Martinique

We had a bit of bad luck to start 2017, our fridge failed with a leak in the joints to the evaporator. It meant we had no refrigerant and would need to have the system vacuum cleaned and refilled. After a long discussion with the engineers in La Marin we opted for a new evaporator too as our had a repair that was due for replacement. so with new evaporator and new filters we were vacuumed and refilled. 

The new evaporator going in

New evaporator fitted

We said goodbyes with Uproar as they were not joining us for the trip around to Fort de France (FdF). We left for the day sail and arrived safely to meet up with Euan Mara and Out of Africa. We had a shopping trip to the Mall area and in particular Decathlon sports store. We all had quiet the top up on swim wear and snorkel gear so it was well worth while. We shopped a bit more in the mall before catching the bus back to FdF. We noodled several days off the beach and had a few BBQ's on Out of Africa.

Men watching girls try swimware

The FdF library, we got in this trip

Euan Mara with a moon rising over the fort

We then sailed across to Trois Ilets (Three Islands) to spend a few days and do a few walks. Our first walk was to the Patisserie that John & Jo's friends run here, it's absolutely thriving and we enjoyed breakfast coffee and cakes with Sam and Coreen. We then ventured down to the Cane Museum which unfortunately was all in French so we just toured the grounds and looked at the old steam engines that hauled the sugar cane.  We walked back along a path through the mangroves and past some lovely picnic spots and scenic spots.

Now that is a great presentation at Coreen  and Sam's.

Train drivers?

The Cane Museum

A lovely stray kitten

A great seat now.

Ladies love trains too?

We heard from local of a town "fete" which being held that night so we took a rare trip ashore at night to see it. The town was very busy and the streets quiet packed with folks. They had a stage for judges and lots of fancy lighting too. The parade was wonderful, lots of costumes and some great music. It went on we think for two trips around town, so we managed to see everything twice!

Free hats all round at the town fete

The church was right in the center of it

The clay men

A transformer"

Traditional costumes

Great dance moves too

Euan Mara was now running a little late as they are crossing back to the Med this year and wanted to explore the Virgin Islands & have a good look around before crossing the Atlantic. So with heavy hearts we had our goodbyes with them as they left ahead of us.

A fond farewell for for Keith and Linda

We had one last walk around the golf course and up to the horse stables and the Marie Antoinette museum. The golf course was pretty run down and we discovered they are probably closing as the course gets too waterlogged, such a shame. We did Make it to the riding stables and watched several groups riding and enjoying their morning. We also walked on to the Marie Antoinette museum but as we had been last year we didn't go in a second time. The park gardens nearby was closed and looked a bit run down, again such a shame to see tourist attractions that were carefully planned and expensively built run down like this.

A frisky horse

Some love for the horses

We then sailed  north to St Pierre, at the tip of Martinique a favorite stop before the jump north because it's the last anchorage heading north on Martinique. The sail was pretty nice until the mountains blocked the wind and we motored the last 1.5 hours. We anchored in our usual spot quiet a distance south of the pier. Well would you know it Euan Mara were still here. So we arranged an impromptu BBQ on Out of Africa with the fish Moosetracks had caught on the way up. A great night and a lovely send off again for Keith and Linda. 

Another nice sail

Dinner for many

We were desperate to do the Canal de Beauregard or the Slave walk as it is somethings known as we have always missed it. As John and Jo had done it several times it was ideal for us as they knew the way. We took a local bus to the start at Font de St Denis and the drive kindly dropped us off at the head of  the road down. We walk maybe 30 minutes to the trail start virtually all down hill on the road. The canal walk was closed at the beginning as the tunnel has collapsed, so we bye passed the first 100m or so. We then started the trail which literally walks along the 0.5-1m wide canal wall most of the way. There are often shear drops of several hundred feet if you miss your footing so we waked very carefully in places. The scenery is absolutely outstanding though and the trail very easily followed of course. There was one part which has collapsed and we had to wade in the canal up to our knees to make it around. Easier than it sounds in retrospect. Then we continued on to the end and were rewarded with fabulous valley views and a great walk. On completion we sat and had a picnic lunch of French cheese and baguette we had bought fresh before leaving, oh what luxury! We then set off for the 1-2 hour hike back to the boats. Again a nice surprise was the fresh fruits hanging on roadside trees and vines. We found Papaya, Passion fruit and Pomegranate just growing on the verges of the road, of course we took a few samples.

The start of the canal walk

John assesses the broken wall 

Typical drop to the left

The views are stunning and the drops get bigger

A beautiful valley below

A good view of the trail - John nearly at the bend

Finishing up in the long gass

The totem poles as we return to St Pierre

We took our last day to visit the Volcano research station and museum just outside St Pierre. There was lots to see on the history of mount Pele and audio in English for the guides too.

The volcano resistant museum building

We hope you year is off to a great start too.

Martinique Christmas 2016

We have been in Rodney bay, St Lucia since November 27th and it was in plenty of time to wait for the ARC rally arrivals and particularly our friends Anna and Bones on s/y Emily Morgan. This would be their 2nd ARC crossing the Atlantic with a group of guests and their 5th Atlantic crossing they have done.


We had a few things to buy so 6 of us took the locals bus to Castries to do a little browsing and shopping at the local vegetable market and the craft stores. We spent a long time looking for Christmas gifts John and Jo wanted for the arrival of his sister Morag and family this holiday season. We stopped for lunch at our favorite restaurant in the market and again were amazed by the great local food. We also took a a trip to the Mega J, although now bought by Massey, it is pretty much the same big box store and we easily got what we wanted. We walked to a local shop, Massey in Rodney bay for groceries because we had found they do very nice tubs of Ice Cream. We managed to share one tub with John and Jo, a first for Devin.

The Castries market

Keith, Linda and Devin looking intently

Well all that talk of shopping and eating we had to work out a few hikes. We had not been to Fort Rodney on Pigeon Island in the national park. It is a very interesting park with some restoration of the old barracks and lots of ruins. The hike up to the lookout and gun placements was energetic and well worth the views. We stopped for lunch in the park and walked the causeway and beach before returning by dinghy to Moosetracks. 

A walk around the south of Rodney bay

A cannon at Fort Rodney

The walk across fort Rodney, spectacular views

We also managed a walk across to the east coast of St Lucia with s/v Pinnacle, Bob and Gigi lead a small group for a delightful walk to the eastern beach where we saw some wreckage of a space rocket, the wild ponies and some great views of the rugged coast. There is a kitesurfing school there too and several folks were battling the constant winds to learn how to fly over water.

Kite surf school

Rocket booster remains

The east coast, wild ponies way across the bay

A nice scenic hike

Each morning started with us getting ARC updates and of course we tracked Emily Morgan (EM) coming to the finish line. They had enough volunteers on finish line boats this year but on the day EM was now due in our friends on s/v Four Season were due on finish line duty. They were very kind and invited us on board to cheer EM and crew over the line, so we were for the second year on the finish line boat for their crossing. They arrived on December 8th after a 17 day crossing. It was mid morning when they crossed so we had plenty of light for photos and they crossed in style to a tumultuous welcome. 

Aboard Four Seasons waiting for Emily Morgan

Emily Morgan crossing the finish line

Emily Morgan's crew had a day of post race decompression (known often as drinking), which we left them alone for then the crew started planning their departures and we got some great time with Anna and Bones to catch up on news. It turns out they are now grandparents! 

All smiles coming in to the dock

A great achievement to celebrate

Of course Pluto got to come aboard Moosetracks to meet his buddy Moosie and our crew.

Pluto and Moosie

Well Christmas is looming for us and we need to get to the French grocery stores for their renowned provisions. So on the 15th we sailed up to La Marin and check in to Martinique. We have a great sail across in brisk winds close hauled but about 3 miles out our headsail halyard snaps and Devin has to go on the foredeck and wrestle it down in gusts to 30 knots. We have it safely stowed on deck and motor-sail  the last few miles in to La Marin.

We have been researching chain replacement prices and it appears here is the best price in the Caribbean so we order 80m (250') of 10mm (3/8") chain and carry it in the dinghy to fit on Moosetracks. It was quite a bit of effort to load that much weight but it went very smoothly. We had emptied the primary chain locker so it was easy to had pull out of the dinghy on to Moosetracks. Unfortunate though we managed to break a lifeline, the corrosion finally took its toll, so we also ordered and replaced port and starboard lifelines, thankfully again they have great prices on rigging services here. After these two projects it was time to climb the mast to replace the broken headsail halyard. Russ and Lisa (S/V Uproar) happily volunteered to help and so Devin was raised up the mast by Russ and we had everything up and furled in no time. 

Our new chain being loaded

Devin running the new halyard

Russ catching the bitter end

New lifelines too!

With our jobs complete, It's time to sail out  to the St Anne anchorage to meet up with Euan Mara, Emily Morgan and Uproar who we were sharing Christmas with this year. 

Our Christmas Eve hike, took us to the highest point, with fantastic views back to Le Marin, across to the east coast and down onto our anchorage in St Anne. We had a pot luck BBQ on the beach on Christmas Eve with Out of Africa and Karma who called it.Lots of boats attended and we met lots of new and old friends. On Christmas Day we gather on Emily Morgan for an absolutely wonderful day with fabulous company and deliciously wonderful food. It was finished of with great music from EM and uproar iPods and dancing on the rear deck! Unfortunately Anna and Bones had w**k to get to so the following morning they were up and underway early to prep for their next charter in St Martin.

EM dressed for Christmas

Devin dressed too

Liz looking after the crew

Well our friends John and Jo also left us to cruise the Martinique coast and give their family a glimpse of the cruising lifestyle. We stayed on in St Anne and enjoyed another pot luck BBQ by Karma again very well attended. We had New Year's Eve celebrations with s/v Just Imagine with Robin and Cheryl who had invited Keith & Linda, Graham & Joan and us to a party on their Catamaran. The Club Med resort laid on the fireworks in front of us and we had a wonderful evening celebrating the arrival of 2017.

St Anne is colorful

s/v Moosetracks