We motored the 60 nautical miles from St. Pierre, Martinique, to Portsmouth, Dominica, in the wind shadow created by Dominica’s tall mountains. It was a cloudy and misty day. The scenery reminded me of a moody Chinese Shan Shui (山水, “mountain-water”) painting. Although Dominica is only a few hours’ sail from Martinique, the contrast was…

St. Pierre leaves a lasting impression on visitors. As we approached the anchorage just outside the town center, we were awed by the magnificent presence of Mount Pelée volcano. Saint-Pierre is a historic coastal town on the northwest coast of Martinique. Founded in 1635 by Pierre Belain d’Esnambuc, it was the island’s original capital and…