S2.27 - Paradise Found: First Steps into the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles
Dec 12 – Marigot Bay Magic
By 8am we were all up, had breakfast, and were on our way to Marigot Bay Marina since Rodney Bay Marina was overflowing with ARC arrivals. Here are some daytime photos of us departing Rodney Bay:
Arriving into Marigot Bay felt like stepping into paradise. Perhaps it was the fact we hadn’t touched land in almost two weeks, but this morning it was absolutely stunning.
When we finally tied up at the dock and stepped off Lucky Enough, the feeling was almost euphoric. Wobbly legs and all, it was pure bliss to plant our feet on solid ground again after so many days of nothing but rolling seas.
Fun Fact Sidebar:
St. Lucia is the only country in the world named after a woman, Saint Lucy of Syracuse, after French sailors were shipwrecked on the island on her feast day in 1502. The island also boasts the world's only drive-in volcano at its Sulphur Springs.
Byron, Roa, and I proceeded to tackle the to-do list while Ryan navigated the bureaucratic waters of check-in which took up most of the afternoon (island time included). We ran out to get a few supplies (aka beer). Prices were a bit of a shock here —$10 for a bag of Cheetos? Really!?
Meanwhile, we kept tabs on Al and Judi’s crossing. They say they have 288nm to go before their slip awaits them in Rodney Bay.
Dec 13 – Fond Farewells
We hired a local named “Bozo” to give Lucky Enough’s exterior some much-needed sparkle as it was still coated in a thick crust of salt after all those days at sea, while we chipped away at our post-crossing checklist. Later that afternoon, it was time for goodbyes. Byron (with us since mid-September) and Roa (since early October) wrapped up their part of this adventure and began their journeys home.
Before leaving, Ryan passed along his prized fedora—the one he’d bought back in Mallorca during Season 1, Episode 12 of the blog—as a gift to Byron.
It had become part of Byron’s look on board,
and it seemed only right that it went home with him.
We were incredibly fortunate to have had both of them with us across the Atlantic, but Ryan and I were also eager to slip back into our rhythm of cruising life—just the two of us again. A little bittersweet, but it felt good to be “alone at last.”
Dec 14 – Driving & Caesars
The next day Ryan and I braved the roads in a rental car, winding through Castries and Rodney Bay. Driving from the “wrong” side of the car, on the “wrong” side of the road, would’ve been enough of a challenge, but the potholes, routes, and bold local drivers kept us on high alert the whole way.
The highlight of the day? Discovering Clamato juice at a local grocery store—a rare and precious find outside of Canada. In fact, we had never come across it since we left back in February, 2023. Back on board, we mixed up our first Caesars onboard Lucky Enough, and the taste of home hit the spot perfectly.
For any non-Canadians, a Caesar is our take on a Bloody Mary—vodka, Clamato juice, Worcestershire, and Tabasco with a celery salt rim. Traditionally garnished with celery and lime, though these days you’ll see everything from bacon to pickles topping the glass.
And yes, in our humble opinion, it’s far superior to a Bloody Mary.
Ours tasted like pure homecoming.
Meanwhile, Full Circle III was pushing through their final stretch, facing the same dilemma we had: arriving into Rodney Bay after dark. We encouraged them to anchor overnight in the bay—it’s wide, sandy, and easy holding—then dock in the morning. We couldn’t wait to clink glasses with them once they arrived.
Dec 15 – Fuel Fiascos
Post-massage bliss at the Marigot Bay Resort turned into fuel-dock frustration. We had been promised dockside fueling at our slip—perfect, since the tiny fuel dock is tricky to maneuver—but after hours of “island time” waiting, we were eventually told it was “not possible”, a common phrase we’ve heard time and time again from Europeans and has become an inside joke for us.
Plan B: head back to Rodney Bay Marina to refuel, where we could then easily anchor in the bay afterwards and meet up with Full Circle III for our celebratory drinks! Easy, right? Except an 80’ Sunreef hogged the entire fuel dock, refusing to budge. After hovering for over an hour while they filled 3,000 liters (and lingered afterward), we finally pulled in… only to find the dock hand had gone home. Result: an unplanned night tied to the fuel dock, fenced in, and no celebratory drinks with Full Circle III.
Dec 16 – First Stop: Martinique
We were ready to fuel first thing when the attendant arrived, and getting off the dock proved… let’s just say sporty. The current and wind were working against us the whole way, but with some teamwork (and a little muttering), we managed and set course for Martinique.
Fun Fact Sidebar:
Martinique itself is a favorite stop for sailors to re-provision after a crossing. Thanks to its French infrastructure, you can find everything from fresh baguettes to hardware stores stocked better than most islands. We, however, were still in good shape on provisions, so we decided to skip the shopping run this time around.
The island also carries a haunting piece of history. In 1902, Mount Pelée erupted, destroying the city of Saint-Pierre and killing nearly 30,000 people in minutes. The sole survivor within the city was Ludger Sylbaris, a prisoner locked in solitary confinement for disorderly conduct. His tiny, windowless stone cell protected him from the deadly pyroclastic flow. Four days later, rescuers pulled him from the rubble—badly burned, but alive to tell the tale. He became known as “the last man alive.”
Crossing the “Pass des Fours” gave us great conditions for the Genoa, so we motor-sailed with one engine at about 6 knots. After about 7.5 hours, we dropped anchor at L’Anse Turin, perfect for a dip and a patio Caesar.
That night, with only a trumpet fish circling our underwater lights, …
…we enjoyed the calm and counted ourselves lucky to be ending the day in such a peaceful anchorage.
Dec 17 – Dominica Dramas
We woke up to a “squally” morning, got ourselves ready and left Martinique at 7am to cross the Martinique Passage—also called the Dominica Channel—which links the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic.
It’s about 25–35km wide and has a reputation for being “sporty.”
We hoisted both the main and Genoa right away, and for the first 15 miles we flew along at around 8 knots. Then the breeze eased and our speeds dropped closer to 6 knots. Once we hit the middle of the channel, however, the winds returned with a vengeance and we were treated to a lively ride all the way to Dominica until the wind died down again once we reached the lee side of the island.
Fun Fact Sidebar:
Dominica has earned the nickname “The Nature Island” of the Caribbean for good reason. It boasts nine active volcanoes, 365 rivers (yes, one for every day of the year), and is home to the world’s second-largest boiling lake, tucked inside Morne Trois Pitons National Park. Hollywood even took notice—parts of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest were filmed here.
One of the highlights of the crossing was spotting an estuary plume where the Layou River empties into the sea. The contrast was striking…
the muddy brown river water, heavy with sediment, cutting into the brilliant blue of the Caribbean.
It looked almost painted onto the ocean’s surface.
By early afternoon, we found a quiet anchorage at Mero and finally indulged in some true relaxation. Sprawled on our Fatboys in the sunshine, we felt “fat, dumb, and happy”—a favorite phrase borrowed from our aviation days.
Of course, the entertainment didn’t stop there. Fishermen zipped around in their skiffs, diving nets and revving their outboards in wild maneuvers we couldn’t quite make sense of. Then came the showstopper: a nearby catamaran began dragging its anchor out to sea while its owners were ashore enjoying the beach. By the time Ryan started calling the coast guard for help, the couple finally appeared—still blissfully unaware their boat had drifted nearly a quarter mile away. By some miracle, their anchor re-set itself just as they reached it.
That night, neither of us slept soundly. With visions of that drifting cat in our minds, we kept one eye on our Anchor Pro app, grateful that Lucky Enough was holding steady.