13d 20h 30 min. European record I believe. Hardly surprising given the quality of the crew. A bouncer 'efforts to land smoothly to Barbados , most English-speaking island in the East of the West Indies. Past entry formalities, we head anchor in Carlisle Bay beach in the capital Bridgetown. The turquoise water at 28 ° C pounces on a sandy beach mealy, lined with palm trees and other vegetation as is found not in the forest of Rambouillet, for example, and featuring a many shacks strongly resembling bar-restaurant. Eheh!
The first two days are under the sign of relaxation. On the program, visit the capital of the island, understand canton to get an idea of the size, the English style of origin, but widely invaded today by U.S. influence and its side bling-bling. Malls all 200 m , everything is designed for tourists who pour in cruise ferries docking every 2 days (the Queen Mary 2 was docked). We're a little taken by the throat by all this agitation after a month in the Cape Verde Islands spared mass tourism, and 13j 20h 30 minutes, maybe even world record, I will check on an Atlantic Ocean is not conducive to the establishment of hotels with formulas " ; all included.
But regardless, we mix it with the locals in the evening for a frenzied game of dominoes (I never thought one day involve the adjective in this game), with shouts of joy and laughter you tip the head back, hands slapping their thighs and sides of table surprises and congratulations on the proper placement of the double 6. In short, a real farce.
xylocéphaliques After waking up, we fill the days of surfing, beach volleyball on the beach at the Hilton, flips back of the boat, and football with sunset in the background.
follow these days triggers the inevitable day "obligations" not to say painful, especially with the change of master folk customs, Adri leaving us to spend Christmas with family in the big apple. Manu who take on the role of captain, and the application of Mar mine was not retained. Surprisingly. Also, shopping, supplies water to the shower to the beach with cans, where we wait the few swimmers who want to rinse their feet, looking for new plays and other parts for the boat, occupy the days.
We also had the pleasure of finding Natasha, high school girlfriend and me Jul, though she said we were bad at the time. Sayings that we reject as a whole, of course. Teasing may be bad, ever. In all cases we had good times together this time.
Et puis, il y a eu le gaz. Nos deux premières bouteilles sont vides, la troisième tire sur la corde. Il va falloir recharger. Qui aurait pu imaginer que toute l’île ne fonctionne qu’au propane. Personne ne peut nous aider, et ce n’est pas faute d’avoir chercher. La solution est la suivante : nous passerons par Grenade où Oliv se rappelle avoir trouvé des recharges de butane avec Adri lors d’un précédent voyage. La décision est prise, nous partons plus tôt que prévu avant de devoir manger du riz cru, direction Grenade.
Grenade.
Après 24h de nav’, nous mouillons dans anchorage near St. George, the capital of Bridgetown like its size, Grenada. The difference Barbados is striking. The first is completely flat. Grenada is made of mountains and hills covered with lush vegetation and majestic as found not in Chateauroux, for example. And I defy a Châteauroux contradict me. In short, it's beautiful, and thence to say that Grenada is the bomb, especially when one is in search of gas, there is only one step, I dare.
After inadvertently forgot to have presented customs, we went in quest of the gas. Even if the setting is appropriate, this is not the last Indiana Jones. Not to mention that it's Saturday afternoon and the only person authorized to charge the cylinders on the island for the weekend until Monday. It is unbelievable that these people do not work the weekend ... So here we are on this beautiful island until Monday at least.
And it's a weekend full of gourmet delights that we'll go. Two lobsters 1kg each, valiantly by Oliv ski boat fishermen from the foot of the racket. An amazing hunting technique that you ask him the details. No mask or snorkel. We were amazed. Then two kilos of lemons and fifteen wild coconut collected during a walk full of coasts and slopes to fill our nets. Yum yum. Some backloops, too, hundreds of pages devoured novels and 120 opposed clovers fill the rest of the weekend. I'll spare you the details of the mission Monday morning to fill the cylinders with Manu, but after 3 bus changes "mini valve" we eventually find that famous gentleman filler gas. Very nice my faith. Finally after 4 hours 900 rounds of oars in the appendix, we can finally go in the direction of Los Roques, where we spend Christmas with gas.
Los Roques, Venezuela.
The trip is planned for 3 days. We will do both. Record de France. To reach Los Roques is simple: leaving Grenada, turn right onto Highway Trade winds. Set the genoa and jib inter 'and building on the left lane (there is no radar, you can go quiet). Take exit # 4 Los Roques Las Tortugas after that. Arrival is from Gran Roque, turn the engine turns to 2200, you wind of 35 knots in the nose, and park in the first set on the left. Do not remove the appendix, no engine, it is useless, you still never despite the physical form and Olympic dreams. Go rather wet on another island sheltered from the wind. Beware of shallow water, and wet slalom correctly. You will spend Christmas here in this small lagoon to the turquoise water always, where you can bathe in the middle of sea turtles and the fish you've ever seen in an old story of Jacques Cousteau when you were young. The red cap is not required. The bottle of red it, though. It Christmas.
Here's dinner on Christmas Eve the boys of fuss (take a pen for recipes): homemade bread, or rather made boat, country pâté, cornichons, Bordeaux 2007, a little young but this is not serious, green olives, cakes appetizer, ti punch, stunning sunset, moon fairy, and voracious mosquitoes, on the beach. Then semolina cake made boat, with its lemon-rum syrup also ship Tonton gunslingers and sleep. You can store your pen.
And on 25 the morning of pancakes and gifts. Manu and Oliv had to make a gift, Jul and I ours. Received: Manu, 5 chocolate bars, Oliv, a cookbook cooking Barbados English; Jul bottle label touting its status as a "choqueur" of your sails designed by author, and I received a beautiful charade from the imagination of my friend. A lovely Christmas you filled the heart of this friendly warmth.
For Christmas extracurricular activities, our future traveling companions, Peter and Alexis Poncho, arriving on 27, will be happy to describe in the next section.
Meanwhile, friends join me in wishing you a Happy New Year. And most importantly, it makes me happy, cover yourself! Ehe!
Oliv J
