While in Dominica I managed to cut open a birthmark on my neck and it has been somewhat infected since then and the wound won’t close permanently or correctly, so I decided to get it looked at and treated by a doctor today. I checked out the options on the internet and found a practice just 2.5 KM away which was conveniently situated next to Fort Fleur d’épée which I would take a look at on the same trip. I had no luck reaching the practice on the phone, so I decided to walk there. My first intimation that I wasn’t going to have any luck came about halfway through the walk when I passed the local stadium and the parking lot was full to overflowing and the people entering the arena were all dressed in their Sunday best; when I got close to the stadium I could hear the gospel singing and I realized that today was Good Friday and odds were going to be pretty bad when looking for an open doctor’s practice or store. When I got to the address I was proven right, they were shut down tight for the day!
I walked up the hill to the Fort and was happy to see that they weren’t closed for the holiday but I was the only guest for the whole duration of my visit. The fort was quite interesting although all of the interior cave-like rooms were shut and inaccessible. But enough remained of the fortifications to let one imagine how tough it would be take the fort in battle using the technology available in the 1700s.
Back aboard, I had just made a cold-cut baguette sandwich when a knock on the hull startled me. I went topsides to see 5 uniformed officers from the French customs (Douane) on the dock and they asked if they could board the boat. I got my boat papers, clearance and passport out from below and while they transcribed the information they asked me general questions. In the end one of the officers went below to check on my EPIRB (which he noted is going to need re-certification this year!) and that was it, they left the boat and went to my neighbour on the dock.
I managed to get some more work done on deck and filled my water tanks as I was running low on water after the long stay at the docks without an opportunity to run the watermaker. The hose pressure was low and it seemed to take an eternity to fill my 2 tanks; and now I’ll have to go to the chandlery tomorrow to get an activated charcoal filter so that when my watermaker runs or does it’s regular flushing cycle it won’t take damage from any chlorine in the water.
