Saturday, March 29, 2025

Bequia - Bequia

After morning coffee we assembled the dinghy. Always a bit sporty in the high winds! Then the refreshing 0.7NM upwind row to the customs dock.

Once we were cleared in I sought out the “boat boy” we had dealt with last time when we were here. She was able to offer a good deal on a mooring for the week, and so we hoisted anchor. We’re again moored right in front of the Whaleboners dinghy dock. This place is far more sheltered than the anchorage, and we have a very short row to town. Now we can enjoy some island time and do some boat projects over the very windy week to come.

• Distance today: 0.5NM
• Lunch: spinach pancakes
• Engine hours: 0.3

Friday, March 28, 2025

Soufriere - Bequia

We left well before dawn in the hopes we would arrive before the immigration closes. We knew we were in for a bit of motoring but we were not prepared for the winds ranging between 0 and 32 knots and somehow we had forgotten how much the current running against us is. So we left with what we soon realized to be too late to arrive for immigration or even in daylight.

We kept changing from first to second reef, from staysail to genoa and to motor on and off. The squalls could propel us fast forward, the conservative sail plan made us slower, the motor can only give 5kn of speed through water (I don’t like to make the poor thing scream), so slowly but surely our estimated arrival time kept slipping away.

As the darkness fell, we were 1 hour way from the anchorage, we slowly motored in checking for a empty looking spot. It helps a ton that we have already been here twice, so even in the darkness we could find our bearings. Now we are very far away from everything, but this we can easily fix tomorrow when we can actually see something. Today’s mission was to arrive and anchor safely, tomorrow well deal with getting us a shorter distance to row.

• Distance today: 55.8NM
• Lunch: lentil coconut curry
• Engine hours: 6.8

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Marigot Bay - Soufriere

After a quiet night in the protection of the mangroves, we went ashore to enjoy another pleasant marina shower. Then we left the mooring ball and headed out.

Conditions were again quite blustery, with winds ranging from 1kt to 32kt, sometimes in seconds. Yet we managed to sail most of the way, until wind died completely just before the Soufriere Bay entrance.

We motored the rest of the way. This is a marine reserve, and anchoring is forbidden in the most of it. The depths would also make that complicated. And so we’re on a mooring ball right in front of the town, with a great view towards the Petit Piton behind us.

• Distance today: 9.3NM
• Lunch: feta salad with croutons
• Engine hours: 1

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Rodney Bay - Marigot Bay

Today’s big mission was to fill up the diesel tank. We hoisted anchor and motored through the small canal to the harbour basin. The fuel dock was an easy approach with plenty of space to manouver. We filled up 50 liters, which means that since Lanzarote we have used 50 liters of diesel. Not bad for 5 months of cruising!

After filling up, we hoisted the main in first reef and shot out of Rodney Bay with 20 knots of wind behind the beam. After turning the cape we rolled a sliver of genoa out. The wind gusted to 30kn at times but the conservative sail plan made the sail enjoyable. After only bit under two hours, we were at our destination, Marigot bay. We decided to bite the bullet and take one of the mooring balls on the inside lagoon. There is some magic in this tiny hurricane hole!

• Distance today: 10.1NM
• Lunch: spaghetti with avocado sauce
• Engine hours: 1

Saturday, March 22, 2025

Sainte-Anne - Rodney Bay

Since we were in France, the morning started by rowing to the bakery to get some fresh croissants. Then boat ready, anchor up, and underway.

The Saint Lucia channel was a bit rolly but fast beam reach, with winds ranging between 16 and 23kt. This made it easy going with the staysail and main on 1st reef.

We dropped sail after rounding Pigeon Point. Our first anchoring attempt kept bouncing, likely on some rocks. But 100m further towards the shore the holding seems perfect.

After a 0.7NM dinghy trip to the local marina, we are now cleared in to St. Lucia.

• Distance today: 22.8NM
• Lunch: feta salad
• Engine hours: 0.7

Monday, March 17, 2025

Roseau - Sainte-Anne

With sore muscles we woke up to a new day. The hike to Boiling Lake was still fresh in our minds as we hoisted the anchor just after eleven. There was no time to rest as a week of southerlies is looming ahead. So we took the little wind that was in the forecast and hoisted full genoa and main. Behind Dominica we were sailing ever so slowly with a bit of see breeze. Just before the cape the wind got so confused that we motored a bit.

Between Dominica and Martinique we got to sail a perfect beam reach with around 12 knots of wind. At the northern cape of Martinique the wind increased to 20 knots for a bit, but with a small reef in the genoa we flew forward. As the cape efect was over, we went back to either sailing forward with 1 knot of speed or 5 knots, depending in what mood the wind was on. And occasionally we would motor a bit to reach the next windier area.

As the sun was rising we passed HMS Diamond Rock once more and were on the home stretch for Sainte Anne anchorage where we’ll drop Bernhard off.

• Distance today: 67.3NM
• Lunch: macaroni casserole
• Engine hours: 2.1

Friday, March 14, 2025

Portsmouth - Roseau

After exploring the ruins of Fort Shirley, we woke up at night to observe the lunar eclipse. Then in the morning plan was to hoist anchor and head south.

However, we couldn’t get anchor up past the 20m chain marker. We were stuck! Suski donned her snorkeling gear and jumped in to check the situation. As we had been swinging at anchor, we had wrapped the chain around some debris in the bottom. It took us 40min, but Suski was able to direct us through the necessary turns to unwind and free ourselves.

What followed was another “Havel sailing day”. Light winds and easy seas allowed us to drift past most of Dominica as a leisurely pace.

Now we’re anchored again just outside the capital of Roseau. Lots of the interesting nature sites are nearer to here, meaning we won’t need to spend so much time on the bus.

• Distance today: 18.4NM
• Lunch: vegetable wraps and fruit salad
• Engine hours: 1.5

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Saint-Louis - Portsmouth

We woke up with the sun and hoisted the sails after a quick breakfast. The forecast promised variable winds on the beam, so we opted for a mainsail in first reef and genoa that we ended up reefing and unreefing many times.

As we were sailing off we heard a pan pan over the radio. A Polish ship had engine trouble and were using their emergency steering and required towing help. Too far for us to help. What made the following conversation a bit funny to hear was the pleas to speak english when the operator was speaking english… A stressfull situation clearly for the boat and as of now we can see that they got the help they needed and are safely in the harbour.

Our day continued with a pleasant beam reach with various amounts of genoa out. Depending on the squall we had either a sliver of sail out or nearly full sail.

Now we are again checked in to Dominica and finally met again with our buddy boat Tyrik! We’ll have dinner over there and make plans for the island time tomorrow.

• Distance today: 25.9NM
• Lunch: gazpacho
• Engine hours: 0.8

Sunday, March 9, 2025

Anse Canot - Saint-Louis

We had a nice hike, a swim in among the mangroves, and finally some snorkeling. But as we need to check out of the country tomorrow, we decided to move to the anchorage in front of Saint-Louis.

We hoisted anchor and motored around the corner. Everywhere around this island appears to be good anchoring depths, and so we picked another nice sand patch. Tomorrow for some more inland exploration!

• Distance today: 2.1NM
• Lunch: Couscous salad
• Engine hours: 0.7

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Anse du Vieux Fort - Anse Canot

The anchorage was pretty rolly, so we decided to try our luck around the next cape in the morning. We motored the half mile after observing that few boats had left the anchorage making space for us.

After rounding the cape we chose our spot close to the steep cliffs and dopped the hook at first we missed our sandy patch and needed to hoist the anchor as it was not biting in through the thick sea grass. At the second try we got the anchor properly dug in. Now we are looking for a day of swimming and snorkeling.

• Distance today: 0.6NM
• Lunch: spaghetti aglio e olio
• Engine hours: 0.5