Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. The islands of St Martin and Anguilla are the wedding capitols of the Caribbean. The old is encompassed by the clapboard bars in Anguilla, the new are the casinos in St Martin, something borrowed is the melting pot of the cultures from France, Holland and Africa and something blue is the water that is the bluest that we have ever seen.

Having used the tax free status of Marigot in St Martin to the max it was time to move on and explore this island. We were perplexed why such a tiny island can be run by two countries and found that the original inhabitants were too civilised to participate in armed combat. Instead a Frenchman armed with wine and a Dutchman with Gin, set them off to meet and start mapping the border. Where they met the border started and this is apparently why the French half is bigger than the Dutch, as gin is stronger than wine. The island is still staunchly separate, both having different national holidays, different currencies and even different voltages running in their plug sockets. We love the eccentricities of it all. We mused how amusing it would be if they both drove on different sides of the road.

On the way to Marigot we’d spied a great uninhabited island called Tintamarre and this was going to be the gem in our exploration. We sailed upwind in big waves and big winds with Willie on Quaver and we both thought the same thing enroute. ‘They seem to be going OK so we’ll just continue plugging upwind.’ Once we arrived, our persistence and lack of radio contact, proved to be worthwhile. Tintamarre was stunning and fascinating.

Ashore we discovered an abandoned airport, complete with crashed drug running planes full of bullet holes, salt flats covered in the weirdest red grass and a windward coast that features on postcards as an example of how perfect the Caribbean can be. Somewhere out there was also a red French sports car that the ‘king’ used to drive around in, but finding it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. There was also of course the fine sandy beach with water that, as usual, dazzles and was full of turtles that swum around Ruffian seemingly without a care in the world.

Tintamarre was no place to spend the night and so we headed off to seek shelter. After dropping the hook in 3 different bays and with darkness starting to take a firm hold of the island we finally found somewhere with no swell and no wind. We witnessed a massive party ashore where it looked and sounded like the whole of the island was saying goodbye to the Easter bunny.

With Easter over it was possible to checkout of St Martin. Before we could do that though, Iain had a monster scoot across the island to make more use of its tax free status in yet another chandlery and Fiona sampled the last of the French Café culture. Then it was off to Anguilla, making it 3 countries in 1 day for Iain.

The scene was set in Anguilla the moment we stepped ashore. Leonardo Di Caprio had clearly filmed ‘The beach’ in the wrong place as we had found it to be here. The sand was so fine it was like walking on silk and the water so clear it looked like liquid crystal. The only problem with Anguilla was that we were not going to be able to visit any of it’s other perfect cays. The cruising permit is priced at US$52 a day and there is an additional charge of US$15 to pick up a ball. This is way beyond our means and so the even more perfect cays that lie offshore were to remain enigmas for Ruffian.

In between sessions of swimming in bath like water with turtles and exploring ashore by scooter, we gave Ruffian some love by looking at the batteries and servicing the engine. Fiona took the scientific approach to the battery problem by reading books and being analytical, Iain took the male approach and glared menacingly at them. Suffice to say Fiona’s approach paid dividends and after switching the wiring on the charging side of the system we think that we ‘might’ have got to the bottom of our problem.

As the beach was so perfect and the bars looked so inviting, we happened to find ourselves sat at ‘Sammy’s Bar’ after confirming that he had the cheapest beer on the beach. This was then made even more perfect as Sammy, by way of apologising for closing up, gave us another round of beers on the house. His cheap beer suddenly became nearly free. We watched the sun go down and the local kids frolicking in the sea whilst thinking about the coming night passage to St Criox where we’d be able to use our hard fought US visa’s for the first time.

The wildlife is getting more and more extreme. This critter, the size of a small pony, even breathed fire.


The windward coast of Tintamarre. Simply breathtaking.


Iain plays Biggles, in a real life shot up drug running plane.


Tintamarre was a really weird place. Red grass!!


Time to sit and contemplate and realise just how lucky we are.


Thug and TFS Ruffian.


That’s what Caribbean sailing is all about. Undoing all the earlier hard won upwind work.


Sundowners on Anguilla. The quintessential Caribbean paradise.


And as you’d expect Larry gets in on the action.


Shopping done. Lets scoot.


‘Lets go; off road.’ Anyone get the quote? (Simon E)


We fell in love in Anguilla even if we couldn’t afford to purchase their outrageously priced cruising permit.


Uh oh. The last tea bag on Ruffian.


The joys of engine servicing in the heat.