FEBRUARY____________________________________________________________2006

Wednesday to Friday, February 1st to 3rd

<Araksi> I usually wake up around 06:30 and do some exercises. I picked some out of my yoga book and started practicing them a week ago. I am not the type who can stick with determination to a daily routine of exercising, but until now I keep up quite well. Maybe because I realize how good it really feels. Neither did I quit my Spanish sessions. While Ruud is reading one book after the other I only had time to read one. It was about Gauguin's and his grand mother's life who was one of the pioneers of unionizing workers in France. Two very strong, and interesting characters described in a marvelous way by Mario Vargas Llosa. The name of the book is "El Paraíso en la otra esquina". I read the German translation.

Sewing covers for our hatches in the saloon is another project on my itinerary of this week. The covers are of thick canvas which shade and cool the interior noticeably.

Saturday, February 4th

<Araksi> The winds are back a little but we still stuck to our plan of checking and securing the screws on the pole of the furling system. We started from the bottom working our way up. The strong winds however allowed us to do our job only half the way up. Each screw has to be controlled and if loose it has to be cleaned and re screwed tight with Locktite, a very strong glue. So the higher I was heaved the more difficult it got to work in the strong winds.

Sunday, February 5th

<Ruud> A lazy day in between. We walked around the small town of Le Marin and trough its surroundings and enjoyed the locals sailing in their traditional "yoles" which - loaded with as many people they can possible put in them - still can reach considerable speed. And we met an old acquaintance: the Stad Amsterdam, a traditional Dutch sailing boat that we already had seen in Las Palmas, majestically anchored in our vicinity.

Monday and Tuesday, February 6th and 7th

<Araksi> On both mornings we went quite early to our café Mango Bay for internetting and calling family and friends via Skype.

On Tuesday when we were approaching Garabes we could see the guy from the sail repair company (Incidences) heaving our heavy genoa on board. Delivered in time! The spinnaker will be ready tomorrow.

In the afternoon I worked for two hours hanging in the air. The rest of the screws of the furling system had to be cleaned and tightly screwed in. This is something I like to do. I like the view up there, the breeze, and I think it does a little good to my ego demonstrating to those men who think the best thing a woman can do on board is cooking. Surprisingly there are lots of them around. And last but not least, at the end of the job it is a pleasure to step on deck where Ruud welcomes me with a proud grin on his face and with wide open arms ready to embrace me.

Wednesday, February 8th

<Araksi> After breakfast we went to the sail repair company to settle the bill. We had to pay much less then we had expected. Though the hourly wages are high, they work in a very time efficient way which keeps the prices low while still delivering a good job.

We then went shopping for all those goodies (especially French cheese, wine and cider from Normandy) which we think will be difficult to find in the other islands. Our plan is to leave tomorrow around noon after we checked our mail. In the evening, when the winds started to moderate we put up the genoa. Garabes is ready to sail away.

Thursday and Friday, February 9th and 10th

<Araksi> ... unfortunately not. Already during the night I was feeling quite miserable and that state went on for two days. I was just lying around with a book in the hand and was not able to do anything else. Ruud was on both days away internetting for couple of hours.

Saturday and Sunday, February 11th and 12th

<Araksi> We left Le Marin around 10:00 in pouring rain, but happy to leave. We sailed for 22 miles to Anse Mitan in the huge bay of Fort de France. Towards the end of the trip we had quite strong winds and had to beat the last 7 miles. When we dropped anchor we felt the effect of sun, wind and sailing on us. We were simply exhausted!

Sunday was a dark, windy and rainy day, just the good time to hide behind a exciting book, and only to interrupt lecture for a nice lunch.

Monday, February 13th

<Araksi> We both were up quite early today. After a short breakfast we lifted anchor and went to Trois Ilets, which is only three miles away tugged in a deep indentation within the huge bay of Fort de France. Except a shoal in the middle of the anchorage, the navigation is quite straightforward. We dropped anchor opposite the golf course. The water there is murky, but the holding very good. We thought the place was a little sad though. Ruud said that he wouldn't like us to be here tomorrow, on my birthday. So we decided to give a short visit to this small town, and then leave to Fort de France. The village is quite picturesque with little tourist activity. In the town center the roads are bordered with little old wooden houses which have colorful facades and roofs covered with rounded tiles. Trois Ilets harbors on of the oldest churches of the island and is the only one in which an empress-to-be was baptized: Josephine Bonaparte.

Around 13:00 we lifted anchor for the second time today and sat sail for the capital of Martinique, Fort de France. After a five miles sail we were at anchor again, now in the wind shadow of Saint Louis, the ancient fort of this city. The scenery out of our cockpit was much more cheerful than in Trois Ilets with the bustling town lying on our port and the mighty gray walls of the castle on our starboard which seemed to whisper distant tales of the past; may it be tells of the battles between admiral Nelson and his counterpart admiral Villeneuve or about the pirates of the Caribbean.

Later in the afternoon we made an exploration tour through the city. This included seeing the marketplace and some historic buildings, lingering through the streets, and checking out some stores and restaurants which are mentioned in our cruising guide. While walking though the streets I was amazed by the liveliness of the colors and the natural beauty of the people.

Tuesday, February 14th

<Araksi> On my birthday Ruud was up early, he knew I wanted to enjoy the morning atmosphere of town. While walking through the streets, storekeepers were lifting the colorful shutters of their stores, public workers were tidying up the alleys and pruning some exotic trees, and people were gradually appearing on the streets heading to some unknown destination. In other words a town was awaking for a new day. We headed to a very pleasant café that we had discovered yesterday, and had breakfast there among the locals.

My next wish of the day was to find a do-it-yourself kind of store. I have a project in mind and need some material for realizing it. So we took a bus to one of those mega shopping malls which are located on the outskirts of town. These huge compounds have stores selling sport articles, household articles and many more. So it was not surprising to find a big do-it-your-self outlet, where we wandered through the aisles checking their rich assortment. We didn't buy anything but got some ideas how to realize the project. Then we visited the huge food store, Carrefour, where we finally found some good meat (this is something you can't get that easily on the island), and bought good wine. What else could I desire than heading back to Garabes and having a candlelight birthday dinner on board!

Wednesday to Friday, February 15th to 17th

<Araksi> In these couple of days we enjoyed the atmosphere of the relative big city with all its conveniences. Already a couple of hours after our arrival in Fort de France Ruud had detected -out of our cockpit- a hot spot for wireless connection, so he was fully content that he could on line pursue his projects and call our families and friends.

I enjoy the atmosphere in this city. The colors are very cheerful and I love watching these people. They are so colorful and have such an easy or natural manner of moving around that it simply relaxes me.

Saturday, February 18th

<Araksi> Our plan is to sail to St Pierre today and leave for Dominica on Sunday. Before leaving we went to the chandler bought the guide book for the Leeward Islands written by Chris Doyle and checked out, which you can do that here at the chandler. In the Caribbean checking in and out with the customs and immigration offices is a requirement, and especially some island state officials can be quite picky if this is taken lightly.

We set sail around noon time, we had only 12 miles to sail to St Pierre. While maneuvering out of the anchorage we noticed that the propeller on the port side was not responding. Oh no, not again the saildrive! Detecting the culprit can wait until we arrive at our destination. So we stuck to our plan and sailed northwards. After a pleasant trip we sighted the town that lies in a huge bay, on the skirts of the impressive volcano, mount Pelée. The anchorage is a narrow band along the coast with a depth of 10 to 20 meters over sand which - in a distance of 100 meters from the shore - drops steep into the ocean getting quickly to 70 meters and then to 100 meters and deeper. Well we made sure that our anchor wouldn't tangle around in the depths of the ocean without any grip of soil during a nightly gust. Then Ruud went checking the saildrive. Yes there was it again, that milky fluid in the shaft. Whatever the cause, water had penetrated once again inside the gear system, the same as last year in Italy. It looks like Garabes has to be hauled out for replacing the rubber seal. That means giving up sailing towards Dominica. Instead we have to find a place that is wide enough to haul her out. Having another functioning engine and propeller system gives us some flexibility, but we are less maneuverable and do not want to risk entering in narrow anchorages. So we prefer to find a place to repair it on our way south, our destination for the hurricane season. Anyway the lady is ready to receive a couple of antifouling coats.

After a big portion of frustration about things breaking down we settled in the cockpit and let the impressive view act upon us.

Sunday, February 19th

<Araksi> St. Pierre is a little picturesque town built on the ruins of the old "metropole". In 1902 mount Pelée buried the entire city with its 30'000 inhabitants under its lava, mud and boiling gas masses. This city, which was called the Paris of the Caribbean was wealthy; culturally, socially and commercially active, it harbored huge wealth generated in the plantations that produced rum, sugar, coffee and cacao. Its harbor was full of frigates transporting this valuable goods to Europe. Exactly this wealth was the cause of their doom: inspite of the numerous minor eruptions happening weeks before, the governor and the rich plantation owners refused to evacuate the city in fear of financial losses. Today, walking down the streets, one can hardly witness that richness, except when some ruins of old buildings are visible through the thick vegetation. The theater ruins are another reminiscence of the old glory.

Monday, February 20th

<Araksi> After breakfast we left St. Pierre, this small town with its different character. It is maybe its history that left on me this impression; a mix of hard work, spices, temperament, music, abuse, joy, richness, and greed. We rounded the bay along the small town where Paul Gauguin had lived for some six months, and headed to the south for Fort de France via Case Pilote.

<Ruud> Case Pilote is the place where the Volvo agent for the whole Eastern Caribbean is situated. I dinghied into the small picturesque harbor with no illusions though: the only way to repair the saildrive is to haul out. Stupid system, you Swedes, no more saildrives in the next boat that is for sure.

The bay surrounding the little village is a perfect place for snorkeling, and so we did. Araksi found a friend in a huge sea turtle that played with her for a while, and I got acquainted with some beautiful fish that lingered around some pink corals. No time to stay overnight though; duty called us back to Fort de France where we wanted to check if we can haul out. On the way we meet a little boat almost invisible because of the load it is carrying: a marvelous blue marlin with its mighty fins and long sword.

Tuesday, February 21st

<Ruud> Fort de France has no travel lift large enough for Garabes, but the lady at the yard is willing to ask her colleagues in Le Marin. Ten minutes later we got an estimation of the costs: some five time higher as we paid in the Med, whow!!!. Admittingly they have to use the commercial dock to get us out. Luckily they have better places and thus better prices in the islands to the south and that is where we will head to soon.

Wednesday, February 22nd

<Ruud> We are back into the Med again, at least what the unreliability of the weather forecast is concerned: the predicted 8-10 knots turned out to be 25-30 in real life. Garabes is flying towards St. Anne in the midst of choppy seas and constant sprays that are covering us with a layer of salt. Big fun though to be able to race the lady again.

Thursday to Friday, February 23rd to 24th

<Ruud> We move from St. Anne to more protected Le Marin to do some telephone calls via internet and do some shopping. Our intentions are to leave for the Grenadines as of Saturday. Will the weathergods have mercy ...

Saturday to Monday, February 25th to 27th

<Ruud> ... of course not, bad weather and a lot of swell with some impressive waves are predicted until end of the week. Unusual weather patterns, they call it. We are getting used to it; it seems that every year in the Caribbean is an unusual year. But no problem: we are anchored in the fine bay of St. Anne again, this time closer to the reefs and we are rewarded by a spectacular underwater world consisting of fine coral and fish in every color imaginable. We spend more time in the water than outside, perfect!

Tuesday, February 28th

<Ruud> It is carnival in St. Anne and the whole (that is some 500 people) village is dancing. Woman are dressed like men and men are wearing net stockings, bras filled with coconuts, really sexy! But the best are the women dressed in the old style clothing, gently moving to the music.