s/v Nine of Cups The Leeward Islands

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The Leeward Islands consist of 10 major islands and span about 200 miles, from Anguilla in the north to Dominica in the south. The sail from Virgin Gorda to Anguilla through the Anegada Passage  was a long slog to windward with winds of 25-35 knots and seas of 7'-9'.  Marcie was sick most of the way, and according to David, even heaved stuff she had eaten in the DR.  The 75 mile trip, which should have taken 10-12 hours, took 20 hours to complete.  We arrived in Anguilla in time for the Anguilla boat races, an annual event with all locally built wooden fishing sloops.

From Anguilla, we headed to St. Martin.  It is jointly owned by France and the Netherlands.  We enjoyed the French side for the great food (love those croissants!), coffee and wine , and the Dutch side for the marine facilities.  Pictured above is a panorama view of Marina Royale in Marigot Bay on the French side.

Arriving at Saba from St. Martin was like cruising into a fairy tale.  It appears like one big mountain rising out of the sea.  This is a view of The Bottom, Saba's capital, from The Top.  While there, we also climbed Mt. Scenery.  At 3084', it is the not only the highest mountain in Saba, but also the highest in the Kingdom of the Netherlands!

A quick 20 mile hop brought us to St. Eustatia (Statia), which was the first country in the world to recognize the U.S. flag during the revolutionary war (and consequently sacked and burned by the British because of it).  Pictured above is the Quill, a dormant volcano which we climbed into on our last trip here.

View of the Bastion from Ft. George in St. Kitts, an exceptionally well preserved example of 17th/18th century military architecture in a Caribbean context.

Charlestown Waterfront in Nevis.

Guadaloupe is comprised of two islands in the shape of a butterfly.  It is truly a French Island, with the smell of great French coffee and baguettes baking in all the small towns.  Pictured above is a view of the fresh fish market, where fishermen sell their catches right from their boats.  Crayfish, tuna, red snapper... you name it, it's here.  We thought a "smell" chip for the camera would be a wonderful addition!

In Guadaloupe we rented a car and toured the island.  Pictured above is the Chutes du Carbet... 3 sets of waterfalls approachable by trail.  The height of this one was 350 feet.

Dominica is another beautiful island in the Leewards.  We took a river tour on one of the island's more than 350 rivers, the Indian River.  No motors are allowed, and our guide, Charlie, rowed all the way.