So no comments on the windward vs leeward islands question.

My thoughts are that it relates to where they are on the voyage from Europe and back.

Sailors travel south from Europe to nearly Cape Verde Islands then across to caribbean. They return to Europe via Bermuda and Azores. So you would conclude all your visits to Windard islands before moving on to Leeward.

Or do you know better?

Link to competition

The gallery of photos is now complete.

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The photos from the week so far are in the gallery

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Videos of Rebecca’s time with us loaded now

The temporary closure of the jail is true but not connected to Jane and Alisdair’s escape from Scotland.

We’ve made Jane and Alisdair feel really at home with our longest period of rain to date. I suppose 28’C does contrast a bit with Scottish rain though. Chris, from the Caribbean Weather Centre that we listen to at 08:30, is not sure why we are getting rain this far north but is confident of better tomorrow.

Pictures from Rebecca’s fortnight with us are in the gallery. We got all the way down to Grenada, well the lovely off lying island of Carriacou. Swam and snorkelled in the Tobago cays. Signed in and out of Bequia twice. Sampled the delights of Marigot bay, St Lucia and had a great meal at Bennies on Harmony Beach.

Also check out the video of the Steel band in Tyrell Bay (suggest right click and open in new tab), Carriacou and the one of the Carriacou Ferry. Ferry could be used for a stage at Glastonbury if you reduced the power of the speakers! If you used it as is nobody would hear any other stage!

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Rebecca jojned us in St Lucia. The pilot was pleased to announce the snow in London. Hot enough to melt people here!

Now down in Bequia and off to Grenada island of Carriacou today.

So we have been sailing here for 6 weeks and got used to the grouping of the southern islands as the Windward Islands (Martinique, St Lucia, St Vincent, Grenada) and the northern islands as the leewards (Dominica, Guadeloupe, Antigua etc).

We are in the North East trade winds. How are the northern islands to leeward of the southern islands? I wasn’t convinced by what I got on the first pass with google. Many thanks to Catherine from Falbala for getting onto thinking about this one!

Normal rules – prizes not yet announced and we are the sole arbiters of who is correct!

Well we had a Christmas visitor, he arrived just after we had tidied and cleaned Giselle from our Atlantic crossing and our signing in to Martinique. He was tall, no white beard in fact clean shaven and he brought lots of news and a big bag with presents for Christmas day. A more than welcome sight to see Andrew, coming through the baggage lounge at the airport.

As we had hired a car to pick him from the airport, we decided to have a round the island by car trip. [Read more →]

Had a great few days sailing up to Antigua. Including a real blast into Antigua from Deshaies on the NE corner of Guadeloupe in 25 to 30 knots of wind.

The maintenance we had scheduled for St Lucia I am doing here in Falmouth harbour. All the key people are within a short dinghy ride! Experts in Lewmar cars and hatches, experts in Hurth gearboxes; Julian and Sammy, the masters of 247 water pumps for the watermaker, Air cylinder re certs to name a few. Oh the helpful Gale at the chandlery as well.

I have been through the photo galleries and added comments to all the current world trip. Even sorted out some of the older stuff – enjoy. (Click on photos for larger version with comments)

David