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To set the scene, a sailing trip with a friend like a brother, for a holiday on his first home, a yatch in Guadeloupe, where he worked as a captain. Our destination was set for a long voyage. Waiting for a slight drop in the ceaseless Caribbean wind before we took to the open ocean, we sailed out of Guadeloupe to a collection of small islets. We landed on one tiny island, IIlet a Cabrit, Isle of the Goats. We made a fire and ate and found it to be only inhabited by very fast chickens. The next morning we only went as far as the larger Island Terre-de-Haut, where I climbed to Napoleons fort. Here we learned something of small island culture. I bought some jams from a little fine food delicacies shop offering products from the small surrounding islands. On small islands, one starts to think of the confinement of island communities. Cooped up in their little Island paradise, their isolation and fragility, with each islands rich set of characteristics depending on the people, place and history. We finally voyaged south past Dominica, Martinique and St Lucia to arrive in St Vincent & the Grenadines. Our plan was to stop in St Vincent and continue as far as Tobago Keys & Union Island, before turning tail and sailing back. This would entail a full day & nights sailing, taking shifts on the helm with the boat carving through the luminous effervescence of blue-green algae. Coming into Cumberland Bay the land climbed to mountain cliffs and lush vegetation with farms and coconut palm nestled in the valley bellow hillsides of jungle. The boat boys announce your arrival, competition can be fierce and first off the mark was Evo. Our man guided us to a good spot in the corner of the beach by his bar. As the evening drew in, we appreciated the valley’s high ridge line creating a half colosseum enclosing the bay. A road climbed to the top of the settlement leading to a high pass. The bay was cut by a deep river gorge leading to the Islands interior. That evening at Evos bar we met our local guide Azabam. At the end of the night Evo took us out back, which to our surprise was his vegetable garden. We took armfuls of cassava, yam and herbs back to the boat. This would be a theme while in Cumberland. On waking in paradise, with the stern of the boat lashed up to a palm tree on the beach, backed up close to shore, just far enough to be out of the waves, but close enough to feel the comfort of land. Azabam was here to collect me. He lived right by the local store where the boys were cracking a bottle of ice cold red wine. Exactly how it should be enjoyed in the tropics. We went to see an old boy Doddsie, who had a good size small holding and was known for these things. I took passion fruits, bush peas and hibiscus, back to the boat. I was awestruck by his huge avocado trees and he welcomed my gift of homemade marmalade. During our precious days in Cumberland Bay, we enjoyed sports day, a big event where Azabam catered the fish option. The remainder of the adventure took us to wind swept Pirates islands, rich coral reefs, swashbuckling rum on the high seas. After making it to Union Island, a sailing and kitesurfing mecca, on our return journey we came back to Cumberland Bay. This time with offerings. Miles offshore, we hit on the Mahi-Mahi, these feed under huge matts of Sargasso seaweed, we reeled in a catch each. The high river had silted up the bay and stopped the locals fishing which made our catch valuable. This time we paid our boat boy with fish, and he gifted us with local supplies. The rest of the fish made for a farewell feast enjoyed with brothers Azabam and Evo.