Hi: We're sailing on the YC on March 18th, arriving St. Lucia the 17th. Looking for something to do Sunday for 4 or 5 hours before we board ship and was wondering if anyone had gone to the Pigeon Island National Park and if it is worth visiting. It seems close to our hotel, Bay Garden. After traveling all day Saturday, I was looking for a relaxing way to spend Sunday afternoon, don't know if I want to go on a real long tour. Any suggestions, other than just going to Spinnnakers and drinking!

Thanks, Linda Lee

The park is an interesting place to go. You can do some hiking to the two peaks on the island. It is a good place to get an overview of the area. There are other interesting places to walk to on the island. It is not very big so it is not a major undertaking. It has a decent beach with showers nearby. I do not remember where the Bay Gardens was but even though it looks like a short distance away it is not easy to get to by walking the beach. In fact you cannot cross one hotel's property to get to the island because of fencing. We took a taxi and it did not cost much. Told the taxi driver to pick us up at X hour and he was there to take us back. We did not pay until the return trip though and that may have been the incentive. It is a quiet place to go but interestingly enough one of the places I took most of my pictures in Rodney Bay.

lindalee,
you can hike to the top of pigeon islands two peaks and enjoy the spectacular view... then go rest up while you drink at spinnikers. they are very close to each other. across the bay. we enjoyed both things while were there last month. the view from behind a beer bottle at spinnikers was also beautiful. bay gardens looked like a nice place. there is a great pizza place across the street and down a ways. i believe the name is key largo.

Lindalee

If your tour driver is like most, they will allow a stop at Caribelle Batik.
I, for one wouldn't miss it.

Address - Caribelle Batik
Howelton House
Morne Fortune, Box 37
Castries, St Lucia

Description:
Painted in white and bright yellow, the Victorian mansion named Howelton House is now the home of a Batik enterprise which demonstrates this fabric art. Visitors see how wax is applied to cotton to prevent coloration of specific areas before the material is dyed. The process is then repeated until the entire design is completed. Shopping for the high-quality designs is part of the visit. Orchid gardens on the grounds overlook Castries below this mountain called Morne Fortune.

LindaLee!

I didn't make it to Pigeon Island (wanted to!), but I did stay at the Bay Gardens my first WJ out of St. Lucia. Even though their check out time is 11 or 12, a bunch of us left our big bags with the front desk and hung out by the pool. It's a nice little pool with the bar right there. Nice to relax the afternoon away after that long travel day.

Whatever you choose to do, call "Daisy" at 758-584-4511. He, or his son Murphy (758-584-4778), will pick you up, never strand you somewhere, and get you to the Clipper on time. He has a large van, too, so if you meet other Jammers at Bay Gardens, arrange for all of you to go with Daisy and save some money.

I travel by myself and would trust Daisy to take me anywhere. Oxford and Capt Julian on the Clipper set me up with him in the first place.

Daisy's e-mail is desirandmurphy@hotmail.com. You can call or e-mail ahead and have a taxi waiting for you at the airport when you land.

Hope this helps. I wish I was going!!!!

Nancy

Linda Lee,

We just returned from a week on the YC and we ended up anchored in Rodney Bay for our last day and spent the morning on Pidgeon Island. We did not end up going to St. Vincent because of the Cricket Tournament being held there that day and the island was all shut down. It will be going on for awhile down there, hopping from island to island, so don't know how it might affect your trip.

It is definitely not walking distance from Bay Gardens to Pidgeon Island unless you plan to walk a good way. We took Shal's Double Fun Falls Tour on Sunday before boarding and got a good tour of the northern portion of the island. He will pick you up at your hotel in the morning (you leave your bags there), then bring you back, pick up your bags and take you to the ship in time for rum swizzels.

Rodney Bay does have a nice beach, but is next door to the Sandels resort and they brought a bunch of their folks over there in kayaks while we were there. You can snorkel there, too, but it was windy while we were there and the water was murky.

Have a great trip. You'll love it.

Badger Blond