After a particularly bumpy night with wind driven swells rolling in from the south west, we decided to up anchor and move on.

Bye bye Pigeon Island.

We ambled down the coast and stopped over in the delightful small anchorage of Anse a la Barques which provided a restful night’s sleep. This was preceded by a gentle walk up to the unbiquitous local defence battery, with views down into the bay.

We up anchor at 06h30 the next morning and headed off down the west coast of Guadeloupe. After a morning of dodging fishing balls (denoting lobster pots or worse, drift nets) the Iles grew near. This is a place I have read a fair bit about (in history and novel) and have been very keen to visit.

Our first (and as it turned out only – we loved the spot and could get to other places in the Isles by dingy very easily)  anchorage is Ilet de Cabrit which is protected and has cheap mooring buoys, providing a restful sleep.

We visited Fort Josephine on top of the Ilet; it was both a defensive fortification and a prison.

Mostly it is a state of disrepair. The solitary confinement cells are a bit tight.

The water cistern is still working just fine and was full of water.

We took a dingy ride over to the beach behind the attractive Pain de Sucre. Liz especially liked the houseboat in the bay!!

Visiting the town of Bourg Des Saintes (a ten minute dingy ride away) was a great pleasure. It has all sorts of delightful and artistic surprises around many a corner. Just the sort of place that one could settle in when it comes time to swallow the anchor ……….

Up early at 05h30 Monday morning to take advantage of the (relative) morning cool and climb up to the Le Chameau Lookout Tower. A bit hazy but a great walk, wonderful views and interesting plants and flowers en route. Look for the landing strip in some of the pics!

On the way back got seen by Dr. Carrin at his Monday morning GP clinic for the islands for my perforated eardrum (diving too deep on the anchor at Anse de la Barque).