We have used Martinique as our base for exploring the Caribbean for over 4 months now and our anchorage has begun to feel like home. In Sainte Anne we have caught up with old sailing friends from 20 years ago, and have met many new, international kid boats, some of whom will remain lifelong buddies. Here, the boys have grown so much in confidence; they’ve mastered navigating the dinghy solo, swinging from the rigging, freediving to the seabed and have become demon boogie boarders. We’ve had some epic hikes; up volcanos, along an old canal with vertiginous views and following wild Atlantic coastlines that remind us of Cornwall, though considerably sunnier! We’ve all made a real effort to work on our French, and are now practically fluent in the lexicon of les boulangeries. In Martinique, we’ve seen in Christmas, New Year, Mother’s Day, Easter, Barnaby and Zennor’s 9th birthday and even survived a team bout of COVID.
Jardin de Balata -23rd December
Gorgeous botanical gardens with spectacular views, lots of hummingbirds and a fab treetop aerial walkway.
Joyeux Noel
Christmas morning was spent snorkelling on the reef off Point Le Marin, visiting our incredible octopus friend who lives in a sunken breeze block, surrounded by broken shells, the remnants of his recent meals. After a sushi lunch (no octopus), we bounced around the water park on Pirate’s Beach, followed by fire making on the beach with an international crew of feral boat kids. One of the big draws of Martinique is the glut of kid boats. Here, the boys have made friends from Portugal, France, the USA, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and even some from as far away as Lymington!
Pirates of the Caribbean -12th January 2022
Celebrating Billy and Vital’s 7th birthdays with SV Quickstep, SV Aldivi, SV Barataria, SV Nethermead & SV Tropic Bird.
Mount Pelee – 24th January 2022
An epic hike up Mount Pelee, an active volcano that, in 1902, destroyed the town of St Pierre, killing 30,000 people. Our most ambitious hike yet with 7 hours of walking, topping out at 1397m and in very un-Caribbean-like weather conditions. Good to have the company of Marjolein and Oebele of SV Noorderzon to encourage us all up and up through the mizzle.
After a few weeks away, exploring Guadeloupe, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, we returned to Martinique for further exploration before heading Southwards.
Canal des Esclaves – 10th March 2022
A 17km, exhilarating and VERY wet hike from St Pierre along the Canal des Esclaves. The canal, which follows a narrow and vertiginous path around the hills of northern Martinique, was built by slaves in the 1770s to carry freshwater to the plantations and rum distilleries around St Pierre. We dried out and refuelled mid-way at the Relais de la Maison Rousse, a gorgeous restaurant, hidden in the middle of the jungle, and home to the friendliest cats and chickens.
Our favourite ice cream spot
Behind the Notre Dame de la Salette, a church in the centre of Saint Anne, is a short and very steep zig-zag path up to our favourite view, and ice cream spot in Martinique. The climb is apparently a favourite amongst Christian pilgrims who visit the site to worship every year on 19th September. We like it as it has the best view of the anchorage and is the site of a Geocache!
Dinghy concert – 15th April
Party night in the Sainte Anne anchorage with SV Kapasa
JOYEUX ANNIVERSAIRE A NOS MAGNIFIQUES FILS! 22nd April 2022
What a year it’s been for the intrepid duo! Barnaby and Zennor have sailed 6000nm, crossed an ocean, tackled epic jungle hikes, watched volcanos erupt, learnt to free dive, swum beneath waterfalls, made new lifelong friendships, and have eaten many, many ice creams. We are so proud of our boys and can’t wait to have more adventures together.
They say that cruisers plans are written in the sand at low tide, forever changing with the tides. And so it was to be with the boys’ 9th birthday celebrations. We were looking forward to heading South with our friends aboard SV Gambler, and to have a St Lucian birthday party together with their girls, Megan and Sophie. And then we all got COVID. Their birthday was instead spent isolating aboard in the St Anne anchorage, just the four of us, all feverish and a bit fragile. In spite of contagion, we had a splendid, if low-key day, eating pancakes, chatting with family, and with Barnaby thrashing us all at Sleeping Queens.
The best running route in the world?
We have the perfect running route here in St Anne, which takes us from the dinghy dock, past empty sandy beaches, along mangrove forests, and through dense mahogany woodlands. The route towards Salines beach combines steep climbs; enormous knotty roots; sheer steps cut into the cliffside; soft, slippy sand; and after the rain, often thick, sticky mud that clings to our trainers. Along the way we spot mongooses, possums, crabs galore, jumping lizards, pelicans, frigate birds, hummingbirds, bananaquits, king birds and egrets. It is such a joy to run here. We even created our own dawn running club with members recruited from the parents of our neighbouring kid boat families. New friendships have been forged as we pound our way along the track, jumping over roots and crabs, talking about nothing and everything. Best of all, the route ends at the boulangerie, where I am such a familiar presence that I no longer need to place my order, they likely know me as the sweaty, deux-baguettes-deux-croissants-etrangere. Post run coffee and croissants have become a daily ritual that we will miss.
Our hull is busy growing weed and we have our own mini ecosystem developing below the waterline, a sure sign that it is time to up anchor, to head South for new islands, new sunsets, new wildlife, hopefully new running routes and new friendships. Merci beaucoup Martinique, on a passe un sejour merveilleux. x
Sailing Mowzer 
You put my Caribbean adventures in the shade! I’m in awe of all you have collectively achieved but reliving through you all the memories I experienced. Thank you!!
For B and Z – well guys! what can I say?? What a lifetimes experience!!
Watering at the mouth for the next round of adventures,
Take care,much love and always hoping for a fair wind!
Graham and Andrea.
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