The Yole Races in Martinique

I forgot to mention the yole races in my last post, long a tradition in Martinique. Yoles are sailboats handcarved out of tree trunks. They have no keels, no balast, and typically between 15 and 18 crew. Their sails are very colorful and the crew dresses up in colorful outfits similar to bicycle racers. Kent and I camped out on the top deck of our boat and watched a day of yole racing. The start and finish lines were just off our harbor beach. It was facinating to watch the crews align themselves, shift balance, and lean out to control their boats. They appear to be difficult to steer and are very fast. A great day at the races!