Warmest of Caribbean Wishes

Here we are.  Well into our second week in Sint Maarten, thanks mostly to even more wily winds; today they are gusting, at worst over, 30kts.  Still, there could be worse places to be even though a few nights ago there was an attempted robbery aboard a nearby catamaran.  The lagoon is filling fast as it stretches to fit yet more superyachts.  Others too big to pass through Simpson Bay bridge, cluster in nearby Great Bay, rubbing shoulders with enormous cruise ships visiting Philipsburg, daily offloading passengers to duty-free shops and entertainments like the “pee-pee**” lagoon cruise. ; )  St Bart’s too, is awash with huge hot-water boats.  And NO, the Cap’n is not thinking of upgrading…  Too many things to go wrong!

Christmas is nearly upon us and we are not quite sure exactly where we will be; although it will at least be warm and at this stage, still in the lagoon.  It is hard to move with daily reports of snow storms in the northern US and rather icy temperatures, even in the Chesapeake.  Not encouraging for our ICW leg!  Our plan was not to skate along rivers of ice...  Despite that, we’re sure Santa will manage to find us as we keep jogging along.  He at least, knows just where to find our map & tracker…

Wishing you all the merriest of Christmases, a wonderful fireworks-filled start to the New Year and an opportunity to wave the flag, wave the tongs over a fabulous lamb BBQ and celebrate Australia Day. 

(**We're anchored near the lagoon cruise point where loud announcements are made regarding restroom breaks. "Time for a pee-pee break" in a lilting Caribbean accent!  It's a giggle, every time.)

Bless those Christmas Winds...

Blood Moon & a Jump Up - all a bit spooky in St Lucia

Our last night in Rodney Bay was celebrated toasting a spectacular rise of the Blood Moon and listening to the sizzling Caribbean vibes of the jump-up held every Friday night at Gros Islet.  Just far enough from our anchorage.  We had it all!  Wafts of BBQ (plenty of smoke & tantalizing aromas) all served up with a side of very loud soca & dancehall beats.  About 5.30-ish next morning, those still standing, go home.  So, having given St Lucia our best, it was time to point WJ3’s nose northwards towards Guadeloupe and the Windwards. 

We had especially good weather as we moved up the island chain but wondered if our luck would hold thereafter.  The easterlies met up out of Deshaies, on our first big crossing to Antigua.  We surfed into Falmouth Harbour and settled for an anchorage far from the madding crowd…  Falmouth is now kitted out for superyachts and elite racing; next door, English Harbour for charter boats (mostly catamarans now).  Facilities for simple cruisers are sparse.  Even our Cap’n (never the fashionista) remarked on the change!

HMS Diamond Rock, once dressed as a ship with sails and cannon

In 1804, Diamond Rock, Martinique, was dressed as a ship, manned by 20 English sailors with 4 cannon causing much damage to the French fleet.  It is said though, that the French easily evened the score and took the island back.  Simply by "wrecking" boats on shore laden with casks of rum. "Know your enemy!"

Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe.  The busiest port in the Caribbean
& an early start for our daily "Shipping News" watch! 

A complete rainbow arc to mark our leaving Deep Bay,
Antigua for the 83 mile sail to St Bart's.

The easterlies remained and GS “pilled” up for the next long leg to St Bart's then on to St Martin.  All went well as we find ourselves in Simpson Bay Lagoon (on the Dutch side) yet again.  Close enough to regularly access takeaways from all nations – Indian curries, Korean spicy soups and French pastries.  Will we ever leave?

Not just yet.  It seems that huge sweeping systems called “Christmas Winds” are now regularly belting across vast swathes of the US, the Bahamas, Turks Caicos and northern Caribbean islands.  Doing their worst by removing our favourable Trades with winds from the north.  Better sit this out...  Pass round those chocolate croissants before they go stale then!!

Photos to follow...baby steps as we're learning the ropes now with Starlink and a brand spanking new (much larger) inverter to power it.  

Mixin' with the really big boys (lots of them) in Simpson Bay Lagoon.
No swell, just chop.  Lots of sleek go-fast boats & jet skis with
too much engine power (and not enough brain power).