A short stay in Nevis

Rose learns how to take the helm as we leave St. Kitts (and a cruise ship arrives).

A stop at White Horse Bay, St. Kitts, for lunch and a snorkel where we saw squid and an octopus. Nevis, our next destination, is in the distance.

Troubadour moored off of Pinney's Beach near the Four Seasons Resort, Nevis,West Indies.

After clearing in & out of Nevis, we took a 20 minute "self-guided" historical walking tour around Charlestown, the capital of Nevis. We couldn't find some of the places on the map.

 

Charlestown was the birthplace and childhood home of Alexander Hamilton. The restored stone building which was his place of birth now houses the Museum of Nevis History on the ground floor, and the Nevis Island Administration Assembly Room on the upper floor.

Church in Charlestown, Nevis

A very small house in Charlestown, Nevis

A stop for lunch on the waterfront

In case you were wondering ... read the sign!

Downtown Charlestown, Nevis

Small, laid-back Nevis is intensely green and mountainous, with a central peak standing 3,232 ft high that is almost always shrouded in clouds.

Linda and Rose sampling home brewed ginger beer (ale).
Rose looks forward to her hubby Steve's arrival in a few hours!
Next stop, Antigua! 

 Troubadour stayed two nights on a mooring ball in Pinney's Beach, Nevis, April 12 & 13, 2012

The Colors of St. Kitts

Our visit to St. Kitts introduced us to the giant Saman tree at the Romney Manor Botanical Gardens

Hanging Lobster Claw

Romney Manor

Caribell Batik at Romney Manor

15th century foundation still remains at Romney Manor Romney once owned by Sam Jefferson II, the great great great grandfather of Thomas Jefferson (3rd President of U.S.A.)

Rose in the gardens and the 400 year old tree behind her

About this incredible tree

Downtown Basseterre, St. Kitts: The city of Basseterre skirts a 2-mile (3.2 km) bay on the southwestern shore of St. Kitts, Basseterre Bay. The city lies within the large Basseterre Valley, almost completely surrounded by lush green hills and mountains. It is primarily low-lying, which is one explanation for the name which the French gave unto it, as Basseterre translates to "low land" in English. However, the name Basseterre is also due to the fact that the island is on the lee of winds of the island, and is thus a safe anchorage.

Where the cruise ship passengers shop

Stopping for roti at Miss Mem's Kitchen 

Independence Square: The city of Basseterre has one of the most tragic histories of any Caribbean capital, destroyed many times by colonial wars, fire, earthquakes, floods, riots and hurricanes. Despite all of this, a considerable number of well-restored buildings still exist in downtown Basseterre.

Caribelle Batik pareo's drying on the line 

Batik prints in the making

I can see Chris in this shirt, can you?

 

Troubadour visited St. Kitts April 10 & 11, 2012

“Les Voiles de St. Barth”

Captain and Admiral sharing a special moment in St. Barts after arriving on April 4 from Philipsburg, St. Maarten. Troubadour is in the bay behind us.

Troubadour anchors near the bright orange Gunboat 66 Phaedo.
We arrived in time for the French Regatta “Les Voiles de St. Barth” sponsored by watch maker Richard Mille.
"For the third consecutive year, the island of St. Barth, in the French West Indies, provided an exceptional week of racing. It seems the consensus of the 700+ sailors racing there that in just three editions, Les Voiles de St. Barth has become a must-do event on the Caribbean race calendar. Organizers have announced the dates for the fourth edition: April 8 – 13, 2013."

Raising the 'Q' flag in St. Barts.

Linda's cousin, Rose, joined us in St. Martin and sailed with us for three weeks.  Here she blends in with the racing boats in Gustavia, as we await customs clearance.

The Quai General de Gaulle in the heart of Gustavia has long been one of the economic centers of the island, from the days of sailing schooners that unloaded essential cargo, from food for the population to construction materials that allowed Saint-Barthélemy to develop as a tourist destination. Here it is lined with sail boats for this year's races.

Anse du Grand Galet as viewed from Fort Karl

Gustavia in the foreground, many sail boats anchored in the background, a bit too crowded for our comfort; however, race competitors enjoyed four days of racing in an extremely wide range of conditions, from five to 25 knots, on different courses, each of them highly tactical and spectacular.

A strong swell rolled us too much in the anchorage in Gustavia making for two sleepless nights, so we headed to the calm protected bays at Ile Forchue for a few nights (background) and then Anse de Colombier (this picture).

While waiting for good weather for the next leg of our journey, we lolled around the boat, snorkeled, strolled the beach and simply enjoyed the views.

Troubadour cruised in St. Bart's April 4 - April 10, 2012