Exploring Martinique

As we had secured an anchorage close to the shore, by close to the shore I mean within swimming distance- this became a necessity with the state of the dinghy, we decided to stay in St Pierre for a while. The dinghy situation did make logistics somewhat interesting each day but we made the most of things and decided to explore the island. We tried to hire a car, but we're informed that none we available and when asked when we might be able to get one the man pointed happily to the second week in March. So any exploring would have to be on foot or by bus.
Our first excursion was to be a near by walk. Now Darrell's nearby turned out to be a walk to the next village, followed by a stroll up a very steep hill and then the relief of a road with a gentle decline to the start of the walk. The Canal de Beauregarde.In the 1870's the local landowners made their slaves construct a canal, to take water around a mountain to the plantation. After reading the information board, all in French but paid for by the EU, we set off on our adventure.

We walked along the edge of the canal. The canal is about a metre wide along its length and goes around the edge of the mountain. It has a stone wall on one side which is about 40cms across and that is where you walk. Water on one side and a precipitous drop on the other. Along the canal are several sluice gates in the wall to allow water to go into different streams and rivers. It is beautifully constructed and water still flows through it. The walk was fantastic and the views great as you walk through old plantation and rainforest. 

The canal goes through a tunnel, but unfortunately this was closed. So we took a slight detour and 
stopped for a drink at a local bar.
We then continued up the mountain to the next village and thankfully caught the bus back to St Pierre.