July 27. Rum Tasting

OK, here it is the rum tasting result. The first day we played tourists in L'Ans Mitan, we hit a couple of restaurants had the best Pizza in a long time, the very thin crust you can only get in Italy and of course Sid ordered each time a different local rum. The first impression was not very good as the rum was probably the worst we've ever tasted. It's so strong you can instantly pickle your liver. The result was the same with each rum he tasted, they didn't even have a rum flavor, just pure alcohol. So when we rented a car to drive around the island we stopped at 3 distilleries, which was really interesting to see how rum is produced. We of course didn't taste the cheapo rum but went straight for the aged rums, which nobody seems to carry in the restaurant. We did end up finding 3 very good bottles of rum, each aged for 10 years, the oldest rum we could find anywhere and of course paid a price, but it was worth buying them. We even broke down and bought snifters, which probably will break the first time of use. We had a wonderful time driving around the island, which is 75 miles long and 30 miles wide. Rich in rivers and springs, the island is covered by contrasting vegetation and was know as "Madinina", the flowery island. The southern part is a large plain with close to sea-level hills, that mangrove swamp lines in the east and the west many coves, capes and bays. The beaches lined with white sand, coconut palm and turquoise blue sea and lots of islands. The road then took us along the eastern or windward side of the island, with tall mountains which gradually decline to the beaches all overgrown with banana plantations. The coast was more rugged and waves crashing onto the shore. At one view point we pulled out we witnessed rip currents heading out to sea, very interesting. Most of the windward side is surrounded by churning reefs. In the north are the highest peaks of Mont Pelee, Macouba hills, the Lacroix peak and the Carbet peaks. Here is the territory of the big, humid, luxuriant and virgin in places tropical forest, wherein rivers, waterfalls and cliffs are mixed. We drove up to the top of Mont Pelee to view the crater. We were just amazed when we drove up that lush mountain with no sign of any lava streams or volcanic rocks, nothing hinted to a volcano which exploded just 100 years ago, killing a whole village of 30 000 people. Since it is overgrown with a lush rain forest it builds its own weather and the top was totally fogged in, we couldn't even see a crater if there was one. Well, there is but is also overgrown with lush tropical vegetation. Driving down the steep Mont Pelee took us by the Depaz distillery, which is built right on the foot of the volcano and includes a most beautiful castle overlooking the Caribbean waters and the northern islands. Which by the way was re-built by the soul survivor of the Mount Pelee disaster, the only survivor of the Depaz family. We stopped in St. Pierre and had a wonderful Creole lunch. The sand on the northern beaches is mainly black as a result of the volcano. The Leeward side is very steep and not as soft looking as the Windward side. We had a great time exploring the island and planed was to leave the island for Baquia the following day. With a predicted 20 knots of wind and 7 to 8 foot seas, we decided it was not a good enough weather window for us and remained in the anchorage. Good thing too as the weather was worse and we would have had the ride from hell. Although we have the anchorage from hell at times. There is a ferry dock ashore and every 20 minutes one or two will drive by. Yellow buoys divide the ferry channel with the anchorage. We are anchored at least 100 yards away from the yellow buoy. I don't know what it is but they sure are picking on us, maybe because we are the only boat flying the American flag in the anchorage. There are two ferry drivers that every time they come in, they don't use the channel but instead drive right through the anchorage and about 1/2 boat length next to us leaving us a 4 foot wake, which will toss everything on the floor if it wasn't secured. One time the two came in at the same time and sandwiched us, which by the way was very dangerous, one on either side a boat lengths away with now the double wake for us and there is nothing we can do, other than give up and leave. Tried to do that but the fuel dock was closed on Tuesday, no fuel and no checking out, so we were stuck. We've dealt with the ferries for the many days now but yesterday for some reason every single ferry slowed down before coming in the channel and non ever came through the anchorage. We have no idea what happened we assume somebody complained. Today a different story again as they come blasting by. Sid made a white flag out of a rag and a pool and the next one blasting by he'll be standing on deck flying it, wonder if they get the hint. We wanted to leave today but weather is not allowing it yet, so hopefully tomorrow we'll be able to head the 4 miles around he corner to Grande Anse D'Arlet, where there are no ferries we hope. Another two waves have come by and one more is underway, hopefully right after this one we'll have a chance to head further south. Last night we had the most spectacular lightning show with cloud lightning, at times the lightning looked like it came out of the mountain peak like firework shooting up into the sky, really neat.