CURRENT LOCATION: Anchored between Ilet Pinel and Petite Clef
18 06.258' N, 063 00.992' W

Well, I suppose that the title of this post is not entirely accurate. We also disposed of our trash today. Out here at Ilet Pinel, we have no access to internet (or trash disposal). Therefore, today's main goal was to search out a place where we can take the laptop to get internet, check the weather, respond to e-mail, and post some blogs.

Because the shoreline largely shoals onto beaches, we decided to travel by kayak. With the computer sealed into a watertight sleeve, then placed into a watertight backpack, I hoped that a ride in a wet kayak would not cause me to destroy my laptop with saltwater. Sheryl departed with bags of trash strapped to the front of her kayak.

Our first stop was French Cul De Sac, a town situated across a shallow protected bay from where we are anchored. Here, we could easily beach the kayaks and dispose of the trash; however, a quick search for WiFi sites yielded nothing. While checking, an intense squall rolled through the area and dumped a deluge of rain upon us. Fortunately, I was under the cover provided by a public toilet. Not the most glamorous place to check for internet; however, it kept the expensive electronics dry.

With the most straightforward landing spot denied, we returned the laptop to its watertight cocoon and paddled around to the long beach lining Orient Bay. The waves here were considerable: splashing up, over, and into my kayak. I wanted to get my precious laptop to dry land as quickly as possible; therefore, I guided us in on some fairly big rollers at the near side of the beach. I just barely managed to keep the kayak from breeching in the waves and rolling me. Sheryl was not so lucky.

Poised and ready for a quick dismount, she came in perfectly perpendicular to the rushing waves, when one grabbed her and drove the nose of the kayak downward, into the water. Both she and the kayak were tumbled before they washed up on the shore. Fortunately, neither she nor the contents of the kayak were damaged or lost, although we did have to retrieve her visor from one of the following waves.

The beach extends for a mile and a half, and we stopped repeatedly to check for any free signals. No luck. Even ashore, adjacent to where we had previously found a free connection from the boat when we were anchored off of Orient Beach, there were no free signals. Someone must have figured how to change their default settings to include encryption over the past few days.

We finally decided that we were going to have to stop at a business to get access, and Sheryl picked one of the classiest places on the beach. It was a very upscale beach restaurant/bar, where Sheryl obtained the passcode to the internet and we purchased two $4 beers for the privilege of occupying a table. The ambiance was worth the price.

It was a perfect place to get our internet fix, one of the few which allowed us to get out of the sunlight so that we could easily see the computer screen. It also provided a distinct European atmosphere. Men cheering loudly for a soccer match on the television set, familiar songs sung with unrecognizable French lyrics on the sound system, and a waitress preparing steak tartar for a patron at the next table. We were enjoying it until the typical ugly American tourist approached the man at the table next to us, who was trying to enjoy his meal of uncooked beef, and asked rather loudly, "What is that you are eating?!" Sometimes I wish my fellow countrymen would display a little more couth when traveling abroad. The overt display of rude behavior embarrasses us all.

After satisfying our online needs, we headed back to the beach. All that is left now is to figure out how to keep the laptop dry and in the kayak as I battle the surf off the shore to get back to the boat. I think next time we will paddle the extra mile and a half to the far end of the beach, where it is more protected and does not foster these breakers. As always, hindsight is 20/20.