This is “Meggie” a Bermuda 30 with Mike & Kylie from Thornbury Ontario onboard as we leave the tip of Dominica and head out into the channel between Dominica and Martinique. We met Meggie’s previous owners last year. Dave & Kim from Toronto are now sailing on Amanzi. It truly is an amazing Cruising Community.
We are now in the Windward Islands!
Bonjour Martinique!
We arrived in another French Island on Monday June 18th after one more incredible sail. (Have I mentioned before how much we love the Sailing). I really wish I was bilingual!! These French Islands are astonishing. Not only are they beautiful and full of European Flare, if you attempt to speak any French at all, the people go out of their way to try and assist you in whatever it is you desire or need (like having the alternator for the engine bench tested). If only I had continued with French lessons when our kids started French Immersion in Elementary School. Throughout the Caribbean, in the English speaking islands, the locals speak a Creole French as well as English but on the French Islands they speak Creole and regular French. Very little English here.
Bonjour Martinique!
We arrived in another French Island on Monday June 18th after one more incredible sail. (Have I mentioned before how much we love the Sailing). I really wish I was bilingual!! These French Islands are astonishing. Not only are they beautiful and full of European Flare, if you attempt to speak any French at all, the people go out of their way to try and assist you in whatever it is you desire or need (like having the alternator for the engine bench tested). If only I had continued with French lessons when our kids started French Immersion in Elementary School. Throughout the Caribbean, in the English speaking islands, the locals speak a Creole French as well as English but on the French Islands they speak Creole and regular French. Very little English here.
Our first stop is St. Pierre, which was once a thriving port city known as the Paris of the Caribbean. It was destroyed in 1902 by the eruption of the volcano Mt. Pelee and took 22,000 lives with it. An amazing museum has incredible pictures of the pre-eruption days & the aftermath.
I mentioned in another blog entry that I have a fetish for Waterfalls. Well my number 2 fetish is Forts. Every island we visit has at least 2 forts and we like to visit as many as we can. Not only do they command the most dramatic views, as they are perched on the top of cliffs and highlands, but the history is amazing. The French and British fought over the islands in the Eastern Caribbean for decades, not to mention the Dutch and the Spanish influence. So much history! 
The next day we sailed down the coast to Baie du Fort-de-France and anchored in Trois Ilets, (3 islands). From Trois Ilets we were able to take a ferry across the bay to the city of Fort-de-France. The French influence here is incredible. We had a great walking tour and a nice lunch.
Side street in Fort-de-France
Thursday afternoon we moved Rhiannon to Grand Anse d’Arlet, which is a big bay surrounded by a beautiful beach. It is a good staging ground to leave in the morning for St. Lucia.
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