Intro: Setting sails on the first day of a Sea Cloud voyage is always the main event, and today was no different. Almost all the square sails, jibs, and staysails were set. But there is much more to our voyage through the Windward Islands of the Caribbean Sea than the sailing. There is the colorful culture, the fascinating geopolitical history, and the unique character of each of the individual islands—all of which make this such an exceptional expedition.
One steady constant in Ian’s life has been the ocean. Born by the rocky shores of mid-coast Maine, his family repatriated to far north Queensland in Australia early on in his life where he became a dual-citizen and sparked his passion for exploring n...
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We dropped anchor in the deep water of Soufrière Bay at 7:05 a.m. on a sunny morning with a light breeze. This island paradise is approximately 200 square miles with a small population of 175 thousand. It is the birthplace of two Nobel Laureates: Arthur Lewis for economics, and Derek Walcott for literature. Both men went to the same schools and were born on the same day! Soufrière Bay is just to the north and east of the Petit and Gros Piton. The physical setting is very dramatic as the city of Soufrière is situated at the west end of an ancient caldera formed some 39 thousand years ago. After breakfast we came ashore in Zodiacs and boarded minivans for the short ride to the interior of the caldera where the hot gasses and molten waters and rock are still quite active. Here we were able to see and smell (sulfuric gases are pungent!) the seismic activity of the island for the very first time. With the exception of Barbados, all of the islands which we have now visited are the product of volcanic activity as they sit atop the Atlantic and Caribbean plates. Our guide on St. Lucia was Noelle and she was extremely knowledgeable, particularly about plants and cultural matters. We also learned about the local geology and went to an overlook where we could peer into the face of the bubbling mud as it hissed and exploded. Our next stop was the Diamond Botanical Gardens, one of the unsung gems of the Caribbean. Plants of every sort abound in profusion and Noelle was able to point out the most interesting varieties. I love the bamboo, which is the national plant of St. Lucia—it can grow 8 inches a day and reach 30 feet tall and 8 inches in diameter. As we left, we walked through the formal gardens and saw the exquisitely beautiful jade plant. I cannot precisely describe the color, but it is a cross between an ice blue and crystal. It takes one’s breath away. We were in these wonderful gardens for about an hour and a half and after our visit, we returned to our vans for the very short drive to the center of Soufrière . The public square, which sits in front of the large Roman Catholic church, has recently been redone and in its center is a powerful statue of a slave breaking his chains. The more radical supporters of the French Revolution “the Jacobins” were here in the middle 1790s and set up a guillotine to rid the islands of the aristocracy and supporters of the monarchy. We set sails for about an hour after lunch and the unfurling was also accomplished with the redoubtable guests who had been coached by Chief Officer John Svendsen. At 4:00 p.m. we watched the fabulous short film of Irving Johnson “Around Cape Horn.” At dinnertime Alex presented the slideshow of guests’ photos. They represent a cornucopia of ways of seeing the Caribbean. I cannot imagine a fuller day, and we all went off to bed utterly satisfied. Next stop Bridgetown, Barbados.
The sun rose off Mount Pleasant in Bequia at 6:10 a.m. and we weighed anchor for our next port, Carriacou, by 7 a.m. We had a great wind and were making eight knots at 11 a.m. Tom Heffernan gave an introductory talk on the Creole languages of the Caribbean, so we were prepared to listen and delight in learning more about the local speech. We are sailing ever southward on our journey to the Grenadines, nearly 700 miles away from the equator. We are now as far south as we shall travel and not far from South America. Just after noon, some of the guests, who had learned how to handle sails from first officer John Svendsen, joined the crew in hauling down the sails. They soon found out how very difficult this task is! We dropped anchor in Tyrell Bay and boarded tenders for our exploration of this small but charming island. We were now in the Grenadines—those governed by Grenada, not St. Vincent. This small state consists only of three islands: Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique. The Amerindians called this island Kayryouacou , which meant “the land surrounded by reefs” in the Arawakian-Indian language. Like St. Lucia this island went back and forth between French and British overlords but was finally ceded to the English in 1783 and achieved its independence in 1974. It is tiny at 13 square miles and has a population of about 6,000. The highest mountain on the island is High Point at a perilous 955 feet. There are also no rivers here—we saw that immediately as we drove through the arid island. Without sufficient rain, they have to bring water in from Grenada by ship. We met our wonderful local guide Alison at the Mermaid Hotel and began our tour of the town. With two main streets, it is quite substantial! We visited a friendly grocery store where the proprietor showed us the sorts of foods that comprise the local diet. At the rear of the shop I noticed a rum labeled “White Rum” at 139 proof for about $4–sufficient to make one tipsy for a week. Those of us who ended back at the hotel enjoyed a refreshing drink at the bar, just steps from a pristine beach and turquoise waters. The Carriacou people have a long history of ship-building and fishing and to this day are remarkable fishermen. Many emigrated in the ‘50s and ‘60s to work in England. A great number live in Bedford and have now returned home to retire and build very nice homes. Those of us who went snorkeling on Sandy Island reported that it was very good. Sandy Island is now a designated wildlife sanctuary and protected. It is a small-uninhabited atoll that sits about half a mile off our other location of the day, Paradise Beach, aptly named. Back on Sea Cloud we had a wonderful meal in the dining room and Simon, our excellent hotel manager, introduced us to his respectable staff.
We furled sails at 8:45 a.m. and had good speed at seven knots over the ground. I spied St. Vincent in the Grenadines at 11 a.m. Bequia is the largest of these Grenadines but is only about seven square miles. It was settled first by the Taino and then the Carib Indians. The demographics of Bequia today—a substantial Euro-American population living with several local and migrant communities—are unlike many of the other islands we have visited. The first European settlers were French, but Scots were brought over quite early as indentured servants in considerable numbers in the early 18 th century. They remained here and appear to be the dominant ethnic group today. There are not many surnames, David, King and Olivier being the most common. As we came in at 2 p.m., I pointed out the Hamilton Battery. Alexander Hamilton’s father lived in Bequia for some time. After taking Zodiacs into the pier in Admiralty Bay, we were greeted by a main street ringed by small tables selling all sorts of local handicrafts: various carvings from calabashes, bracelets made from coral stone and shiny hard nuts, and scrimshaw from whales. The International Whaling Commission allows the native peoples of Bequia to take four whales a year. Since they hunt in the old way with hand-thrown harpoons in small, open boats they rarely ever meet the quota. The whales supplement the diet of the islanders and they use every bit of it. We began our visit with a trip to the Rastafarian market, which sells local produce, natural juices, and spices. There we met old friends and practicing Rastas, who were happy to have a photograph taken. Our next stop was Sergeant’s Model Boat Shop. The Sergeants have been building exquisite model boats for generations, chiefly of the local whaleboats, but some years ago they made a model of Queen Elizabeth’s yacht Britannia which the Prime Minister of Bequia presented to the Queen. We passed the lovely Anglican Church built in 1824, but unfortunately it was locked. The island likely has at least 10 Christian denominations, along with Muslims and Seventh-day Adventists, but the Anglican Church is the largest. A bookstore was opened and, though it’s small, it has a collection of hard-to-find local books on the Grenadines. Our final stop is always a hit–Jack’s Bar. This famous watering hole sits directly on Princess Margaret Bay and has to be one of the most idyllic spots in all the Caribbean. There we enjoyed all sorts of fruit punches, some with rum in them! The water in the bay was just right, and the color a crystalline blue. I swam out about 400 yards and still could easily see the bottom 25 feet below. Dinner was served on the Lido Deck and after dinner we were treated to our old friends, the Kings of Strings, a group of four local (and elderly) musicians who can bring down the house.
