Happy Christmas peeps and greetings from sunny St
Maartens where the temperature has been sweltering on Christmas day – not the
best combination with a raging hangover!!
Its
been a busy week and we have done a number of day trips although Tom Tom has had
a bit of a rest in the peacefulness of our Marina in Simpson Bay- the home of
the worlds super yachts where currently no less than Roman Abramavich, Steven
Spielberg and Tommy Hillfiger have their fine specimens resting – we really are
getting to the stage where a 200 feet boat seems … dare we say it….
Small!!
We
have graced the beaches of St Maartens during our time here such as Happy Bay –
truelly breathtaking and out of the way with a derelict hotel round the corner
which was previously hit by a hurricane and has been left to the elements –but
out of site of the palm fringed beach! We have also been using the folding bikes
Pippa, Craig and my mum bought us and ventured to Mullet Bay with its huge waves
and light blue seas, as well as the airport beach to see very close views of the
planes take off – not to mention the sandstorms left in their wake!
Our
first day trip was to St Barts on a fast catamaran service (to avoid having to
check in and out of customs with Tom Tom).
The island is absolutely amazing and immaculately well groomed with good
roads, stunning beaches, highly expensive shops (suits me to the ground although
I am behaving and just window shopping!!) and mingling with yet more super
yachts and Wally’s… we went to a stunning beach a small cab ride away and have
discovered that the general rule is that any beach which is for nudists, tends
to be the most beautiful – although we have not dared to drop our kegs quite
yet!!!
We
then went to Anguilla (near St Maarten) for our second day trip on what we have
called our ‘Christmas AGM’ – the winds were out and our plans to go to Prickly
Pear island were diverted to the mainland by the captain who was anxious that
the restaurant owner for lunch couldn’t get out in his dinghy in the choppy
waters – so the sand stretched shores of Anguila mainland it was – with all its fine glory of
snorkelling on the reef with the tropical fish in the warm sea – only for Nick
to comment that he had seen more tropical fish in a fish tank – always the
sceptic!!
On
the news front, we have a boat moored next door to us called Guppy which is
being sailed by a girl called Laura from the Netherlands who is currently
attempting to be the youngest person sailing around the world – she is here for
a few days rest with family having made the maiden voyage from Cape Verde and we
have had all the thrills and excitement of a Dutch film crew following her - not
to mention her ‘local hero’ status at St Maarten Yacht Club!! You have probably seen her on the UK
news a few months ago as she tried to build a case to allow the courts to let
her sail…. The verdict is still out…..
For
Christmas Eve, we were a little reserved as our loved ones celebrated at home
without us in the mystical snow which seems so far away. However it turned out to be a cracker of
a night with visits to the Soggy Dollar bar which had us swaying to the rhythms
(although that might have been the rum!)
We met a fantastic couple from Gosport and the Isle of Wight called Matt
and Trish and spent the evening on Mount Gay rums and cokes. Just when we thought we had enough and
planned to meander back after midnight, someone had the great idea to take the
rib for a spin in Simpson Bay – circling past all the big boats who couldn’t get
through the bridge gate. Someone
else had the great idea that we should all jump in the water which amused us no
end as we contemplated the ridiculousness of it, the warm sea and the twinkling
stars. After an impromptu return to
the boat for a bottle of champagne, we returned back to the lagoon for an encore
– the finale was a 4am finish and a cracking hangover which has left us a little
tired and emotional today (no sympathy there!!) And so we are now contemplating
where we are going to have our Turkey dinner having been spoiled rotten by
family with piles of pressies in the cockpit – photos to follow!
We
are now contemplating where to spend New Year – we have a window to go to
Antigua on Monday / Tuesday but have just received an invite to go to St Barts
for a few days on a 90 ft super maxi from the Whitbread days….. decisions decisions!!
Have
a great Christmas!!! xxx
