Rodney Bay, St Lucia - Whats Not To Like

Pigeon Island, Rodney Bay

We have been in Rodney Bay St Lucia a little over a week; it’s a comfortable stopping place while we wait for a fairer wind on our journey north.  But I can never truly decide if I like it here or not.  I mean, its a Caribbean island, right - whats not to like? Over the past five years we have spent a lot of time here on our way north and south each season, probably clocking up almost a year in total. But there is something I just can’t lay my finger on that keeps me from embracing this island as one of my favourites.

It is convenient for supermarkets that sell a lot of westernized or what would be considered luxury goods – treats for us.  There are two small malls or shopping centres for when you need that shopping fixed denied you by less developed islands.  The hardware and marine store are not unreasonable for those all important boaty bits.  The large marina is home to the ARC – the largest rally of cruising boats crossing the Atlantic.  It has good facilities including bars and restaurants and a boatyard that we have hauled at twice.  The fuel dock is easy and convenient to use.  The bay (when you can find a patch of sand amongst all the rubble to anchor in) is well protected in most conditions.  It does not suffer as much as other places from those awful swells that rock the boat violently around the clock making life miserable.  The beaches are nice, if a little touristy (we’re not tourists – right!). 

Beach by The Landings Resort

But you can’t swim far from your boat without getting run over by a jet ski or paraglider  or some other hi speed boat.  The lovely picturesque Pigeon Island (that have Sims favourite lamb rotis at Jambe de bois) charge during the day to walk around.  The noise (read socca music) at the weekend from Gros Islet goes on until four in the morning.  (Of course you know that water carries sound especially down wind). But maybe I’m just getting old. Everything must be locked and although everyone is very friendly there is that ever so slightly sinister undertone.  Though I am very fond of St Lucia for many reasons – it is a beautiful island, it will never be a favourite and will always just be the place that we stop at on the way south or north as we travel the island chain. That said, Sim disagrees; "they sell a wicked steak at a fair price at the supermarket" so he’s always happy to be here!

Pirate ship

The boat that delivers fruit and veg to your boat

The fisherman's dock

Pigeon Island

The First Sail of the Season

A grey day

The first sail of the season set off to an inauspicious start with grey and grizzly skies, rain and very little wind. Damp and soggy we motor sailed a good portion of the way to Tyrell Bay in Carriacou, our first stop on our journey north, in the company of our friend, Jon from Imagine of Falmouth.

Tyrell Bay Carriacou

A bright and balmy morning woke us the next day. Tyrell Bay literally shimmered in the sunlight.  We had a beautiful few days in one of my favourite Caribbean islands.  An eclectic mix of boats as ever you will see gleamed in the sunlight, swinging lightly on their anchors;  the sea, a multi hue of greens and blues. We had drinks at the charming Slipway Bar, walks on the unassuming beach littered with sea-glass, gate crashed the opening of the cute new Gallery Café who put on a (free)  spread with all their delicious produce and live music.  We finished our short stay there with a BBQ on Wandering Star in the good company of Jon from “Imagine”, Pat and Geoff of “Beach House” and Jeff and Izzy from “Izzy R”.

The Man & The Boat

Not only were we treated to calm and shimmery sunshine by day but also by a bright and full moon casting shimmery light by night.  I counted my blessing once again for this bright, colourful and wonderful world that we live in.

Union Island

Over the following days we took short steps, motoring in the flat calm, glassy seas and windless days a few miles to the next islands; 10 miles to Union Island, 30 miles to Bequia readying ourselves for the longer trip up to St Lucia. We swam and snorkeled in the gorgeous sea as much as we could but it seems that jellyfish are out en mass marring our fun.

Arriving in St Lucia

At the crack of dawn we lifted sails for our trip to St Lucia, the sun not yet over the horizon but enough light to see what we were doing.  The moon was still high in the sky and a light breeze took us out of Bequia and on our way.  We had a super sail nearly all the way, except for a small part of the leeward coast of St Vincent.  Dolphins played in the converging currents, leaping full out of the sea.  Wandering Star sailed well – we were pleased. The higher cut genoa that we put on in Grenada preformed well especially when the wind kicked in. The kitty was well behaved and Sim and I both enjoyed the sail.  We picked up a mooring between the magnificent Pitons, bought fresh fruit from a boat boy in a bright, pink kayak, snorkeled (not for long as the stingers were out), and shared a beer with Jon and the Park ranger. 

Taking a break

We are now snuggly anchored in the flat calm of Rodney Bay, a good rainsquall has washed all the salt away.  I think a roti at Jambe de Bois is called for this evening and a cold Carib Beer. 

It was tight but everyone squeezed in for a BBQ

The Lambie Queen dinghy dock

Sitting outside the new Gallery Cafe

Sunset

The kitty has had enough of sailing!

I can see sand dollars

Our Thoughts On Steel So Far

Anchored in Rodney Bay St Lucia

It was nine years ago that Sim and I jumped on that plane and flew out to Antigua to start our cruising life on Alianna. She was a sorry sight and it took us a while to learn her ways.   I can’t believe it has been so long.   And now here we are four months on since moving aboard Wandering Star and we are still in the learning curve stage, the meets and greets as it were; becoming familiar with all her little idiosyncrasies, her creeks and groans, her smells and her ways.  All our senses are on constant high alert; what was that noise, is it a halyard too tight, or a water tank too full. Does the engine sound right, what’s that gurgling sound?  These are questions that will one day be as familiar as we are to each other.

So what have we learnt so far? 

Steel boats are  noisier than similar fiberglass boats, especially those with swim platforms. But we have got use to that now. Sailing, she seems to slice though the water. Noise echoes down the boat.  You have to trace it like wiring or plumping and work our where it is coming from.

We keep tabs on any rusty spots but at the moment these don't seem too bad. 

She sails pretty well; any inadequacies are on our part – not hers.

We have some  aluminum paint blistering but this is cosmetic and not structural and we will deal with small areas at a time.

All in all we feel quietly comfortable in our steel boat.  She is strong and sturdy.

Wandering Star

In the mean time while we waited on weather in St Lucia to continue our journey south we tackled some non invasive jobs on the boat.  Sim has repaired leaks in our dinghy by a new method that I read about awhile ago on the internet, I forget where I apologize.  But it goes like this. Find your leak in the usual manner of running a soap brush over dinghy until you find air leak (which will bubble).  Clean area and cut a small patch to just cover hole and then cut a larger patch. Sand these and the area to be patched lightly with 240 or so grit. Deflate dinghy slightly and apply smaller patch with super glue and hold it in place until it sticks.  Wait for an hour or so just to be sure.  Clean up any excess glue with acetone, inflate dinghy then apply second patch with a two part dinghy glue. Et voila. So far so good – the patch is holding and we didn’t have to wait 24 hours for it to cure. And while Sim was been tinkering on deck, checking rigging and cleaning stainless I have been making window covers to provide some shade below.

Newly repaired dinghy.

New window covers to keep it cool and shady below.

Sitting Tight in St Lucia



Pigeon Island, Rodney Bay

We have spent A LOT of time in St Lucia over recent years. Rodney Bay at the north end of the island on the western side breaks up our journey on the way north and south.  Its a very large bay over a mile wide. Several of the beaches are dominated by hotel resorts like Sandals.  Its not a bad place. We had a wonderful time here with my family over Christmas and New Year and have even hauled out here twice.  But it is often a transient place for us where it seems we are always waiting for a weather window north or south. We actaully always have a great time here but for some reason every time we draw near to arriving in St Lucia  we are always filled with the…’not St Lucia AGAIN!’ thoughts.  Not this time though.  Not after the wild rolling and pitching that we suffered in Martinique.  In fact I was quite desperate to arrive in the calm protected waters of Rodney Bay and the familiar environs of St Lucia.  Especially as after the last afternoon in Grand Anse D’Arlet whilst we were snorkeling we found that a link in the chain of the mooring buoy we were on was split and so we had to move for the 6th time in nearly as many days! Beware; that was buoy N6. We told the attendants ashore so it should be fixed. I think that place had it in for us.

 

Broken chain link on mooring in Grand Anse D'Arlet.

So we were quite ready to embrace the charms of St Lucia despite its slightly shady undertones (theft and attacks to cruisers and tourists – various shootings, cruisers in jail – you get the picture).  The western style supermarkets and two malls, the bars and the restaurants are always a joy and a place to get your shopping fix.  We know where the sandy patches are in the bay that is notorious for bad holding and have our anchor snuggly buried, feeling secure our home won’t blow away. Which is just as well as it is blowing hard.  There is no swell creeping in and the only movement of the boat, though we are swinging wildly in the wind, is a gentle rock. We have picked up what all cruisers desire at anchor (apart from a peaceful night or a glass of rum) - a scratchy internet connection and are in touch with the outside world. We have had the mandatory roti (because it’s the best roti) at Jambe de Bois over at Pigeon Island with Sam and Jon.  But the wind is blowing a stink - tropical waves, tight wind gradients and squalls are what our friendly weather man has been telling us.  Which translate to windy, rainy weather kicking up big seas. Nobody can remember when it last rained so much. Looks like we are here for a while AGAIN as we wait for the weather to abate. And secretly this time we are quite pleased to be somewhere comfortable.

It rained and then it rained some more!

Pigeon Island

On our way to get fuel

Fishing boats