A bothersome cough and cold troubled me for the first weeks but it didn’t stop the activities. Our resident Americans on the dock arranged a 4th July party to be held in the marina village for anyone who cared to celebrate the event. The organising team went to great lengths to achieve that all American look. We had red, white and blue in abundance, hot dogs and burgers on the grill and old flares let off in lieu of fireworks (permission having been granted from the port authorities). Half way through the proceedings a bevy of women, bedecked in flowers danced to an old song “Going to the chapel” and it was only then that we realised that we were to be the recipients of this entertainment and had to be seated and then dressed appropriately in a false tuxedo and wedding veil so we could celebrate our anniversary in style. We looked complete idiots but joined in the fun of the ritual humiliation. Jeff took up his grill duties, dressed to kill and I kept my veil on all night as I thought it looked particularly fetching..and any way I didn’t have one first time round!
Jeff has been working hard on Serengeti. This boat seems to develop faults as fast as the previous ones are mended. The end is in sight though and Jeff has managed to arrange an extension on its stay in St Lucia so we he doesn’t have to take it off to Martinique. Its an old boat, with so many add-ons at each refit that nothing is as it should be or logical, so when something goes wrong it takes a while to find the solution.
The next week I headed off to Martinique for five days with Kenny and Kathy. Jeff stayed home alone looking after dogs and boats. Another boat should have joined us but sickness prevailed. We had a lovely sail, good seas and winds. We hired a car for two days; the first to do shopping in a large shopping mall complete with a Hyper U super market and the next day we set of to see the island.
Sundowners anchored off Grand Anse, Martinique.
These guys hadn't seen a MacDonald's for a while but ..alas it was closed!
We spent time in the botanical gardens, which were wonderful. There was huge scope for acquiring seeds but not so cuttings, as there were several warnings posted around the place and even though they were in French the gist of it was that such behaviour would lead to hands being chopped off. I was extremely good and waited till I got to a garden centre before having a snip or two at unusual bits found along the roadside. All are now sprouting nicely. I did actually buy a small red guava bush, which is doing very well.
We also visited a rum factory and a river running through a rain forest, where I managed to save a couple of bromeliad plants that had fallen from the trees above. All in all a good haul!
A huge variety of bromeliads displayed on tree stumps.
The weather is getting wetter now so everything in the garden is shooting up. We have bought another mango tree and another guava (pink). We look forward to the day we are in full production of mango chutney and guava jam, perhaps in five years or so. We are getting some great bananas, 136 on the last bunch and most between 10 and 12 inches long.
Sundowners anchored off Grand Anse, Martinique.
These guys hadn't seen a MacDonald's for a while but ..alas it was closed!
We spent time in the botanical gardens, which were wonderful. There was huge scope for acquiring seeds but not so cuttings, as there were several warnings posted around the place and even though they were in French the gist of it was that such behaviour would lead to hands being chopped off. I was extremely good and waited till I got to a garden centre before having a snip or two at unusual bits found along the roadside. All are now sprouting nicely. I did actually buy a small red guava bush, which is doing very well.
We also visited a rum factory and a river running through a rain forest, where I managed to save a couple of bromeliad plants that had fallen from the trees above. All in all a good haul!
A huge variety of bromeliads displayed on tree stumps.
The weather is getting wetter now so everything in the garden is shooting up. We have bought another mango tree and another guava (pink). We look forward to the day we are in full production of mango chutney and guava jam, perhaps in five years or so. We are getting some great bananas, 136 on the last bunch and most between 10 and 12 inches long.
We have just harvested the next lot and once again they are gigantic and will be yellow by the time Fi comes.
We are at the chopping back stage so we can make a path through the jungle.
We are at the chopping back stage so we can make a path through the jungle.
These dogs will never make it as models, they are too easily bored with the whole idea of sitting still for a photo.
We have also had our fair share of eating out on other folk’s boats, restaurants and BBQ’s. It is a very sociable scene at the moment but alas waistbands are stretching and zippers are making valiant attempts at holding everything together.
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