St. Lucia Weekend Charter Testimonial
October 2008, whilst taking a family vacation we had the wonderful experience of a weekend on the St Lucia based cruiser Seaquel. Engine running and decks gleaming in the morning sunshine, Seaquel was a fine sight amongst the sailing ships, day boats and other motor boats in the marina, she looked stunning.
We set off under the expert guidance of Captain Norman, out of the bay and made the ‘big decision’, turn left down the island or right towards Martinique. ‘Left’ it was and what a great decision that turned out to be. We cruised past Pigeon Island and off towards the capital and townships further afield. With clear blue waters, a perfect sky, we sat on the upper deck and soaked up the glorious calming effect of life at sea. Our daughter played games around the table behind the master, we all took turns in ‘driving’ (possibly not the correct nautical term) and before we knew it we were ready for lunch. If you haven’t been to Marigot Bay in St Lucia, you simply must, I cannot imagine that there is a finer way to arrive at this most beautiful of spots than in a cruiser. We drifted in, passed Doolittle’s restaurant (named after the original movie, Dr Doolittle that was filmed here) and put the anchor down for a peaceful lunch.
After a wonderful Caribbean spread, and more time in the sun, we started off for what has stayed in my memory as the best night of my life – ever. Passing through Soufriere we moored for the night in between the two majestic Pitons; tall, volcanic, pyramid-like mountains that dominate St Lucian life. As the sun set I went off in the little dinghy to take pictures of our boat in the perfect surroundings. Pleased as I am with my pictures, they in no way capture the tranquillity of this heavenly spot.
Dinner time was another experience, superbly organised by our Captain. At the appropriate hour, after pre-dinner drinks on deck, a water taxi appeared out of the darkness to take us to our evening meal destination in the next cove. Lobster, fine wine and many laughs later it was time to head back, again in our water taxi. Returning to the boat I recall stepping out on deck and looking skywards, with no light pollution the view was breathtaking. Accommodation was comfortable on board and we slept a peaceful night with the gentle sounds of lapping water against the hull to send us off to sleep. Morning came with another magical experience; I am truly running out of superlatives. Out of one window was Petite Piton and from the other I had a clear view of Gros Piton, against blue skies in the early morning sunshine. Perfect.
A swim, breakfast, a spot of fishing and we were off, to moor at Soufriere so we could visit the drive-in volcano and the botanical gardens. Again, superb organisation by our captain saw a taxi waiting for us and we were off. The gardens and the volcano are a must, a unique experience and our daughter, aged 11, still talks of the flowers, the birds that fed from our hands and the rather pungent smell of the sulphurous air at the volcano site.
Back on board and off we went, heading back to Rodney Bay, but not without stopping for lunch in a quiet cove, a BBQ on board, more swimming, snorkelling and sunshine, before we hauled up the anchor and set off again.
Coasting into Rodney Bay I was very sorry to see our magical weekend come to a close. Nothing was too much trouble for our captain, everything was picture perfect, and the boat was simply divine. Aircon (if you want it), hot shower, full galley, comfortable seats, a skilled and very personable captain, what more could we have asked for.
As a family we cannot recommend this opportunity enough, we wish we had more time to go further afield. We seemed to cram a week's experience into a weekend and before we knew it we were slapping each other on the back and jumping back into the car, which for some reason appeared to rock all the time, or maybe it was us!
Phil Anderton, October 2008
