Good bye St. Lucia

Before our data plan expires today, I’ll get in a short blog.

We’ve been lazily drifting north along St. Lucia’s coastline.

Serenada anchored in Castries' Harbour

After Anse Couchon, we stopped into Castries harbor. We came in behind a larger double masted, white hulled sailboat. A VHF radio call came from Castries Harbour, addressing the ‘white hulled sailing vessel entering the harbor.’ Them? Us? (we both have white hulls). I waited for the boat ahead of us to respond, but they didn’t. Castries Harbour then repeated their call, so I chose to respond. I was curious as to why they’d be calling; we couldn’t see any other traffic (ferries, cruise ships, commercial boats, fishing charters) that we’d need to be concerned with. Turns out, the ‘other traffic’ impacting the harbor was air traffic! There is a domestic airport in Castries, and the flight path crosses the harbor entrance. Thus, it is possible for  ships and aircraft to pose a risk to each other. We were given a slap on the wrists for not requesting clearance into the harbor, but were permitted to anchor regardless. It felt strange to anchor inside a city harbor! The taller ship ahead of us never acknowledged the VHF call, and chose to leave the harbor.

A couple of tuna steaks, please

We came here to shop at Castries’ market. It is the biggest local market we have come across in the Caribbean; offering local produce, fish & meats, crafts, clothing, souvenirs, etc.  Best of all, a hearty local lunch (choice of chicken, fish, or pork with rice, beans, mac & cheese, dasheen, breadfruit, plantain, green banana, coleslaw) can be had for 15 EC ($7.50 CAD). Neither of us could finish it, the plate was so full! Back in Bequia, you couldn’t buy a head of cabbage for that price.


the ugly side of Castries' market

After receiving clearance to leave Castries’ Harbour (we didn’t want to invite trouble) we made our way further north to Rodney Bay for the night.

A beautiful rainbow welcomed our first morning in Rodney Bay.

Cas en Bas, on St. Lucia’s windward shore, is about an hour’s walk from Rodney Bay. We enjoy this easy hike.

“ Goats ‘Up,’ Sheep ‘Down’ “    Tail is down, so this is a sheep.

Riders on horseback shared the trail.

The small bay there is protected from the seas, yet gets the tradewinds, and is a great location for kitesurfers. We watched this guy for a while.

  

He had a unique board. It had a foil below it, which drew it up over the water’s surface. We’d never seen this before. That has to be much easier on the knees!


Cas en Bas beach


part of a rocket booster washed ashore at Cas en Bas

Back on board Serenada, look who anchored behind us!

You don’t see too many square riggers. 

  

To our surprise, just after the sun went down, they hoisted their sails, pulled up anchor, and left the bay. What is it something we said?

Tomorrow, we depart Rodney Bay, St. Lucia and sail north again to St. Anne's, Martinique.
'Til then....