Martinique

A Volcano and a Lost City

The north of the island is dominated by Mount Pelée, whose eruption in 1902 destroyed the town of Saint-Pierre, then the island's main city, and killed about 28,000 people in minutes. Its ruins still stand in the rebuilt town by the sea, below the forested volcano.

Les Anses-d'Arlet

The camera is in Les Anses-d'Arlet, a fishing village in the drier south of the island. Its 18th-century church stands right on the beach, facing a long wooden jetty, framed by palm trees and the green hills behind. Sailboats and fishing boats ride at anchor in the bay, and the clear water over the seagrass is a feeding ground for green turtles.

Trade Winds and Rain

The dry season, the carême, runs from December to May, with steady trade winds and clear skies. From June to November the rainy season brings warm showers and, at times, tropical storms, which the camera shows rolling in over the bay.