MsChievous

We spent last night in a magnificent, almost magical setting. Ile Forshue is just a couple miles off St. Barth but a world apart. It's uninhabited save for the sailors. With crystal clear deep turquoise water, it was a delight to explore. (I cribbed the sailing guide's aerial photo as it showed the island better than I could.)

We were visited during the afternoon by twin 8-year-olds who wanted to know if we had any kids they could play with. They delighted themselves all afternoon paddling their SUP around, hopping into the water and just having fun afloat (no life jackets of course). Dad came out with the dinghy at 5 to retrieve thembfor dinner. They are British, just completing a 4-year circumnavigation. We gave them some maple syrup and told them we might catch up with them in the BVI next month.

(I cribbed the cruising guide photo of the island as it provides a better portrayal than I could create!)

We've moved on (15 miles) to Sint Maarten where a slip awaits tomorrow. Susie flies out Friday and I follow Tuesday for Summit's birthday. We plan to head into the Lagoon to check out the town this afternoon.

There were SIX cruise ships in Port when we passed by. Yes, lots of tourists St. Martin.

When you think you’ve seen it all, you haven’t. We were enjoying our mid-morning tea when we noticed the woman on the next boat over, a single-hander, out in her rowboat dinghy. She tied a line to the vacant mooring 300 ft ahead of her and then rowed back. After tying in several additional lines, she made it back to her 30 ft boat and proceeded to pull her boat upwind (but there wasn’t much) to her new mooring. Huh? She obviously could pick up a mooring as she had done it at least once. The new location offered no benefits in terms of improved protection. So what was that all about???

If she wants more exercise, there’s one more vacant mooring ahead of her…

We moved just a mile or so from our last anchorage to a beautiful beach accessible only by water. We had a fun snorkel trip to shore, spotting 5 (!) turtles and a majestic spotted ray. There were some nice fish amongst the coral, including brightly colored parrot fish and trumpetfish. After we clambered back aboard, 2 (small – 3 ft) sharks swam under the boat, probably looking for the fish that like to gather in the hull’s shadow. ( A turtle swims by the boat about every half hour.)

We were also provided a front row seat to to today's race. The boats were close to us. (A mile isn’t far when you’re talking g 100+ft boats). Many were flying colorful spinnakes. Itspinnaker. a sight!

We were also reminded how the 1% live. A gorgeous Herreshof wooden ketch from the 1930s came into our anchorage and deposited her 4 passengers on the beach for a luncheon cookout under tents, replete with a chef, 3 staff and white tablecloths. We couldn’t see whether they were carried ashore to avoid getting their feet wet….

Grilled swordfish for dinner – not of my catching!!

We moved late today further from town to get away from all the dinghies, their noise and their wakes. (Anyway, how many $200 million yachts can you watch?) Plus, we were close to the buoyed channel, and freighter and ferries were “reach out and touch” close.

Today we rented a car and explored this beautiful island. It is rugged, HILLY and filled with gorgeous homes. Even the “mediocre” ones were quite nice.

We started at a beach that was all shells – no sand whatsoever. No trouble finding a few interesting ones for Summit. We then went by the airport to experience the planes just clearing a ridge and then dropping to the runway. We swam at a gorgeous beach, encountering a cousin of Susie’s beloved sea turtles on our path to the beach. (See photo album.) There was a good creole restaurant nearby to enjoy lunch. We were treated to a taste of their ginger-infused rum, and we couldn’t resist getting a bottle to add to Susie’s collection for ti punch.
We also couldn’t resist the great wine store next to the waterfront in Gustavia. We didn’t purchase their best bottles, but we got a variety of decent French wines at reasonable prices for our “cellar”.

Tomorrow we’re planning a change of view to another bay and reportedly gorgeous beach. Stay tuned.

We spent a delightful time in Gustavia. We started by searching for a patisserie and had a wonderfully French second breakfast on the sidewalk. We then perused the shops and ended up visiting the American Gourmet, a notoriously expensive provisioning shop that offers what you can't get elsewhere. We ended up purchasing 5 tomatoes and two small stalks of broccoli for €45 (almost $50). Susie included them in dinner - and they were good, yes - but good grief!

We had a delightful lunch in a streetside Cafe and then returned to the boat. I awoke from my post-prandial slumber (love it!) to watch the mega-yachts racing just outside the harbor. How beautiful!

The wind is clocking around the compass tonight and again tomorrow as some fronts pass through with some showers.. Continued strange weather patterns, but winds so light that their direction is immaterial.

Tonight is quieter in the harbor than thlast night. They had a big party for the racers ashore last night, including fireworks, so folks were late getting back to their boats. No party plus the rain shoeers are keeping people in tonight.

The trip to St. Barths (5 hours) was tranquil. There was zero wind and a minimal swell to disturb the glass-like water. The sea was so mirror-like in some places that when flying fish jumped, you could see (for a second) the railroad-like wavelet pattern that their beating wings/fins made when they were just above water. Amazing! (No pictures!)

We found ourselves in the middle of a mega-yacht race weekwhen we arrived in St. Barths. There are 20 or more 100+ foot racing sailboats here and a gazillion mega yachts. The yacht owned by the founder of WhatsApp had its helicopter land on its foredeck right behind us.
No racing today as there was no wind, but we may get to see them out tomorrow.

Our plans for tomorrow include checking out all chic stores (€€€€), and we have a car rented for island exploration Saturday. I’m sure there’ll be a patisserie visited in there somewhere!!

Photo: Saba with a cloud cap. (No, it isn’t erupting!)