Friday 3rd November
Marie Galante
Slow start this morning. We are aiming to be in Marie Galante in time for a late lunch. Again the sea state is very good and the wind is with us all the way. We thought we would anchor in Anse Canot rather than off St Louis. The little bay is just the perfect shades of blue, indigo and turquoise. The bay is not so busy either here and we have plenty of room. We had a nice evening watching the sunset and then the stars and the moon rise.
Saturday 4th November
Up fairly early and lunch is packed. We had to wait for the rain to clear, and it did come down copiously. We set off to do the big circular walk we did last time we were here. The first bit along the beach does not show too much damage from the passage of Maria, until we get to the turtle beach. The white sand has been washed away and all the coral is showing. The trees are still standing on the beach but funnily enough the path in the mangrove, which would be much more sheltered than the beach, is littered by fallen branches and trunks. An easy walk on a wide trail turns into a bit of an obstacle course, trying to avoid fallen trees and pools of water. We reach higher ground and the views are breathtaking, looking over to Guadeloupe.
Back at sea level, we wound our way back to Mosquito beach, through coastal woodland, full of flowers. Only a little bit of the higher coastal path has fallen into the sea, might not even have happened during the hurricane. We finally reach the most beautiful beach in Marie Galante. Vast expanses of fine white sand, shaded spots and a sea so blue it looks fake. It is much quieter than the last time we visited. We could not swim then; the waves were far too dangerous. This time round we did get a swim, in still water the colour of the skies.
