Anechy Notes: Sailing to St Martin and the BVIs

We finally shoved off on Thursday at 630 am. I put on my "I love Les Saintes" cap, and went to the bow of the boat to free us from the mooring. Marie-Laure and Christian were on the side of Tata Samba waiting for us to say good bye, this time for good. I breathed deeply and socked my tears in, because we had to go no matter what. We were picking up friend in two days in St Martin and we needed time to rest and get the boat clean, but, gosh, it is hard to leave paradise. I can understand Adam and Eve.

From Les Saintes to Guadeloupe

Ba moin un to bo.... doudou!

Base Terre from the boat

On the the open ocean

We had a good sail for most of the time. The seas were so calm I brought my ukulele on the cockpit and played “Ti bo doudou” until the captain was too annoyed by it. You'll see: doudou in French means dear, is a term of endearment, but for Americans means something not so nice. Ti bo doudou is a little kiss. Any way, good time on the ocean. By 2 o' clock in the morning, 18 hours onto the trip; the wind died down and we had to start the engine. The motto of this year's been that. Then Jim went all harnessed to the deck and put the preventer on the boom, to keep it from banging, the wind had shifted from southeast to south and it was pushing the main sail all over the place.

Half way

By 15 miles away from St Martin we were able to star sailing again, and at 930 am we dropped the main sail and anchored in Simpson Bay. All our plans worked out good.

Our friends Joel and Cindy came on Saturday 22, and we took off to the BVIs on Sunday afternoon. Now, that was an incredible passage. No wind, no waves. We did the entire trip with all the port lights and hatches opened. We had dinner, watched a movie, I played the ukulele and our friends danced. The ocean looked just like a swimming pool. A few boat on the way, but no close encounter. Our AIS system was working good, that made everything convenient.

We came into the Baths in Virgin Gorda at 630 am. Wonderful trip. Then we all swam and celebrated that nobody got sick.