March Blog

March in Martinique – I couldn’t think of a better place to be. The food is awesome, the wine selection is terrific and the weather is perfect!! 

Captain Eliane

This was really a month where we just stayed put and didn’t venture very far. We had a special visit of Maryse’s grand children on board and we discovered just how small a 46 foot long sailboat can be when you add a 3 year old and a 9 month old to the mix! The little ones were great even though they had their playroom reduced to the size of a very small bedroom!  

Our days were filled with walks ashore and time on the beach. 

Beach - Nap - Eat - Nap Beach - REPEAT! 

Nothing like nap time .... little angels! 





























I have to admit, I am OVERLY concerned about having sand on board. It seems once it is on board it is impossible to get rid of. The two little ones had a blast on the beach and Charles-Edouard and Eliane delighted in being sand importers from the beach. We would get them back on board and rinse them down on the swim platform. Then we would strip them of their bathing suits (this is a French island after all) and there would be another pound of sand each in their bathing suits!  

Rented a car and visited a Bananarie – and we all realized at the end of the tour just how much work goes into producing a few bunch’s of bananas. A banana plant (it is actually not a tree) will only ever bear one crop of bananas. It will however spawn a number of new plats at its base. The Banana “Master” will cut all but one of these new plants to ensure that all the food goes to just one plant. The flower spike contains all the new bananas. After a few weeks the flower is removed and a bag is placed over the young bananas to protect them from birds and insects. They tie ropes between each plant to help it remain upright. Another few weeks and the entire bunch is harvested by hand on a little banana stretcher (that is the technical name I think). The final stages are sorting, cleaning and packaging.  On this farm 100% of their production is sent to France.  One major plus was discovering banana wine …. mmmm.

mmmmm fresh!!!

In the same day we also visited two Rum distilleries – only because children really need to understand how rum is made – but being responsible, we kept them away from the tasting bar! We visited JM Rhum in Macouba on the north east coast. A great little museum and old buildings. Next stop was DePaz in St-Pierre which is still our favourite of all that we have visited. 

St Pierre

St Pierre

Chateau at DePaz

Unfortunately the chateau was closed as they were shooting a movie – no, they didn’t ask us to be extras on the set! 

Nice view from the chateau

The drive back to Anse Mitan turned out to be a horrible traffic jam – even worse than Montreal. We were in stop and go traffic for almost 2 hours – driving a standard in those conditions was WAY TOO MUCH exercise for my left leg! To say the little ones had had their fill of being in the car was an understatement as they “sang” a good way of the drive back to the boat!  As grandparents – there is an age for everything. Kat and JS did their very best to calm them down but apparently it was not quite good enough! All is good however! 

It was a delight to have Kathleen and Jean-Sebastien with us on board and the boat seemed so empty once they had returned to Petawawa. 

We spent a few days in Anse Mitan and then sailed to Ste Anne for a change of view. Maryse with the guidance of our friends on Unity discovered two new grocery stores in Le Marin – this was just like Christmas as we found a few treats that we have not found anywhere else – life is good with treats!

Le Diamant - kind of looks like inspiration for Darth Vader!

Time to head back to Fort de France and as we arrived at le Diamant, we heard a PAN PAN call – meaning another boat is in difficulty. 

We turned out to be the closest boat. The sailboat had broken the cables that control the rudder. They were literally sailing around in circles. Maryse and I got ready and put together a bridle and a long line to tow them to a safe anchorage. Maryse did a good job steering us close enough that I could toss them the line.

The disabled Bavaria 44 in tow

They attached the line to their bow and slowly I  added power to take up the slack in the 150’ long line.  Well this was going to be interesting – their rudder was turned so that the boat wanted ONLY to turn to starboard (right) – so as I pulled them, their boat kept turning hard and I had to keep tugging the bow back in line. We had 5 miles to get to the closest bay and it was not pretty as we drifted sideways in the wind and current as fast as we made forward progress. After 3 hours, we were finally approaching the bay and it was clear that I would not be able to control their boat safely into shallow enough water for them to anchor. I called the French equivalent of the Coast Guard - CROSS AG (Centre Régional Opérationnel de Surveillance et de Sauvetageaux Antilles et en Guyane – now that is a mouthful to pronounce on the radio - good thing they just use CROSS AG!) and asked them for assistance but the response was that I should do my best! There was a Star Clipper ship in the bay, so I called Royal Clipper by radio and requested their assistance – I was so grateful that they accepted to help out – they dropped a tender in the water and “muscled” the sailboat into a safe anchorage spot. 

The sailboat confirmed they were firmly attached to the bottom so we wished them well and despite their offers for a dinner ashore, we asked that they pay it back some day to someone else, that needs assistance. With a shout out of "Halte-là!  Les Canadiens sont là!" Ambition headed back out and off to Anse Mitan.

Well now that that is all behind me I am sure that I do not want to pursue a career as a tow boat captain!  Ambition did well however and all ended well.

This morning we watched some of the locals practice their skills on a traditional sailboat. Notice the planks that they move from side to side so the crew can sit out on the end to balance the boat! I think their only rule in these racing boats is they MUST return with the same number of crew they started with .... no jettisoning crew to reduce weight! 

Crew section process - notice the guys in the water!

Getting organized!

I think they are all ready!

Notice the guys on the planks

Good balance crew!!!

OPPPS - Not looking so good!!!

Time to bale some of the water out!!!

And I close with just a few sunset pictures .... spectacular indeed!!!

Thanks for reading and following along with us! 

February Blog

I have not been very good at updating our adventures so far this winter …. let me try to catch up a little on what we have done and seen in February. 

Les Saintes

Just before we left les Saintes we had the wonderful opportunity to see a tall ship set sail and leave the bay under full sail. In four years down here, I have never seen something like this from such a perfect vantage point. 

Many of the tall ship passengers were aboard the lifeboats to be able to take advantage of the photo opportunity as well! 

It was like watching an orchestra ….. starting with a few small sails ....

Then slowly unfurling the large square sails until finally everything was set and full of wind …. SPECTACULAR

Les Saintes is also a super spot to take a hike up to one of the three forts and always offers a few beautiful pictures .

From Fort Josephine

From Fort Josephine

From Fort Josephine

Ambition and Unity at Cabrits mooring field

A little hermit crab!

Always love sunset pictures!

Some of you may remember this cat when it was called My Love lll

A little resort below fort Napoleon

Ferry Dock and downtown Les Saints

We enjoyed a brisk sail from Les Saintes to Pointe a Pitré, Guadeloupe. We took a slip in the Marina Bas du Fort and was surprised at how reasonable the 35 euros per day was for us. The water was free as well! The 110V electrics were still not working so we needed to run the generator every so often to keep the batteries charged up as the wind in the marina was too light for the wind generator. 

We visited the Slave Museum and that was an experience that made us feel more than uncomfortable. It traces the history of slavery from the days of slave trade within Africa and the middle east , then the trade to Caribbean to provide labour for sugar cane plantations as well as building of forts for the English and French on the various islands. It also touched on the slavery in the USA. If you ever get to Ponte a Pitré, this museum must be on your to do list. They do not permit cameras or phones inside but they do provide a audio system guided tour of each of the many presentation rooms. 

Slave Museum

Slave Museum

A few pics of the boats in t\he marina.

Sun Reef 74 - all wrapped up for protection!

I love varnished wood on a boat ... as long as it is not on mine!

One of the Route du Rhum boats

The smaller boat is Eclipse - one of late Paul Allen's fleet

Note the 40' sport fishing boat on the starboard side! It has a 40' sailboat on the port side! Both are launched and retrieved by the mothership!







Little ones Club Med

We joined two of our grandkids at the Club Med in Guadeloupe and hung out at the pool and beach with them and took advantage of the lunch buffet table …. Delicious! 

Cedrick - one of the few times he was out of the water

Maryse battled the Club Med Alligator so the girls could go for a ride!

The kids were on board Ambition for a sleepover / pyjama party complete with favourite pasta dinner, popcorn and ice cream cones. Then we all stayed up way past bedtime since the parents were not there – don’t tell them! 

Clara - "look at my smile!!!"

Super comfortable on board

Born to sail

After sending the kids back to the snow and cold of Montreal, we turned south to visit Dominica. We were here last year and it was amazing to notice that the island is much greener this year and appears to be well on the way to recovery after being devastated by hurricane Irma in Sept 2017. We did our part and did the Indian River tour and here too the hurricane damage is being covered up by the new growth. So many shades of green in Dominica. 

The following pictures were all shot on the Indian River tour. The guide rows us up the river so the outboard doesn't affect the mangroves or the bottom. It is an important fish and wildlife nursery that they try so hard to protect. 

I seem to find crabs!

and more crabs...

Now that is what I call napping! One chilled iguana.

Bananas are just starting

 Forts des Cabrits is a beautifully resorted fort on the north side of Portsmouth Bay. Well worth the park entrance fee and the hike up the hill. Notice that they NEVER built forts along teh shore line so it is ALWAYS a hike up the hill! 

Portsmouth mooring field

Our next destination was St Pierre in Martinique. This village sits at the base of Mt Pelé and was the capital of Martinique and in 1902 a volcano destroyed the entire town and killed all but two of the 33,000 inhabitants. The current town is built upon the ruins of the old buildings is a very picturesque town from the water. 

St. Pierre

St. Pierre

Mount Pelé

Some pictures of the cemetery where many of the 33000 who died are remembered. 

Ruins from the volcano of 1902

Ruins of the theatre

 One of the special spots in St Pierre is the DePaz rum distillery. It sits on the side of Mt Pelé in huge fields of sugar cane. It has a spectacular estate and a breathtaking view of the Caribbean Sea. 

Anse Mitan

In the bay of Fort de France on the south side is Anse Mitan, one of our favourite stops. It is a very busy on the weekends but during the week it is much more laid back and fun. At night we have a view of the little town that looks like it could be in the Med on one side and on the other is a view of downtown Fort de France as it stretches along the waterfront for kilometers. 

These caterpillars grow to 6" long!!!

Ste Anne and Le Marin

The Ste Anne and le Marin area of Martinique is a sailors paradise. The marina is huge and the selection of marine stores selling everything you could imagine for boats can be found here along with every marine service a boater might need. 

In Ste Anne the life is much more calm … good restaurants, walking trails and Martinique’s most beautiful beaches and in French style … most are clothing optional …. But like so many clothing optional beaches the folks who partake should not be naked and those that could …. do not! Hence no pictures as once you see that you can’t unsee it! 

Le Diamant

We will spend a little more time here in Martinique then off to St Lucia. Main reason for going .... we are almost out of propane and none is available in the French islands, only in the English islands!  So we will clear out of customs in Martinique, sail 25 miles to St Lucia, clear in to customs and THEN we can fill up our two tanks! An inconvenience I agree but it sure is better than eating all raw food! 

All is good on board Ambition!