Two Bridges and a Port

I had set my cell's alarm for 3:45 a.m. as backup. It dutifully went off. Sadly, I hadn't noticed it was still on Montreal time. WW and I decided 2:45 was a bit early.

An hour later, our wee vessel was a hive of activity. I was making coffee and starting breakfast. The captain and crew looked to the anchors and placed fenders down both sides.

Soon we were moving slowly through the pitch dark down the narrow channel leading to the bridge. We stood off a short distance from it and, shortly, a light went on in its small control booth.

North bridge on the Riviere Salee, Guadeloupe.

Soon after, a voice over a loudspeaker announced that we should prepare ourselves. The traffic across the bridge was halted and the two sides slowly rose. In addition to the fenders slung off Django's sides, more were wielded by Whit and me on the bows. From where we waited, it looked to be a tight fit, given our 19.5 feet of width. The closer we came, however, the clearer it was that we would fit through nicely.

Passing under the north bridge on the Riviere Salee, Guadeloupe.

We shouted our thanks to the bridge operator and moved off down the channel, watching as the bridge closed behind us. The lights of the Pointe-a-Pitre airport appeared in strings off to port.

Because the channel is so narrow, southbound boats are let through first. It takes about 20 minutes to get from the first bridge to the second. The channel is marked by lighted buoys, which makes it easy to follow in the dark...except, as in one or two cases, where the light has burned out. Whit stood on the bow peering ahead to spot the unlighted markers. At the south end of the Riviere, a second bridge opened for us and, again, we fit through without trouble. Two boats were waiting to head north. Once they learned we were the only southbound craft, they started their transit.

Almost immediately, we were out of the mangroves and in the busy industrial port of Pointe-a-Pitre.

The harbour at Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, just before dawn.

We followed the channel until we had enough water to head over to the anchorage, on the east side of the harbour, outside the local marina. We left the channel just before a pilot boat came to yell at us because a very large bit of shipping was making its way towards the harbour...and us. Big ships are not particularly manoeuverable and are definitely unable to stop on a dime. Also, 37-foot sailboat vs. container ship = only one winner. And it wouldn't be the sailboat.

We set our anchor and retired below where the crew consumed their breakfast and then collapsed back into their berths, just as the sun began to rise.

Thanks to Frisha and Whit for the photos.