from Antigua to St Martin
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Got release papers from the dentist and we
leave Antigua for Nevis and St Kitts We left early, as it was really rolly in the anchorage and set off with good winds until about noon when the wind disappeared and we motored on. Just as Mike was dropping the main the fishing reel screams and we are suddenly multi-tasking again. We land a little (but big enough) white fish whilst deftly avoiding the reef at Charlestown, Nevis. Anchor for fresh fish supper caught with our lucky green octopus lure!
Charlestown, Nevis -a cute town. Eventually
tracked down Customs, Immigration, Port Authority and then back to
Customs with crucial bit of paper to get our permit! Challenge Kate!
Internet in Hamilton House and back to move boat to Oulie beach in
the hope of a calmer night anchorage. So far so good!
Out to lunch at Oulie Beach Resort. Free wifi
and lovely meal – loads of rum punch. The anchorage got
uncomfortable in the afternoon so we sailed over to St Kitts and
arrived just as darkness
fell.
Short sail round to Basseterre in the hope
of going on the train round the island as no cruise ships in today. However,
apparently, it doesn’t run on non-cruise ship days! Pilot book in error again!
The weather has been rainy and overcast for the last few days and apart from
lovely ice-cream, we didn’t like Basseterre at all. The market was grubby and
didn’t sell anything we wanted and drunks
abound!
Storm
brewing! We moved up to Oulie beach as Charlestown anchorage was
rolly, then, around 10.30pm the sea got short and choppy and our
anchor started dragging so we motored back over to St
Kitts! Woke this morning to be overrun with flies, so short sailed back to Nevis.
Old rum station on
Nevis Taxi tour of Nevis including the hot springs with Sydney the taxi driver – who, unfortunately, tried to charge us more than the government controlled rates – he didn’t count on Mike pointing that out to him! Pretty island, but its mostly hotels to look at!
Had very expensive afternoon tea at the
Golden Rock plantation where we saw the illusive green vervet
monkeys. Rained most of the way round the mountain – but then it is
rain forest! Ice creams and
home
Then on to St Bart’s. Several rainy outbursts including one downpour but at least it’s washed the last of the ash from Monserrat’s volcano off the sails and boat. It’s not great weather but still warm. Caught a tiny fish – enough for an appetizer! – Just as we are tacking away from a reef. They never nibble when we’re just sitting around idly! Mike spots a boat that he’s convinced we last saw in Dover harbour! Flag them down as they go ashore in their dinghy. – “Are you from Dover?”- “Yes” – Oh my God, come over for drinks this evening”! 6pm and we meet Marion and Mark (he’s Australian – but you can’t blame him for that!) from Zenna a Westerly 49 and compare notes about Dover and drink lots, and laugh more, but, unfortunately, they’re heading South but we hope to catch up with them in the Carib next year. Small world! Tres bon lunch ashore – best steak ever, delicious wahoo, puds and digestifs to die for – I quite like it here! Forgot to take photos.
Sailed over to St Martin where you, allegedly, can get anything marine sorted. Our first yankee is in serious need of attention. Hung about in the Bay waiting for the bridge to open at 5.30pm and drop the anchor near “The Tit” and sundowners just in time!
This bit of terrain marked on the map as “The
Witch’s Tit” – referred to locally as “The
Tit”! Into Marigot, the French side’s capital of St Martin. Lovely clothes and souvenirs market, loads of lovely girl shops and restaurants – all very French. Defo going to like it here! It’s just so hot tho! The folklore surrounding the island being part French, Part Dutch is that a Frenchman with bottle of wine started walking from the North side while a Dutchman with a bottle of gin started from the South side. Where they met is the boundary. The reason the French got slightly more land is that the gin was stronger than the wine! Hmmm…. A likely tale! Went ashore to look for Shrimpy's for laundry but he’s no longer there. That pilot book is going over the side soon! Happy hour at Turtle pier with mostly Americans. Met lovely couple Michelle and Dave (SY Daniell Storey) who gave us loads of pointers and re-met June and Bruce (SY Ainia) from Toronto who we briefly bumped into on Grenada island tour. Busy, busy, busy! Appointment with bimini bloke for design ideas. Re-anchored near Ainia with the intention of meeting for drinks with them, ice creams, Internet, alternative bimini man research and lunch! Mike spends the afternoon re- plumbing the loo (yet again!) while I have a rest following this morning's exertions! Couple of evenings spent socialising with June and Bruce from Ainia – she makes lovely stuff to eat! Then last half of month filled with shopping, Internet, washing, lounging about waiting for the new bimini.
Quick trip out one day to run the water maker
and empty the poo tank! We followed a fairly large yacht out – I
didn’t think she was going to fit through the gap in the lifting
bridge – but she did,
easily!
How the other 10%
live!
New bimini’s fab – great job. The whole thing
is amazing – we’re thinking of holding a dinner dance up there, it
seems so big!
Before and after photos – doesn’t look like a
huge difference but it is! Happy boy under new
bimini!
Biggest event, though, was in the early hours (4am!) of Monday 29th, Hannah’s 20-week scan reveals it’s a boy! So immediate dash in to town to buy tiny Capt’n Cute T shirt – of, course, the Post Office was shut that day because of technical probs so it couldn’t be sent till next day. I’m going to have a grandson – how amazing is that?! |
