During our last charter Tilly Mint passed the 40,000 nm mark on her log. We have sailed over 25,000 of those with her, and we still love sailing her as much as we did when we first came on board.
Many miles were added to the log during the past few weeks, as we went all the way from the Virgin Islands to Grenada, then back up to the Virgin Islands in about 6 weeks. After our holiday charters in the BVIs we took some time to rest in St Martin in January, then sailed to Antigua to pick up our next guests. That charter was a new itinerary for us, and it was great to stop in all the islands that we usually just sail past.
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| Falmouth Harbour, Antigua. Tilly Mint is there, all the way to the right! |
Our first stop was Deshaies, on the North West corner of Guadeloupe, a lovely little fishing town in a protected bay. Our sistership More Magic pulled in just after us and anchored nearby.
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| More Magic in Deshaies |
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| Before the squall |
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| After the squall |
We then sailed further South to the islands of Les Saintes, located in the channel between Guadeloupe and Dominica. It would be hard to find a lovelier town anywhere in the Caribbean - think St Barts, but without the celebrities and much more authentic. They also happen to have some of the best baguettes I've ever tasted, and very friendly locals. What more does one need?
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| The picturesque Yacht Club in Les Saintes |
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| Fishing boats on the beach |
Next stop was our beloved Dominica, nicknamed "Nature Island". It is easy to understand why it has been said that should Columbus return to the Caribbean, Dominica would be the only island he would recognize. Tourism hasn't quite yet reached Dominica, and its natural beauty is breathtaking. Think volcanoes, hot springs, cold waterfalls, black sand, lush vegetation. A local guide took our guests through the jungle up the Indian River, which has to be done in a row boat as engines are not permitted up the river, and on a hike to a beautiful waterfall on the next day.
A long sail then took us from Portsmouth, Dominica, to St Pierre, Martinique. St Pierre is located at the foot of the volcano Mount Pelee, and was completely destroyed by an eruption in 1902. Several ships were also sunk in the bay by the pyroclastic flows, making it a perfect site for wreck diving. St Pierre has been rebuilt and is now a lively, colorful town.
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| The green hills of Dominica |
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| St Pierre, with Mount Pelee in the background |
From St Pierre we sailed on to our final destination - the now familiar marina of Marigot Bay, in St Lucia. Overall it was a great itinerary, but definitely one for avid sailors as it involves several long sails. Luckily we had good conditions all week and were able to sail fast on a reach on most days. Our guests had a blast steering a powered up Tilly Mint in the channels between the islands!
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