Pigeon, Sweat, & Backroad Driving.

Christa Unruh
Nov 6 · 5 min read

Day 3: November 2, 2019

The view from Pigeon Island, looking out to Rodney Bay and Reduit Beach

Today’s adventures were truly wet and wild!!

We began our day with breakfast at home and then made our way to Pigeon Island to wander the ruins of an old pirate hideout established by John Le Clerk, and later turned into a fort in the late 1700s by the French. Pigeon Island has long been recognized as a strategic military post spanning from the 1700’s all the way to World War II. Although it is called an island, a land bridge was built in 1972 allowing the Fort Rodney to become an impeccable attraction and an ideal place to have a wedding.

Ruins found at Pigeon Point.

The average temperature on St. Lucia is 31 degrees but on any given day what the temperature actually feels like could be completely different. For example today’s high was, you guessed it, 31 degrees but it felt like 36! To say we were sweating would be an understatement! It felt like we were creating our own personal weather systems with rain in the forecast haha!!

As long as there was a breeze or we were moving forward it was bearable but without the wind it was like being placed in an oven! Of course we would t dare complain because we know what’s going on on Canada and it’s cold!

The views from Pigeon Island are unreal. From the top of the lookout you can see the island of Martinique 40km to the north, Rodney bay, Reduit beach where we swam yesterday, and the tops of the Pitons to the south.

The view below Fort Rodney
Canons pointing out to sea and the view across the Island
Left: Rob looking out through the 2' deep windows of the fort. Center: Looking out across to the north point of the Island; Fort Rodney above and the window Rob was looking out of.
Left: Inside the fort (It was much cooler in there). Center: The roof of the fort and me making my way out of it. Right: Rob and I on the top of the point over looking Fort Rodney.
While admiring the power of this massive tree and how it had pulled down and held a part of the wall Rob discovered some hermit crabs!
These guys are fascinating and hilarious

After our sweat filled, awesome hike we stopped at a restaurant called “Jambe de Bois”, which sits off the side of the beach, and enjoyed some lunch. Rob absolutely loved the banana crisp he had for dessert and I enjoyed marvelling at the driftwood chairs and the view from where we sat.

At Jambe de Bois. There is excellent snorkelling along this side of that dock.

After lunch we promptly went and got our snorkel gear and headed for the beach to see some fishes and hopefully find some treasure. Unfortunately as soon as we arrived a massive thunderstorm rolled in and after waiting about an hour for the storm to pass we decided it was time to go home.

When it comes to getting around I enjoy driving and Rob makes sure we’re getting to where we need to go as the navigator, so when he told me to turn left at the first roundabout instead of going around to our usual turnout I just went with it. Little did we know we would end up in the backroads of Castries in amongst the locals doing their normal everyday life stuff like driving home from work and picking up their kids from school! Rush hour is a little bit different here then it is in Canada and although we were starting to get the knack of the narrow St. Lucian roads, with their massive drainage ditches on either side, this was next level!!

From the valley floor we twist and turned up, up, up into the mountains on a single lane road, with the drainage ditches still present, and cars parked to one side of the already narrow road. There were people everywhere and sometimes there were pedestrians, dogs, and chickens all at once!

Following a local makes it easier to get around; Just do as the locals do!
Once you’re on these roads you’re committed. There’s really no place to turn around.

I honestly had a blast driving through the community and seeing how real Lucians live. They have beautiful homes but also live in immense poverty by Canadian standards. The roads were intense yes, but I enjoyed the challenge and felt like if I could handle these roads I could probably handle anything St. Lucia has to offer. Thankfully we made it back to our place without a scratch and enjoyed a meal at home while watching the first episode of Jack Ryan season 2!

Ps. Here are some of the fun bugs we encountered today!

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