Location: Terre Du Haut, Les Saintes, Guadeloupe
“What’s up, gang?” That’s the big Ocean Star greeting right now, and I thought I’d clue you all in on our newfound lingo. Moms, Dads, and people of the world connected to the people aboard this voyage feel safe and comforted knowing that our lives are filled with spontaneity, exploration, and a whole lot of deck hose battles.
Today was all about refining our land legs and getting shore time at Les Saintes. Some of us woke up early to go on a sunrise hike. Once we got back, we all had a delicious breakfast, worked on our sailing navigation skills, and then were released into the unknown world of Caribbean paradise and French pastries. With so much to see and excitement for a diverse array of activities, the group split up a few times and branched out to all parts of the island. I’ve enlisted the help of Robert, Annika, and Claire to help me paint a picture of everything we got up to today for you all. Buckle in because you’re about to take a tour across Les Saintes!
Zoe POV: Crossing the island
Let me start off by just saying how incredible this place is. You’ve got the musicality of the French language wrapping itself around you while you wind through a maze of white and red-tiled buildings. The smell of fresh bread warms the air. People are laughing, children are walking to school, and you can’t help but find yourself feeling at peace in a place you’ve never been before. Welcoming is the best word I can think of to describe the community of this island. Not to mention how beautiful the landscape is. After wandering the main town with the larger group for a while, Jaxson, Mani, Rhianna, and I decided that we wanted to try to walk across the island. Now, for those of you who don’t know, Mani is the type of person you’d want to have with you if the apocalypse broke out. He’s truly the textbook example of an adventurer. The three of us put our faith in him as he guided us through the streets of Les Saintes to a hidden haven. Picture these towering, crumbling cliffs capping either end of a sandy beach. The coast was lined with washed sargassum, sponges, and sea fans ashore. The pictures don’t do it justice. Rhianna managed to find every cool hidden shell, sea fan. You name it. Jaxson collected ropes from fishing boats along the coast and is now planning on making these really intricate bracelets for everyone. We found our way back to town, where we met up with the others and spent some time going in and out of shops. Overall, it was a lovely day <3 Papa, I got your message in the brief period of time I had wifiI am so glad you hear that everyone loves the blogs! I love you, and I can’t wait to tell you more about the trip when we call next!
Robert and Max’s day onshore consisted of finding a nice restaurant and a good meal – Max scored a photo with a hundred pound Tuna from local fisherman, and then found a restaurant to eat a tuna probably caught by the same guys, a few days before.
A lot of shopping was done, and ice cream was consumed. Orange cat’s pet and French accents imitated. It was a nice change of pace to being on the boat and it was nice to explore how different two islands can be – such as Dominica and Les Saintes, when they’re only a few hour sail apart.