pina coladas poolside

Seafood buffet dinner

Given that we had a few days before Christmas, we helped the hotel decorate a tree outside their room that needed a little love.

We also decorated our little tree on Nahanni V.

Fluffing up the Christmas tree from last year

Decorating the tree

We decided to take a day trip into Kingstown, the capital of St. Vincent on the last shopping day before Christmas. The hotel staff looked at us with some surprise when we said we were going into town and warned us it would be busy! Lois and Alyce were brave enough to dodge the thousands of people on the street bustling around in the heat of the day with their last minute purchases. They were even braver to take a local bus back to the hotel. They didn't complain about this St. Vincent experience of being totally squished, with soca music pounding, while hurtling along the curving roads. They were both good sports about this death-defying bus trip...and promptly went to their room for a nap!

View from the back of the packed bus. Lois is keeping from being squished by her big hat in the middle.

Exhausted after a day in Kingstown

On Christmas Eve morning, I snuck out early on the bus to the grocery store to get a few last minute items. I was amazed how calm the store was with only a few people milling about. This lasted only minutes, before people started pouring in, and I made a quick getaway.

After a day of last minute Christmas preparations, we had munchies on the balcony of Lois and Alyce's hotel room for our Christmas Eve meal (and a little wine to get us in the spirit.) The kids were excited and wondered if Santa would be able to find our boat again this year.

Christmas morning was bright and beautiful on Nahanni V. We were delighted that Santa found us. We gobbled up our breakfast and opened our gifts before joining Lois and Alyce onshore.

Santa came!

So excited

Yes, those are all seeds from two grapefruits. Amazing how many seeds there are in local, non GMO fruits.

Thanks, Grandpa and Gramma!

New shades

Now he knows when it's time to return to the boat

Mom's favourite game

We later joined Lois and Alyce for another session of gift giving and hugs.

Granny Claus!

Maple syrup...woo hoo!

Chocolate gnomes made it safely to St. Vincent in Alyce's luggage! 

Opening handmade jewelry made by Simon and Wavey

Thanks Granny and Alyce!

We had a lovely Christmas dinner buffet at the hotel restaurant.  It was one of many scrumptious buffet dinners we indulged in during our two week stay here.

Boxing day was a little more low-key. The kids put on a Christmas recorder concert and we hung out around the hotel.

When Lois booked her trip to come and see us, she expressed her fantasy of having lobster on the beach in Bequia.  So, a few days after Christmas, we took the one hour ferry from Kingstown that took us to Bequia for the day.

Leaving St. Vincent and motoring by a cruise ship

Alyce and Lois on the ferry

Shopping on the street

Shopping with Granny in Bequia

John resting while the women shop

Getting ready for lobster!

Unfortunately, John had an attack of kidney stones in the middle of his lobster and spent the next hour in a heap in the alleyway beside the restaurant. Alyce kindly took the kids for ice cream while John pulled himself together to return to the ferry with Lois.

Getting ice cream at Gingerbread's

After a day of rest, we geared up for a tour of the island. St. Vincent is not as touristy as other islands and has fewer "sites" to see.  It has no pristine, white sandy beaches, but it is a lush, beautiful island with many breathtaking views. Unfortunately, our tour day coincided with a cruise ship day. One of the largest cruise ships was in port and every tour bus was bustling with mostly sunburned, British tourists.

P&O Brittania Cruiseship

Another view of the massive cruise ship

Our first stop was at a piddly little waterfall where we were herded like sheep along a little path. However, the gardens surrounding the falls were lovely.

Water fall

Alyce on pathway to waterfall

The next stop was to Walliabou, the site where the Pirates of the Caribbean 2 was filmed. Again, it was crawling with tourists checking out the former movie set and searching for traces of Johnny Depp. We had a good lunch after the hoards left.

Bits of the movie set

Lois climbed up to the hangman's noose. I didn't get too far away to take the
photo as I was afraid she would fall off the little platform and hang herself

Dock where pirate ship comes to shore

Pirate Granny

Our last stop was to visit the Botanical Gardens, known to be the oldest gardens in the Western Hemisphere (established in 1765.) 

At Botanical Gardens

In their free time, the kids made some friends from Barbados and spent time in the pool and just hanging out.

Simon and Wavey with Erin and Kai

New Year's Eve was another good reason to indulge in the fantastic buffet at the hotel. While we dined, the party next door was getting set up. The party looked a little too wild for usrty, but we definitely made some noise at midnight.

New Year's Eve afternoon munchies

"Granny, aren't you supposed to use a glass?"

Alyce

New Year's Eve

Wonderful staff at the hotel

Checking out the party next door

Welcoming in 2018

The partying did not end with New Year's Eve, as Lois celebrated her birthday on New Year's Day.

For the rest of the visit, we alternated between relaxing and exploring. One day, we hired a glass bottom boat to tour around the nearby reef. Lois and Alyce looked out the bottom while we snorkelled around. After the tour we visited a private island called Young Island, where we had lunch on the beach at the resort.

Wavey under the boat

Snorkelling around the boat

Kids in bar cabana

Cheers!

It doesn't get much better than this!

The day before they left, Lois treated us to a dive lesson in the hotel pool. It was John and Wavey's first time scuba diving, and it was great fun to all be underwater together practicing our new skills.

Family photo

As our two weeks came to a close, we brought Nahanni V to the dock and invited Lois and Alyce on board for a meal. As a treat, we went to the fisherman's dock and got some fresh lobster for lunch.

At the fisherman's dock

Fresh lobster...caught moments before

Lunch

Chilling in the cockpit

Last visit before heading to airport

Saying goodbye is never any fun.

After we waved goodbye to Granny and Alyce, we reflected about our visit with these two amazing women. Their adventurous spirit, laughter, and hugs made it our best Christmas ever. 

With heaps of good memories tucked in, we made our way back to Nahanni V to prepare for our sail north to Martinique. 

Getting ready to cast off

Bye St. Vincent!