Rodney Bay is named after Admiral Rodney who recognised its strategic importance to both the French and English military because it could deliver a good anchorage to one side while depriving their opponents of another.  In 1778, Fort Rodney was built on Pigeon Island, just north of what is now Rodney Bay Marina.  Pigeon Island (now linked to the rest of St Lucia by a man-made causeway) has two prominent hills which offered strategic advantage for long range canon. Chris and I climbed to the top of both hills to enjoy the magnificent views and gained new respect for the men who hauled three 24lb cannons and two 11 1/2 inch mortars up the hills, together with gun carriages, ammunition and all the requirements for building a self-contained fortified encampment.

 

We anchored just outside the marina entrance channel, along with about 80 other yachts, which gave us easy access to all of the marina’s main facilities. This provided the opportunity to catch up on some large scale laundry and eat some excellent pizzas, something we didn’t expect to find in St Lucia, as well as more conventional local food.

 

We took a bus to Castries (the capital of St Lucia)to stroll through the massive covered market near the cruise liner dock where stallholders were selling every kind of souvenir, many of which were made in, or used parts from, China.  It is tempting to say that this was the “other side” of St Lucia to the relative wealth of Rodney Bay, but even in Rodney Bay we sadly encountered a young woman plying the world’s oldest trade out in the open.  By way of contrast, there were several souvenir salesmen selling their modest wares as best they could to passers by. who became genuinely friendly after we stopped to admire their goods and talk to them.  Like people all over the world, they just want to be respected for their efforts, and hopefully earn some money.

 

Fishing from the boat in the evenings became a competition between Mick and Chris.  Fortunately, both caught fish (though none large enough to consume), with Mick’s experience giving him the edge over Chris’s surprising (to him) success.  Mick winning this informal competition at least gave some consolation to the lack of success in trolling for larger fish which he had pursued with all the skill of his years of experience.  Unfortunately, the northern Caribbean no longer has the plentiful fish stocks of decades past.  Sadly, this was the point at which Mick left us to return to normal life.

 

Pigeon Island from the sea

 

Rodney bay from Pigeon Island

 

Fort Rodney

 

Fort Rodney armaments

 

The bus to Castries

 

Castries street scene

 

Dining at Rodney Bay Marina