Thursday - Goat Island
Today we make our first landing since leaving port. We're off to the Goat Island, or Ile Fourchue to give it its proper name. Its a privately owned island that used to be resident to a herd of goats, who true to type, ate so much of the flora, that they ate themselves to extinction! Now, there are myriad cacti, and a few lizards, but most importantly some great views!
There is nothing here except goats who have devoured everything except prickles, and judging by the way some of them were coughing, they have may started on the prickles too! - Travel blogger, 2003
We arrived in two trips in the Dinghy, driven by Tim, and then headed up to the top of the rock for some good leg stretching, cactus photographing, and to spy some of the other islands we will be visiting.
Pete and I went ashore in our water shoes, that had come highly recommended on Amazon for steal of about £15, and they were excellent, comfortable, with great grip. They did not, however, as I found out, protect against Caribbean cacti! Ouch!
We scampered up the mountainside, enjoying 360 degree views out towards St Barts where we're off to after lunch. We took some nice pictures, spotted some more birdlife, and then had to hastily get back down the hill where the Dinghy had somewhat come loose and was just bobbing about on the beach. Rescued, and not having to swim back to the boat, we all piled in, and headed back to Araume-V.
Ready to set off, we motored around to the island of St Barthelemy (St Barts) and its capital city of Gustavia. Katie, as the advance-party, went ashore to clear customs for us, registering our intentions for the next 24 hours or so. This allowed the rest of us to observe all the super yachts that anchor here!
Soon, Katie joined us back on the boat, we stowed our passports, and then it was back in the Dinghy, to take us all in for some lunch and shopping.
We motored in to Gustavia on the Dinghy, navigating our way carefully through the super yachts and other dinghys to find ourselves somewhere to come ashore. We found an unrestricted parking area, and soon were wandering along the streets of this very wealth Caribbean island. Shops include Rolex, Omega, and fashion brands I've never heard of, but somehow required security at the door!
We found a cafe/bar for lunch, which had WiFi - hooray, lightening the load on BoatNet for a while! We had a mixture of burgers, fish, and half chickens, and some beer to wash it down. Colin got slightly covered in mayo when the wind whipped up!
We headed futher into town in search of a supermarket, and happened on a nice boulangerie for some fresh bread, and a nice cafe selling gelato and ice cream. This was a lovely cool refreshment in the middle of the 30+ weather!
Refreshed, we then headed round the bay from Gustavia to Anse de Colombier a secluded pictureque bay, largely inaccessible other than by boat. Pete did a bit of snorkelling.
I took the paddle board to the beach, taking some nice photos in the late afternoon sun.
Then, it was back to the boat to have a supper of deconstructed Greek salad to account for various dietary preferences, and enjoyed a rum punch, complete with Pineapple leaf and Maraschino Cherry!
