Royal Clipper & Windward Isles

First night was a little bit of an adventure, so to speak. At 1 o’clock in the morning we were woken by emergency alarms going off in the cabin. These weren’t the recognise six peeps but seemed intermittent. We weren’t too stressed about it until we heard people run on the deck above us. The next thing it came over the tannoy saying “Brava Brava Brava, all crew to storeroom”. This is a universal signal for an emergency. We were told by the steward, told to don lifejackets and go up to the top deck. It appeared that there had been a fire in the storeroom caused by an electrical short, which created a lot of smoke. This was sorted out quite quickly, but it took a long time to ventilate the boat to get the smoke away. A lot of tired looking people the next morning

A lush island of tropical beauty, St. Lucia is part of the Windward Islands. Its 238-square miles are covered with rain forests, banana plantations, palm-lined beaches, mountains and even a drive-in volcano. Like many of its neighbours St Lucia was a hotly disputed territory, with Britain and France battling for possession. Indeed, the island changed hands no less than 14 times, earning it the nickname of “the Helen of the Caribbean”. The English eventually gained control until independence was granted in 1979. St. Lucia has also had its share of natural disasters, including several fires and hurricanes. Though tourism is now the island’s economic backbone, sugar cane was the primary industry from the 1800’s to 1960. Among St. Lucia’s most noted attractions are the Pitons, two volcanic cones rising up from the sea that have become a symbol of the island itself.

This morning the four-masted Star Flyer and the magnificent five-masted Royal Clipper sail alongside each other as we travel towards Cabrits, on the north-western tip of Dominica.
As we had a speed advantage, the Royal Clipper hove to, and the Star Flyer came alongside for everybody to take photographs
This breath-taking 525-hectare national park is home to a beautiful tropical forest, vibrant coral reefs and wetlands that are teeming with native wildlife. It is also home to Fort Shirley – a restored 18th-century British garrison that offers panoramic views of Prince Rupert Bay.

Unfortunately, due to a 2 m swell we could not mower in Falmouth harbour, instead we docked at Saint Johns.

Columbus discovered this island on his second voyage to the New World and named it after the statue of a saint in Seville Cathedral who was said to work miracles. However, no attempts were made to colonize the island for over 150 years due to its lack of fresh water. The sole inhabitants were Carib Indians until the English arrived from St. Kitts in 1632. For the next 50 years the English grew cash crops to sustain the island until 1674 when the first sugar plantation was established. For the next 300 years, sugar was Antigua’s primary industry until it was replaced by tourism, less than 30 years ago.

During the sugar industries’ heyday, there were over 150 sugar mills on the island and their remains can still be seen today. The island nation consisting of Antigua and Barbuda gained its independence from England in 1981 and has since made great efforts to bolster its infrastructure to support the ever- growing tourist industry. Antigua has also become one of the Caribbean’s largest offshore banking centers. There is no doubt that tourists are Antigua’s greatest asset, and with 365 white sandy beaches, one for every day of the year; turquoise water and spectacular coral reefs, not forgetting the duty- free shopping and casinos, Antigua certainly has a lot to offer them.

Today there is a there is a real swell, with a with a big storm due. We’ve decided not to leave the boat today as we don’t want to get thrown around in the tender. With it rain raining on land there’s not going to be a great deal to see. So today is just read and chill out day. The boat needs to depart at 4 o’clock as the captain wants to be in a safe harbour before the storm hits.

Originally called the “fertile isle” by the Carib Indians, St. Kitts (officially named St. Christopher) still fits the description.
A mountainous island of volcanic origin its slopes rise to almost 4000 feet, providing an ideal climate for abundant vegetation and one of the Caribbean’s largest rain forests. St. Kitts also has the distinction of being one of the only islands the French and British ever shared. This lasted only long enough to ward off the Caribs and the Spanish before they turned on each other. Possession of the island changed several times between the two before the British took final sovereignty with the Treaty of Versailles. The British also used St. Kitts as a mother colony of sorts, sending parties out to other nearby islands to begin colonization. In many ways, St. Kitts has changed little since those days. The sugar industry was closed in July 2005 with Tourism now our primary industry. St. Kitts gained independence in 1983 with its sister island of Nevis, just 2 miles off the southern coast; and has since been striving for controlled development in an effort to maintain its original attributes. Today the island still remains quiet in comparison to other Caribbean nations, but St. Kitts and Nevis are beginning to gain recognition for exactly that reason. They are very much alive with their own unique characteristics, serene atmosphere, beautiful unspoiled scenery and some palm-lined beaches.

A cluster of eight small islands, Les Saintes lies just six miles off the southern coast of Guadeloupe. Only two of the islands, Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas, attract any tourists, as the other six islands are little more than rocky outcrops. The locals are primarily fishermen, known for their large boats and unique head gear. Les Saintes have acquired a well-deserved reputation for beautiful beaches and reefs and attract divers from around the world. Happily though, mass tourism is unknown here and the charm of these enchanted isles remains unspoiled. The tender will take you to the tiny capital “Le Bourg”, a charmingly picturesque seaside village.

Leave Grande Hanse and reach Trois Ilets, birthplace of Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, wife of Napoleon I.
Visit of the Pagerie Museum, where the future empress was born in 1763. Here, you will learn all about this old residence dating of the 18th century and its 300 slaves who lived there to work in the sugar cane plantation.
Continue to Trois Rivières rum distillery, with its exhibition of machine, showing you the manufacturing process.
Martinique’s rum has a “controlled designation of origin” similar to wines and spirits, and it is the sole unique appellation of Rum in the entire world. You will have the opportunity to taste this exceptional product.
Before heading back to the pier, discover a panoramic tour of the beautiful landscapes of the South, including Cover Road, Cap 110 and Diamond Rock.