Guns, Pigeons and Beer

Location: Pigeon Island National Landmark, Saint Lucia (14″05’39N, 60″57’53E) 

SOTA summit: N/A

Activation Date: Dec 7, 2016

Portable operation: Yes

Radio: Elecraft KX3 operating at 12 watts

Antenna: Buddipole in dipole configuration

Bands used: 17m

Furthest QSO: ~1,100 miles with Les Chris, 6Y6Y in Jamaica on 17m

Hike in: Yes, ~2 miles roundtrip and 300 ft of ascent to 300 ft

Solo operation: No with Chris Drummond

Recommend: Yes

ATT Coverage: N/A

Photos: Copyright Paul Gacek 2017

Its mid week and I’m loving being at the villa but an offer to see the sea is too much to pass up and before I know it I’m Chris’s co-pilot as we lurch past ruts and pot holes on the road to Pigeon Point.

There’s history here and a reminder of a world that has long gone.

The pirate standing by the ticket kiosk has a smile that’s far too friendly. The red mail box shouts to be seen and looks so out of place in such a green and tropical park and to bring home one quirk of Anglo American history, Admiral Rodney’s guns, hauled up to Pigeon Point during the height of the American Revolution sit weathered and astride twentieth century concrete carriages.

Its a short hike to our little radio destination. Antennas do better radiating signals from higher up but of course the real boon is the views we get to see in all directions.

The peak is quite a popular destination and as is so often the case people look inquisitively at what we are doing but generally are too polite to ask. The smile from the pretty women couldn’t go ignored and so we chat and learn of the annual ARC sailing ship race across the Atlantic to Saint Lucia. Sounds fun but definitely not something I would do but we all end up learning things anew about two very different passions that brought us independently to Saint Lucia.