We’re quite eager to get out of St. Lucia. Not very impressed with this place, though we really haven’t given it much time. It’s pretty expensive to explore here, you need a guide for everything and they’re US$50 per person per pop. That’s all the tourists seem to do, paid tours, so that’s all there is.

We go into Customs and Immigration pretty early. It’s straightforward and soon we’re clear to leave. It’s about 25 nms to Martinique so about 5 hours at 5 kts. We’d like to arrive in time to check in at St. Anne.

It’s a beautiful sail across the channel, could have used a bit more wind but nice and safe. We try fishing again and again, catch saragossa weed.

Coast into the big bay at St. Anne’s, get a decent anchorage and head into town to go to Customs and Immigrations. They’re closed today. St. Patrick’s Day is a government and bank holiday in France? Certainly doesn’t seem very St. Patrick’s-ish around here. They’re also closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays so we’ll have to clear customs in Le Marin tomorrow.

We walk to the big beach – it’s very long, very nice – but we don’t have any swimming gear with us so just walk up and back.

Back in St. Anne’s, the bank machine is still not working so we go into the Carrefour, buy some stuff and ask “Avez-vous Cash Back?”. Seems “Cash Back” is a universal term. Yes, they will give us E$30 so will be good to have a bit of cash. Our French is passable.

We need Internet so stop at a really nice bar on the ocean and have a couple of the local beer, Loraine. It is very cold and quite tasty and a nice change from the uniform taste of Piton, Haroun, Caribe and Stag.

Then head back to Milu for dinner.