St Martin to Anguilla and back!

Right Turn
Mike Goldsmith & Kate Richmond
Fri 31 Jan 2014 19:45

Final day of Trans Atlantic crossing, after a slow start the day becomes a classic Caribbean sailing day, 20kts of wind with blue seas and skies. Sunset brings the glow of St Barts and St Martin on the horizon.

 

St Maarten Simpson Bay Arrive shortly after midnight and anchor in rolly Simpson Bay to await the morning bridge opening into the lagoon. A quick swim first to check out the boat, as I won’t want to swim in the lagoon! Apart from the expected goose barnacles at the stern all is well. The plan was to move to the French side and anchor but someone has built a bridge across the lagoon! I anchor on the Dutch side, until I can find out the opening times. I set myself 3 tasks today but only achieved one - to buy some food. I went to check in arriving at 1150, but being French they had closed for lunch, I’ll try that tomorrow. I also tried to buy a sim for the dongle but no luck – sold out! The arrangements in the lagoon are odd as its part Dutch, part French. Currently, the French bridge is broken, but normally free. The Dutch one you’re meant to pay for but there doesn’t seem to be anyone collecting the fee. It costs E5 to clear in on the French side but free to anchor. It’s more to clear in on the Dutch side and they charge $20 a week to anchor there or any of the anchorages on the Dutch side of the island. Consequently, most people anchor on the French side and dinghy across to the Dutch side to get things from the chandleries etc. Obviously, supermarket and restaurants are a French side thing!

clip_image002The new bridge across the lagoon in St Maarten

 

Busy sorting out the repairs that need doing after a three week sail, like the ship's clock which has decided it’s too hot and stopped about a week back.  Stanchion repairs (damaged in Madeira storm), toerail replacement (Madeira!), commissioning an outboard hoist, fins for the outboard and checking everything!

 

Kate rings to say her op has been scheduled  so she’s got 5 weeks to kick her heels in UK or St Martin! So she’s booked a flight for the day after tomorrow. Unexpected and pleasant surprise.

 

 So off to the airport to collect Kate in the dinghy and hand over log writing.

 

 As usual, my suitcase is full of very important stuff needed in the Caribbean inc red bush tea, watermaker chemicals, Pimms and the obligatory Yachting World. A long day flying and a stressful fast  transfer at Miami.

 

 Finally, the outboard hoist is ready, the new fridge components have arrived, we’ve sold our old cooker and fridge on the cruisers net, new cooker chosen (the old one is slowly packing up – elec ignition doesn’t work anymore and, no, its not the battery! In addition, the grill is picky about whether it’s going to stay alight or not.) Mike’s also, finally, managed to get the freshwater pump working to his satisfaction by investing in yet another switch for more money than seems practical for such a tiny lump of plastic. Supermarche shop – Pastis priced at 3 euro a bottle has Mike sporting a scornful sneer, so I bought it anyway!  It's lovely, as it turns ut - going back to buy up the rest of the store tomorrow!

 

Congrats to our son-in-law, Chris, who survived – despite all attempts to the contrary -to reach 40 on 13th!

 

 Much negotiating with Budget marine gets me another 5% off our new cooker, making 15% in all. Worth the patience, Mr grumpy? Lots of swearing and cursing later and I have a new cooker installed. We both agreed tonight’s meal tasted the best we’ve had on board. It’s shiny and got a new kettle too!  The door folds away (just like the British Bake-off ovens!) so I’m in great company.

 

clip_image004  clip_image006    clip_image008

 

Old Oven.....................................     New Oven -Door shut…………            Door open!

 

Meant to be lifted out to do the through hull fitting for the new fridge at 3pm. We are all tied up in the lifting bay and waiting! Finally lifted – too late for the bloke to drill the hole through the hull.  The sun sets and the mosquitoes arrive, as we are perched on land in the travel hoist overnight.

 

  clip_image010

 

Pic: Here we go again!

 

Mike is up with the lark emptying the dry foods cupboard’s contents onto his side of the bed. I wake for a cuddle with a packet of Arborio and a jar of red peppers! Cupboard has to be emptied for new pipes for new fridge going through it allegedly. We, eventually, get put back in the water  but we have sprung a leak so we are quickly relifted. Cause of the problem located, fixed and with much trepidation we are lowered back into the water. Hurrah – we don’t sink! Back in our old anchorage position, far away from the mosquitoes. We now have a smart new galley and Mike will have one less thing to worry about when sailing, as this fridge doesn’t have a water pump to keep stopping!

 

Happy hour at Simpson Bay Yacht Club where we re-met Jill and Tony from the Hylas 46, Nychea, We originally met them in Grenada with Itza Purla and we seem to have been just missing each other in Deltaville and all points in between. They got struck by lightning during the hurricane there and, as a result, aren’t too keen on Deltaville.

 

 I’ve mended the ensign (again – it just gets shorter and shorter!) and made 2 new bimini sides with some mesh fabric which the sail makers hugely undercharged for – I’m not complaining.

 

Fireworks to celebrate the opening of the Causeway Bridge and Jill and Tony came over for tagine supper.

 

clip_image012  clip_image014

 

                  clip_image016

 

 St Martin to Anquilla We leave St Martin for a few days on Anguilla, which restores my faith in the Caribbean again see separate January post.  (Thanks to Jill and Tony on Nychea who handed over a container of porridge oats on our way out through the bridge – great bit of dinghymanship from Tony!) It costs $5 to clear out of St Martin, but it’s free to clear in and out of Anquilla – consistency is all we ask!

 

clip_image018   clip_image020

 

clip_image022    clip_image024

 

Pics: Causeway bridge and Little Tunny(?) caught along the way – that’s 3 dinners in the freezer!

 

Its so beautiful here, however, the wind continues to blow hard and the occasional downpour gets us soaked between morning bar and lunchtime restaurant! Happily, dried out in a few minutes but have resolved never again to go back to a restaurant we’ve loved in the past – in case its overpriced and under-cheffed second time round!  Turtles abound in the anchorage – still trying to get camera to it! Only downsides are I’m on antibiotics that make me sun-sensitive and I’m not allowed to swim because of elbow, so my recreation is limited.

 

clip_image026 Pic: Trying to focus on RT through the glass!

 

 

Anguilla to St Martin After 2 nights of very late, very loud music – we’ve decided Anquilla isn’t the lovely haven it used to be and so we set off back to St Martin for some sleep

 

Off to the quacks again to see if I have lost this mystery infection, but no – apparently it’s worse! Beginning to doubt their lab testing facility. Decide to fly back to UK early to sort it out! Off into Phillipsburg to go to the American Airlines agent we spotted the other day, only to be told they cant alter a reservation and we have to go back to the airport which is just near where we started the day! They get it fixed in no time, and I have a booking for UK flight for Tuesday 4th. Happy Hour and fish and chips and to meet up with NyChea (who plan to leave for St Bart’s tomorrow) and to meet Eye Candy from Sydney and Ruffian, which is registered in Newcastle!

 

January travel distance, a grand total of 33nms! Basically, over to Anguilla and back!