St.Lucia
Sails went up in the channel between St.Vincent and St.Lucia as Sea Cloud II approached the spectacular Pitons rising straight out of the sea. We anchored in the still deep waters of Soufriere bay near to the brig Unicorn, an historic ship of Finnish origin that was used in the filming of the TV series Roots.
Off we went, riding in our mini-vans through the lush landscape to visit the sulphur springs and then to Diamond Botanic gardens and its sulphur streaked waterfall. Guides explained the wide variety of tropical fruits and vegetables as hummingbirds hovered between the colourful ginger lilies. We were off again to Touraille Falls where some of us plunged into the cool water and let the cascade give us a natural massage as it shot over the forested cliff above us.
Zigzagging behind the town of Soufriere through coconut plantations, we climbed to a wonderful lookout bar where we tasted local delicacies such as plantain chips and cod fish cakes washed down with the crimson “sorrel” Christmas drink. Below us stretched the valley and the bay, and across from us, the Pitons and the sulphur springs were puffing peacefully in the crater. As the sun dipped towards the horizon we were back on board the Sea Cloud II to continue our voyage northwards to Dominica.
