The Archipelago of Guadeloupe is made up of up five distinct island groups:
- Basse Terre (see Guadeloupe: Deshaies a Darling Spot for mid and north information)
- Grand Terre
- Marie Galante
- Les Saintes (see Guadeloupe: Exploring with Friends, Shelley and Don)
- La Desirade
Each set of islands are unique and beautiful. If you visit just one island, you really can’t say that you’ve seen Guadeloupe. We have now spent several weeks discovering 4 sets of islands (all but La Desirade) and it feels as if we have only skimmed the surface of what they have to offer. This assures that in the future we will be spending more time in this archipelago.
Our limitation when visiting the French islands is our lack of the French language. It helps when we hang with folks who know even a little bit of French. Thankfully the phone has several translation apps with help immensely.
Pigeon Island off Basse-Terre
March 28, 2023
We had a pleasant sail from Deshaies on the northwest coast to Pigeon Island which is situated about mid-Basse Terre off Plage de Malendure. As we were headed south we met up with SV Inca Cross who happened to be going the same direction. So we buddy boated to the anchorage.
This was a very touristy area, but the anchorage was large and shallow once you snugged up to the coast. There was a small protected inlet for fishing boats which provided an excellent place to tie up the dinghy when visiting the nearby grocery stores, laundry, bars and eateries. Joe and Katy even found a car to rent for $25 a day. Now that was a great find!
March 29
Pigeon Island was actually two islands as there was a shallow connection where you could swim through the middle. This morning the weather seemed relatively stable so the four of us dinghied out to the island to check out the snorkeling. We found an abundance of fish, some I had never seen before, and a nice wall covered in coral formations. It was a wonderful swim and since we went early, we arrived before the plethora of tourist boats.
That evening Joe and Katy came over for fish tacos (see recipe at Fish Tacos from Amy Strebel) and we had a nice visit listening to the surf slap the shore and watching the moon rise.
March 30
We had planned to snorkel the following day, but the weather turned cloudy and rainy, and even when the sun peaked through, it didn’t appear that the visibility would be that good. So we hung out on the boat and got a few chores completed.
March 31
However, by Friday, the weather had cleared so we jumped back in the dinghy and motored to Pigeon Island, again early before the crowds. The snorkeling was wonderful and this time I wore my shorty wet suit because previously I had gotten quite chilly when snorkeling the south side of the island. Since I rarely get cold, this was quite a surprise. I was glad I had the wetsuit on when we went back to the south side because once again it was rather cool.
The south side of Pigeon Island is know as “the aquarium” and I can understand why, because there were schools and schools of fish. In addition there was a “bust of Jacques Cousteau,” but I am sure from my vantage point it could have been a bust of Ben. LOL!
As you can tell from the pictures, we would definitely recommend making a stop at Pigeon Island in settled weather and doing a little snorkeling or diving. Katy indicated that the diving was remarkable!
Basse Terre
April 1, 2023
Joe and Katy invited us to go with them to tour some more of Basse Terre. So we took off for Corsaire Musee du Rhum Distillery on the NE part of the island. The museum was quite extensive including an exhibit about the rum making process, an insect exhibit, that to be honest somewhat creeped me out, and a display of miniature boats depicting vessels from the 1700s and their histories. It was a fun museum and worth all the traffic we encountered to get there.
Our next stop was suppose to be a waterfall I had read about, but as I found more information on it, we decided to pass it by as it had rained a lot and the trail sounded anything but safe in these muddy conditions. It was very steep and you had to pull on roots to hoist yourself up. No thank you!
We decided to have lunch at a beer distillery, Les Bieres de la Lezarde (oh did I mention this is a French island so Everything is in French?). From the website, we thought the menu was more extensive than it was, but we were able to order some tapas that were quite good.
Our next stop was at a chocolatier, Les Chocolats d’Anne-Solene, where we loaded up on goodies to take back to the boat. The chocolate was delightful!
All in all, it was a lovely day and the drive through the middle of Basse Terre afforded a beautiful mountainous route. The island of Basse-Terre has the highest peaks of Guadeloupe.
Sunday, April 2
We learned from SV Inca Cross that there were two other catamarans in the anchorage that were from Texas, SV Symphony (Todd and Erin) and SeaScape (Tanya and Shane). SV Symphony invited everyone over for a lovely potluck dinner. We had several types of fried rice, marinated shrimp (see recipe), cheeses and of course beer and wine. It was a fun evening getting to know like-minded cruisers.
April 3, 2023
On Monday a weather window presented itself for us to move around to Pointe-a-Petrie which was the largest port in Guadeloupe and caters to all types of boats. We had made reservations at Bas du Fort Marina for a few days. Its located on the south side of Guadeloupe and would position us to easily explore another of the main islands, Grand Terre. In addition, it was a good jumping off point to navigate to Marie Galante, an additional island of Guadeloupe.
The day started out well as we sailed down the west side of Basse-Terre.
However, getting around the southern point of Basse Terre was a beast because the waves and wind were not aligned and the depths were not consistent. Thus, we almost had to sail all the way to Les Saintes before tacking back into the channel. The swells were 8 feet at times, and because of the current, they were not smooth elongated waves, but short, choppy uncomfortable ones.
Nevertheless, Daggers Down took them head on and we actually pointed with a monohull which Ben outran. After one more additional tack and pointing as high as possible into the wind we finally got on a good track to head into the harbor. The journey took about 1.5 hours longer than we had anticipated, but we anchored right outside the harbor before dark! Whew! It was nice to be here.
Exploring Grand Terre
April 4, 2023
Tuesday morning, we moved into the Bas du Fort Marina. It was always a little stressful getting into the slip at this marina because they used a Med moor and we had to back in between two other boats with only fenders between us. However, with the marina’s assistance and a few peeps on the dock, we got secured.
We hadn’t moored at a marina in a while. So we took full advantage of this perk especially since this marina offered free water and electricity. Daggers Down was spoiled with a cleaning both inside and out and we spoiled ourselves by using the air conditioning which was super nice when cleaning the inside of the boat. In addition, since we had shore power, I cooked up some meals for the future to put in the freezer. Needless to say, we made good use of our time at the marina.
As Ben went to check us into the marina he noticed another Catana that we had seen multiple times in Antiqua but had not had the chance to meet. So he stopped by to say hello to Bill and Kate on SV Double Vision. They invited us over for cocktails that evening. I am not sure they were ready for how easily our conversations moved from one topic to another as they ended up serving us a lovely dinner of Eggplant Ratatouille, and we stayed way past everyone’s bedtime. But we all had a good time and really enjoyed hearing about their journeys from England across the Atlantic twice to sail in the Caribbean. They had now decided to head back across the Atlantic by way of Bermuda to sail in the Med. I will be anxious to hear about their Mediterranean experience.
April 5
We picked up a rental car this morning and decided to drive around for a bit and to get the lay of the land. Please note: Every rental car we drove in Gwada was a stick shift! Good thing Ben remembered how to drive one. At least they drive on the same side of the road as the USA.
We drove through Pointe-a-Petrie which was a very busy port town from cruise ships to tankers. There were many historical buildings and landmarks throughout the town, but as we perused the surroundings, we also had to be mindful of the crazy drivers and the one way streets.
It was kind of nice when we left the city behind and took a “freeway” out of town into the countryside. We ended up driving across the middle of the island which was covered in sugar cane.
In addition, there were meadows and pastures of grazing cows and goats. Grand Terre was not as mountainous as Basse Terre, but it was beautiful, nonetheless.
Guadeloupe was not as “jungly” as its neighbor Dominica, but it was still lush green from coastal windswept scrub trees to wooded forests.
We ended up on the southeast tip of the island at Pointe des Chateaux. As this was Easter week, there were lots of tourists and locals who had pitched tents along the water’s edge.
The water at the pointe was lined with reefs and a small outcropping of rocks, one aptly named La Roche. The beach was beautiful, and the surf was hypnotic as one wave after the other roared across the reefs onto the shore.
Since we arrived back at the boat later than expected we decided to eat pizza out. However, we had forgotten that restaurants close after lunch and don’t reopen until 1800. So, we sat outside and people watched until they were ready to take our order. The pizza had a super thin crust and was quite good. It was very inexpensive too. We ate for less than $20.
April 6
Ben ran a few errands this morning trying to track down some motor oil and other supplies. Then he and I went to the large supermarket at the mall, LeClerc. Since I don’t know French, I found the store intimidating. I spent most of my time looking up words to be sure of what I was buying. In addition, since it was right before Easter many of the shelves were somewhat bare. There was no chicken in the meat department at all. I finally found a bag of frozen chicken breasts. I also located some pork chops, and some good cuts of beef, which can be hard to come by in the islands. However, I finally had had enough. The store was hot, as the AC was not working, and crowded. Thus, we left only making a small dent in the shopping list.
Upon returning to the boat, I put everything away and we both decided a nap was in order. So we relaxed for the rest of the day and had a quick dinner of omelets and biscuits.
April 7, Good Friday
We left this morning to explore the north side of the Grand Terre. We thought since it was a holiday, the roads would be quiet. However, we did not anticipate the bicycle race that was happening on the west side of the island. So we had to wait a couple of times for cyclist to pass us before moving on down the road. It appeared to be a very organized event with onlookers sitting on the side of the road, police directing traffic, motor scooters clearing the way, and chase cars following with supplies.
Our first stop on the west coast was Port Louis. The town was pretty quiet except for people shopping at the grocery and swimming at the nearby shore.
A little further up the coast was a delightful long white sand beach that one day I hoped to come back to and spend the day,
Right on the beach was a graveyard. These French graveyards intrigued me with their little houses for each family. This was the first time I have been close enough to really examine them. They were so interesting.
We continued around the west side of the island to the busy town of Anse-Bertrand which also possessed a charming beach.
Finally at the northernmost point of the island we reach, Pointe de la Grande Vigie, and it was well worth the drive!
We began making our way down the east coast to Pointe-de-Piton. The blue hues of water were beautiful next to the high cliffs. Grande Terre was not that mountainous, but it certainly had massive cliffs plummeting into the water.
The terrain of Grand Terre included forests of hardwood trees, large meadows for crop growing, and of course fields and fields of sugarcane.
This was the last day with the rental car and while we saw a lot of Grand Terre, I felt like we barely had an introduction.
April 8, Saturday before Easter
Today we finished cleaning Daggers and got the boat ready for our next jaunt to Marie Galante.
We also had dinner with Kate and Bill from SV Double Vision, as soon we would be heading our separate ways. It was fun meeting so many people of varied backgrounds but with one thing in common; we were all cruisers living on our boats constantly watching the weather and exploring.
April 9, Sunday, Easter
Most islanders have the whole weekend off for Easter from Friday through Monday. So today we completed boat chores such as painting Semco on the teak sugar scoops and cooking some meals for the freezer.
Tomorrow we would make our way to another one of Guadeloupe’s islands, Marie Galante.
Marie Galante and its Rolling Hills
April 10, 2023
I wasn’t sure when we came to Guadeloupe whether the wind would be favorable enough to make the stop in Marie Galante. Much of the time the trade winds blow directly from Marie Galante so getting there can be taxing. However, today the wind was from the NE and only about 15 knots. So we had a nice sail on a beautiful day with blue skies and fluffy white clouds.
We anchored at Saint Louis along an elongated white beach that seemed to go on forever. The water was crystal clear as we could easily see the bottom. Our goal today was to find a rental car. We had read that this could be a difficult process and that some of the rental car companies on the island could be nasty to their patrons. Fingers crossed!
We dinghied ashore to the floating dinghy dock and walked into town. We immediately saw a rental car place and with the help of our translating app we signed up for car for tomorrow! Yay! That was easier than we anticipated.
We walked around Saint Louis, but as it was “Good Monday” most everything was closed. People were spending their day swimming at the beach and playing loud Caribbean music. It was still a holiday!
April 11, Tues.
The guy at the rental car office indicated we should retrieve the car by 0800. I think the ferry arrived at 0830 and it could get busy. We landed a little before pick up time, and while we waited, we couldn’t resist a chocolate croissant from the French Bakery.
By 0830 we were in the car and on our way up the west coast to the Anse Canot Beach. After leaving the well paved main road to drive down a short bumpy unpaved road, we walked down a wooded trail to a perfectly calm beach where folks were practicing yoga.
Our next stop was highly recommended by several folks. It was a sink hole where water now fills it from the Atlantic, Gueule Grand Couffre. It was an awesome sight! After viewing the sink hole, we walked along a narrow wooded trail to the cliffs! Magnificent!
Back on the main road we continued a little further around on the north side to Caye Plate. Once again, we were astounded by the high cliffs and the beautiful water. The trail to the cliffs was through the forest after traversing another rugged unpaved road.
There were lots of scrub trees and distinctive little flowers along the trail.
We then traversed into the middle of the island through the sugarcane fields until we reached Bellevue Distillerie. It is still a working rum producer, but ruins from a time gone by could be seen on the grounds. This distillery was known as the only eco friendly rum distillery.
It was suggested by our friend, John Moore, that we have lunch at the Capesterre Beach, but as we entered the town the sargassum was extremely thick along the beach and the smell was unpleasant. I am sure that when the sargassum bloom was not in its height, this would be a great place to hang out, but NOT today.
We continued to the south of Marie Galante to the Habitation Murat. This site included some restored buildings including the plantation house, kitchen, and slave hospital, as well as rum production ruins. The plantation mansion also housed a small museum.
Grand-Bourg, is the capital of Marie Galante. We drove around taking in the sights before parking, visiting the market, and eating at a sandwich shop.
We had planned to go to the grocery store in Saint Louis on our return, but as we drove up, we were reminded that everything closed between 1:30 and 3:30. So we made our way back the boat for our own siesta. Then we went to the store and bought a few more items on our list before returning the car. I would definitely recommend Attaud Location as we had no problem obtaining a car, nor returning it. It was a fabulous day!
Well, I should say it was a great day until we stopped at the store where we needed to check out of Guadeloupe tomorrow. It was a good thing we went by as Ben discovered the computer was out of service and we could not check out there. Grand Bourg had a customs location, but its hours were iffy, and it was not guaranteed that they would be open tomorrow. Sooooo, we decided our best option was to get up in the morning and sail to Les Saintes. The custom’s computer there was open from 1400 to 1600. We hadn’t planned to revisit Les Saintes again this sailing season, but here we go!
We hope you have enjoyed this tour of Guadeloupe. It was certainly a place of diversity depending on which island and what part of the island you visited. Plan to take your time to enjoy!
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