Bourg, Terre de Haute, Iles des Saintes, Guadalupe
In the quiet morning hours, we slipped away from Dominica and sailed peacefully across the north to the small island cluster of Les Saintes. The tranquility of the Dominica Straits disguises its importance in the history of the power struggle for the Lesser Antilles. The 1782 Battle of the Saintes, fought by a flotilla of over 60 British and Spanish vessels, was the largest maritime engagement in the New World. Daring naval tactics and gunnery won the day for Britain, prevented the planned French invasion of Jamaica, and changed the balance of power in the region.
Although the French lost the sea battle, they kept Guadeloupe and its neighboring islands. Today they form a Departement d’Outre Mer, and all inhabitants are French citizens. Keeping their traditional fishing practices allowed Iles des Saintes to fare better than their larger sugar-dependent neighbors.
In the morning, we anchored off the quaint town of Bourg, on Terre de Haute. Tile roofs and brilliant white-washed walls bespoke a forgotten colonialism. Above the town, we strolled through the well-preserved Fort Napoleon. Built to protect French interests in the area, it now can boast a museum with excellent dioramas and artifacts. The grounds also serve as botanic gardens.
Towering yuccas, aloes, and thorn scrub enhanced the Mediterranean feel. Lazy iguanas scurried among the unusual native barrel cactus, which seemed decorated by red fezzes. A leisurely walk took us back to the charming village which still boasts a “lost in time” feel, although internet cafes took only Euros.
To refresh ourselves, we had the opportunity snorkel off a remote picturesque beach.
Here, the marine wonders were colorfully displayed as clouds of reef fishes drifted over yellow sponges, green corals, and purple sea fans. Fish cards and our naturalist helped identify over 50 species, including squid and octopi.
After lunch our historian and anthropologist Olga Stavrakis discussed the curious history of early European exploration of the Caribbean. As we set sail for a northward leg to Antigua, Dr. Luckenbach reinforced our fish appreciation skills with an illustrated lecture on local reef fishes.
In the quiet morning hours, we slipped away from Dominica and sailed peacefully across the north to the small island cluster of Les Saintes. The tranquility of the Dominica Straits disguises its importance in the history of the power struggle for the Lesser Antilles. The 1782 Battle of the Saintes, fought by a flotilla of over 60 British and Spanish vessels, was the largest maritime engagement in the New World. Daring naval tactics and gunnery won the day for Britain, prevented the planned French invasion of Jamaica, and changed the balance of power in the region.
Although the French lost the sea battle, they kept Guadeloupe and its neighboring islands. Today they form a Departement d’Outre Mer, and all inhabitants are French citizens. Keeping their traditional fishing practices allowed Iles des Saintes to fare better than their larger sugar-dependent neighbors.
In the morning, we anchored off the quaint town of Bourg, on Terre de Haute. Tile roofs and brilliant white-washed walls bespoke a forgotten colonialism. Above the town, we strolled through the well-preserved Fort Napoleon. Built to protect French interests in the area, it now can boast a museum with excellent dioramas and artifacts. The grounds also serve as botanic gardens.
Towering yuccas, aloes, and thorn scrub enhanced the Mediterranean feel. Lazy iguanas scurried among the unusual native barrel cactus, which seemed decorated by red fezzes. A leisurely walk took us back to the charming village which still boasts a “lost in time” feel, although internet cafes took only Euros.
To refresh ourselves, we had the opportunity snorkel off a remote picturesque beach.
Here, the marine wonders were colorfully displayed as clouds of reef fishes drifted over yellow sponges, green corals, and purple sea fans. Fish cards and our naturalist helped identify over 50 species, including squid and octopi.
After lunch our historian and anthropologist Olga Stavrakis discussed the curious history of early European exploration of the Caribbean. As we set sail for a northward leg to Antigua, Dr. Luckenbach reinforced our fish appreciation skills with an illustrated lecture on local reef fishes.
