Monserrat
Finding suitable words to describe this schizophrenic island is difficult. The eruption of the volcano in the late 1990s buried the capital under rivers of ash, burning everything combustible. The … Continue reading
Visiting St Kitts
Only a few miles from Nevis, this island is part of the same former colony. The welcome could hardly have been better. Obliged to go into the tiny marina for … Continue reading
Nevis
We could not wait to escape St Lucia after having spent so much time in Rodney Bay last year. So almost as soon as Freebooter was lowered back into the … Continue reading
The Murky World (or how to drop out)
What difference a few letters can make! If instead of typing http://www.freebooter.me to be bored rigid, try inserting http://www.freebooter.com instead. There you will be taken into an alternative world where … Continue reading
Steynshoop
After what seems like a very intense few months, our last weekend before heading back to Freebooter called for a local break. South Africa has many public holidays, almost always … Continue reading
Xenophobia here in South Africa
A few words on the topic that has made world headlines. As ever, trying to find out the reality from the rumour and news headlines is not easy. What reportedly started … Continue reading
Best Laid Plans………
My wonderful wife decided that we needed a break, and as Easter this year arrive close to my birthday, she made her plans for us to take a week away. … Continue reading
While the Man’s Away ……
……. (Girls and Horses!) South Africa is a long way to come to receive an invitation to Twickenham, particularly during the Six Nations…., but so it happened! Meetings were hastily arranged … Continue reading
Diamonds are Forever…….
After a quick internet search for somewhere to go on a Sunday, a visit to Cullinan seemed like a good idea. The small town is situated around 25 kms East of … Continue reading
Unfinished Business – Magliesberg Meander
Living in a city is an alien concept to us Westwoods, so we try to escape to the sticks when we can. On one such jaunt, we took the hire … Continue reading
Up to Limpopo
There are times when you just have to escape the city. One suggestion had been to head north-east up to the hills. It’s a bit of a hike along … Continue reading
A Soggy Return
Having torn ourselves away from the Caribbean, landing back in Johannesburg was a bit of a culture rather than temperature shock. (If you exclude 36 hours of shivering in … Continue reading
Fish!
The line was trailed astern on the way back to St Lucia……and nothing happened. Then a twitch on the line and the scream of the reel, astonishingly when we … Continue reading
Grande Anse d’Arlet
The snorkelling in and around this bay is dramatic. Amazing visibility coupled with majestic rock formations and lots of fish. Sadly on our swim back we found a large turtle … Continue reading
A Matter of Timing…
They say timing is everything! Arriving early evening in Fort de France, Martinique’s capital, we wandered ashore to investigate the music. Typical, we just climb out of the dinghy as … Continue reading
Seeing in the New Year
We sailed up to Marigot Bay (St Lucia) to see the New Year in with Ocean Rainbow at Chateau Mygo, one of the local waterfront restaurants. An excellent meal accompanied … Continue reading
Christmas in Bequia
This time, we had our act together! Last year, we had only just arrived from Europe, and we were still euphoric despite the rainstorms on Christmas Eve. But in … Continue reading
Taking a Cruise Ship Holiday in the Caribbean?
Forgive us some observations if you, dear reader, are one of the thousands that book a cruise on a ship in this part of the world. For you may be … Continue reading
Union Island and Tobago Cays
Standing on the top of tiny Mayreau by the little church, one can look out over Union Island and Tobago Cays, our last stops. Union Island is not as small … Continue reading
Petite Martinique, Petite St Vincent, et al
From the heady heights of Carriacou, we had a couple of days at the micro level. At the top of the island, there are 2 much smaller ones. For the … Continue reading
Carriacou
Part of the southern Grenadines, Carriacou is a small delightful island that is free of overt colonial influence. Very Caribbean, it’s people are so friendly and welcoming. (Memory of the rum … Continue reading
Caribbean carnage in Carriacou, or what happens when…..
A local bar decides to have an ‘event’ For the first time, it held a happy hour, laid on a chicken supper and music. Truth be told, we were a … Continue reading
Rum and Chocolate
We heard of an island institution by way of a particular distillery, River Antoine, or just Rivers to the locals. A warning was given by the helpful chap replacing our … Continue reading
A brief intro to Grenada……
Grenada has a more colourful background than many of the islands, so let’s start with an instant history which will help explain some current observations. (NB such brevity risks distorting … Continue reading
Do boats have an awkward streak?
The first law of boats is that if anything could go wrong, it probably will…. Conspiracy theorists would have a field day/week/lifetime, given that bits that are fine one moment … Continue reading
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