The shark and the turtle

Yesterday when we were snorkeling Pigeon bay in the nature reserve, a giant loggerhead turtle surfaced just behind the boat. We dove as it did and tried to follow it, and I noticed two small sharks hiding underneath the turtle.

At first I couldn't believe it, but as the turtle reached the bottom, the sharks repositioned themselves for a brief moment so I could get a good look at them. The depth was only 5 meters so visibility was excellent.

The turtle of about 120 cm long then started swimming lazily so I could keep up with it for about 100 meters until it sped up, the two sharks still underneath and keeping up at the same pace.

I don't generally regret not being able to take pictures under water, but this was such an opportunity, it was a shame I couldn't.

Although sharks and turtles are generally not friendly, I witnessed a wonderful example of a giant loggerhead serving as hiding place for two small sharks. Ocean life never ceases to amaze.

Choco Banane Glacée

Upon arriving at Iles des Saintes, we just caught up with my brother in law before he left for Guadeloupe and Paris. The whole family was gathered on the shoreside esplanade of La Crique, where they were having smoothies and my nephew was drinking a mixture of cocoa, banana and ice with whipped cream on top.



And he couldn't keep quiet about it. So much so, that the next they they all went for a choco banane glacée, as well as every day since. It's a perfect mixture and it's very suited for a French Caribbean island. And it isn't just ice cream smoothies, we have been eating and drinking very well ever since we arrived in Grenada. The pizzas in Prickly Bay marina, the grill at True Blue Bay resort, fish and grill at the Lambi Queen in Carriacou, Banana bread in the Cays, Creole food in St. Vincent. Even the international cuisine in Canouan Beach Hotel was delicious, and of course the French Creole dishes in Martinique and Guadeloupe.

Good drinks too, with Carib beer and Shandy Carib on top, local juices and smoothies and even some typical soft drinks such as Schweppes exotique. And then of course, the Choco Banane Glacée. It's a very simple combination, but it's beyond comparison. So much so, that it would be a shame not to make it when we get home in a couple of months, while at the same time it will not be the same. For one, because the scenery of Iles des Saintes will not be there, and another because at home, we have to watch our figures and on holiday, we don't.

42

Just to say thanks for all the nice messages I've received for my 42nd birthday.

We had a very nice night out in Les Iles des Saintes in the Ti Kaz LA restaurant.

Now I know the secret to life, the universe and...

Family visit

It was a happy day when I saw my sister and her family again in Guadeloupe. After only seeing each other on Skype for eight months, I surprised them by going to meet them at the airport at Point a Pitre.

We got together a couple of times after that, the last time when we sailed along the coast. We had intended to go to Marie Galante, but some squalls followed by a total dying of the wind for an hour or so made some faces go slightly green and we headed back to port for some snorkeling and swimming to the island off Gosier.

We did a tour on Guadeloupe and visited a wonderful waterfall with a natural slide to the water's edge. No small wonder that I felt compelled to try it out. Most of the others preferred the jump from above into the pool, so a lot of fun was had by all.

Tomorrow we're going to Iles des Saintes so a nice prospect for the next few days. Also it should rain less which is also a change from recent days.

Paradise

It was promised to be a diving paradise but it proved to be much more. When we arrived in Dominica around midnight, nothing was visible yet of the lush rainforest, the magnificent coast line or the range of imposing volcanoes.



After saying goodbye to our friends who had a plane to catch in Guadeloupe, we arranged a dive for the next day and went to visit the thundering waters of Trafalgar falls. The drive there was steep and through wild jungle. After a short hike we reached the falls, but more importantly, we also found a hot water stream nearby. The river formed many ponds where one could lie in and we enjoyed the hot baths for over an hour.



It being seven months ago since I had a hot bath, you can imagine the joy of being in steaming hot water that long. After a while I began alternating between hot and cold pools and even in the pool where the hot and cold waters joined. It was pure bliss.



The next morning the dive boat from Aldive came to pick us up at eight thirty. Alan the dive master took us to Soufrière Pinnacle where we saw a wonderful coral drop off down to 24 metres. Lots of coral fishes, moray eels and a turtle. Before the second dive, Alan took us to the village and showed us around the historically rich buildings, such as the cave church. Later we bathed in the hot pool on the shore, where some stones were gathered to form a barrier from the sea water. Laying in the sea on the hot surface was another brilliant experience unique to Dominica.



This really is paradise. Meanwhile Ingrid was getting wet in the jungle on her way to the boiling lake, of which she has an account here.

(Power) Systems Failure

Being in France again feels strange. Of course, we're still also in the Caribbean, but at the same time it feels weird walking around in a large supermarket. It's the largest store I've been in since the Canaries in October.

We arrived in Martinique yesterday and while visiting Fort de France today we entered a Casino supermarket to get some drinks. And of course I ended up buying Brie and Dan'Up drink yogurt. And then it hit me, about the supermarket. I'm exactly seven months away today, and I'm not yet thinking about tomorrow.

So we shopped and later today I hope I'll get some good news about our alternator which is acting strangely, that is to say it doesn't work anymore. We've been keeping the batteries topped up with the solar panels, but sooner or later the alternator had to come out, and this morning it did.

In the line of things electro-mechanical breaking down, this was the first to go. After that, the spark plugs of outboard and generator gave the ghost, and the shore power circuit shorted.

So we were saving energy for a few days while I was busy altering power cables and checking supply and demand. Then we got to Martinique and now the electrical systems are getting fixed. Who says cruising is all fun and games?

But of course, being in a place like Cumberland Bay St. Vincent like we were yesterday, it just isn't all that urgent.

Tobago Cays Turtles

After a blustery stay in Union island, we sailed to the Tobago Cays. A marine park, it is perfectly isolated and uninhabited. We anchored for three nights between Petit Bateau and Petit Rameau. The first snorkel around the boat, I saw three arrow squid swimming together. The second snorkel on the other side of Petit Bateau, we saw hundreds of fish and lots of corals. We did a drift dive on Mayreau Gardens in which we saw sharks and finally, on our last snorkel the day of our departure I saw three turtles grazing in the waters off Turtle beach. And on that beach I saw a lizard.

So the wildlife around the Cays was exactly as promised and then some.



We had left for the Cays around noon for a short hop of four Miles from Union. Union was fun but it was a bit spoiled by the fraudster trying to get away with delivering us three gallons of diesel less than we paid for. So I had to go to the police to get them to talk to the guy (named Des, drives a boat called Angelo) and get him to return the money.

The sail was rough because it had been blowing force sixes and sevens for three days. But once we got into the reefs, the waves subsided and we only had some current to contend with while looking for a nice anchorage.

The procession of vendors started immediately with bread, T-shirts, ice, lobsters and fish. The next three days, we were repeatedly reminded of what was on offer and even bought a T-shirt. More useful items were baguettes at the somewhat elevated price of 15 EC dollars apiece and ice at 25 dollars a bag. But it was all very cheery and never too much of a nuisance.

The snorkeling was fantastic and when the outboard handle broke, the park rangers were kind enough to offer us a tow back to the boat.

When we snorkeled Turtle beach on the last morning, we saw hawksbill turtles underwater eating and coming up for air in a very gracious dive.



After we got back to the beach, a giant lizard was observing us and only very slowly, as we got closer to look at it, did it seek a higher vantage point.



The sail out of the Cays was a short pleasant hop to Canouan with a lasting memory of a wonderful experience.