S/V Aphrodite

Following  18.5 days at sea, we made landfall yesterday morning at St Lucia, the largest of the English speaking Windward Islands, under blue skies whilst flying the spinnaker.  The last several  days of the trip we got to experience the trade winds that we had expected to have had all the way – I certainly didn’t believe that we would use nearly all of our fuel motoring.    After refueling ($4/gal.), we decided to tie up at a marina for a few days to clean the boat and do the laundry.  We checked in followed by snacks and drinks in a local pub, then we went out to dinner at a very good (expensive) restaurant called Buzz to celebrate our trip.  The name may have come from the loud sounds the local tree frogs were making.  The boys enjoyed a tripot stew of lamb, beef and chicken in a spicy Caribbean sauce and the girls had fish.  On Morazadeh’s recommendation we all tried wasabi mashed potatoes which were quite spicy.  Morazadeh headed home today and will arrive in time to celebrate Noelle’s 39^th birthday at home.  Margi plans on heading home in a few days.  We will miss their company as will the dogs.  Speaking of dogs, they are not allowed to go ashore in St Lucia which is very sad for them and for us.  I am trying to contact the government vet to get an exception but we are on island time, mon.  Some pictures from the crossing are below: