Bye bye Brad!

Brad is on AC 969 to Toronto... will be back in Calgary at 01:30... enough for 8 hours sleep before he heads back north for work.  Not too worried... he caught up on lots of sleep here.  He says the time he reads books is inversely proportional to the quality of internet so he got a good chance to plow through some books during his time with us.

We had a fun day driving up to Saint Pierre and back.  The quality of infrastructure in Martinique is shocking when you compare it to all of the surrounding islands.  I guess when you are an overseas district of France there are some benefits.  The roads there are like freeways compared what we've seen.  And the signage!!! There is some!!!  Awesome!!!  You actually know which way to turn and how far it is to your destination.

Le Petite Dejeuner avec cafe

Le vouture magnifique

We were happy to show Brad St. Pierre.  At one time it was the commercial hub of Martinique until it was destroyed by Volcano Pelee in 1902.  The impact is obvious and it is amazing that the current town is built on the old ruins.  The signs of devastation are everywhere.

We drove from the town up to the Depaz Rhum Distillery.  VERY impressed at how far we walked last year.  What were we thinking?

Brad in the ruins at St. Pierre... Pelee in the background

More ruins

Looking back at St. Pierre and Pelee

It was fun heading back to the boat, buying French box wine for our trip south to Grenada.  We had fabulous internet... until 10 at night when the Paille de Coco shut their metal shutters.  Talk about getting cut off mid sentence.

The trip back over to Rodney Bay, St. Lucia was predictable.  Because we wanted to head south the prevailing ENE winds changed to ESE which made for another wild sail.  We also noticed that it calmed dramatically in the afternoon so maybe we should have just slept in.

We challenged the heights of Fort Rodney - meeting on the way some crazy Auzzies who appeared to have run to the top.  Glen had heart palpitations thinking about running in this weather.

Sunset over Rodney Bay

Blue Pearl out there somewhere

What are we shooting at?

OK... down and back up... see who's first!

Is this ladder CSA approved?

Local fruit... mango, passion fruit, love apples

We had such a good car trip down through Soufriere to Ladera Resort with Mike and Charlotte to look at the Pitons that we wanted to repeat it with Brad.  When we got to Anse La Raye for our flying fish snack, we learned that it was an "off day" for cruise ships and so there was little activity.  Just zombie-like old men asking for money and drunks stumbling around.  We grabbed a Piton and a "Ballou?" something like a flying fish, fed the scraps to the dogs and took off before the zombies ate us.

Eating Ballou, drinking Pitons...  now let's get the hell out of here!

We avoided our wrong turn in Soufrierre and got to the Ladera Resort... only to learn, Mike and Charlotte, that they have invoked a new rule!!!  Twenty five US $ cover charge to have a beer - which will be taken off your tab which will be presumably more than $25 US!!! EACH!!!  What?????   I hope it wasn't our visit with Mike and Charlotte that put them off of "moochers" paying $5 US for a cheap-ass $2 US local beer and enjoying the view.  WHAT A RIP OFF, LADERA!!!!!

So instead we found a cool windsurfing beach resort and had burgers and fries and $2 US beers.  And enjoyed a lovely hour or two before dropping Brad off at UVF.

Heard today that Carrie made some "Boiled Fish" in Leduc!  Yaaaaaay!  Joined the crowd of "Boiled Fish" makers.

We have breaks in two of our staunchions - the metal pipes that stick up to carry our lifelines.  We need some welding done.  "Chinaman" is the resident welder.  It doesn't roll off the tongue.  "Hey Chinaman, I need some welding done."  But when Glen asked an Asian looking man in the boatyard if he was the welder he introduced himself as Chinaman.

So Chinaman is set to weld us up and send us on our way!!!

More adventures!!!!!