A week in St. Martin
22 May 2011
Karen
Sunday, May 22, 2011
I can’t believe that a week has gone by in St. Martin, here it is Sunday and we are leaving to head to the BVI’s…but I am getting ahead of myself. Last Sunday John, Jim and I took the tender around the north side of the island heading for Orient Beach. We stoped on the north side at what we discovered was Pinel Island, after bringing the tender VERY close to the dock in really skinny water John dropped us off and took a mooring just off the pier, then waded to shore where we had lunch at one of the beach bars. We explored the island – slightly, then waded out to the boat where we lounged in crystal clear, warm and shallow water. This is the first time since February for us that we have been in the sea and I can’t tell you how great it was.
The rest of the week we woke to rain, and had rain overnight most nights so our time in St. Martin was a little grey. That didn’t stop us from getting a few boat projects John needed done done though, or making Serafinas a regular breakfast stop. We rented a car on Thursday morning and took a drive over to the Sunset Bar, which is on the beach next to the airport. This is where crazy people stand at the fence or on the top of the beach next to the road when the planes take off and land and get themselves blown off the sand. It was great fun watching the planes come in low over the water since the runway starts JUST feet from the road behind the fence so the larger planes seem to come in about 20 feet off the ground and drop to the runway just past the fence to make sure they have stopping room.
We picked Sandi up from the airport late on Thursday night and Friday we headed over to Phillipsburg to check out the shopping district. One interesting thing this time around is how empty and quiet everything is here right now. The marine is at best half full, there are hundreds of restaurants and shops but the season is clearly over and business is very light. We went for a steak dinner Friday night and the restaurant, which could seat 150 was empty, and we were the only diners in the place. I can’t imagine how they can stay in business during the slow season.
Saturday Jim, Sandi & I decided to take a little island tour while John took care of some last minute items to get ready to leave today and so we drove off looking for the Mount Vernon Plantation. After several wrong turns and two attempts at asking directions…once to a Frenchman who spoke no English, and the second to a lovely couple who directed us in both French and English where to go…we still couldn’t find it. So instead we found Orient Beach, and explored that a bit, then drove back thru Grand Case and stopped for a snack at the Calmos Café, which Jim and I had been to before with Alexis and Tina when we bought Regenero last March. The walkway to the café is a single file lane beside a small t-shirt shop, and is all sand. Then you walk out into a bar area that opens up to picnic tables set right on the beach…beautiful! We ordered a few snacks and enjoyed a light lunch with a spectacular view. As it turns out the French airport is just behind this beach and so watched a small plan swing low over the beach while we were there. Very fun.
We visited with the folks on SeaCrest last night and enjoyed our last evening in St. Martin.
So now, we are all up at 2am – prepareing for a 3am departure off the dock and out to sea heading for the BVI’s. the sky is partly clear and there is a half moon peeking thru so it is not totally dark – but I find myself completely calm … but then, it’s not my boat!
We enter round rock passage at 1pm and before 2 we arrive at Spanish Town and pick up a mooring. After clearing customs and a quick lunch a quick rainstorm conveniently washes the salt from the boat for us and finally, we are in the water, enjoying the balmy Caribbean blue. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the BVI’s, Louise, Backseaters, Joe & Roseann…. So wish you were here!