Three Beach Day

 It's another slow morning in Port-Louis, spend rehashing the events of last night, popping advils to curb the music-induced headaches (not hangovers) we both are nursing, and resetting our digestive systems with a generous bowl of yogurt, fruit and granola and healthy portion of watermelon thrown in for good measure. If you are unaware of last night's happenings, you might want to head back and read all about it - it was quite the event.  

Once we felt ready to get moving again, we spent the afternoon beach-hopping around the north end of Basse-Terre. Tough thing to do, actually, since most of the north coast is steep, rocky cliffs and violent waves, but there are some hidden coves that offer a whole range of sandy options. Here's what we found:

First stop, Porte d'Enfer, past Pointe de la Grande Vigie, more on the north-east coast of Grande-Terre. We came here 5 years ago for a hike along the coastline, which we ended up not being entirely prepared for, and so once the sun got the better of us, we ended up spending the afternoon here, soaking in the cool ocean waters by osmosis. The bay here is deep, so the big waves that crash against the shoreline do so at the mouth of the inlet, and by the time they reach the beach, they are no more. 

When we arrive, though, the place is EMPTY. Surprisingly so, as I remember almost every square inch of this place full of sun-bathers and children building sandcastles. On a building at the entrance to the beach, a posted advertisements gives us one answer -  the water quality here was deemed dangerous back in 2019, due to high levels of E. Coli. The second? The wonderful sargasses - seaweed - that everyone complains about clogging up the beaches and waterways, have taken over, and the wide, deep beach is absolutely covered in them. The sargasses are likely a contributing factor to the poor water quality, too. The whole place feels abandoned, save some hikers passing through, and a lone cattle wrangler leading his cows to another grazing field. Even the resto-bar next to the highway looks empty and sad, the staff being the only people inside, sitting at a table, smoking away their day. Needless to say, we didn't go swimming!

Second stop, Plage de la Petite Vigie, on the north-west side of Grande-Terre, opposite Pointe de la Grande Vigie. I noticed the sign indicated a beach when we drove by, so on our way back, I suggested we give it a try. The beach is nice a big, and surprisingly very deep. The sand is soft and white, and there is plenty of place to lay our towels and not get too close to anyone else. Save one younger family, the average population at this spot is likely around 65, and most of them are just wandering out from their extended lunches at one of the two restaurants here that face the ocean. There is a visible coral reef just offshore, and a few snorkelers can be seen bobbing about, but the bay here is very shallow. As a result, the waves and pull of the ocean is crazy! 

I barely get in the water and start to float and I can feel myself getting dragged to the right with every wave. Mario and I don our masks and snorkels to try and explore the reef. Oh my goodness, we can barely stay still! Eventually Mario surrenders, and acts as my anchor while I swim, keeping me in place, blocking me when I get pushed too far. It's not a dangerous pull, though, the water is only 2.5-3 feet deep at most, all I need to do is stand up and regain my footing. But wow, I have never experienced water like this! Giving up on the swimming, we lie on the beach in the shade of a coconut palm for a while, then decide to move on.

Third stop, back at Plage du Souffleur - we drive down the "forbidden" road that everyone drives down, to the further end of the beach, the one only the locals and hikers know about(a trail runs this way). We pick a spot with sand and shade, and head far out to sea to snorkel and do some fish-spotting. After we get past all the turtle grass, we finally spot some small fish, some bottom-dwellers, lots of spiny little sea urchins - Mario even finds a star fish hidden in the grass! It was all very cool.

Swim, sun, swim, sun, we repeat the cycle a couple of times, but then the tiny, bitey yé-yé bugs start to come just before sunset, so we pack our beach stuff and head back into town. We pick up some supplies at the store to make a panzanella with our dry bread crusts, and head home. Tonight's rather uneventful dinner: Garlic-toasted bread crust panzanella, with tomato, cucumber, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper, served with the last pieces of Papi's lunchtime grilled chicken. I used the lime in our Ti'Pinch with rum and guava juice, squeeze the last drops into the salad dressing, then drop the emptied fruit into our glasses of water.