Life Aboard SERENADA: A few more Martinique anchorages

We have been without internet for several days, and have dropped the hook in three anchorages since our last blog post, so I shall say a little about each.

The day we were planning to leave St. Anne's, we were hailed on the radio by Jorge & Kim. They were coming to St. Anne's! We quickly decided to postphone our departure, and planned instead dinner for four aboard Serenada. Our paths will not cross again after Martinique, as they are headed home this season. We, however, are returning to Grenada for Christmas, and have then decided to keep our boat here in the Caribbean for at least one more season. We had a good visit together over wine and food.

We've since been hopping along Martinique's coast; stopping at Anse D'Arlet, Anse Noir and St. Pierre.

Anse D'Arlet

Anse D'Arlet is a small village set on a beach with mountains behind it. The snorkeling in the bay was good, right off the boat. I saw my first blue cornet, ballyhoo, and scorpionfish. Also for the first time, I wore contact lens while snorkeling. I should have done that months and months ago. I see so much deeper. If only I could see the camera's viewfinder when wearing contacts (they are not bifocal).

blue cornet (about 4'-5' long)

flounder

coral

We also hiked a trail between (Petite) Anse D'Arlet and Grande Anse D'Arlet. The guide book described it as an easy walk (so we all wore flip flops), but it was rugged. The guide book needs a correction.

going UP the trail to Grande Anse D'Arlet

quite the jungle

going DOWN the trail to Grande Anse D'Arlet

Jo, Gwen & Sue on the beach at Grande Anse D'Arlet

taking in the Saturday market

flying fish ahead of us in the dinghy, as we return to our boat

Anse Noir, a little further north, was a small bay with a black sand beach, and again offered more good snorkeling right off the boat. There, I saw my first lionfish.

Anse Noir

star fish hugging the rocks

, curious corals

Currently we are in St. Pierre, which lies at the foot of the Mt. Pelee volcano. It last erupted in 1902, when the side of the volcano facing the city, glowed red and burst open, releasing a giant fireball of superheated gas and molten lava, that flowed down over the city. There were only two survivors; almost 30,000 people burned to death. Twelve ships in the bay were destroyed at anchor. Many ruins remain today.