We all slept extremely well with the gentle rock of Trilogy providing a soothing sensation. The morning started very slowly but we gathered our energy for a snorkel ashore. The beach had a large drop in the sand level, up to 2 metres in places between the regular sand level and the water. Nowhere else had we seen this and we later found out that it happens every year at this time and a few months later the sand is restored to the beach. The downside is that the shoreline had quite a lot of large rocks exposed under the water and we needed to swim along the beach to find a suitable place to beach ourselves.
Peter had put enough money in his swim shorts pocket to buy us all a coffee. We climbed up the sandbank with the snorkelling gear and tentatively asked at a lovely looking beach bar, if we could buy a coffee. The staff member assured us they served coffee and that we should bring our gear up the stairs onto the deck. By the time we got to the top of the stairs, he had four fluffy beach towels waiting for us! He suggested we sit down on the very comfy sofas (sitting on our towels) and very soon we were enjoying our coffees. We realised that we were now mingling with 5 star hotel guests and we were being treated just as royally as they were! We thought maybe they didn't realise we were from the yacht but we weren't exactly looking like 5 star material.
We settled in quite quickly to the excellent service and welcoming approach! We ventured into the beautiful horizon pool (yes, we washed the sand off first!) and before we knew it we had asked to see the lunch menu. Peter's cash was barely going to pay for coffee let alone lunch as well, so Peter did the honourable thing for the team and swam back to Trilogy to get his credit card. We all tucked into a delicious baguette and glass of wine and managed to while away another hour or so before we felt ready to leave this perfect spot.
We sailed a few miles to the north coast and the French port of Marigot, at Marina Fort Lois. The unique thing about this marina is that it is designed in a circular shape with pontoons coming off at odd angles from the central office....a nice idea that is definitely not space effective! The marina is close to Marigot, the capital of French St Martin and allowed easy access not only to the boulangeries and the irresistable French bread, but all other services we required. Trilogy was cleaned from top to toe, washing away a thick layer of salt crystals from the decks and rigging. Washing and cleaning below decks completed, we settled for a lamb shank meal on board and an early night.
Next morning, several more jobs were completed and headed to the yacht club restaurant for lunch, where the food was disappointing but the wifi saved the day. We wandered Marigot and found a lovely fine art gallery, owned by artist Sir Roland Richardson and his wife. We spent quite some time in this delightful gallery, which upstairs had a studio space that overlooked the cottage garden. Sir Roland was born in the building next door and the couple lovingly restored the old creole home over many years to create the gallery and studio. Mrs. Roland was a charming woman who managed a gallery in Washington DC before meeting Sir Roland. He is dedicated to 'plein air' Impressionism and his paintings reflect the beauty and rich culture of his homeland. He works in multiple mediums: oil, watercolour and pastel paintings, drawing in charcoal and extensive fine print making.
Our next stop was Fort Louis, constructed in 1767 by order of French King Louis XVI to protect Marigot from marauding British and Dutch pirates. It's been abandoned for centuries and contains only remnants of its former glory. However, it was worth the climb up the small hill for the sweeping views over the Baie de Marigot and Simpson Bay Lagoon. The charming Iglise Catholique de Marigot was at the foot of the hill and was decorated for a wedding, when we pocked our heads in at the door. For the rest of the afternoon, it was free time, some choosing to browse in the upmarket shops, some to get a (terrible) haircut and some to simply stop for a while. What we did come to realise was that St Martin would be having a public holiday the next day.
For dinner we walked along the landscaped foreshore to the Marina Port La Royale, which is located on a finger of the Simpson Bay Lagoon. There is a cluster of excellent restaurants around the marina and we chose to dine at Le Tropicana, a French restaurant serving delicious food. We selected beef, lamb and duck for mains and all were superb. The delectable desserts, which we had watched being served from the kitchen servery near by were irresistable. The French sure know how to please the palate and every other sense!