Montserrat

As we approached Montserrat our information on the island was both limited and dated, but we did know that the active volcano of Soufriere Hills is on the island and that it started to erupt in l995. At that time the main town of Plymouth was evacuated.
We approached Montserrat from the north in day-light and coned our way down the coast. We noted the settlement of Little Bay at the north end of the island, however, as we progressed south-ward the island's many elaborate homes, along the coast, started to have an abandoned look about them.
We were anxious to catch a look at the volcano and as we continued along the coast, the top came into view revealing steam and smoke rising all around.
As we continued farther along we were shocked as the abandoned city of Plymouth came into view.
We wept at the sight of this city that was buried deep in ash and mud. A huge fissure lay open in the earth at the city's edge. It was truly one of the saddest and most moving sights we have ever seen.
We took a turn back north to lay anchor in Old Road Bay. Here we found a golf course and club-house that were abandoned and over-grown. A herd of stray cattle grazed on the course before they strolled the beach in the evening. A neighbourhood of elaborate homes surrounded the golf course. At night the street lights came on but not one house light shone out on this deserted area.
It was very eerie and very sad, however that night on a local radio station (out of Little Bay), we heard a discussion on how this former "gem of the English isles" was attempting to stimulate tourism back to their island.
The blue moon that steered us on our way from Montserrat to Guadeloupe that night, seemed somewhat appropriate.
Anchor to anchor - Montserrat to Guadeloupe - 48 miles - ll hours