{"id":75,"date":"2012-01-26T14:37:41","date_gmt":"2012-01-26T19:37:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rusee-de-jersey.ca\/?p=75"},"modified":"2015-05-15T12:42:14","modified_gmt":"2015-05-15T16:42:14","slug":"carnet-no-14-de-dominique-les-antilles-prise-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.rusee-de-jersey.ca\/?p=75","title":{"rendered":"Carnet n\u00ba 14 : Les Antilles, prise 2"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Grenade, Carriacou, Mustique\u2026<\/h3>\n

Bequia, Ste. Lucie, Martinique, Dominique\u2026<\/h3>\n

Tous ces noms font r\u00eaver! Ils invoquent des images de sable dor\u00e9 et d\u2019eau turquoise; de soleil ardent et de brises rafraichissantes. Ils interpellent bon nombre de nordiques aux prises avec les rigueurs de l\u2019hiver\u2026<\/p>\n

Au cours de cet hiver 2011, soit du d\u00e9but janvier \u00e0 la mi-mars, nous avons effectu\u00e9 les formalit\u00e9s douani\u00e8res de cinq pays et visit\u00e9 une douzaine d\u2019\u00eeles qui nous \u00e9taient jusqu\u2019alors inconnues. Anglaises, fran\u00e7aises et ind\u00e9pendantes, nous avons trouv\u00e9 dans chacune une identit\u00e9 propre; une personnalit\u00e9 distincte. La majorit\u00e9 de ces \u00eeles nous a charm\u00e9 et nous inspire \u00e0 y retourner un jour pour y poursuivre nos d\u00e9couvertes et rencontres.<\/p>\n

La Grenade porte bien son surnom de \u00ab\u00a0l\u2019\u00eele aux \u00e9pices\u00a0\u00bb, et apr\u00e8s l\u2019aridit\u00e9 des Canaries et du Cap-Vert, nous \u00e9tions enchant\u00e9s de nous promener au c\u0153ur de sa v\u00e9g\u00e9tation dense et luxuriante, d\u2019humer ses parfums fertiles et de constater partout la g\u00e9n\u00e9rosit\u00e9 de sa nature. Tout y pousse. Bananes, fruit \u00e0 pain, mangues, goyaves, papayes, cacao, caf\u00e9\u2026 et bien s\u00fbr, une multitude d\u2019\u00e9pices dont la muscade, embl\u00e8me de l\u2019\u00eele. Et que dire des plantes qui chez nous tiennent dans de modestes pots pour orner nos salons? Dans les tropiques, elles ont la taille des arbres!<\/p>\n

Nous avons pass\u00e9 trois semaines \u00e0 la Grenade en compagnie de la famille Sanchez de Two\u2019s Company, parcourant l\u2019\u00eele d\u2019un bout \u00e0 l\u2019autre \u00e0 bord d\u2019une voiture de location et d\u00e9couvrant plusieurs de ses magnifiques baies de la c\u00f4te sud. Par contre, les temp\u00eates hivernales qui s\u00e9vissaient dans l\u2019est du Canada et des Etats-Unis ont suscit\u00e9es \u00e0 la Grenade, comme ailleurs aux Antilles, des conditions m\u00e9t\u00e9o bien moins agr\u00e9ables que d\u2019ordinaire. Le temps fut inhabituellement venteux et pluvieux et la mer le plus souvent agit\u00e9e. Quantit\u00e9 d\u2019ancrages furent sujets \u00e0 une forte houle qui a compromis plus d\u2019une nuit de sommeil \u00e0 plus d\u2019un \u00e9quipage!<\/p>\n

Un jour de la mi-janvier, Frank et Yves avaient d\u00e9cid\u00e9 de s\u2019offrir, ainsi qu\u2019\u00e0 Dimitri et Nathan, une journ\u00e9e de voile et de p\u00eache en haute mer. Sylvie et moi devions b\u00e9n\u00e9ficier d\u2019une journ\u00e9e tranquille \u00ab\u00a0entre filles\u00a0\u00bb. Eh bien, l\u2019escapade a mal tomb\u00e9e, car la mer \u00e9tait forte et les vents muscl\u00e9s ce jour l\u00e0, et peu apr\u00e8s 13h Rus\u00e9e<\/strong>\u00a0est apparue \u00e0 l\u2019entr\u00e9e de la baie\u2026 sans poisson en d\u00e9pit de la \u00ab\u00a0nourriture\u00a0\u00bb largu\u00e9e par-dessus bord par certains \u00e9quipiers\u2026<\/p>\n

Nous avions bien h\u00e2te de conna\u00eetre les mythiques Grenadines, et nous avons navigu\u00e9 au c\u0153ur de celles-ci du 21 janvier au 14 f\u00e9vrier, toujours en compagnie de Sylvie, Frank, Nathan et Dimitri de Two\u2019s Company.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00c0 titre de bonus, c\u2019est aux Grenadines que nous avons de nouveau crois\u00e9 le chemin de Catacaos,<\/strong>\u00a0avec Lorraine, Graham et le jeune Lucas (maintenant bien plus grand) \u00e0 bord. Ce furent des retrouvailles pr\u00e9cipit\u00e9es, car ils devaient rallier la Grenade pour y recevoir une invit\u00e9e, mais nous sommes bien contents de les avoir revus puisque depuis, ils ont franchi le Canal de Panama pour poursuivre leur tour du monde du c\u00f4t\u00e9 Pacifique.<\/p>\n

Les Grenadines sont compos\u00e9es d\u2019une quinzaine d\u2019\u00eeles et \u00eelots au sud de St. Vincent et au nord de la Grenade. \u00c0 l\u2019exception de Carriacou, Petite Martinique, Fota et Petite Dominique qui font partie de cette derni\u00e8re, les autres \u00eeles rel\u00e8vent de St. Vincent. Au cours de notre p\u00e9riple nous avons pu identifier trois cat\u00e9gories d\u2019\u00eeles aux Grenadines\u00a0: les \u00ab\u00a0authentiques\u00a0\u00bb o\u00f9 les gens vivent comme ils l\u2019ont toujours fait de la p\u00eache et de l\u2019agriculture; celles qui misent sur le tourisme d\u2019\u00e9lite en offrant des d\u00e9veloppements super-exclusifs aux super-nantis; et les Tobago Cays, sans doute les pr\u00e9f\u00e9r\u00e9es des plaisanciers puisqu\u2019on y trouve quatre \u00eeles inhabit\u00e9es au sein d\u2019une grande r\u00e9serve naturelle. \u00a0En d\u00e9pit de leur popularit\u00e9, nous y avons pass\u00e9 trois jours magnifiques \u00e0 explorer les \u00eeles et r\u00e9cifs, et \u00e0 nager avec les tortues dans une eau cristalline. Par ailleurs, m\u00eame si la m\u00e9t\u00e9o demeurait perturb\u00e9e, nous \u00e9tions totalement \u00e0 l\u2019abri de la houle, prot\u00e9g\u00e9s par le grand r\u00e9cif en forme de fer \u00e0 cheval qui isole les Tobago Cays de la mer.<\/p>\n

Bequia (prononc\u00e9 Bekw\u00e9), la plus au nord des Grenadines, nous a plu \u00e0 tel point que nous y sommes rest\u00e9s plus d\u2019une semaine. Il s\u2019agit probablement, dans la cha\u00eene des Grenadines, de l\u2019\u00eele qui g\u00e8re la mieux le fragile \u00e9quilibre entre \u00e9conomie locale et tourisme. Apr\u00e8s quelques jours dans la pittoresque mais tr\u00e8s houleuse Friendship Bay, o\u00f9 nous \u00e9tions le plus souvent seuls avec Two\u2019s Company, nous nous sommes joints \u00e0 la multitude de bateaux d\u00e9j\u00e0 \u00e0 l\u2019abri dans Admiralty Bay, principal ancrage de l\u2019\u00eele. Et de l\u00e0, nous avons continu\u00e9 nos randonn\u00e9es quotidiennes sur les magnifiques routes, pistes et plages de Bequia.<\/p>\n

Ayant d\u00e9cid\u00e9 de sauter par-dessus l\u2019\u00eele de St. Vincent, nous avons atterri le 15 f\u00e9vrier sur l\u2019\u00eele de St.\u00a0<\/strong>Lucia, o\u00f9 durant les cinq jours de notre visite, nous avons trouv\u00e9 abri dans les baies de Marigot, au sud et de Rodney Bay, au nord. St. Lucia fut une belle surprise pour nous \u00e0 tous les niveaux\u00a0: beaut\u00e9 des paysages, qualit\u00e9 des abris, vie sous-marine, accueil des insulaires et services aux plaisanciers. L\u2019\u00eele \u00e9tant officiellement anglophone, nous \u00e9tions \u00e9tonn\u00e9s d\u2019y trouver quantit\u00e9 de \u00ab\u00a0boat boys\u00a0\u00bb (locateurs de tangons et vendeurs de fruits) et d\u2019insulaires qui parlent un patois fran\u00e7ais tout \u00e0 fait compr\u00e9hensible. Sans doute des vestiges de l\u2019\u00e9poque o\u00f9 l\u2019\u00eele \u00e9tait colonie fran\u00e7aise\u2026 Charmeurs ces gens! Dont Max, qui fabrique et vend paniers, chapeaux et animaux \u00e0 partir des frondes de palmier. Il nous a offert plusieurs cadeaux (un chapeau, des poissons, des oiseaux), et nous l\u2019avons bien s\u00fbr encourag\u00e9 en lui achetant quelques paniers.<\/p>\n

La baie de Marigot est tr\u00e8s jolie. \u00c9troite et tout en long, elle se termine par un petit lagon o\u00f9 se cache marinas, restaurants et installations de luxe. Les hautes falaises entourant la baie sont vertes d\u2019arbres et de v\u00e9g\u00e9tation subtropicale et les maisons perch\u00e9es dans les hauteurs sont plus coquettes les unes que les autres. Nos randonn\u00e9es \u00e0 terre nous ont offertes non seulement d\u2019excellents entra\u00eenements cardiorespiratoires, mais \u00e9galement des panoramas \u00e0 couper le souffle!<\/p>\n

Un jour nous avons fait une excursion aux Pitons, \u00e0 quelques neuf miles nautiques au sud de Marigot, dans l\u2019annexe rapide de Two\u2019s Company. Nous y avons effectu\u00e9 d\u2019int\u00e9ressantes plong\u00e9es dans une eau translucide aux superbes reflets bleut\u00e9s, d\u00e9bordante de coraux, d\u2019an\u00e9mones et de poissons. Nous y avons \u00e9galement pique-niqu\u00e9 sur une plage d\u00e9serte et trouv\u00e9 de nouveaux tr\u00e9sors pour nos collections grandissantes de coquillages.<\/p>\n

Rodney Bay au nord de St. Lucia est une tr\u00e8s grande baie qui abrite plusieurs dizaines de bateaux face \u00e0 une longue plage bord\u00e9e d\u2019h\u00f4tels et de restaurants. Mais Rodney Bay compte \u00e9galement un vaste lagon int\u00e9rieur avec marinas et zones d\u2019ancrage pouvant accueillir des centaines de bateaux, dont quantit\u00e9 de m\u00e9ga-yachts. On y trouve \u00e9galement tous les services imaginables requis par les navigateurs. Faute de temps, nous n\u2019avons pass\u00e9 que deux jours \u00e0 l\u2019ancre dans la baie ext\u00e9rieure, mais nous nous sommes promis d\u2019y revenir \u00e0 la premi\u00e8re occasion. Quant \u00e0 elle, la famille Sanchez devait rallier la Guadeloupe pour r\u00e9cup\u00e9rer les carnets scolaires des gar\u00e7ons, et nous nous sommes quitt\u00e9s en nous promettant de nous retrouver quelques semaines plus tard.<\/p>\n

C\u2019est que nous attendions de la grande visite en Martinique! Et comme nous ne connaissions pas encore l\u2019\u00eele, nous voulions y arriver d\u2019avance pour prendre nos rep\u00e8res, pr\u00e9parer le bateau et planifier un tant soit peu le programme d\u2019activit\u00e9s pour le s\u00e9jour de ma s\u0153ur Chantal et son ami Iliasse. C\u2019est \u00e0 Ste-Anne, au sud-est de la Martinique, qu\u2019ils nous ont rejoints pour une semaine remplie de v\u00e9lo, de randonn\u00e9es en nature, de pique-niques sur la plage et d\u2019explorations en apn\u00e9e, avec ici et l\u00e0 une pause d\u00e9tente sur le bateau. C\u2019est aussi en leur compagnie que nous avons effectu\u00e9 une sortie en apn\u00e9e qui fut parmi mes pr\u00e9f\u00e9r\u00e9es de tout le voyage. En effet, au nord de l\u2019Anse Noire nous avons trouv\u00e9 des grottes et des r\u00e9cifs qui n\u2019ont pas leur \u00e9gal en termes de corail et d\u2019an\u00e9mones, incluant des \u00ab\u00a0grappes\u00a0\u00bb fleuries aux tons orang\u00e9s et de d\u00e9licates tiges couleur lilas que je n\u2019ai jamais vues ailleurs. Au sein de cette m\u00eame grotte aux superbes rochers color\u00e9s se trouvaient des centaines de chauves-souris suspendues \u00e0 l\u2019envers et jacassant bruyamment pour passer le temps en attendant le couvert de la nuit. Quel bonheur pour nous d\u2019avoir pu partager un peu de notre univers avec Chantal et Iliasse!<\/p>\n

Suivant leur d\u00e9part, nous avons fait halte \u00e0 l\u2019Anse Mitan pour voir une amie danseuse-chor\u00e9graphe originaire de la Martinique, et ce fut tr\u00e8s plaisant de d\u00e9couvrir les espaces r\u00e9sidentiels et artistiques de Josiane et son mari Maurice, qui nous ont gentiment re\u00e7us chez eux, dans les hauteurs du Morne Gallochat. Par contre, quelques probl\u00e8mes s\u2019\u00e9taient manifest\u00e9s sur le bateau, et nous devions retourner au Marin, \u00e0 la pointe sud-est de l\u2019\u00eele, afin que Yves se procure des pi\u00e8ces de rechange.\u00a0 Apr\u00e8s quoi nous avons poursuivi notre route jusqu\u2019\u00e0 St-Pierre, au nord-ouest. Tristement c\u00e9l\u00e8bre, cette ancienne capitale, surnomm\u00e9e \u00ab\u00a0Le Petit Paris\u00a0\u00bb des Antilles, fut an\u00e9antie lors de l\u2019\u00e9ruption du Mont Pel\u00e9e en 1902\u00a0: une terrible trag\u00e9die qui a cout\u00e9 la vie a pr\u00e8s de trente mille personnes. Nous avons d\u00e9ambul\u00e9 longuement dans la ville et ses environs. Les ruines de l\u2019\u00e9ruption y sont encore exhib\u00e9es, un mus\u00e9e y est consacr\u00e9 et quantit\u00e9 de maisons et d\u2019\u00e9difices sont construits \u00e0 m\u00eame les fondations des immeubles engloutis. En d\u00e9pit de ce triste h\u00e9ritage, nous avons \u00e9t\u00e9 charm\u00e9s par cette ville pleine de vie et d\u2019histoire.<\/p>\n

Enfin la Dominique, une \u00eele que nous \u00e9tions impatients de visiter! Le 15 mars au matin nous avons quitt\u00e9 St-Pierre sous grand voile et moteur en raison des vents erratiques et contraires aux pr\u00e9visions. Mais tel que soup\u00e7onn\u00e9, il ne s\u2019agissait que d\u2019un ph\u00e9nom\u00e8ne local, car aussit\u00f4t franchie la pointe nord de la Martinique, nous avons pu couper le moteur. Quelle journ\u00e9e magnifique sous ciel bleu, soleil chaud et brise ti\u00e8de! La mer \u00e9tait couverte de petits moutons gambadant joyeusement ou s\u2019\u00e9lan\u00e7ant avec ambition, et quelques embruns sont m\u00eame parvenus \u00e0 nous rejoindre dans le cockpit. En approchant de la pointe sud de la Dominique, le vent avait tellement forci qu\u2019il nous a fallu r\u00e9duire la voilure, tandis qu\u2019un peu plus tard\u2026 plus rien. Nous avons d\u00fb terminer notre route \u00e0 moteur!<\/p>\n

Encore bien au large de Roseau, nous avons \u00e9t\u00e9 accueillis par Desmond, un des \u00ab\u00a0boat boys\u00a0\u00bb de l\u2019\u00eele. Courtois et chaleureux, il nous a poliment offert de louer un tangon. \u00ab\u00a0You want to anchor?! Not a good idea\u2026 you could harm the coral and our fishpots\u00a0<\/em>\u00bb. Yves m\u2019a jet\u00e9 un petit coup d\u2019\u0153il et lui a r\u00e9pondu \u00ab\u00a0Oh really?! OK. We\u2019ll take a mooring for 1 night<\/em>\u00a0\u00bb. \u00c0 l\u2019\u00e9quivalent de 10$ US la nuit, cela valait la peine d\u2019encourager l\u2019\u00e9conomie locale, et en fin de compte, nous sommes rest\u00e9s trois nuits au tangon.<\/p>\n

Desmond nous a \u00e9galement mis en contact avec son patron surnomm\u00e9 Sea Cat, et celui-ci nous a organis\u00e9 une visite d\u2019une demi-journ\u00e9e en compagnie d\u2019une demi-douzaine d\u2019autres plaisanciers. Avec Joe, notre guide, nous avons fait un circuit incluant Laudat, dans les montagnes au nord-est, Titou Gorge Falls, Trafalgar Falls au sein du parc national des Trois Pitons, les \u00ab\u00a0bubbling lake\u00a0\u00bb et \u00ab\u00a0sulphur springs\u00a0\u00bb du \u00ab\u00a0mini volcan\u00a0\u00bb pr\u00e8s du village de Wotten Woven (rien \u00e0 voir avec les ph\u00e9nom\u00e8nes volcaniques de Sao Miguel, mais bon\u2026). Pour terminer, nous avons pris Jack\u2019s Trail dans les hauteurs de Roseau pour admirer la ville et visit\u00e9 le Jardin botanique, o\u00f9 nous avons vu des arbres extraordinaires, dont un Baobab g\u00e9ant qui en tombant lors de l\u2019ouragan David de 1979, a d\u00e9truit un autobus scolaire (heureusement vide); un \u00ab\u00a0Cannonball tree\u00a0\u00bb, dont le tronc est juch\u00e9 de lianes au bout desquelles se trouvent des boules qui ressemblent effectivement \u00e0 des boulets de canon (apparemment, lorsque ceux-ci tombent de l\u2019arbre et ont le malheur de se briser, il s\u2019en d\u00e9gage une horrible odeur de pourriture) et un Banyan de l\u2019Inde! Gigantesque! D\u00e9mesur\u00e9! Impressionnant!!<\/p>\n

Lors de notre premier arr\u00eat de la journ\u00e9e, j\u2019ai presque rat\u00e9 le meilleur, car \u00e0 Titou Gorge, nous pouvons nager dans une rivi\u00e8re tortueuse, empruntant une faille tr\u00e8s \u00e9troite qui coule entre deux falaises verticales, pour \u00e9ventuellement atteindre la base d\u2019une chute. Il y avait beaucoup de touristes en provenance d\u2019un bateau de croisi\u00e8re\u2026 et l\u2019eau \u00e9tait plut\u00f4t fra\u00eeche, mais lorsque j\u2019ai vu la mine r\u00e9jouie des nageurs \u00e0 leur retour, j\u2019ai c\u00e9d\u00e9 \u00e0 la tentation. Et quel bonheur de suivre cette \u00e9troite rivi\u00e8re, avec les arbres en toiture filtrant les rayons solaires, pour me retrouver au pied de la chute, et lutter contre d\u2019impressionnants courants pour tenter de m\u2019en approcher. \u00a0\u00c0 Trafalgar Falls, on trouve deux chutes et des sources chaude et froide nous offrant un v\u00e9ritable \u00ab\u00a0spa nature\u00a0\u00bb. Pour nous qui n\u2019avions pas connu le plaisir de se pr\u00e9lasser dans une baignoire depuis 20 mois, la source chaude fut un luxe en d\u00e9pit de la chaleur tropicale ambiante. En somme, lors de notre excursion guid\u00e9e, nous avons travers\u00e9 des paysages luxuriants et parfum\u00e9s, et constat\u00e9 combien les dominicains vivent pr\u00e8s de leur nature. D\u2019ailleurs, dans ses
\n\u00ab\u00a0exc\u00e8s \u00bb, celle-ci rappelle Sao Miguel aux A\u00e7ores et Mad\u00e8re. Mais la Dominique est grande, et nous n\u2019avons pas vu Victoria Falls, ni le Emerald Lake, ni le Indian River \u00e0 Portsmouth\u2026<\/p>\n

Par ailleurs, les insulaires affichent une bonne humeur et une joie de vivre contagieuses bien que la Dominique soit pauvre selon \u00ab\u00a0nos\u00a0\u00bb standards, et nombreuses sont les baraques de t\u00f4le ondul\u00e9e toutes rapi\u00e9c\u00e9es, d\u00e9color\u00e9es et rouill\u00e9es, avec de la broche m\u00e9tallique aux rares fen\u00eatres. Ces modestes abris se trouvent souvent \u00e0 c\u00f4t\u00e9 d\u2019une plus rare maisonnette de ciment; moderne et color\u00e9e. Les commerces sont \u00e9galement \u00a0d\u00e9labr\u00e9s, et \u00e0 plusieurs reprises, je me suis rendue compte qu\u2019une r\u00e9sidence que je croyais abandonn\u00e9e \u00e9tait en fait habit\u00e9e; qu\u2019un commerce ou un h\u00f4tel qui me semblait ferm\u00e9 \u00e9tait bel et bien op\u00e9rationnel. Les routes sont \u00e9troites et les rares trottoirs compl\u00e8tement bris\u00e9s, et le plus souvent, les pi\u00e9tons doivent marcher dans la rue, o\u00f9 ils se font vivement klaxonner par les chauffeurs. Il y a foule partout. Les rues font office de cour, de salon, de commerce de fortune, de terrain de jeu et de lieu de rassemblement\u2026\u00a0 Tr\u00e8s \u00ab\u00a0antillais\u00a0\u00bb tout \u00e7a\u2026 mais d\u2019un antillais plut\u00f4t \u00ab\u00a0English\u00a0\u00bb. En somme, nous avons beaucoup appr\u00e9ci\u00e9 la Dominique, et nous avons quitt\u00e9 l\u2019\u00eele heureux de notre visite et d\u00e9sireux d\u2019y retourner.<\/p>\n

Notre prochaine destination \u00e9tait Les Saintes, et nous venions d\u2019apprendre que nos amis Sandy et Bill du Dragonfly faisaient route \u00e0 partir des \u00celes Vierges pour nous y rejoindre. Ne les ayant pas vus depuis le mois de juillet, lorsque nous quittions les Bermudes pour traverser aux A\u00e7ores tandis qu\u2019ils ralliaient les Etats-Unis, ce furent d\u2019heureuses retrouvailles\u2026 qui n\u2019auront malheureusement dur\u00e9es que quelques jours\u2026<\/p>\n

Puis, du 24 au 31 mars, la s\u0153ur de Yves nous rendait visite, et nous l\u2019avons rejointe \u00e0 la Guadeloupe, pour la ramener d\u00e8s le lendemain aux Saintes. Entre temps, Manu et Mich\u00e8le du voilier Teepee \u00e9taient arriv\u00e9es avec une amie, et la visite d\u2019Andr\u00e9e s\u2019est pass\u00e9e largement en leur compagnie. Nous lui avons fait conna\u00eetre nos endroits favoris (telle la magnifique plage de Pompierre) et avons poursuivis avec elle nos d\u00e9couvertes de l\u2019\u00eele. C\u2019est ainsi que nous avons foul\u00e9 de nouveaux sentiers de randonn\u00e9es, incluant celui du Chameau, plus haut point de l\u2019\u00eele, et visit\u00e9 le Fort Napol\u00e9on, magnifique site historique lequel aurait pu ais\u00e9ment nous retenir une journ\u00e9e compl\u00e8te. Cette visite aux Saintes aura \u00e9galement permis mon initiation au kayak (gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 Andr\u00e9e qui en est une grande adepte) et au d\u00e9riveur sur petite chaloupe \u00e0 voile avec Manu comme monitrice de \u00ab\u00a0Sailing Dinghy pour les Nuls\u00a0\u00bb. Amusant, mais beaucoup moins stable que Rus\u00e9e!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suivant la visite d\u2019Andr\u00e9e, nous avons poursuivi notre route vers le nord. Nous \u00e9tions d\u00e9j\u00e0 au d\u00e9but avril, et apr\u00e8s deux jours d\u2019escale \u00e0 Deshaies au nord-ouest de la Guadeloupe, nous avons rejoint Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, o\u00f9 nous attendait la famille Sanchez de Two\u2019s Company. C\u2019est donc avec Frank, Sylvie et leurs gar\u00e7ons que nous avons entrepris notre derni\u00e8re \u00ab\u00a0d\u00e9couverte\u00a0\u00bb de la saison\u00a0: Barbuda! \u00a0Il s\u2019agit d\u2019une \u00eele enchanteresse et peu fr\u00e9quent\u00e9e au nord d\u2019Antigua qui nous a retenus captifs pendant dix jours. Intouch\u00e9e et peu d\u00e9velopp\u00e9e, Barbuda ressemble sans doute aux Antilles d\u2019il y a un si\u00e8cle, et malgr\u00e9 une m\u00e9t\u00e9o quelconque (il a plu 5 jours sur 10), nous avons pleinement jouis de ses beaut\u00e9s naturelles et de son calme. De plus, gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 notre ambassadeur, Frank, nous avons connu Gambi, Doug et Ziko, trois p\u00eacheurs locaux tr\u00e8s avenants et fiers de partager leur \u00eele avec nous.<\/p>\n

Au fil du temps, les Sanchez en \u00e9taient arriv\u00e9s \u00e0 faire partie de notre \u00ab\u00a0famille\u00a0\u00bb \u00e9largie, et nous avions presque le sentiment d\u2019\u00eatre \u00ab\u00a0oncle\u00a0\u00bb et \u00ab\u00a0tante\u00a0\u00bb pour Dimitri et Nathan. \u00c0 Mad\u00e8re et de ce c\u00f4t\u00e9 de l\u2019Atlantique, ils ont partag\u00e9 notre quotidien et nous le leur. Nous avons go\u00fbt\u00e9 aux joies de la vie de famille et connu les d\u00e9fis de l\u2019\u00e9cole par correspondance dans un environnement paradisiaque qui, avouons-le, n\u2019encourage pas vraiment les jeunes \u00e0 maintenir le nez dans leurs bouquins. Chacun son tour et parfois de mani\u00e8re improvis\u00e9e, les gar\u00e7ons ont couch\u00e9 \u00e0 bord et Dimitri a navigu\u00e9 sur Rus\u00e9e lors de nos travers\u00e9es d\u2019Antigua \u00e0 Barbuda, puis vers St-Barth. Lors de cette derni\u00e8re travers\u00e9e, nous avons attrap\u00e9 pas moins de quatre poissons, dont une daurade coryph\u00e8ne de cinquante pouces et un barracuda junior. Les deux derni\u00e8res prises, deux Great Barracudas d\u2019un m\u00e8tre de long, donc trop grands pour \u00eatre mang\u00e9s sans risque de ciguatera, ont \u00e9t\u00e9 rel\u00e2ch\u00e9s \u00e0 la mer.<\/p>\n

Notre principale motivation \u00e0 monter jusqu\u2019\u00e0 St-Barth encore cette saison \u00e9tait de revoir nos amis alsaciens Suzanne et Dominique Noeser, qui habitent l\u2019\u00eele depuis une d\u00e9cennie. Quel plaisir de les pr\u00e9senter aux Sanchez, \u00e9galement alsaciens, avec lesquels ils se sont d\u00e9couverts plusieurs connaissances communes! En d\u00e9pit des vents soutenus durant notre s\u00e9jour, nous avons eu du bon temps \u00e0 faire conna\u00eetre St-Barth aux Sanchez et \u00e0 partager les eaux de l\u2019Anse de Colombier avec les tortues, les raies et les \u00e9toiles de mer, sans oublier les poissons tropicaux. Toutefois, il \u00e9tait temps d\u2019amorcer notre descente au sud, et d\u00e8s que les vents (contraires pour nous) se sont calm\u00e9s, nous avons repris la mer. C\u2019est ainsi que le 30 avril, le c\u0153ur gros, nous avons pris cong\u00e9 de l\u2019\u00e9quipage de Two\u2019s Company, qui poursuivait sa route vers les \u00celes Vierges, les Bermudes, puis l\u2019Europe.<\/p>\n

La Grenade se trouve \u00e0 quelques 365 miles nautiques de St-Barth. Nous avions le choix de faire la route par \u00e9tapes ou d\u2019un long trait. Ayant opt\u00e9 pour le premier sc\u00e9nario, nous avons \u00e9galement d\u00e9cid\u00e9 de sauter pardessus Antigua pour nous diriger directement aux Saintes. Cette option nous offrait une navigation plus rapide et agr\u00e9able en nous pla\u00e7ant de meilleure allure par rapport au vent. Une journ\u00e9e et demi apr\u00e8s notre d\u00e9part, nous sommes arriv\u00e9s \u00e0 l\u2019ancrage du Pain de Sucre avec en bonus un beau thon Bonite, la derni\u00e8re prise de la saison.<\/p>\n

Apr\u00e8s une petite journ\u00e9e de repos, c\u2019est sous la pluie que nous avons quitt\u00e9 Les Saintes \u00e0 15h30 le 3 mai. Pendant plusieurs heures, nous avons profit\u00e9 de belles conditions de voile aux allures portantes. On filait!\u00a0 Mais en soir\u00e9e et durant la nuit, \u00c9ole a chang\u00e9 plusieurs fois d\u2019humeur, si bien que nous avons d\u00fb multiplier les ajustements de voiles et m\u00eame nous contraindre parfois \u00e0 avancer \u00e0 moteur. Puis en fin de nuit, les bonnes allures portantes du d\u00e9but se sont transform\u00e9es en\u00a0pr\u00e8s serr\u00e9! \u00a0D\u00e9cid\u00e9ment, les vents contraires se sont souvent acharn\u00e9s sur nous cette ann\u00e9e! Ayant \u00e0 regret pass\u00e9 outre la\u00a0<\/strong>Dominique durant la nuit, nous sommes arriv\u00e9s \u00e0 Grande Anse d\u2019Arlets de la Martinique en fin d\u2019avant-midi.<\/p>\n

Notre prochaine \u00e9tape \u00e9tait Rodney Bay au nord de St. Lucia, o\u00f9 nous voulions faire le plein d\u2019eau, de diesel et de propane. C\u2019est l\u00e0 que nous avons eu le plaisir de revoir des amis qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois et de rencontrer Gregory, un natif de St. Lucia qui vend fruits, l\u00e9gumes et souvenirs locaux \u00e0 m\u00eame son petit bateau d\u00e9cor\u00e9 des drapeaux de diverses nations. Gregory a transform\u00e9 une de mes grandes conques en corne d\u2019appel, et comme il n\u2019avait plus de drapeau canadien, nous lui en avons offert un.<\/p>\n

Une douzaine d\u2019heures de navigation \u00e9taient pr\u00e9visibles pour rallier Bequia, et le 7 mai nous avons quitt\u00e9 St. Lucia en fin d\u2019apr\u00e8s-midi, passant au large de St. Vincent durant la nuit. C\u2019est lors de cette deuxi\u00e8me visite que nous avons connu \u00ab\u00a0Miss J\u00a0\u00bb, propri\u00e9taire d\u2019un magasin de livres, d\u2019un \u00ab\u00a0juice bar\u00a0\u00bb et du nouveau restaurant The Fig Tree. Dynamique et \u00e9nergique, elle a \u00e9galement fond\u00e9 un club de lecture pour jeunes, pour lequel elle est toujours \u00e0 la recherche de b\u00e9n\u00e9voles d\u00e9sirant faire la lecture aux bambins.<\/p>\n

Les dieux de la mer avaient d\u00e9cid\u00e9 de nous g\u00e2ter pour notre derni\u00e8re travers\u00e9e \u00e0 voile de la saison, et c\u2019est dans la nuit de 8 au 9 mai que nous avons franchi la distance entre Bequia et la Grenade,\u00a0<\/strong>portant le spinnaker asym\u00e9trique jusqu\u2019\u00e0 22h, puis le g\u00e9nois 1 le reste de la nuit. Nos quarts de veille solitaires se sont v\u00e9cus tout en douceur, en admirant le ciel \u00e9toil\u00e9 et en devinant les \u00eeles des Grenadines \u00e0 notre b\u00e2bord.<\/p>\n

D\u00e9j\u00e0, en quittant St-Barth, nous sentions un peu trop l\u2019approche de la fin de notre p\u00e9riple. Mais en arrivant \u00e0 la Grenade, cette fin devenait immuable, palpable, et in\u00e9vitable. Tout en essayant de demeurer dans l\u2019atmosph\u00e8re \u00ab\u00a0no-stress\u00a0\u00bb des Antilles et de profiter chaque jour de notre environnement marin, nous avions fort \u00e0 faire pour pr\u00e9parer notre d\u00e9part. Ainsi, du 10 au 24 mai, nous avons d\u00e9sarm\u00e9 le bateau en vue de sa sortie de l\u2019eau et tri\u00e9 son contenu, d\u00e9terminant ce qui restait \u00e0 bord versus ce qui devait nous suivre \u00e0 Qu\u00e9bec. Tout un contrat! D\u2019autant plus qu\u2019au d\u00e9part en 2009, il n\u2019\u00e9tait pas question de revenir au pays sans notre maison flottante!<\/p>\n

Arriv\u00e9s dans la baie de St. Davids plusieurs jours avant la date de notre sortie de l\u2019eau, nous avons v\u00e9cu nos derni\u00e8res journ\u00e9es \u00e0 la Grenade ancr\u00e9s pr\u00e8s du chantier de Grenada Marine. Nos journ\u00e9es suivaient un patron\u00a0: r\u00e9veil matinal et petit d\u00e9jeuner dans le cockpit; un peu de lecture en sirotant un deuxi\u00e8me caf\u00e9; corv\u00e9es de pr\u00e9paration du bateau et des bagages; baignade en fin d\u2019apr\u00e8s-midi (on aurait pu se baigner au cours de la journ\u00e9e, mais une fois nos locomotives en route, elles n\u2019\u00e9taient pas faciles \u00e0 arr\u00eater!) et souper avec nos amies Manu et Mich\u00e8le, qui sortaient leur bateau au m\u00eame chantier.<\/p>\n

La d\u00e9cision de laisser Rus\u00e9e de Jersey aux Antilles n\u2019a certainement pas \u00e9t\u00e9 facile \u00e0 prendre, surtout pour Yves qui n\u2019a jamais \u00e9t\u00e9 s\u00e9par\u00e9 de son bateau, mais elle s\u2019est impos\u00e9e au fil du temps comme le meilleur moyen de faciliter nos projets d\u2019avenir. D\u2019autant plus que nous avions rencontr\u00e9 quantit\u00e9 de compatriotes qui ont d\u00e9j\u00e0 adopt\u00e9 le compromis auquel nous pensions, soit celui de devenir des \u00ab\u00a0cruising snowbirds\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0: vivant la moiti\u00e9 de l\u2019ann\u00e9e au Qu\u00e9bec et l\u2019autre moiti\u00e9 sur le bateau.<\/p>\n

Nous sommes rentr\u00e9s au pays \u00e0 la fin du mois de mai, juste \u00e0 temps (belles co\u00efncidences) pour la soir\u00e9e d\u2019ouverture du yacht club et les spectacles de fin de saison de L\u2019Ecole de danse de Qu\u00e9bec. C\u2019est avec grande joie que nous avons retrouv\u00e9s parents et amis. C\u2019est avec grande joie que nous anticipons de passer quelques mois sur terre ferme. C\u2019est avec grande joie que j\u2019anticipe mon retour \u00e0 l\u2019enseignement. Et c\u2019est avec grande joie que nous pr\u00e9voyons retrouver Rus\u00e9e de Jersey l\u2019hiver prochain.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nous remercions le ciel pour ces deux ann\u00e9es incroyables, et nous vous remercions vous, nos lecteurs, de nous avoir suivis et encourag\u00e9s \u00e0 partager notre histoire.<\/p>\n

Dominique et Yves<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Grenada, Carriacou, Mustique\u2026
\nBequia, St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominique\u2026<\/em><\/h3>\n

These islands conjure images of golden sand and turquoise seas; of ardent sunshine and cooling breezes. These destinations tempt hordes of Northerners stuck in the jaws of winter. They are the stuff of dreams.<\/em><\/p>\n

During this past winter 2011, between January and mid-March, Yves and I completed the formalities of five different countries and visited a dozen islands formerly unknown to us. English, French and independent, we found in each a separate identity; a distinct personality, and the majority charmed us and inspired us to return some day.<\/em><\/p>\n

Also known as The Spice Isle, Grenada was a welcome change after the barren landscapes of the Canaries and Cape Verde. We were enchanted to wander in the midst of its dense and luxuriant vegetation, to breathe its fertile perfumes and to witness everywhere the generosity of its nature. Everything grows in Grenada: bananas, breadfruit, mangoes, guava, papaya, cocoa, coffee\u2026 and naturally, a multitude of spices including nutmeg, the island\u2019s emblem. And what of the plants that we Northerners grow in pots to decorate our homes? In the tropics, they are as large as trees!<\/em><\/p>\n

We spent three weeks in Grenada with the Sanchez family from Two\u2019s Company, thoroughly visiting the island in a rental van and discovering several magnificent bays along its southern coast. However, the winter storms raging in Eastern Canada and the US created unusual weather conditions in Grenada and elsewhere in the Caribbean. It was often very windy, with rain a regular occurrence despite the fact that we were technically in the dry season, and the seas were often agitated. A number of anchorages were exposed to a strong swell which compromised the occasional night\u2019s sleep for many a crew!<\/em><\/p>\n

One day in mid-January, Frank and Yves decided to treat themselves and the boys, Dimitri and Nathan, to a day of sailing and fishing on Rus\u00e9e<\/strong>, granting Sylvie and me time to ourselves. Unfortunately, the winds were gusting and the seas heavy, and a little after one o\u2019clock, we saw the boat reappear at the head of the bay\u2026 without fish in spite of the \u201cfish food\u201d send overboard by members of the crew\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

We were very excited about visiting the mythical Grenadines, and from January 21 to February 14 we sailed throughout these islands with Sylvie, Frank, Dimitri and Nathan.<\/strong>\u00a0As a bonus, we ran into Catacaos,<\/strong>\u00a0with Lorraine, Graham and young Lucas\u00a0<\/em>(now much taller)<\/em>on board. It was a quick reunion as they had to sail south to Grenada to pick up a guest, but we were very happy to have seen them again, especially that they are now in the Pacific Ocean, pursuing the second half of their round the world cruise.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Grenadines are comprised of fifteen or so islands and islets spread out between St. Vincent to the north and Grenada to the south. With the exception of Carriacou, Petite Martinique, Fota and Petite Dominique that belong to the latter, the islands are part of St. Vincent. During our time there, we identified three categories of Grenadines islands: the \u201cauthentic\u201d ones where people live as they always have from fishing and agriculture; the ones that focus on elite tourism by offering super-exclusive facilities to the super-rich; and the Tobago Cays, undoubtedly the favourite of cruising sailors, as they are made up of four uninhabited islands that sit in the center of a large nature preserve. In spite of their popularity resulting in crowded anchorages, we spent three lovely days exploring the islands and reefs, and swimming with the turtles in crystal-clear water. Although the weather was still perturbed, we were totally protected from the ocean swells by the large horseshoe-shaped reef that isolates the Tobago Cays from the open sea.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

B<\/em>equia\u00a0<\/em>(pronounced Beckway)<\/em>, the most northerly of the Grenadines chain, is probably the island that best manages the fragile balance between local economy and tourism, and it pleased us to such an extent that we stayed for over a week. After a few days in the picturesque but very choppy Friendship Bay, where we were most often alone with Two\u2019s Company, we joined the crowd of boats at shelter in Admiralty Bay, the island\u2019s principal anchorage. And from there, we continued our daily treks along the superb trails, roads and beaches.<\/em><\/p>\n

Having decided to jump over the island of St. Vincent, we arrived in St.\u00a0<\/strong>Lucia on February 15 and spent five days at anchor in Marigot Bay on the south-western coast and Rodney Bay to the north. St. Lucia was a lovely surprise for us in every way: the beauty of its nature, the quality of its yacht shelters, its under-water sea life, its welcoming population and its services destined to the cruising sailor. The island is officially Anglophone, so we were very surprised to find that the \u201cBoat boys\u201d\u00a0<\/em>(mooring renters and fruit sellers)<\/em>\u00a0and locals alike speak a very understandable French patois; undoubtedly a vestige from the days when St. Lucia was a French colony. What a charming people! Including Max, who makes and sells baskets, hats and animals created from palm tree leaves. He gave us a number of gifts\u00a0<\/em>(a hat, some fishes and birds)<\/em>\u00a0and we naturally encouraged him by buying a few baskets.<\/em><\/p>\n

Marigot Bay is very pretty. Narrow and deep, it ends in a small lagoon which harbours marinas, restaurants and luxury accommodations. The high cliffs that surround the bay are lushly green and the houses perched in the mountains make a lovely sight. Our walks offered us both excellent cardiovascular workouts and breathtaking panoramas! \u00a0One day, we all climbed aboard Two\u2019s Company\u2019s fast dinghy for an excursion to the Pitons, some nine nautical miles south of Marigot, where we snorkelled in a translucent sea with beautiful blue reflections and saw lots of coral, anemones and fish. We also picnicked on a deserted beach, and \u00a0found new treasures to add to our growing shell collections.<\/em><\/p>\n

Rodney Bay on the northwest coast of St. Lucia is very large and shelters several dozen boats facing a long stretch of beach lined with hotels and restaurants. But Rodney Bay also has a vast inner lagoon with marinas and anchorage zones that can harbour hundreds of boats, including the biggest mega yachts, and offers all the services a sailor could possibly need. We were short on time and only spent two days anchored in the outer bay, but we promised ourselves to return soon. The Sanchez family had to get to Guadeloupe to pick up the boy\u2019s new school books, and we parted ways, promising to catch up with them a few weeks hence.<\/em><\/p>\n

As for us, we were expecting company in Martinique! And as we hadn\u2019t yet been to the island, we wanted to arrive before our guests to get our bearings, prepare the boat and lay out a skeleton plan of activities. My sister Chantal and her friend Iliasse met us in Ste-Anne on the southeast coast of Martinique, and we spent a wonderful week biking, trekking, sharing picnics on the beach and snorkelling, with here and there some time off to relax on the boat. What a treat to share with them what turned out to be my favourite snorkelling excursion of the entire trip, as just north of Anse Noire, we swam in grottoes and explored reefs teeming with incredible sea life, including bright orange flowering corals and delicate, lilac-coloured anemones I have never seen elsewhere. In the heart of a grotto with superb varicoloured walls we also found hundreds of bats noisily chattering as they hung upside down awaiting the cover of darkness. We were very happy to be able to share a bit of our universe with Chantal and Iliasse!<\/em><\/p>\n

After their departure, we headed to Anse Mitan to visit a dancer-choreographer friend from the island, and had the pleasure of being invited by Josiane and her husband, Maurice to their home and studio near the summit of Morne Gallochat. \u00a0Meanwhile, a few problems had sprung up on the boat, and we had to return to Le Marin, at the southeast tip of the island, so that Yves could buy the necessary parts. We then continued our sail up along the western shore and made a final stopover in St-Pierre, the former capital of Martinique, once known as \u201cLe Petit Paris\u201d of the Caribbean. St-Pierre is sadly infamous for the 1902 eruption of Mont Pel\u00e9e; a terrible tragedy which cost the lives of nearly 30,000 people, and as we wandered throughout the city, we found the ruins of the eruption still clearly visible, a museum dedicated to the event and a large quantity of houses and public buildings built atop the foundations of destruction. In spite of this difficult heritage, it is a charming city.<\/em><\/p>\n

It was time to sail to Dominique, an island we were impatient to visit, and on the morning of March 15 we motor-sailed out of St-Pierre under erratic winds that were contrary to the forecast. However as we suspected, they were a local phenomenon and as soon as we cleared the island of Martinique, we were able to set sail for what turned out to be a magnificent day under bright blue skies, hot sun and a warm breeze! The sea was covered with frothy white sheep skipping for joy and leaping ambitiously; some whitecaps even reaching us in the cockpit. But conditions change quickly in the islands, and as we approached the southern tip of Dominique, the wind was gusting so strongly we had to reef in the sails; and yet a little while later\u2026 nothing. We had to motor the rest of the way!<\/em><\/p>\n

While still a few miles from Roseau we were greeted by Desmond, one of the local \u201cBoat boys\u201d. Courteous and warm, he politely offered to rent us a mooring.\u00a0<\/em>\u201cYou want to anchor?! Not a good idea\u2026 you could harm the coral and our fish pots\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0Yves glanced at me with a half-smile and replied\u00a0<\/em>\u201cOh really?! \u2026OK. We\u2019ll take a mooring for one night\u201d. At the equivalent of $10US per night, it was worthwhile encouraging the local economy, and in the end, we stayed on the mooring for three nights.<\/em><\/p>\n

Desmond also put us in touch with his boss \u201cSea Cat\u201d who organised a half-day tour for a group of visiting sailors. With our guide, Joe, we visited Laudat, in the mountains to the northeast, Titou Gorge, Trafalgar Falls in the Trois Pitons National Park, and the \u201cBubbling Lake\u201d and \u201cSulphur Springs\u201d of the \u201cMini Volcano\u201d near the village of Wotten Woven\u00a0<\/em>(nothing like the volcanic phenomena of Sao Miguel\u2026)<\/em>. To end our tour, we took Jack\u2019s Trail perched above Roseau to admire the city from above and visited the Botanical Gardens where we saw some extraordinary trees, including a giant Baobab which crushed a school bus\u00a0<\/em>(thankfully empty!)\u00a0<\/em>during Hurricane David in 1979. There were also a \u201cCannonball tree\u201d whose trunk was covered with vines at the end of which were balls that did look like cannonballs\u00a0<\/em>(apparently, when they fall from the tree and happen to break open, they emit a horrible smell of decay)<\/em>\u00a0and a gigantic Indian Banyan tree. Larger than life! Most impressive!!<\/em><\/p>\n

During our first stop of the day, I almost missed the best of our tour at Titou Gorge. There were many tourists off a cruise ship and the water was quite cool\u2026, but when I saw the happy faces of returning swimmers, I gave in to temptation, and what fun it was to swim along the narrow, winding river between high vertical cliffs, under a sun-filtering canopy of trees, and eventually arrive near the foot of a waterfall where I fought impressive currents in my attempt to reach its base. Later, at Trafalgar Falls, we admired twin waterfalls and found hot and cold springs, and for Yves and me who had not known the pleasure of soaking in a warm bath for over 20 months, the hot spring was true luxury in spite of the tropical heat. All in all, our guided tour brought us through luxuriant and fragrant terrain and allowed us to witness how close to nature Dominicans live. In its \u201cexcesses\u201d, Dominica\u2019s natural resources recall Sao Miguel in the Azores and Madeira. However, Dominica is a large island, and we were unable to see Victoria Falls, the Emerald Lake, the Indian River at Portsmouth\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

As thrilled as we were with the island\u2019s natural bounties, I found Dominica to be quite poor according to North American standards. Small shacks of corrugated iron; patched up, discoloured and rusted; with chicken wire covering the few windows, are predominant. These poor hovels stand next to rarer, brightly painted, small modern houses of cement. The commercial buildings are also run-down, and more than once, I realized that a house I thought abandoned was in fact lived in; that a hotel or store that seemed closed to business was in fact operational. Moreover, the streets are narrow and the few sidewalks broken down. Pedestrians are forced to walk in the streets, where drivers honk and show little sympathy. There are crowds everywhere. The streets are their yards, sitting rooms, places of business, playgrounds and gathering places\u2026\u00a0 It is all very \u201cCaribbean\u201d, but also very \u201cEnglish\u201d, and the locals seem happy and have a contagious \u201cjoie de vivre\u201d. All in all, we greatly appreciated Dominica and left the island pleased with our visit and confident that we will soon return.<\/em><\/p>\n

Our next destination was Les Saintes, and we had just learned that our friends Sandy and Bill from the Dragonfly were leaving the Virgin Islands to meet us there. As we hadn\u2019t seen them since the previous July, when we left Bermuda to sail to the Azores as they headed for the United States, ours was a joyous reunion\u2026 that unfortunately lasted only a few days.<\/em><\/p>\n

Yves\u2019 sister was due to visit us from March 24 to 31, and we met her in Guadeloupe and promptly sailed her back to Les Saintes. In the meantime, Manu and Mich\u00e8le from the sailboat Teepee had arrived with a friend, and Andr\u00e9e\u2019s visit was largely spent in their company. We introduced her to our favourite spots\u00a0<\/em>(like the superb Pompierre beach)<\/em>\u00a0and continued our explorations of the island with her, trekking along new trails, including the 1,000 foot Le Chameau, the island\u2019s highest point, and visiting Fort Napol\u00e9on, a beautiful historic site where we could easily have spent an entire day. During this visit to Les Saintes, I was also initiated on both a kayak\u00a0<\/em>(of which Andr\u00e9e is a keen adept)<\/em>\u00a0and a sailing dinghy, with Manu as my \u201cSailing Dinghy 101\u201d instructor. Great fun, but much less stable than Rus\u00e9e!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

It was already the beginning of April, and following Andr\u00e9e\u2019s visit, we continued north, making a brief stopover in Deshaies, on Guadeloupe\u2019s northwest coast, before arriving in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, where we caught up with the Sanchez family. We were looking forward to our final \u201cdiscovery\u201d of the season, and soon set off for Barbuda with Two\u2019s Company. Barbuda is an enchanting and little known island north of Antigua that held us captive and captivated for a full ten days. Untouched and underdeveloped, it undoubtedly resembles the Caribbean of centuries past, and in spite of unsettled weather\u00a0<\/em>(it rained 5 days out of 10 \u2026)<\/em>, we thoroughly enjoyed its natural beauty and calm. Moreover, thanks to our ambassador, Frank, we met Gambi, Doug and Ziko, three local fishermen who were very proud to share their island with us.<\/em><\/p>\n

Over time, the Sanchez\u2019 came to feel like \u201cfamily\u201d, and we were like adopted \u201caunt and uncle\u201d to Dimitri and Nathan. Both in Madeira and on this side of the Atlantic, they were part of our daily lives and we theirs as we shared the joys of family life and the challenges of schooling by correspondence in a paradisiacal environment that, one must admit, doesn\u2019t really encourage youngsters to plunge into their schoolbooks. One at a time and sometimes on the spur of the moment, the boys slept on board and Dimitri sailed on Rus\u00e9e for our passages from Antigua to Barbuda and then on to St. Barths. During the latter, we caught no less than four fish, including a 50\u2019\u2019 Dolphin fish and a young Barracuda. The last two were Great Barracudas over one metre in length. Too big to be eaten without running the risk of ciguatera poisoning, they were released back into the sea.<\/em><\/p>\n

Our main reason for returning to St. Barths was to see our Alsatian friends Suzanne and Dominique Noeser, who have lived on the island for over ten years. It was great fun to introduce them to the Sanchez family, also from the Alsace-Lorraine region of France, and to witness them discover a number of common friends and acquaintances!\u00a0 In spite of breezy conditions during our stay, we also enjoyed showing the Sanchez\u2019 around St. Barths and sharing l\u2019Anse de Colombier with its turtles, stingrays and starfish, not to mention the ever-present tropical fish. However, we needed to begin our descent south, and on April 30, once the contrary winds had calmed, we took to sea. Our hearts were heavy, because we were parting ways with the crew of Two\u2019s Company, who were pursuing their own path towards the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, and Europe.<\/em><\/p>\n

Grenada sits some 365 nautical miles southeast of St. Barths, a distance we could sail directly in a few days or \u201cisland-hop\u201d in several steps, which is what we chose to do. Skipping over Antigua and heading directly to Les Saintes gave us a better angle to the wind, and one and a half days later we arrived in the anchorage at Pain de Sucre having caught a lovely Bonito; our last fish of the season. We sailed back out of Les Saintes on May 3rd<\/sup>\u00a0under grey and rainy skies, but also with a favourable wind that had us skipping along for several hours. However, in the evening and overnight, the wind changed moods several times and we had to keep adjusting sails and even run the motor occasionally, and by daybreak, the lovely breeze of the day before had turned against us and we were close-hauled. Contrary winds were decidedly a large part of our winter! Having sailed past Dominique with a twinge of regret during the night, we arrived at Martinique\u2019s Grande Anse d\u2019Arlets by late morning.<\/em><\/p>\n

Our next step was St. Lucia\u2019s Rodney Bay where we wanted to fill up with water, diesel and propane. There, we also ran into some Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois friends and met Gregory, a native St. Lucian who sells fruits, vegetables and local souvenirs out of his small motor boat decorated with the flags of numerous nations. Gregory transformed one of my big conch shells into a blow-horn, and since he didn\u2019t have a Canadian flag, we were happy to offer him one.<\/em><\/p>\n

Some twelve hours of navigation were expected to reach Bequia, and we left St. Lucia in late afternoon on May 7 and sailed past St. Vincent during the night. During this second visit to Bequia we met \u201cMiss J\u201d, the owner of a book store, a\u00a0juice bar and the newly opened Fig Tree restaurant. Dynamic and highly energetic, she also founded a reading club for children, and is always looking for volunteers to read to the youngest.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Sea Gods decided to give us a treat for our last sail of the season which took place during the night of May 8 to 9 between Bequia and Grenada. We were under asymmetrical spinnaker until 10pm, and then sailed with the number 1 Genoa the rest of the night. We spent our solitary watches in the cockpit enjoying the balmy air, admiring the starry sky and guessing at the individual Grenadines islands as we passed them to port.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ever since leaving St. Barths, we had been feeling a little too strongly the approaching end of our voyage. But with our arrival in Grenada, the end loomed: immutable, palpable, and inevitable. We tried to remain in the \u201cno-stress\u201d atmosphere of the Caribbean and enjoy our marine environment each day, but we had a lot to do to prepare our departure, and from May 10 to 24 we worked on decommissioning the boat for haul-out; determining what would stay aboard versus follow us to Quebec and preparing our luggage. Quite a contract; and all the more so because when we left Quebec in 2009, we had never considered returning without our floating home!<\/em><\/p>\n

We spent our last days in Grenada anchored in St. Davids Bay near the Grenada Marine Shipyard. Our days took on a distinct pattern: rising early and having breakfast in the cockpit; a bit of reading over a second cup of coffee; plunging into our chores; enjoying a well-deserved late afternoon swim\u00a0<\/em>(we could have swum during the day, but once our locomotives were running, they were never easy to stop!)<\/em>\u00a0and finally having supper with our friends Manu and Mich\u00e8le, who were also hauling their boat at the same shipyard.<\/em><\/p>\n

The decision to leave Rus\u00e9e de Jersey in the Caribbean certainly wasn\u2019t an easy one to make, especially for Yves who has never been separated from his boat. But it was a decision that gained leverage over time as we encountered a number of compatriots who have happily adopted the compromise we were considering: that of becoming \u201ccruising snowbirds\u201d: living half the year in Quebec and the other half on the boat.<\/em><\/p>\n

We flew home at the end of May, just in time\u00a0<\/em>(a nice coincidence)\u00a0<\/em>for the opening night at the Quebec Yacht Club and the year-end performances of L\u2019Ecole de danse de Qu\u00e9bec. It has been wonderful to reunite with family and friends. It will be wonderful to spend the coming months on \u201cTerra Firma\u201d. It will be a great personal joy for me to resume teaching. And it will be wonderful to return to Rus\u00e9e de Jersey next winter.<\/em><\/p>\n

We are thankful for these past two incredible years and we thank you, our readers, for following our adventures and encouraging us to share our story.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Dominique & Yves<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Grenade, Carriacou, Mustique\u2026 Bequia, Ste. Lucie, Martinique, Dominique\u2026 Tous ces noms font r\u00eaver! Ils invoquent des images de sable dor\u00e9 et d\u2019eau turquoise; de soleil ardent et de brises rafraichissantes. Ils interpellent bon nombre de nordiques aux prises avec les …<\/p>\n

Carnet n\u00ba 14 : Les Antilles, prise 2<\/span> Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dominique"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p27NSH-1d","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.rusee-de-jersey.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.rusee-de-jersey.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.rusee-de-jersey.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.rusee-de-jersey.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.rusee-de-jersey.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=75"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/test.rusee-de-jersey.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78,"href":"https:\/\/test.rusee-de-jersey.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75\/revisions\/78"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.rusee-de-jersey.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=75"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.rusee-de-jersey.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=75"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.rusee-de-jersey.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=75"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}