Date: 2/18/00
Port of Call: Simpson Bay Lagoon, Sint Maarten, Netherlands Antilles
Subject: Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude
We haven't come very far since our last CruiseNews--no more than 20 minutes of latitude and about a degree of longitude, which works out to about 75 miles--but even small changes can provide an entirely different perspective.
In early January we were in the British Virgin Islands, still experiencing problems with the mounts for the alternator and refrigeration compressor on our new engine. This meant no refrigeration, little electricity, and at one point not even being able to start the engine at all. Problems with shipping parts to the BVI, the expense of phone calls, and the scarcity of payphones that would connect to AT&T (we found one in the whole country) were making it very difficult to get anything fixed. We found ourselves longing to be back in the U.S., if only to get everything working once again. Fortunately, a little piece of the U.S. was available nearby: the U.S. Virgin Islands. On January 11 we lashed the fridge compressor to the engine to keep it from being destroyed by engine vibration and sailed to Coral Bay, St. John, U.S.V.I.
Even though they drive on the left side of the road, in other respects the U.S.V.I. is much like the rest of the U.S.: 1-800 numbers worked again, U.S. Postal Service rates applied, and there were no customs duties. In some ways it felt a lot like "coming home". Our first priority was to get the refrigeration working, so we ordered parts and had them shipped to us by good old U.S. Priority Mail. While we were waiting for the parts to arrive, we made use of the VITrans buses to get around the island of St. John. Our first bus ride was an adventure. The roads are very narrow, rough, steep, and winding, with switchbacks, blind curves, and blind hills abounding. The bus driver leaned on the horn at each of these features, warning anyone who might be coming around a hidden curve that we were there. As the bus climbed over the backbone of the island, cresting out at around 300 meters, the views were breathtaking.
Back from grocery shopping, Coral Harbor
A few days after
arriving, we moved Sovereign around to Great Cruz Bay to be closer to town
and the auto parts store there. One day we hitched a ride aboard
Wandering Star to Charlotte Amalie on the island of St. Thomas to take
advantage of a "real-live K-Mart". We never thought we could get
excited over something as mundane as K-Mart, but there we were wheeling
our shopping carts around, eying tube socks and potato chips with glee.
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI
On January 19th,
we moved the boat to Salt Pond Bay, one of the harbors maintained by the
National Park Service. The anchorage was pretty and uncrowded, and
we decided to go snorkeling. On previous dives in the Virgin Islands
we had not seen any large predator fish, so we were very surprised to come
face to face with the largest barracuda we have ever seen! We lost
the staring contest the fish initiated and went on to explore another coral
head that he wouldn't be so protective of.
On January 20th, we motored back to Coral Bay to see if our mail had arrived. We were surprised that everything we had ordered had arrived, and on the spur of the moment we decided to take advantage of an unusual weakening in the otherwise strong trade winds by heading for St. Martin.
Leaving Virgin Islands behind, headed for Sint Maartin
We quickly stowed
all our loose gear, and by 1500 we had raised the anchor and headed out.
We motored into light southeasterly trade winds, turned the corner of Norman
Island, and set the autopilot on a rhumb line course for St. Martin.
Skies were beautifully clear, and at sunset we were treated to our first-ever
glimpse of the green flash that sometimes occurs as the upper limb of the
sun dips below the horizon. The celestial show had only just begun,
however. By a little before midnight a lunar eclipse was well under
way. We watched as the last sliver of white disappeared from the
full moon, and the shadowed surface of that satellite gradually changed
color from honey to russet to the reddish-brown of aged raw meat.
The stars came out in vast profusion, and meteors streaked through the
darkened sky. Totality lasted for nearly an hour, then the almost
blinding sliver of reflected sunlight reappeard and grew slowly to the
round disk of a full moon. The stars dimmed, and we sailed into the
night. By 0845 the next morning we were anchored in Great Bay, St.
Martin. We cleared customs , then moved along to the quieter harbor
of Simpson Bay Lagoon that evening.
Moonrise on the night of the lunar eclipse
St. Martin is
an island that is perhaps 7 miles north to south, 8 miles east to west,
and shaped a bit like a right-handed mitten, palm down, the thumb sticking
out to the west. In the middle of the thumb is a large salt water
lake, Simpson Bay Lagoon, accessible to boats through bridges on the north
and south coasts. The island is about 37 square miles and mountainous,
with peaks up to 415 meters. Politically the island is divided in
the middle. It is governed in the south by the Dutch (where its name
is spelled Sint Maarten) and in the north by the French. The culture
is an interesting mix of these two countries plus the local Caribbean flavor.
In the shops, prices are quoted in French Francs or Netherland Antilles
Florins, but dollars are accepted everywhere. French and Dutch are
spoken, but everyone seems to speak English as well. The entire island
is duty-free, and this has allowed a relatively large marine industry to
flourish here, in addition to the ever-present tourist trade. Thus
many boaters, ourselves included, wind up spending more time than expected
here, due to easy access to inexpensive marine parts, and relatively inexpensive
groceries and provisions.
Our first order of business once we arrived was to install the new refrigeration bracket that we had picked up in the U.S.V.I. It was a great relief to finally have a working, reliable refrigeration system again. After that we did some small projects, made much easier by access to the well-stocked chandleries. Cathy ambitiously attacked all the exterior varnish and even some of the interior varnish. Now we are relaxing a bit, reading, and even sight-seeing! We spent a day with Glyn and Jenny from Wandering Star (yes, they're here too) in a rented jeep, poking into every nook and cranny of the island. We have gone to the French town of Marigot several times, sampling the French quisine and enjoying the ambience. There is an active social scene for cruisers here, with daily local radio nets and weekend gatherings.
Overlooking French St. Martin
We haven't experienced
even a minor breakage of boat equipment this week, and a major one in nearly
a month! Sovereign's brightwork now sparkles in the sunshine.
Occasional rain showers produce spectacular rainbows almost daily.
There is no sea swell in the lagoon to disturb our sleep. We are
well rested and relaxed. After nine months of breaking, fixing, working,
and spending, after rough passages, seasickness and fatigue, we have finally
dared to ask the big question that's been on our mind: "Are we having
fun yet?". We can ask it now because we know the answer is finally,
"yes".
Smooth sailing,
Jim and Cathy