1) St. Lucia Above The Bay Dennery or (Dennwi in Kwéyòl)
Reasons To Be Cheerful. Part One.
Dennery or (Dennwi in Kwéyòl)
My dearest family, friends, and people I’m yet to meet. Inspired by the exquisite splendour of St. Lucia. I have decided to put this period in my life to some good use, and write a Blog. Hence:
It’s my intension that this Blog shall be honest, entertaining and informative. It shall be a personal view of my time in St. Lucia. However, it will always be compassionate and private, to protect the lives of the living, and the souls of the dead. Finally I shall always be respectful to the people and the country I love.
Looking South West Towards Rodney Bay.
It’s another exquisite morning in St. Lucia. Nowhere on earth wakes up with the optimism, of the beautiful days you get in the tropics. The brilliant bright blue morning light, provides an exultant tinted hue, to the vista of rapture. Like the best music of any genre. St Lucia inspires and surprises at every turn. Which could take your breath away, and frustrate in equal measure. Also like the best music, St. Lucia has solace, grace and gladdens the heart. Nowhere else on earth has been bestowed by nature, with so many offerings than this little magical rock in the Atlantic. It’s not the wedding and honeymoon capital of the world for nothing.
Looking North East Towards Pigeon Island.
Daylight broke about 6:15am. As it’s Monday, it’s dustman’s day, I’m forced out of bed. Living in Cap Estate. You’re not allowed to leave rubbish out in view of the road or the other residents. I’m informed the poor inhabitants of Cap Estate have suffered enough! The dustmen are noisy. From their car radio they play loud Country & Western music, which becomes more abrasive the nearer the cart gets to my house.
My home is 80M above sea level. Benefitting from the beautiful Trade Winds that naturally cool the island. I live on a gentle slope, one can see the weather move across the bay. Accompanied by the beautiful morning sun. The house is expertly orientated East to West. So, I get an alarm clock sunrise in the morning, and beautiful sunsets every evening. Not to forget the constant nonchalant breeze from the North.
Cap Estate is located in the very north of the island. It was cut out of a Sugar Plantation and a Swamp (“Bush!” as the locals call it) in the 1970’s & 80’s. The ground on the West side of Cap Estate, facing the Caribbean Sea is beautifully fertile, a true Garden of Eden. The ground on the East side, facing the Atlantic Ocean is more like desert and arid, fit for mostly cacti, moss and hardy grass.
My garden which faces due West is full of mango trees, banana trees, citrus trees & fruit trees. There are two magnificent Flamboyant Trees which in season gives the most amazing red flower. Which the birds, bats and termites seem to love.
The Remains Of The Day. The Magnificent, But Illusive “Green Flash” At Sunset.
Tonights sunset was breathtakingly beautiful, with oranges, reds, purple, yellows, and pink hues, plus the legendary green flash. The greatest show on Earth! As the stunning sun retreats, and slips below the horizon. An orange velvet curtain unravels, conjuring up the remains of the day.
It’s another half-moon, nestled in the jet black-blue velvet sky. No local football tonight. The flood-lights at Gros Islet FC are dark. So with the stars for an audience and accompanied by crickets and frogs. I play my guitar. I’m working on Bill Withers “Use Me!” And the Style Council “You’re the best thing that ever happened.” A metaphor on life perhaps?
Sunset Rodney Bay.
A Brand New Day The first ship of the morning floated across the horizon outside my bedroom window about 7 o’clock. It was a huge floating apartment, block gliding across the Caribbean Sea. Ships mostly sail from North to South then into Castries harbour.
There’s a beautiful rainbow over pigeon island, but we haven’t had any rain so far this morning. So watch out! The rains here are sudden, sharp and heavy.
End of The Rainbow in Gros Islet
Dennery Today I drove to the fish market in Dennery. A fascinating and unique, well preserved fishing village. A quiet place, but could instantly get very lively. There are kindly faced smiling men, wielding huge sharp knives. An argument or signing & dancing, could break out at the drop of a hat. Dennery is located on the Atlantic East cost of the Island. Through the rain forest. About half way up the island. Fishing is a means of livelihood for many of the families who reside in Dennery. From the fishermen, the mongers, and the women who sell the fish-bags at a $1 a-time. The local market, bars and road side food sellers. They all count on the passing footfall brought in by the Fish Trade.
Walking about in Dennery. The Fishermans houses, and cabins, are a mixture of brightly painted, and some faded wooden structures, all with corrugated roofs. One senses the life, and the hardships, of the work of the Fishing community. The sense of the families who toiled there previously. From the very same houses, working from the same wooden boats. Boats which have been passed down through the generations. One is struck by the awesome bravery of Fisherman, facing the Atlantic Ocean. Protected only by a small wooden craft. I spoke to a Fisherman. Who was taking the shade, under a stunted tree at the roadside. I asked him about his work, and how he coped. He said to me “Boy! I have my woman, my rum, my herb, and my bible!” Food for thought!
Dennery Quay Side.
The overriding smell of weed in the atmosphere is pungent. I did see a guy with a cutlass between his teeth, as he was rolling a joint. How did he lick the paper? I don’t know? He was so laid back. Almost as if he was being carried on a flying carpet. His name was “Wild” Pete. One imagines he couldn’t be wild in his wildest dreams. Even if he was rubbed down with magic mushrooms, and left to his own devices with a box of matches and some kerosene. He would fail to spark into action!
Fresh Tuna For Sale
At the market, ladies with multicoloured hair bonnets, charm and flirt with grizzly fishmongers to bargain down the prices. It’s a well-choreographed dance.
I stood transfixed as I watch a Fishmonger rip the guts out of a huge Tuna. Cutting the fish with supreme dexterity and skill, almost as if he was a surgeon using a scalpel. It was an absolutely spell binding art-form to watch. Then this woman handed him a sweaty roll of EC Dollars pulled out from her bra. It is a strictly cash emporium. Without pausing, with one hand he took the money, stuffing the cash somewhere down his gentlemen’s area. As he handed the woman the prepared fish in a polythene bag, placing it in her plastic bucket with her other goodies. Poetry in motion! The dance over! She laughed and thanked him, He then saluted her with two fingers flicked from his temple.
Dennery Fish Market
The experience of the daily life, of buying and selling fish in Dennery probably hasn’t changed since the first Caribs brought the first catch ashore 100’s of years ago. There’s a charm and charisma to the village, underpinned by the respect for the sea and the Fish Trade.
King Fish Ready For The Grill.
Top Tip:Note to self. “Never again wear brand-new canvas trainers to a Fish market.” £80 wasted!! When they open the drains the liquid is bright red, resembling the imaginary wine lakes of the failures of the early days of the European Common Market. The washing of the bloodshot water, runs burgundy red, not with wine, but with fish blood, guts, and intestines. But no foul smell. None of the fish is wasted. The Fish heads are always sold or traded. Fish eggs are a delicacy. And scrag ends are food for the poor, or pet food.
Having bought my fresh: King Fish, Barracuda and a Tuna. I headed home. My sincere apologies to vegetarians. The fish will be kept in a cooler and packed in ice. From the sea to my grill will be a maximum of four hours. There is nothing like fresh fish.
Looking Down onto Dennery.
Sunset Fish Supper I’m having a stiff drink on the balcony with “my” sunset. I think I’ve earned it after “Hunter Gathering” in Dennery. The fish is in the Grill!
More guitar work this evening. I touched up on the John Lennon Beatles classic “Come Together.” Simply a great song. I’m learning as many of the great songs as I can. Great songs seem to be simple 4 to 5 chord masterpieces. Music, it’s not just about technical ability, but about the feel. And the empathy with one’s instrument of choice. Lesson learnt!
Acknowledgments & Thanks:
Kwéyòl Dictionary Ministry of Education Government of St Lucia 2001
Tony Nayager for corrective guidance. (He knows what I mean!)
My beautiful cousin Fenella for clarification.
End of Reasons to be CheerfulPart one
If you liked or have any comments that you would like to offer. Please share. Thank you.
Beautifully written Irvin! An utter pleasure to read!
Quite captivating! I look forward for more to come! I feel privileged to be included in your reading list!
May I share it? Or is it private?
A colourful and delightful picture painted of life in St Lucia. I could feel the breeze, heat, smells and visualise the stories. A most enjoyable read 🐟🌈☀️🌸
Wow I haven’t been to St Lucia for many years your blog made me feel I was right back on the island.
Enjoy your idyllic life Irvin you made the right decision.
❤️
Irvin! Thanks for bringing your story to my grey February Monday! Still battling through the frosty mornings in London, almost impossible to imagine the sunshine that’s hopefully around the corner. Living the dream!!! 🌅🍹💛
I just love the way you have observed the business of daily life on the Island and captured the beauty of it in your well-chosen words. It is humourous, poetic, spiritual and educational. For those of us who have not spent the time there that we should, or who are caught up in our fast-paced, materialistic lives in the UK, it’s a gentle reminder that this is somewhere in the world where we might find peace, where we might belong, you made it feel like home.
I look forward to seeing more of the island through the perspective of your eyes.
Beautiful photos and a vivid descriptions on a beautiful island
I have an image of using the blog as a road map, ticking off all the places mentioned so far…
Really lovely and uplifting to read what you are up to Irvin, thank you for including me. One of my favorite things is buying fresh fish and cooking it, I was spoilt in my time in Mozambique. Years later I found Mozambique’s famous giant prawns in a beach side restaurant in Portugal – they were £75-95 each! No surprise they remained on ice and I settled for a mere memory. Enjoy the good life, you earned it, wishing you the very best andrew ( ps I just had a son Ari Almond – my fiancé is Jamaican so maybe one day I’ll too enjoy the good life in the Caribbean) x
Happy to have taken the time to read this amazing piece again, giving it my full attention this time. You took me back in time of my own life on the island as a teenager, with the mention of…. sailing ships, fish market and the sudden, sharp and heavy rain, etc. An excellent writer know how to mentally take it’s reader into the story as if one was actually there, this exactly was my experience.🦋🤗🦋 Keep up the good work. I look forward to reading more of your, ‘Reason to be cheerful’, life experience on the beautiful island of St. Lucia. 🦋💜🇱🇨💜🦋
Well Irvin, your wish to write couldn’t have come from a more beautiful and vibrant place, not only St Lucia but your heart. Reading your blog is informative, passionate and certainly has the reader wanting to know more. I have been privilaged to be a guest of yours on a couple of occasions and I look forward to more blogs about paradise as I know as much as informed here, there is so much more to experience with you.
Stay passionate and safe my friend and may you continue to progress with your music.
Hi mate
You are too kind. Thanks so much.
You know your are welcome any time to come back so we can enjoy a Piton and the sunsets together.
Take care
Love to the family.
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A well written and imaginative blog which takes the reader on your journey of discovery. It reminds me how blessed we are for the opportunity to be able to call this beautiful island home, even with the contrasts of frustration and pleasure in equal measure. It’s a happy coincidence that we got to meet you Irvin after reading your colourful and imaginative journey thus far. Looking forward to to the next instalment.
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