Simpson Bay
Sint Maartin
18.02.084N
64.06.160W
We got a good night’s sleep last night and started the morning raring to go. Surprisingly, there were many, many more boats in the anchorage than we had first assumed. They hadn’t been showing their anchor lights, so it was a good thing that we had stayed on the outside and not gotten ourselves mixed up in the crowd.
Sint Maartin
18.02.084N
64.06.160W
We got a good night’s sleep last night and started the morning raring to go. Surprisingly, there were many, many more boats in the anchorage than we had first assumed. They hadn’t been showing their anchor lights, so it was a good thing that we had stayed on the outside and not gotten ourselves mixed up in the crowd.
The crew of Orpailleur was moving a little more slowly though so we took off ahead of them. When they arrived, Nicky took the opportunity to tease that I had already made my first purchase at the straw market.
We walked en masse to the customs and immigration office and filled out the necessary paperwork to be allowed access into the country. Being a Sunday morning, the shops were slowly opening and we walked through the town of Marigot pointing out the necessary banks, pharmacy, internet café’s and watering holes.
We took a break at one of the bayside restaurants for a snack and then walked to the bridge that opens into the lagoon. The ladies hit the supermarket just shy of the bridge and the guys went on to scope out the path we’d be taking when it opened at 5:30. With that done, we headed back to where we had left the dinghies. This, of course, was right beside the straw market, so the guys found a watering hole to sit a spell and allowed us to shop without the usual comments of “where are you going to put it” and the “why do need that.”
I think all of us made some type of purchase before we made it around to where the guys were sitting. When we joined them for lunch, we ended up pushing a gentlemen farther and farther toward the center. At one point, one of us commented that it would be easier for him to join us than for him to keep moving further away. Much to our surprise, he did! It ended up that he is a CPA/attorney and was in town for a week working up interest in a new fertilizer that he was taking public. He was very excited about his product and told us all about how it was made and what kinds of yields it was producing. If all that he told us is true, it should be a great boon to the agriculture community. I told him I could use a thimble full for my roses; he promised to send me just about that amount. However, I had to promise to grow one rose with the product and one rose without.
After lunch, we all made our way back to the boats and much to my surprise, Rainbow Rider was anchored right behind us. I jumped into the dinghy and took off to see Linda. She & Gary and their guests, Donna & Toby, had just gotten back from Orient Beach where they had been frolicking around naked. Unfortunately for Linda, she now has parts that are sunburned that should never be sunburned. I didn’t ask about everyone else, they all appeared to have had more than their share of the sun today. We caught up slightly before I left, promising them that Donna & Toby could come look at the Palace before they left, as they were looking to move to a larger boat and were thinking about a Hunter. (Note: the first time I’ve ever hugged an almost naked woman! There are still firsts in life, even at this age!)
I made my way back to the Palace and took a little nap before big rolls from the ocean starting rocking us violently. We knew that the Atlantic swell was supposed to pick up but I guess we figured that we’d go into the inner anchorage when it happened. However, as 5:00 approached and it was time to move in, the swell was making it more dangerous. Both we and Orpailleur draw 5.5 - 6 ft. The channel is 7 foot. With the swell, water was drawn out before racing back through. Gerry had been leery about the channel before but now he just said no and said he was heading for the other side.
Once the decision was made, I jumped back into the dinghy to go tell Linda & Gary our plans (since they weren’t answering the radio) but when I got there, only Donna & Toby were on board. I told them that we were heading to the other side and if they wanted to see the boat, they had to do it right then. They hopped into the dinghy and back to the Palace we went. Dale conducted the nickel tour, they hopped back into the dink, and then I took them back to Rainbow Rider. Once deposited, I headed back to the Palace, Dale & I raised the dink, and we were underway within minutes.
I couldn’t believe that at 5:00 in the afternoon, we decided to go around the island to an anchorage we’ve never been to before and try to get there before dark. We did it! We were doing 6.5 - 7kts all the way but we made it as the sun was setting.
On the way around, the swell was definitely hitting the 8’ mark. Pretty exciting. When we arrived, we found several mega yachts and several of the boats that will be participating the Heineken Regatta. We anchored right next to one named Creightons. I’m not sure if it was the bright yellow color or the way we were being blown more towards them than where I thought we should be tending, but the old saying reared its ugly head: If Mama’s not happy, no one’s happy. Just as dark was really descending, I told Dale that I wanted to move. I’m sure that he wasn’t pleased, but he did it anyway. When he asked me why, my only reason was liability. They were here first; if any damage occurred in the wee hours of the morning, we’d be responsible. We hoisted the anchor, circled around and dropped again where we had been resting, so that when the rode was deployed we dropped behind the racer. I’m sure that I was being overly cautious but now that the wind has piped up and we’re dancing all over the place, I don’t worry that we’ll accidentally bump into them. I wonder if all of the attorneys I’ve worked for realize that I’ve been ruined for life.
Now that we’re here and at least a little more comfortable from the nasty swells, I think we’ll have to either rent a car or dink through the inner harbor back to the French side to clear customs before they’ll let us through the Dutch side’s bridge. Dale says I’m over rationalizing things again. I say that until we’re administratively pure, they won’t let us through. Two of the three guide books aren’t real clear; the third (and oldest of the three) agrees with me. There’s a cruiser’s net in the morning, so he’ll ask there.
I think tomorrow I’ll make the suggestion that only one boat asks the question. That way if we get thrown in jail, Orpailleur can make a run for it and clear properly, then come back and bail us out.
We walked en masse to the customs and immigration office and filled out the necessary paperwork to be allowed access into the country. Being a Sunday morning, the shops were slowly opening and we walked through the town of Marigot pointing out the necessary banks, pharmacy, internet café’s and watering holes.
We took a break at one of the bayside restaurants for a snack and then walked to the bridge that opens into the lagoon. The ladies hit the supermarket just shy of the bridge and the guys went on to scope out the path we’d be taking when it opened at 5:30. With that done, we headed back to where we had left the dinghies. This, of course, was right beside the straw market, so the guys found a watering hole to sit a spell and allowed us to shop without the usual comments of “where are you going to put it” and the “why do need that.”I think all of us made some type of purchase before we made it around to where the guys were sitting. When we joined them for lunch, we ended up pushing a gentlemen farther and farther toward the center. At one point, one of us commented that it would be easier for him to join us than for him to keep moving further away. Much to our surprise, he did! It ended up that he is a CPA/attorney and was in town for a week working up interest in a new fertilizer that he was taking public. He was very excited about his product and told us all about how it was made and what kinds of yields it was producing. If all that he told us is true, it should be a great boon to the agriculture community. I told him I could use a thimble full for my roses; he promised to send me just about that amount. However, I had to promise to grow one rose with the product and one rose without.
After lunch, we all made our way back to the boats and much to my surprise, Rainbow Rider was anchored right behind us. I jumped into the dinghy and took off to see Linda. She & Gary and their guests, Donna & Toby, had just gotten back from Orient Beach where they had been frolicking around naked. Unfortunately for Linda, she now has parts that are sunburned that should never be sunburned. I didn’t ask about everyone else, they all appeared to have had more than their share of the sun today. We caught up slightly before I left, promising them that Donna & Toby could come look at the Palace before they left, as they were looking to move to a larger boat and were thinking about a Hunter. (Note: the first time I’ve ever hugged an almost naked woman! There are still firsts in life, even at this age!)
I made my way back to the Palace and took a little nap before big rolls from the ocean starting rocking us violently. We knew that the Atlantic swell was supposed to pick up but I guess we figured that we’d go into the inner anchorage when it happened. However, as 5:00 approached and it was time to move in, the swell was making it more dangerous. Both we and Orpailleur draw 5.5 - 6 ft. The channel is 7 foot. With the swell, water was drawn out before racing back through. Gerry had been leery about the channel before but now he just said no and said he was heading for the other side.
Once the decision was made, I jumped back into the dinghy to go tell Linda & Gary our plans (since they weren’t answering the radio) but when I got there, only Donna & Toby were on board. I told them that we were heading to the other side and if they wanted to see the boat, they had to do it right then. They hopped into the dinghy and back to the Palace we went. Dale conducted the nickel tour, they hopped back into the dink, and then I took them back to Rainbow Rider. Once deposited, I headed back to the Palace, Dale & I raised the dink, and we were underway within minutes.
I couldn’t believe that at 5:00 in the afternoon, we decided to go around the island to an anchorage we’ve never been to before and try to get there before dark. We did it! We were doing 6.5 - 7kts all the way but we made it as the sun was setting.
On the way around, the swell was definitely hitting the 8’ mark. Pretty exciting. When we arrived, we found several mega yachts and several of the boats that will be participating the Heineken Regatta. We anchored right next to one named Creightons. I’m not sure if it was the bright yellow color or the way we were being blown more towards them than where I thought we should be tending, but the old saying reared its ugly head: If Mama’s not happy, no one’s happy. Just as dark was really descending, I told Dale that I wanted to move. I’m sure that he wasn’t pleased, but he did it anyway. When he asked me why, my only reason was liability. They were here first; if any damage occurred in the wee hours of the morning, we’d be responsible. We hoisted the anchor, circled around and dropped again where we had been resting, so that when the rode was deployed we dropped behind the racer. I’m sure that I was being overly cautious but now that the wind has piped up and we’re dancing all over the place, I don’t worry that we’ll accidentally bump into them. I wonder if all of the attorneys I’ve worked for realize that I’ve been ruined for life.
Now that we’re here and at least a little more comfortable from the nasty swells, I think we’ll have to either rent a car or dink through the inner harbor back to the French side to clear customs before they’ll let us through the Dutch side’s bridge. Dale says I’m over rationalizing things again. I say that until we’re administratively pure, they won’t let us through. Two of the three guide books aren’t real clear; the third (and oldest of the three) agrees with me. There’s a cruiser’s net in the morning, so he’ll ask there.
I think tomorrow I’ll make the suggestion that only one boat asks the question. That way if we get thrown in jail, Orpailleur can make a run for it and clear properly, then come back and bail us out.
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