We all had basically the same choice from the menu, Lobster salad followed by a steak and shrimp main, the only difference was Dave who opted for the teriyaki starter and the girls went for velvet cake for a sweet and the boys stuck with strawberry cheesecake. All very touristy. They stung us on the drinks bill too!
We had a game of free pool, Lynne and I drew one game each. It has to be said Marigot Bay is very nice but you need to be well funded, us poor yachties are happier with the poor folk down the way.
During the night Hocus Pocus behaved at anchor but just as the French Cat next to us left we dragged our anchor, coincidence? Maybe, maybe not. When we reset our anchor the night before I had got to practise my French when he pretty much insisted we let out more chain as he was in 14 metres and had 40 metres of chain out, I explained that he was in the channel and we weren't consequently we were in 5 metres of water and had 20 metres of chain out. The ratio for both of us being 4:1 however to keep him quiet we let out 30 metres upping our ratio to 6:1. We also think it probably lay over his anchor chain. Chest la vie, as they say.
So an early morning session with the anchor and we decided to just up sticks and leave, unusual for us these early starts, just like proper yachtsmen!
We continued south intending to stop at the famous Pitons near Soufriere. I was steering, an unusual occurrence on Hocus Pocus which is invariably on autopilot. However it did give Dave the chance to get the binoculars out and he spotted a small but very pretty bay just before Grand Caille Point, called Anse Chastanet.
We decided it was worth a look.
As we entered the usual boat boy on a surfboard directed us towards the one remaining buoy of a pair but of course we were wise to this ploy now and carried on into the right hand end of the beach which seemed rather tight for our considerable bulk but which we managed to pick up a mooring buoy and have some breakfast. The boat boy continued to hassle us but we politely refused all offers of help coconuts or waterline scrubs. The dive boats for which this bay is well known were all crowding into and around us making it a very busy place, but quite stunning.
The development has a faintly James Bond villain type of a feel with an extraordinary jungle high rise just visible in the photo above.
Breakfast eaten we were debating what to do when luckily a marine warden happened by checking on the dive boats licences etc. The area we were in is a closely controlled Marine reserve and anchoring is strictly controlled, normally you would be required to pick up an official buoy. We asked if it was ok to be where we were and he said it was but it would be much quieter out on one of the two buoys that the boat boy had pointed out earlier! Oops.... Anyway without feeling too guilty about it we motored over and picked up the one remaining buoy next to a small charter yacht sailed by a couple from Gibralter of all places.
It was handy for a small jetty placed equidistant between the bay and its neighbour Anse Mamin. This seemed to be a lot quieter so after lunch we decide to take the dinghy ashore and possibly do some swimming.
The beach was everything you expect of a tropical island and even though obviously raked and manicured by the Hotel which owned it, still retained that beautiful if cliched charm.
As we walked back from the shore there were several buildings set back, a beach bar and what seemed to be a kitchen and dining area. There were a few loungers and thatched shades each equipped with a small,yellow flag presumably to call for service, all very posh but no one was telling us we couldn't be here so we made ourselves comfortable.
The heat was becoming a little oppressive so Lynne and I were keen to get in the water, Dave had brought a couple of snorkelling sets so Lynne and I would share one for the afternoon as Carole isn't the keenest of swimmers, she did however have a try later in the afternoon.
There seemed to be a great place to begin by some small stacks so we got in the water and I put on the mask and snorkel ( fins were the wrong foot size ) it was astonishing! The water was crystal clear and as you swum along surrounded by colourful fishes and coral in abundance.
Soon it was Lynnes turn and just like me she was entranced.
The water was very warm, when Lynne and I did our dive training in freezing Lancashire this was the diving dreams were made of!
It is difficult to capture with a camera the bright colours and endlessly changing dappled background that hides tiny fish and other creatures. In this instance seemingly unafraid of humans wearing strange masks.
Dave joined us for several swims through this magic garden. It's definitely something Lynne and I are keen to repeat.
The variety of small reef fish is amazing unfortunately difficult to capture with my limited camera.
We returned to the idyllic beach several times during the afternoon and at one stage I thought Lynne had turned into a mermaid so reluctantly did she climb out of the water. She has turned into a real " water baby"
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