Waiting

The supermarket at the marina was open this morning. Meats were rare and many shelves were bare but we managed to provision a little. Gas stations are still closed with fuel going only to emergency services. We’re now getting concerned as to how long our dinghy will last as we only have quarter of a tank remaining. As a result, we’ve moved Dignity closer to the marina so our trip time is reduced and rowing becomes more practical. Hiring a car is possible. We’ll be charged for gas depending on where the guage starts and ends. The car hire companies seem to have jerry cans tucked away. We’re thinking now about hiring a car on Thursday. We are expecting the Hookah to be returned here. It is on it’s way and in Puerto Rico right now and due on the island tomorrow. Whether it’ll arrive tomorrow or not we don’t know with this general strike going on. If it does arrive tomorrow then we can pick it up when we hire the car.

We were also expecting to collect some parts. We’ve decided to have them shipped to our guests who are arriving in Martinique in March. We can survive without them until then.

We’ve also heard that the general strike has spread to Martinique which, like Guadeloupe, is a department of France. They are asking for prices on all regular goods to be lowered by 30%. Can’t see how that can be done but that’s what they’re striking over.

We spent this morning at a local coffee shop using their complimentary internet service and catching up. We’ve been reading and doing odd things on the boat in the afternoon. Trip to Point-a-Pitre is set for tomorrow. Looks like we’ll get the fold up bikes out for the first time for this.

More broadly, if the Hookah does arrive, we may just hightail it out of here and go to Dominica earlier than planned. If the Hookah is delayed we’ll break out of P-a-P and explore the coast to the east hoping to find gasoline somewhere.

We won’t starve for a while as we can make bread and water. We have plenty of noodles and canned goods. Fruit stalls are doing good business ashore.

If where we are were pretty it would not be so bad. Problem is it’s a bit of a port with container facilities across the bay and not so pretty waterside businesses and apartment blocks around. No idyllic beaches to be found right here.