Community

May 2022 has turned up out of nowhere. Three months of boat life have past in a blink. In contrast, endless crises and dramas have played out on the world stage.

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Shortly after landing in St Lucia early December, the generator had caught on fire. This is a story in itself. The process of replacing parts and fixing it under warranty stretched across many weeks. By the end of January, we were very eager to move to new landscapes and meet up again with other sailing families.

It started with a dinghy sailing regatta in southern Martinique between a dozen family boats having recently crossed the Atlantic. This festive occasion marked the beginning of social times and the bonding of a multicultural community over many weeks. Fires on the beach, games, seafood feasts and a group of kids having the time of their lives. You can read Luca’s story: “How I got my scar”.

From there on we meandered north up the chain of Caribbean islands; Martinique, Guadeloupe, Antigua, Barbuda, St Barts, St Martin, and the British Virgin islands. Each within sight of its neighbour, yet culturally so diverse. A unique identity bestowed on each by the turns of a particularly brutal history.  

Of all these places, we did not interact with people, cultures and traditions as much as we did with the land. Immersed in nature, most of our time is spent amongst wildlife at anchor, on the sea shore, hiking in the hills or exploring underwater.

Pretty pictures don’t speak of personal challenges or the sometimes tedious or stressful aspects of boat life, but our time in the Caribbean has been particularly sweet and care-free in comparison to earlier steps in this journey. The weather conditions predictable, with east trade winds blowing most of the time and shelter easier to find. More time to read, or to just be. The fishing and seafood gathering improved as we progressed north. Tama and Luca learnt to scuba dive. Some dive sites along the way (many wrecks) have been spectacular.

Yachts come and go following their own rhythm, occasionally enjoying some solitary cruising. Each family a unique part of a genuinely fun and caring community. Passions, skills, tools, and good humour free flow in all directions, kids get fed wherever they roam and extra pairs of hands turn up without prompt. Unity in diversity, the qualities of a resilient ecosystem..

The kids are thriving, soaking up all that nature has to offer until they drop. Playing games and water sports, taking each other hiking, building stuff, baking, crafting, and so often singing. There is immense joy in witnessing a tribe of children aged 3 to 15 spread their wings under each other’s care and that of a whole village.

 Here’s Simon leading a memorable morning class in crayfish hunting. You can read Tama’s story here.

The British Virgin islands are where paths separate, many families sailing back across the Atlantic to Europe. A chapter closes, with numerous farewells and a big celebration one crazy windy night dancing under the April full moon.

We are now extremely excited to be making our way to the Pacific.

It is a strange time to be away from home as world views rapidly shape-shift and collide. For some, it may be the first time their perception of reality is found resting on shaky grounds. No matter what you see from where you stand, it is a confronting time.

What I can see from where I stand, is ever-escalating government control, local economies being destroyed, civil rights desecrated and dissenting voices muted. The way forward is from the ground up. People and land. Community.