Mid March, 2012 

Visiting the Leeward Caribbean Islands

A got an invitation to sail on a 38' catamaran with skipper Peter and crew Marcy.   We started in St. Maartin stopping along the way at Saba (snorkel only), Nevis (anchor ony), and then exploring the islands of the French speaking Guadaloupe & The Saints, Dominica, French speaking Martinique, St. Lucia and finally Bequia.   We did all this in a month's time.  Definitely worth a trip back...or two.

This is what I saw:

Montserrat, English speaking
We passed on this island with the ashes of this active volcano spewing grey ash all over the boat.  I had to go inside because I couldn't breath  The skipper did it because he had never had his boat covered with volcano dust before!

Guadeloupe, French speaking

Pointe-a-Pitre

A sweet little town.

Guadeloupe, French speaking

Deshais
Making music at a beach bar.

Peter going crazy at the chocolate factory.  Can you tell?

How do I look as a local?

The Saints, French speaking
This was my favorite island.

A typical dining/living room.

It was all so beautiful.

Hill view.

Dominica, English speaking

 Martinique, French Speaking

The church steeples and market place welcome you.

There's the 38' catamaran.

This is the town square.

A chateau not too far from the little village.

 St. Lucia, English speaking

This courtyard was used for selling slaves and the French also used their guillotine for punishment.

One way of getting lobster is to buy them.

The view as we leave St. Lucia.

 Bequia, English speaking
A very small laid back island.

It was very noticeable that almost every island that the English governed was impoverished.  

The people of the French islands fared much better.