Sail to Martinique
15 05, 17
We started with mixed winds in the lee of Dominique for about two miles, then we crossed into the open ocean and the winds were NE at 16 to 25kts. This was great. Apparent wind was 50degrees the entire way through the open ocean. Set our heading for 167deg and flew down to Martinique with a reefed main and staysail at 5 to 6kts of speed. Once in the lee of Martinique winds got fickle for a while, but not long before they started blowing around the northern volcanoes and continued to head us up. Adjusted course as we where headed up to 150 deg and sail to within one mile of St. Pierre. Dropped the sail at 22kts of wind and motored in to anchor. We got there before 2PM and checked into France. In the morning we will go down to SCHOELCHER just north west of Fort De France. Sounds like a nice place, so we may stay there a while and see if I can set up and new phone and a mailbox drop.
St. Pierre is and interesting place. It was totally destroyed in 1802 or somewhere near then by the volcano. The ash flows into town are evident. 30,000 people killed instantly and only two people survived. The ash flows are now lush fields of fruit trees and farms. Many of the building in town have a wall or the corner of a wall that were pre-volcano destruction.
Maybe one day Montserrat's ash flows will look like that.
Tonight there is a rescue at sea underway for the past hour on VHF radio. Some vessel has taken on lots of water and has flooded the engines and the French are going to enlist a cruise boat to rescue the crew from the sinking ship. There was some language problems at first, but the French rescue boat has a person that speaks english. Right now they are communicating the approach on the starboard side of the sinking vessel to execute a transfer of the crew. A cruise ship is sending a small boat to rescue on the port side of the sinking vessel.
Also tonight, the NOAA weather fax is coming in better on 12MHz vs 8MHz which is unusual for this distance and time of day. Usually 8MHz is better in the early evening. There are lots of tropical waves forming on the ITZ, but none of them heading north enough to start spinning into hurricanes.
St. Pierre is and interesting place. It was totally destroyed in 1802 or somewhere near then by the volcano. The ash flows into town are evident. 30,000 people killed instantly and only two people survived. The ash flows are now lush fields of fruit trees and farms. Many of the building in town have a wall or the corner of a wall that were pre-volcano destruction.
Maybe one day Montserrat's ash flows will look like that.
Tonight there is a rescue at sea underway for the past hour on VHF radio. Some vessel has taken on lots of water and has flooded the engines and the French are going to enlist a cruise boat to rescue the crew from the sinking ship. There was some language problems at first, but the French rescue boat has a person that speaks english. Right now they are communicating the approach on the starboard side of the sinking vessel to execute a transfer of the crew. A cruise ship is sending a small boat to rescue on the port side of the sinking vessel.
Also tonight, the NOAA weather fax is coming in better on 12MHz vs 8MHz which is unusual for this distance and time of day. Usually 8MHz is better in the early evening. There are lots of tropical waves forming on the ITZ, but none of them heading north enough to start spinning into hurricanes.