Palm Pleasure 2

Friday, May 22. Arrival in Martinique.

The last few days at sea have had a strange flavor. We know we’re getting close, yet everything seems to take longer. The wind has almost completely deserted us, so we’ve been motoring for the past three days, eager to finally catch sight of land. On board, we’ve had to get a little creative. There is still plenty of food left, but the “treat” supplies disappear quickly. With just a single egg, I still managed to make crêpes twice, and even a birthday cake in a saucepan for Jean-Luc! I had also hidden away a chocolate bar to save for the final days in case we ran out. I think it made a few people happy...

Before entering Le Marin marina, everyone tidies themselves up, taking improvised showers from the boat’s transoms. Getting rid of that invisible layer of salt on your skin feels absolutely wonderful! Of course, that is precisely when a squall hits us while we’re lowering the mainsail. Suddenly, visibility drops to almost nothing. Dad handles it as he always does, on familiar ground here, at home. Then we spot the dock where we’re expected, the faces waiting on the quay - my mother, our friends. After days surrounded by nothing but water, seeing land again and being reunited with the people we love feels almost unreal.