Today was another rainswept blustery day, so I returned to my photographic archives and scanned a dozen slides from May 2004. This was the month in which Sam completed his Atlantic Row, which I have featured from time to time. During the few days waiting for him to arrive in Port St Charles, Barbados, and afterwards, I took the opportunity to roam the Island with my camera. There are many more in this set.
Jessica, Louisa, and I began our stay in an hotel some miles from the finishing point, but soon transferred to join Chris, Frances, and Fiona in one in the luxurious developing holiday playground.
This area presented a stark contrast to how the rest of the inhabitants of Barbados lived. Our hotel was surrounded by a compound patrolled by armed guards to keep out people like a coconut seller seated on the wall outside. His produce looked unappetising and he charged fairly optimistic prices.
Some distance away, a young woman, seated on a rugged outcrop gazing out to sea, was persuaded to rise to her feet.
Port St Charles (Speightstown on the map) lies on the Caribbean Sea to the north west of the Island. To the east storms the Atlantic ocean. The two bodies of water meet at the northern tip of the Island. Rowers need to navigate this point with precision. Too wide and the current would would carry them to Cuba, too near and they would be smashed on these rocks. The competitors rowed in pairs or solo. One of the pairs hit the rocks, and had to be rescued.
These seascapes are of the more gentle Caribbean.
Much less inviting was the dark, violent, Atlantic that, on the last couple of days, swept my son so fast towards his final destination that he dropped his anchor to slow himself down in order to arrive in daylight. Not for him, Cuba or the rocks.
Late this afternoon the rain desisted and the sun put in a brief appearance.
The red hot pokers were not extinguished,
and raindrops glistened on day lilies,
dahlias,
the clematis Duchess of Albany,
Priscilla, the gladiolus,
the Absolutely Fabulous rose,
and any others you care to imagine.
This evening we dined on a rack of pork ribs in barbecue sauce, and Jackie’s chicken in black bean sauce, stir fry vegetable noodles, and rice noodles, followed by rice pudding. I drank more of the cabernet sauvignon, and Jackie abstained.
I love the pictures of the flowers…so beautiful!
Thank you lemanshots
Wow, magnificent pictures of the waves hitting the outcrop!
Thank you both
Never having been there, I tend to think of Barbados as a tropical paradise. Everything you say and your photos makes me aware my assumptions are quite erroneous!
Thanks, Pauline. I’m sure there will be others that may change your mind.
Like the contented one, I had neve imagined this part of the world looking so wild and wooly!
Thank you, Yvonne
beautiful colored waves and the raindrops on the flowers are magical too
Thanks, Gary
Shiver me timbers! How heartless of you, Derrick, to post pictures of Barbados and of bright red flowers while we in the South quiver in the cold and frosty air.
You’ll get your own back 🙂
I took a photo of red hot pokers, yesterday, but did not know what they were. Thank you (they are a lot drier than yours)
Thank you, Sylvie
I love your photographs of the waves! And Priscilla the gladiolus is gorgeous.
Thank you Inese
I enjoyed the geography lesson and the photographs of Barbados. Too bad no photos of rowers in action. Sounds too treacherous to be fun! Absolutely Fabulous is absolutely fabulous.
Thank you, Mary. When I get to them there are shots of Sam arriving.
Great photos of Barbados and then your flowers took my breath away! Stunning! Thanks Derrick!
Thank you Rob
Priscilla the gladiolus is stunning, isn’t she? I love the kniphofia – they grow wild on the railway embankments here and, despite being a weed, do make a splendid sight!
Many thanks, Matt
You’re taking me back to my holiday on Dominica over Christmas and New Year 2004/5. I shall revisit my photo archive right now, with gratitude.
Thanks, Kieth. I look forward to the results.
Quite a few have gone up already, Derrick, tagged Dominica on my blog. Still some left to filter through over time.
that day lilly looks gorgeous! Lovely work 🙂
Thank you, Boss
Thanks for taking me on a short trip to an island I haven’t visited.
Thanks, Frank
Incredible photos of the water, Derrick! Each one captures and characterizes the Caribbean sea quite well, and I look forward to the day I get to experience these islands myself. 🙂
Thank you Shana
Wow! Your son rowed the Atlantic – amazing!
Thanks Jenny. At the time he was the youngest ever to have rowed any ocean solo, and he won the race. He got in The Guinness Book of Records
Even more amazing. What a wonderful achievement.
Wonderful photos once again Derrick 🙂
Thank you Julie
Reblogged this on Concierge Librarian.
Many thanks
Awesome photos. I really enjoyed them Barbados was surprise. We visited there in 1989. 🙂
Thank you Sartenada. Praise for photographs from you is especially pleasing
Fantastic photos Derrick. Great series of waves on the outcrop and fab flower shots with dewdrops.
My own trip to Barbados was punctuated with an awful lot of driving around getting lost. Seems all roads lead to Bridgetown but getting anywhere else isn’t so easy.
We had hoped to surf (or try to) but the North of the island is mostly experts only so driving South was what we had to do.
Enjoyed the read.
Thanks, Jerry. I walked ten miles to Bridgetown one day, described in http://derrickjknight.com/2012/05/30/a-pair-of-sandals/ The locals thought I was mad.
I’ll read that later! 🙂
Thanks for telling me about your son’s trip, Derrick. I’m following it through tonight. I found this fabulous quote today which seems to describe the sort of decisions your son made on the trip: “Before achieving a dream, you need to make very little steps… People don’t understand that when you want to make a big dream you have a lot of fastidious little things you have to do.”
Bertrand Piccard
xx Rowena