Cat’Leya: Petite Terre, our favorite

Petite Terre lies between La Désirade and Marie Galante.  Her beauty is justified by the entrance pass, which can be dangerous in a northerly swell, but there is precise detail on the charts.  It is a little-frequented area for yachtsmen.  On days like today, with few breaking waves and swell from the east, conditions are ideal for picking up one of the moorings in the area.  Underwater, it’s equally superb, with turtles, rays or sharks coming together in a current which can reach two or three knots between the two islands.  Only one of them is accessible on foot, and there you’ll find numerous iguanas which are native here.  We were only four boats in the anchorage, including our friends on Majuro, another Lagoon 52.   Following this enjoyable meeting, we headed off to find civilization and the parties.  Carnival is an institution here, especially in Marie Galante where dozens of groups come to parade and compete.  In Guadeloupe, the festivities go on for eight weeks!  This weekend a big procession is planned at Grand Bourg in Marie Galante, “La Parade Woy Mi Mas”.  Each village comes with their group, dancers and musicians with bongos or snare drums, and there is a guaranteed atmosphere which will go on throughout most of the might.  Ferries sail to and fro non-stop, bringing groups from all over Guadeloupe…

Who:              Jean-Pierre and his dog, Hadès.

Where?         Atlantic Ocean

Blog:              www.sailingcatleya.blue

Boat:              Lagoon 52 Sport Top