We learned five dangerous words in St. Lucia: “Put it on our tab!” We said this way too often to the gregarious staff at the swim-up bar at the Capella Resort in Marigot Bay, St. Lucia. No, we were not paying high-end prices per night to stay at this opulent place that boasts of “unparalleled […]
Author: John-Michael
Many Islands, Reunions, and Farewells
There are so many small islands that are collectively called “The Grenadines” that it can be overwhelming for planning a visit. Most are uninhabited, so proper provisioning is essential. They also span two countries, St. Vincent & The Grenadines (SVG) and Grenada, so officially clearing in and out of each country is required in almost […]
The Land of Reefs
Carriacou lives up to its original Kalinago name, Kayryouacou, meaning “the land of reefs”, with spectacular clear waters, and some of the most pristine underwater flora and fauna we have seen in the Caribbean so far. Combine the underwater beauty with friendly locals, gleaming white beaches, and protected anchorages, and you get a sailing cruisers’ […]
Island Love Affair
We were just playing around for a few weeks, but before we knew it, several months had passed. We never intended for anything long-term to develop. But we fell in love! We think about her all the time. We have such fond memories that we know we will see her again; must see her again! […]
Sprinting to the Finish (with Hurdles)
We were running out of time to get to Grenada from Martinique before Kimberly’s eleven-year-old godchild, Tesoro, arrived by plane to visit during her break from school, but we could not bring ourselves to sail past St. Lucia without stopping in the land of the pitons. We arrived in Rodney Bay right before sunset, and […]
The Island of Gastronomic Decadence
After a smooth sixty-mile sail from Dominica, we arrived in a modern-day Pompeii of the Caribbean, Saint-Pierre, Martinique. The Saint-Pierre harbor is extremely deep, except right along the shoreline, so we had to get unusually close to the beach to anchor. The harbor is also littered with wrecked ships that burned and sank during the […]
Karukera — The Island of Beautiful Waters
The forty-two mile sail from Antigua to Guadeloupe was fast and bouncy. The trade winds were steady from the east, but with fluctuating intensity anywhere from the mid-teens to gusting well over thirty knots. The seas were around eight feet and hitting us just forward of broadside. As usual, ¡Pura Vida! loved the high winds […]
Revelry and Relaxation in Antigua
Our arrival in Antigua (pronounced “an-TEE-ga” – the u is silent) heralded two major events, our first trip back home since departing the mainland almost two years ago, followed by a visit to ¡Pura Vida! by one of our favorite couples. All the excitement aside, we had to prepare to leave our home unattended at […]
The Islands That Brush The Clouds
The plan went to hell as we violently wobbled with the rhythm of a metronome for an entire night at anchor, and our possessions flew from shelves to join a gyrating melee on our salon floor. Upon departing Saint Martin, we had ten days before our scheduled flight out of Antigua to visit the U.S. […]
Vive La France!
Saint Martin, French West Indies, is unlike any other island we have visited up to now in our travels. The island is not large, but it is half French and half Dutch. We arrived on the French side just after dawn, and were treated to a dazzling sunrise with birds singing in our rigging as […]