Martinique - Anse Mitan and Le Marin

Martinique is the largest windward island in the Caribbean.  It has the closest thing resembling a city - Fort de France.  The Fort de France Bay/Harbour is quite large and has many anchorages and inlets.  We choose Anse Mitan, a pretty looking bay with good shelter.  

We read the cruising guide and notice the small marina on the other side of the peninsular, a short walk away.  The shape of the marina looks familiar to us from when we came to view the other boat we nearly bought.  Gary swears it is the same marina, but I protest based on where I think our hostel was from the marina.  Alas, when we arrive at the marina I turn to Gary, I take both his hands in mine and look him in the eye.  "Gary" I say "I am about to say something very important.  This may be the only time you ever hear these words pass my lips but....you were right".  
We visit our "runner up" boat.  The  broker had threatened that if we didn't accept their final offer, that the boat would be sailed back to France and the chance to buy her would be gone.  But there she was, right where we left her, but more neglected.   We had offered on her from New Zealand and spent a good two weeks negotiating, eagerly awaiting emails across time zones, building a bit of an emotional attachment.  Gary and I had a few pangs of sadness looking her over, and wish her well.

We took a day trip to Fort de France city.  There were actually shops that I wanted to buy something in! It was amazing.  I grabbed a couple of T-shirts and shorts.   We visited the market to buy a couple of tomatoes, but are astonished by the cost compared to Dominica.  We buy two regardless, what is a baguette sandwich with mayonnaise, ham, lettuce and tomato without a tomato!  Gary's take away from our trip to Fort de France was his bitter disappointment at the McBaguette.  

Another abandoned hotel, this time at Anse Mitan

The next day we head down to Le Marin, mainly to do some provisioning and laundry.   On both counts we are surprised by the extraordinary cost, but the facilities are good.  Many bays in Cul-de-sac du Marin are beautiful.  Club Med Martinique takes up one of the points.  But we anchor right up the inlet in the most unattractive part of the bay, to be close to the town centre.  I may have said this before, but I have never seen so many boats in the same place; a new record.  The bay was packed with hundreds, maybe even thousands, of boats. Some in the marina, some on moorings and some just anchored.  Many are prepared for hurricane season, with sails and Bimini removed and everything lashed down.  


We met up with our Aussie cruiser friends and were treated to a BBQ dinner.   I am jealous of their grill and now insist that we need a gas grill, as opposed to the charcoal one we currently have, and have never used for fear of setting the Bimini of fire.  


This is the last French island in the chain (I think!).  With this in mind, I add a few extra wheels of Camembert into the trolley!

Club Med

Gary making sure there is a picture of him at the helm too.