It’s rare to see a classic boat here in Martinique where the only really old ones are generally nearly or totally derelict. However, as we moved from St Anne to Le Marin today, to put Pandora on a mooring, this lovely motorsailer passed us going the other way.
She’s a beauty, built in the 50s, a steel motorsailer. This video talks about her recent refit in Belfast Maine.It’s indeed rare to see classics south of Antigua and a treat. I only wish that I had seen her when she was anchored in St Anne so I could have gotten some better shots. Anyway, we saw her. Her cruising schedule is taking her far and wide this season although she was shipped from Newport to the American Virgins by ship. Want to follow her? Check out her FaceBook page. Not a lot of current information there although it seems that she was designed by Walter McGinnis in Boston and build by Abeking and Rasmussen in Germany, the same yard that built the iconic Concordia Yawls.
On another subject, yesterday Brenda and I went for a hike along the shore near St Anne. It involved some ups and downs, more than Brenda wanted and als0 was a bit longer, no make that a LOT longer, than I had expected. Oops.
Anyway, it was a beautiful walk. This view, of the anchorage, shows how many boats are anchored off of St Anne. 
A bit farther down, a view to the south toward St Lucia, where we hope to visit when we return from CT in early March. 
Along the way we saw a number of specimens of this very interesting tree, a Caribbean Birch, called that because the bark peels like a north american birch. It’s also called a tourist tree, because it is red and peels like a sunburned tourist. They are very fast growing and look impressive. Their wood is a dark red like mahogany. Beautiful. 
The walk was nice but being longer than expected and the fact that we had to bum a ride with some random Italian tourist and his family at the end didn’t go particularly well with Brenda. Oops. And, as our Son Rob would say, “Nice work. A CLM, career limiting move Dad”.
For much of the week the locals in Martinique have been celebrating Carnival and even in little St Anne, there was something going on each day. In the evenings the music would blare and a small parade would make it’s way through town. This truck had some impressive sound equipment aboard. 
You could feel as well as hear the music a long way off. After it passed, “oh, that’s a lot of speakers”. No wonder it sounded like it was right in Pandora’s cockpit with us. 
Many locals dressed up and marched, or danced along with the parade. 
I particularly enjoyed this girl in her costume. Store bought perhaps but fun never the less. Cute kid. 
Well, that’s about all for now. Tomorrow we pack up for our trip home to the states for two weeks. Lots of details including someone to keep an eye on Pandora and to water her plants. Plants you say? Yes, plants.
We are excited to see the kids and our granddaughter Tori. Will be fun. Back to Pandora and south for more exploring after March 5th.
As always, details to come.
Seeing Little Vigilant today reminded me of the coming cold weather up north. A taste of the coming weather when we head home, a taste of Maine here in Martinique.
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