We lazed about, snorkelled and slowly moved north towards Martinique. The food and wine reserves were getting low and we were enticed by the thought of Camembert, Charcuterie together with the well missed baguette washed down with a good wine which we knew were waiting for us in Outremer France.
We headed for the port of Marin but its factory feel with hundreds of boats did not appeal. Formalities over and a well replenished larder, we moved to Ste. Anne, where the gentle sea front and local ambiance were more to our taste.
We really felt as if we were in France; the cars, the roads, the infra-structure and well organised walks were a surprise and nothing like we had experienced so far in other parts of the Caribbean. We hired a car and toured the whole Island. We walked many miles up and down. Despite all the facilities, Martinique’s architecture looked at times very utilitarian. We found very few first class hotels or big houses, unlike St Lucia which caters for the American market and has claimed most if its Southwest coast for super Hotels with an excellent Marina in Rodney bay. We did not see super yachts (or Giga yachts for that matter...)
H.M.S. Diamond Rock was occupied by the British for 18 months, during the Napoleonic time, to annoy the French. The French recuptured it, without bloodshed, by sending a fishing boat full of rum.
Never the less we enjoyed meeting with old friends. As we say if we moor in a place long enough we are bound to see boats we have met before. It rarely fails. We stayed a month....
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