Battle of the Saints

As a reader of C.S. Forrester, Patrick O'Brian and books of that swashbuckling sort, I had read often about a major sea battle between the French and British at "The Saints". I never really knew where that was. In preparing for the visit to Guadeloupe, I learned that the Battle of the Saints was fought at the end of the American Revolution between the French under Villeneuve and Comte de Grasse and the British under Rodney in the straits between Dominica and Iles de Saintes, Guadeloupe. Very cool!

Our trip from Portsmouth Harbor to Iles de Saintes was beautiful. With the dinghy safely stowed on deck, we set out in a light breeze that was forecast to build later in the day. Tricia broke out her fishing pole and the purple lure Cary and Ginny bought her for her birthday. It wasn't in the water long before we heard the cry "Fish On!" In short order, a diminutive blue fin tuna was gaffed, gutted and in the freezer. Enough for an appetizer, but we needed to find his big brother. Roaring along at 8+ knots in a mild squall, Tricia was thinking we were going too fast to catch anything. Then I saw some birds diving ahead of us and steered for them. In seconds, Tricia had a powerful hit! But I will let her tell you about catching "the big one".

Ha, so on board Music we have a plastic rod holder attached to our stern railing. Our one big Penn reel and rod sit in that holder until we hook a fish. I honestly thought that the rod holder would break, or the rod would break, or the line would break, not in that order. Getting the rod out of the holder requires talent, even with a small fish, and this wasn't a small fish. I have to stand on the aft seats which are angled, unhook the latch on the holder, and slide the rod out without dropping the rod, hitting the bimini, or falling overboard. Try this with the rod bent in half, and 6-7' following, rolly seas. So the rod and reel actually belong to my Dad, and all I could worry about was holding on for dear life so that I didn't lose $1000 worth of someone else's equipment.  Once I was sure that the sucker was hooked, all I could do was fight it, in bare hands, on a rolly sea, under the bimini, with no room to pump, no fighting chair or  fighting harness. I grew up learning how to fish the big salt water fish. These were not ideal conditions, but being the stubborn person that I am, I refused to let anyone else help. I wasn't going to risk losing that rod. And what the hell kind of fish was this anyway? I called out to have someone check the time - no one did. They didn't get it. Fish like this can be fought for hours! I fought it for at least 20 minutes, which at the time seemed like hours. It was long enough for me to to be out of breath, sore, shakey, and have blisters worn and popped on my right hand by the time I was done. Yes, gloves would have been helpful. Duh.



I have to give my family credit though, they have gotten good at the process of slowing the boat down so that I can fight a fish. Their execution was perfect, up to the point where the fish got close and made a run for underneath the boat. Had I been smart, I would have called for them to speed up. In the end, we were lucky and didn't lose the fish. We got it to the boat, and Mat made a perfect gaff, as he hung half-way off the stern ladder to pull aboard my 25# blue fin tuna. It sure felt like 200#. Well, it's been a long time since I fought any big fish, and this one was all muscle. That night we made sushi for the first time, with lots of fish left in the freezer for many meals to come.

Now if I only I can get the elusive wahoo, I'll be a happy camper! I think we have to do something like 10-14 knots to catch those crazy suckers. Mat would love it if we were going that fast! You may be wondering why we don't try fishing more often? Well, in some countries it's not allowed without a permit, but mostly we don't fish anywhere around the reefs to avoid catching reef fish that could be carrying Ciguatera bacteria that could make us very sick. We actually did catch some barracuda leaving St. Kitts, but those are one of the fish that tends to carry Ciguatera, so back over they went, and after reeling in two of them, the line came in for the day. Whenever we are doing passages the line goes out, but we aren't always lucky. But for me, it's entertainment.

Mat: After cleaning up and getting sailing again, we got the boat dialed in and, I am proud to say, caught the boat who had been ahead of us when we stopped to fish. Real fun sailing. And the entry into the Saintes was gorgeous. You pass between a point and a small island with surf crashing on the rocks. As you round up to lower the sails behind the next point, you see the welcoming harbor stretched out in front of you with tall hills on three sides, and another island to the rear. Very protected. In more ways than one, as you notice the forts on the top of each hill with embrasures that once held cannons with interlocking fields of fire. Maybe this wouldn't be so welcoming if you were an enemy ship?

At Home With Ruby

My (Tricia's) departure from St. Martin and arrival in Baltimore was uneventful, which was a blessing given the amount of bad weather Maryland has had this year.  I was stressed, in more ways than one. Although Music was moored, and wasn't going anywhere until the engine was fixed, I still worried about my family in light of the recent boarding by hoodlums episode. News from St. Lucia about a cruiser that was killed while trying to protect his wife from thieves added to the concern. And no, we aren't going to St. Lucia or St. Vincent (even worse there).  But I had made my decision to go home and booked my flight, before the 'incident' happened.

Ruby is our oldest dog, and the one we worried about leaving the most. She was a rescue, a Vizsla, that Queen Anne's County Animal Control found outside of Food Lion on Kent Island 6 years ago. I went to collect her when they called me thinking I would place her in rescue, and they would find her a nice home. I took my first look at her, and knew that she would be coming home with me, and never leaving. Her face was gray, and she was as big as a house, not in a good way. Try placing an old, fat dog of any breed. It's not that easy. She had malformations of one back foot, and when we x-rayed her, one hip had been busted and healed improperly. She limped. A sad case. Add to her maladies, a constant battle with what we later learned were food and inhalant allergies, and she becomes a dog only a veterinarian would take home.

Ruby knew her name. We didn't name her. The day I broke her out of Animal Control prison, I took her to my office. I was doing surgery that afternoon, and we weren't too busy, so Ruby sat in an open cage while I did my work. Once all work was done, my technicians and I started calling out names. We went through at least a hundred common names. Ruby didn't budge. She sat looking at us in an open cage. Then I went through common Vizsla and red dog names. She didn't budge. As almost an afterthought, I asked her, 'Is your name Ruby?', and she bolted out of the cage as fast as she could across the room and into my lap, tail wagging, and whining the happiest sound I had ever heard. Her name was Ruby. We knew she was at least 7-8 years old, she had a long list of medical problems, and her name was Ruby.

So why, when we learned she had a form of pancreatic cancer called an Insulinoma, would I even consider making every effort to prolong her life? It boiled down to two things. First, I'm a vet, and sometimes it's hard for us to not make every conceivable effort and go the extra mile for our pets. We have to try. It's just part of our nature. We know there are things that can be done, we assess the risk, we accept the risk, and we try to make them better. Period. The second reason, was that Ruby is one of the best dogs we have ever had. I felt it was only right to give her a chance. One month to live without surgery, or maybe a year with surgery. So I flew home to take care of her.

Surgery went well, considering that the mass was in a bad position in the middle of her pancreas, and probably wasn't benign. She actually recovered well from the anesthesia ( a risk for her because, oh yeah, she also has a heart arrhythmia). But the days that followed were not so promising. Her recovery slipped, and her biopsies came back as malignant. Her behaviors supported a suspicion that the cancer had spread to her brain. Her deterioration was painful to watch, and on day three of recovery, I had her euthanized, the only final gift that I could give her, peace.

If anyone were to ask me what was the hardest part of leaving life on land for a life as a cruiser, I would easily answer giving up my animals, and leaving family and friends. Ruby was part of our family for almost 6 years, and she was loved. We knew when we left, that we risked returning to land life only to find some of those family and friends might no longer be with us. We will miss Ruby greatly. She brought us great joy, and in return she had a happy, comfortable life with us for her final years.

Thank you's: to my parents, sister and her family, who have taken care of our dogs while we have been gone. To Mat's sister, Beth, who has our cat. To Betty, a friend who has our bird. To the nice families that adopted our horses. To my friends and family who supported me during this ordeal, you know who you are. To Dr. Busick, for handling things from afar. To Ruby's specialists at CVRC, Dr. Paola and Dr. Minihan, who did everything they could for Ruby, and who understood not only her pain, but mine as well. I can never thank you enough. And To QACAC - thank you for giving me Ruby, without whom our journey together would not have taken place. And to Mat, Cary, and Ginny, who let me go home to take care of her.

For Ruby:

" She seemed grateful that I took care of her, and I was grateful for what she continued to teach me about slowing down, living in the moment, and not giving up in the struggle to learn a different way." Amy Herdy

We will always love you, Ruby.

Antigua- Deep Bay and Jolly Harbor

From Falmouth we daysailed to Deep Bay to dive a wreck there. On the way, we passed just outside a reef on the south coast. As we were sailing, I saw a whale spout off in the distance between us and the reef. Cary, Ginny and Tricia scrambled to get a look while I got the camera. There were 2 whales, which looked to be of a good size. Based on the forward angle of the spout and the small dorsal fin, I think they were sperm whales. They are supposedly common here this time of year. The really cool thing is one of them was TOTALLY WHITE! I saw Moby Dick! I claim the gold doubloon that Ahab nailed to the mast. Unfortunately, they were gone before we got any pictures. But I have witnesses! (Tricia) - And while poor Mat was flying to get the camera, the rest of us got the one and only fluke wave goodbye!

Deep Bay was a beautiful round anchorage. We pulled right up to the beach, anchoring 30 yards offshore in 15 feet of water. About 100 yards behind us is a large wreck in 20-30 feet. Ginny, Cary and I dove. Unfortunately, the visibility was very poor, less than 5 feet at the base of the wreck. So we bailed out and had lunch. I did manage to replace the propeller zinc while I had the tank out. Good for G & C to dive with poor visibility, as they've never had that experience before. All good learning!

After lunch, we had a lovely sail to Jolly Harbor where we anchored outside. I took the dinghy in and cleared out of Antigua since we planned to leave in the morning. Very convenient location for Customs in the yellow building up the channel as you enter the harbor. Plenty of space for the dinghy, and everything right there at the dock.

We did end up coming into the harbor with Music, as we ran our starboard water tank dry and couldn't get suction on the port tank. The marina was nice enough to let us top up the starboard tank, for a price,  even though it was after hours. We were grateful that water was available (they've been restricting water to cruisers due to a draught), and that they let us take up their valuable time off. Once at the dock the port tank was working fine and was completely full. Go figure. After getting over the panic of having little water left for a passage, we left the dock to anchor back out in the harbor, got a good night's sleep, and were off to St. Barts by 4 AM.

Antigua- Falmouth Harbor

From Guadeloupe, we headed north to Antigua. So nice to be sailing off the wind. I didn't make a log entry, and it was almost a month ago. Frankly, it must have been a good sail, because I don't remember it. We anchored in Falmouth Harbor, under the shadow of HUGE and EXPENSIVE MEGAYACHTS, both sail and power. A 200 ft modern green schooner was actually loading a two man submarine into its hold! (We later saw her and her professional crew of 20 take her out for a sail- IMPRESSIVE.)

Despite the megayachts, Falmouth and Antigua are nice. Everyone of Music's crew commented at one point or another how they "liked Antigua". When questioned why, comments like "comfortable" and "safe" were common. I believe it has a lot to do with the language. This is the first port we've been in for 3 months where English is the primary language and we can even understand the islanders' patois. I really enjoyed the walk over to English Harbor to clear in. I was able to tour Nelson's Dockyard, and put a clearer picture in my mind of the setting of the Hornblower and Patrick O'Brian novels I love.

We found "Overbudget" in harbor, and had sundowners with Ginny and JW to catch up on happenings since St Martin. "Spirited Lady" with Suzie and Jeff, in Antigua for the Classic Yacht Regatta in April, joined us and made new friends.

The next morning Ginny and Cary went for a run in town, while adults scoped out a breakfast spot. Once the girls joined us, we walked back to Nelson's Dockyard, and enjoyed breakfast looking out over the very small English Harbor. Food was good, but SLOW.

The next day, we tried to dive Sunken Rock east of English Harbor. There is no buoy, so the dive shop told us to anchor our dinghy. We got a ways out of the harbor, but decided to turn back. Even if we could have made it with the waves, it wasn't going to be a comfortable dive experience. We snorkeled the reef at the entrance to Falmouth Harbor instead, and found a nest of large lobsters. Not knowing the local regs, we left them where they were. Too bad. We later learned we could take 2 per diver. After perusing the dive options in Antigua, we decided that there was probably only one dive site we could go to without a guide, so off we went headed to Deep Bay at the northwest corner of the island.

Deshaies, Guadeloupe

Day-Ay is another beautiful French anchorage, similar to St Pierre in Martinique. Colorful, small colonial buildings line the waterfront with restaurants, bars, art galleries, and shops. Of course, there are vegetable and fruit stands, and wonderful French bakeries. The dive shop is right at the dinghy dock. They not only refill tanks fairly inexpensively, but they gave us all the water we wanted for FREE!  A true luxury, even if I did have to haul it back to the boat in 50 lb jugs. We have had to pay for water everywhere else.

The anchorage was a little crowded when we arrived. Music was anchored on the south side of the harbor, close the the cliffs on the a lee shore. I didn't sleep too well the first night (I never do), even though the winds were moderate, the anchor held well, and we didn't swing into the neighbors. The next day, while I was in sorting out the dive tanks, I noticed the girls launching a kayak. Good, they would finally get used. When I got back to the boat, I found out why. Turns out a French boat had backed into our side, taking 2-3 quarter-sized chunks out of the new paint. He handed them 100 Euro, an email address, and a promise to pay more later if needed. Rrrrgh. The good news is we made new friends. The yacht behind us, "Spirited Lady of Fowey", captained by Suzy with Jeff as crew, came by to help. Turns out Suzy has 2 dogs and a cat aboard, and one of the dogs needed Tricia's medical help. Suzy has been cruising the Caribbean for years and has a wealth of info and great stories. Jeff is on break after college, and helped Ginny with her Gov homework. Through Suzy we also met Roger on "Warrior for Life" and Knoll and Bobby, an Aussie couple who have done deliveries in the Caribbean and across the Pacific and Indian Oceans. We had a nice evening on Spirited Lady telling tales.

The ladies had another nice dive out on the reef wall at the northern point of the harbor. My knee is mending, but not quite ready for diving. Tricia and I decided not to walk out to the Botanical Garden and see the Flamingos. We should have gone. Alas.

The next night, Andrew and Claire from "Eye Candy" dropped anchor. Time for another party. Eye Candy, Spirited Lady, and Warrior for Life were invited. This time, we hosted on Music. Tricia whipped up homemade pizza which was a huge hit. Cary and Ginny played a selection of songs on the trumpet and clarinet. Then we proceeded to sing any song we could think of until late at night. We now realize how limited our repertoire really is. Time to practice those lyrics!

Jacques Cousteau Underwater Park, Pigeon Island, Guadeloupe

From the Saintes, we motorsailed up to Pigeon Island off the west coast of Guadeloupe.  The weather was perfect for a visit to the dive sites at the Jacques Cousteau Underwater Park. We timed our departure to arrive at lunchtime. This is when the tour operators are usually changing out the morning and afternoon tourists, and the mooring balls are available. We had to wait about 30 minutes. We finally asked a family whose inflatable was tied up to a mooring if we could share. They were Dutch cruisers, and welcomed us alongside.

I was a little banged up with a stiff knee, so I sat this one out. Cary, Ginny and Tricia dove and said the conditions were wonderful! (Tricia) - Pigeon Island is small. There are dive/snorkel sites on three sides, and we were moored at the southwest corner, which turned out to be the best site. We dropped in 20' of crystal clear water. Visibility was impeccable. Most of the volcanic islands have runoff of dust from the volcanos that makes the water grainy, but not this little gem. Unfortunately, Ginny had trouble clearing her ears, so back to the boat we went. Once Ginny was back on board, Cary and I tried again. At first we tried to go east, toward the other moorings, but seeing little there, other than divers, we turned and headed west. What a sight of healthy corral, sponges, fish big and small, lobster, turtles, and very few anemones. It was the kind of dive you wish you could do again and again, and probably never tire of seeing the beauty. It amazes me how much more vibrant colors are when the water is truly clear. It was, for that reason, one of the busiest dive sites we have seen.

After the dive, it was a quick trip up the coast to Deshaies (Day-Ay) where we anchored for a few days.

Iles de Saintes

We moored in Terre de Haute harbor. The town is lovely. A nice dinghy dock, away from the ferry dock. The shops are small and close together, the streets are narrow. This is OK, as most of the town is either closed to cars, or one way traffic. Tourists are everywhere, just off the ferry. Think Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard, in French. After a few minutes wandering around, I realized my 4 year old Doyle's Cruising Guide to the Windward Islands is out of date. The officer at the Gendarmerie told me where to go to clear in. I understood less than a third of what he said, smiled and said "Merci". A nice shipowner, who spoke no English at all, was able to figure out what I needed and walked me to the LSM Cafe where you check in, do laundry, use WiFi (pronounced Wee-Fee), etc. One Euro later, Music was cleared into and out of Guadeloupe. Gotta love the French! I picked up some baguettes on the way back to the boat.

Later that afternoon, Tricia and I toured the town while Cary and Ginny did homework. We found the market, and boulangerie. We walked all the way to Fort Rouge, a small emplacement on a hill. There we met a nice German man and his son who spoke English well and knew a lot about the Battle of the Saintes. he insisted we needed to hike up to the Fort Napolean built to visit the museum. We also visited with the goats that do a nice job keeping the vegetation under control on the hilltop.

So, next morning, bright and early, we all set out for the fort on the hill. The STEEP HILL. Cary and Ginny left Mom and Dad in the dust. There were about 7 switchbacks on the way up, with spectacular views. The museum was WONDERFUL! They have done a great job restoring the fort itself, and have assembled exhibits on the fort, the island, and the flora and fauna of the island and surrounding waters.

Tired but pleased, we got back to the bottom of the hill where we found the dive shop (look for "Immersion" or "Plonge" signs). If we got the tanks in by 1630, they could fill them the same afternoon. So we raced back to the boat, packed all our gear into the dinghy and headed for the first dive site "Pain de Sucre". Cary dove with Tricia and me. A small reef with fair visibility, some coral and a variety of fish. The highlight was spearing my first lion fish. They are an invasive species in the Caribbean, and are crowding out the native fish since they have no natural predators. They have poisonous spines. The trick is to bring scissors, and cut the spines off while the fish is still on the spear. That went fine. Lion fish are supposedly delicious. Ours was too small to bother. Maybe when I get a big one.

We did two more dives in the Saintes. Good, but not great. But who's complaining. We are getting pretty good at donning our gear in the dinghy, and getting back into the dinghy after the dive.

WiFi was pretty good for our stay. They have a HotHotHotSpot service that is only 10 Euro a week, available in Guadeloupe, and Antigua as well as other islands. So we got some homework done between dives, wondered through the streets, and enjoyed this quiet little French town.