22 December 2008 | Marigot, St. Martin
CURRENT LOCATION: Anchored in Marigot Bay, near the entrance to the lagoon
18 03.937' N, 063 05.796' W
Toto, I don't think we are in Kansas any more ... I mean ... Sheryl, I don't think that we are in Culebra any more. The first thing that was impressed upon us is the general scale of everything is so much larger here. There are more boats and more harbors than any other island we have visited. In Culebra, we could go to town and that meant only one place. Here, there are many towns and they are spread across two countries.
On Friday, we set out to explore part of the
other country, the Dutch side. There are two major marine stores on that side of the island, and we have just a few items of need for
Prudence, including some expensive new genoa blocks and a replacement roller for our bow roller. The harbor where we are anchored is linked to the other side of the island by an inland waterway known as Simpson Bay Lagoon. So, we hopped into the dinghy and entered the canal to the lagoon.
It is a big lagoon. And, with both Sheryl and I aboard, we are unable to get
Patience on a plane. Therefore, we put-put-putted our way slowly to the opposite corner of the lagoon. It was a dry ride, due to the currently calm conditions, but by the time we arrived at our first destination my left arm was numb from the vibration of the engine tiller. We checked out the one of the marine stores, then joined Dawn and Laurie for lunch at a place they knew which had free WiFi for diners.
I am not much of a multitasker, so getting connected to a new WiFi system, eating lunch, and trying to hold up our end of a conversation with our new friends was taxing to say the least. We did manage to glance at our very full e-mail inbox and post two blogs describing our crossing and arrival in St. Martin. After lunch we explored the Dutch side a little more, including the second marine store, and then took the long, slow motor back to
Prudence before the sun set.
On Saturday, we woke and tuned in the morning net on the VHF radio. We had forgotten to do this the previous day, so this was our first occasion to hear the St. Martin Cruisers' Network. It is a pretty standard cruisers' net, relative to what we experienced in the Abacos, Georgetown, and Luperon last year. A net controller moderates the show and calls on others to provide an overview of the weather, make any commercial-type announcements, and gives an opportunity for anyone listening to pose questions to the cruising community at large. We introduced ourselves during the call for 'new arrivals' and listened to see if there was anything which we were interested in trading, selling, or buying during the 'classified ads' part of the program.
After the net, we went to town (the closest one to us) to enjoy the Saturday market in Marigot.
We meandered around the booths and Sheryl talked to several artisans making goods and crafts from seeds and other materials indigenous to the island. In my mind's eye can see her, someday, somewhere, with her own booth of seaglass art and nautical knots. We then decided to scope out the large grocery store in order to see how we will be eating for the next few weeks (after two days of eating out in a row, we must return to our more modest eat-on-boat mode of consumption, or quickly go broke).
Thank goodness, we are in France. That means good bread, good cheeses, and good (inexpensive) wine. Our scouting mission found us departing with a weighty burden and nearly $100 poorer, but we now know that we will not go hungry while here in St. Martin. Some things will be cheaper on the Dutch side, but one person in the dinghy should be able to get over there quickly enough to make it worth the journey. Here on the French side, our only challenge is being able to read the labels on the packages. For example, on this initial foray we departed the store with what we thought was a package of goat cheese. When we got back to the boat and opened it, it turned out to be brie. No matter, spread on a fresh slice of French bread and washed down with a glass of red wine the brie made for a delicious lunch.
On Sunday, we decided to go for a hike up to the highest spot on the island, Pic Paradis, in order to get a broader view of the area. Initially, we took a few wrong turns which afforded us a lovely walk in the inland countryside (through Colombier).
Eventually, we made it back to a long and steep road which led to Pic Paradis. Did I mention that it was
long and
steep? In keeping with the theme that everything is on a grander scale here than in Culebra, the peak which was our goal for the day topped off at 424 meters (the highest point on Culebra is less than half that height). Perhaps we have gotten a bit soft living on the boat, or maybe it is the fact that my 40-year-old body no longer performs like it did 20 years ago, but this long and steep road was a killer. As we continued upward, our progress became slower and our breathing more labored. Soon, our legs began to increase in mass and it became exceedingly difficult to put one foot in front of the other. We shuffled along as though we were wearing cement shoes. Even Sheryl, with her boundless energy stores, had to stop on several occasions to rest.
Never ones to give up once we have set a goal, Team Prudence finally made it to the top, and we were rewarded with some fantastic views. To the south, the tiny dot which was our boat at anchor in Marigot Bay...
...and to the north, the Quarter D'Orleans and the northeastern side of the island:
The hike down the long and steep road was considerably easier; however, by the time we reached Marigot, our legs were tired and our feet were sore.
In addition to the excitement and sometimes exhaustion of exploring a new place, we also have the chore of identifying (once again) sources for our basic necessities of living. On that front, we are partially there. Sheryl has found a place to do laundry, when the time comes. Someone asked on the morning net about how to get propane tanks refilled, and we should have one go empty sometime within the next few weeks, so we know the routine for getting that task accomplished. Trash disposal is free and straightforward, and there are multiple dinghy docks spread around the lagoon and one here in the bay so we can get to land as we need. Since we filled our water tanks before departure, we haven't yet sought out a source for refilling our jerry-jugs, but that day will soon come. And, finally, we are still exploring internet options.
Currently, we have no internet on the boat (unfortunately none of the many WiFi signals we see from here are open for use). We might be able to find one which is a pay-for-use-by-the-month service, but have yet to explore that option. Until then, we will have to continue in the current fashion of packing the laptop in a dry bag and doing internet at a dining establishment. Today, we are trying a French bakery in the heart of Marigot and I am enjoying a wonderful ham and cheese quiche. Not a bad way to get free internet.
So, dear Reader, please bear with us, as our time on the internet will be much more limited than it was in Culebra. That means longer and less frequent blog postings, and slower responses to e-mail correspondence.
I will close with one final comparison to our previous digs,
Prudence in Marigot Bay is in a constant state of motion. In Culebra we often pitched while anchored near town or rolled a little while at Dakity. Here, we get both motions (in the extreme) all the time. We are finding it a bit of an adjustment as our bodies are constantly having to tense in odd ways to hold us in place. Even sitting down and reading involves isometric exercise. It is as though our world has had a radical rewrite of the laws of gravity. One moment we are nearly weightless, and the next our mass has doubled. The pull then shifts from side to side as you try to compensate with your own positional shifts and muscle contractions to keep from rolling off of your berth. It makes even the simplest tasks aboard more effort than you might imagine, so keep in mind that all the beautiful still-life photos of our floating home are an illusion. There is more to this location than just clear water and beautiful blue skies.