Monday 12th April (Lini’s Journal)
Brindabella's Web Diary
Simon Williams
Thu 22 Apr 2010 20:13
OR
Batten Down the Hatches – Here Comes Another Squall
We were up bright and early today and the laundry got a bit of a
blow during breakfast. It was far too blowy and cloudy to leave it out
however, so with Brindabella’s hatches sealed we were ready to
explore. Gustavia was delightful. Red roofed buildings lined the
harbour and beautiful houses rose into the hillsides. The newly built
town hall sat proud on the corner of the harbour and next to it a
tastefully built new museum in grey stone with white wooden shutters.
St. Barth is a playground for the rich and famous which was evident
from the row of large motorboats standing to attention along the dock
and the up market boutiques in the streets behind. As we passed all
the big names Si kept asking me if I needed anything saying he was
feeling a misfit without a Ralph Lauren bag slung over his shoulder!
Beautiful people browsed the shops and drank coffee with views of
superyachts. Meanwhile Lini and Simon were looking for bins to dump
our garbage! The weather was awful for everyone however and no sooner
had we found the ‘poubelles’ than the heavens opened: Time for coffee
we decided and ducked into a trendy café to sip espresso while looking
out onto the downpour.
Humidity rose as the streets steamed some time later and we set off
exploring the town. At last I even found a post office and was able to
post off my insurance claim. The queue however was so long I watched
our bright skies darken and by the time I was served heavy rain was
falling again. This time though it didn’t stop and rivers ran down the
streets as drains overflowed. Normally it would have been annoying to
have rain on holiday, but knowing how desperately these islands needed
it I rejoiced at the thought of the land hydrating. We sheltered for
an age under the post office porch then mistakenly decided it was
easing off and we should wander some more. Needless to say within
minutes it came down heavily again and we looked like drowned rats as
we waded through streams down the streets. Despite the weather the
town was very pretty and we circled the end of the harbour and worked
our way back to the supermarket by the dinghy dock to pick up
something for lunch. I assumed the megayachts had their special
provisions flown in and delivered straight to the yachts, but there
was obviously still a market for scrummy food. (Well there would be on
a French Island!) There was a massive selection on the deli counter
and soft fruits in the chiller I haven’t seen for many months. We took
out a mortgage and bought some smoked ham on the bone, asparagus and
French bread.
Back on Brindabella squalls continued but between them we jumped
off the stern into amazingly clear water for some more boat scrubbing
and anchor checking. The boat in front of us has chain only twice the
depth of water out and has dragged a couple of boat lengths towards
us. There were deep furrows in front of their chain on the seabed and
they are now quite close. As well as turtles 8-10meters below on the
sandy bed Si pointed towards a dozen or so rays flapping past.
Fantastic! Tonight crew Brindabella were dining out so after G&Ts at
sundown Lini took a grown up shower with lots of bubbles rather than a
quick hose down on the transom. I put on a skirt with silk top and
Caribbean beads then topped my outfit with a gorgeous tatty red spray
jacket with tiny quick drying towel shoved into the pocket! Into a wet
pack went the heels and handbags and not very elegantly I hoist my
skirt to jump into the dinghy where out came the towel to dry the
seat. Ah! Dining out is such an adventure these days! As usual by the
time we bounced ashore I was generally salt encrusted with my hair
standing on end. On the dock feet were dried with towel, heels slipped
on, handbag removed from wet pack then wet pack put in handbag, tatty
jacket removed and trahlah!, Lini and Simon were ready for an evening
out!!!!
Luckily the evening stayed dry when we walked around and we stopped
firstly for a cocktail in a bar by the harbour where I could also do a
spot of people watching. I had to exercise great restraint not to
guzzle my margarita straight down it was so scrummy. We then decided
to try a Vietnamese restaurant and wandered up the little streets
peering at all the pretty things in the shop windows on the way.
Seated under a flat screen TV showing Vietnamese music videos I was
able to give Si a running commentary as I hunted the menu for any fat
free options. Dinner was jolly lovely as was the Chablis to wash it
down and some time later I staggered back to Shovell after probably
more than just one too many beverages!