It snowed last night!!!

Oh my gosh the good times flew by and here we are back in Sudbury!  I bet you thought it snowed on the boat...nope...we had great weather most of the time that we were there...
unfortunately Internet access was difficult for us after we left Penn's...I will try to summarize our adventures...

Feb 16th

       final check of equipment at dock                    notice the dinghy on deck

we left dock for St Marten's Saturday after noon...we were clipping along with a double reef and the jib at about 7 to 8 kts heading towards Anegada to make our turn to Sombrero Island then on to St Marten...as the sun set the winds picked up and changed direction so that we now had a head wind...had to start engine and prepared for the coming night...

Helen, Tim and I turned green pretty quickly and Captain Rick had to start giving us Zofran...the miracle pill...Mark had no problem with nausea...Rick and Mark started the 1 hour on and 1 hour off on watches for the night...Tim and Helen curled up in the cockpit...I went down to my bunk...as we approached Sombrero Is. around 0530 or 0600 on Sunday morning we encountered a line of squalls that slowed our progress...after we'd made our way through these we took a heading to St Marten...we reached  at about 1630hrs...luckily I felt fine on Sunday morning after 12 hrs in my bed and the nausea and sea sickness had passed...I was able to enjoy myself a bit more than Tim and Helen who still had the disease!!! Tim saw a whale fluke soon after leaving Tortola...Rick, Mark and I saw a small pod of dolphins after the squalls on Sunday morning... Customs office was closed so we put up our Yellow flag!  We inflated the dinghy and Ricky took Tim and Helen to shore...
We had a bowl of some type of libation each and went to bed...nothing like a great sleep after a rough sail...

the path from Penns around Anegada towards Sombrero and into St. Martin

Feb 18th

we went to shore to meet Tim and Helen at 1000 hr to check in at the French Customs... all checked in we went on to walk around the quaint streets Marigot...shopping and lunch at Cafe the Paris was enjoyed by the whole crew!!!


 we decided to all meet again and have dinner there that evening...Patrick our server was a character and he certainly kept us entertained...of course Ricky had nothing to do with that!!! and I got to dance a bit too!  We said good bye and thank you to our fellow crew members(Tim and Helen flew back to Tortola on Feb 19th)

Feb 19th

we had a lazy morning then brought Grand Cru into Fort Louis Marina for a bath...anchored like in the Mediterranean...we had two bow lines attached to the dock and 2 stern lines on a ball...efficient when there are so many ships  but not fun backing up a 46 foot dingy!!! Captain had the bow on the dock...no backing up for him...we hooked up to fresh water and de salted her with about 700 litres of water...she squeaked once more!!! we also found Serafina's a french boulangerie and discovered baguettes, croissants and fresh pastries OMG...


 another early night after a day in the sun and very still conditions in the marina...

Feb. 20th

Mark and I started off early and walked up to Fort Louis...

breathtaking views of the Marigot Bay and surrounding area...

also a great day for the local market as fresh fruit, vegetables and countless West Indian wares are available...we are now using the Euro...I got garnet earrings...it is mined in St Marten and the designer and maker was there...check  www.the-garnet.com  ...also got vegetable ivory...it's a local nut called Tange and once carved it hardens and looks just like ivory...very unusual and a great addition to our "unique" finds while on vacation...only in a sailing community would  I find sterling silver bowline knot earrings...Mark and I returned to the ship at about 1030 hrs...Captain had re-organized bellow decks and we were getting ready to leave the marina...once again we anchored in Marigot Bay...we left Grand Cru at lunch time and dinghy'd into Simpsons Bay Lagoon to Phillipsburg on the Dutch side...a mixture of abandoned boats...rusted container ships...(like a graveyard for boats)

check out the wind generator and solar panel...this is someones home...

 and then the rows upon rows of multi million dollar yachts...

the Heineken Race is happening soon and the boats that we got to see were awesome...people from all corners of the world are here to compete and just watch!...we late lunched at the St Marten Yacht Club...the food melts in your mouth...Mark and I booked our Rhino tour for the next day and then we dinghy'd back to the ship via a great grocery store just across the bridge...cheeses, pates, French delicacies everywhere...


we stocked up on cheeses and pate  for 16 euros...this included 6 baby Heinekens...250 ml bottles...3 gulps and it's gone...back to Grand Cru just in time for cocktails and the beginning of what would become our new eating pattern for the remainder of our time in St Marten...no supper, just nibbles if hunger comes back later on...

Feb 21st

...up early and bussed it to our next adventure...buses are a great way to move about...and very cheap...we tamed the Rhino today...a 2.5 hr tour from Phillipsburg to Creole Rock in a yellow 2 man centre console rhino with a 25 hp engine ...
...out through Simpson's Bay Lagoon to Marigot Bay and along the east shore of the Island... we rode the waves and went by Friar's Bay, Grande Case, Happy Bay(we stopped here for a swim and walked on the beach)...at one point a parade of men started coming out of the bushes on the far end...all beautifully tanned and perfectly naked...nipple rings and penis rings sparkling in the sun...and this was not Orient Beach!!!! we snorkeled at Creole Rock...a shame to see such lifeless territory...dead coral...1 parrot fish...a few small schools of fish...a lot of fun and we even did a drive by Grand Cru on our return!!!  Captain Rick wanted us to trade dinghy's but we think someone might have noticed..Mark and I lunched at Bistro By The Sea...great vegetarian burger!!! we returned to the ship pretty tired from being on the water and sun most of the day!!! while we were gone Ricky installed our new directional turtle "Henry" in the cockpit...thanks Captain! another early night...without sup!

Feb 22nd

... Mark and I go on a 3 hour tour of St Marten...our guide Cecil was great...

 he gave us information about both the French and Dutch sides of the Island...he was well informed about local culture and history...shared stories of his youth on the island and...he was an great host... We went to Orient Bay, Maho Bay(aka Kerosene Beach) where the jets land just over our heads, we got to shop in Phillipsburg, saw a new project being developed which will be showcasing Iguanas and local flora and fauna...we also stopped at lookout points and I got to handle a black and a white sea urchin...a live conch, a live sand dollar and a  star crab...Calvin is one of a kind...a tip jar is how he makes his living...

trying to look like I'm not freaked out...these are live and crawling in my hands...

Calvin...aka urchin man

back in Marigot we met up with Ricky and lunched at Sandy's...highly recommended by our guide earlier...we lunched on Conch Creole and Curried Goat (guess which on the Captain had?) we did sample a bit and it was delicious...our conch was awesome with peas and rice and plantain...I also got the names of some of the best fine dining and lunch establishments from Cecile



...after lunch we found Serafina's again to get some fresh bread to bring back to she ship...
we had showers, a few cocktails and met Carson from Yukon...he had sailed in the day before on a KP 44 from Guatemala...this is only the second Peterson we've seen since 2008 after we got Grand Cru...the other was at the Sand Box at Virgin Gorda...we then ventured out to visit with Robert and Monica from Liza...they had stopped by earlier in the day because of our Nova Scotia flag and invited us aboard (German beer and hors d'oeuvres were served)...they sailed their Lagoon 40 from Croatia to St Marten with a final destination of Nova Scotia...they are new Canadian citizens...they have a cottage in the Lake Brador area that they have been coming to for the last 10 years as a holiday in  the summer....Robert is a classical musician and Monica a dance therapist, we enjoyed their company and hope to see them someday in Nova Scotia...their trip will take them to Bermuda before heading to Canada so Captain Rick was glad to share info with them...
back to the ship to finish packing...we are sad because we are leaving the next day...

Feb 23rd

...we were packed and ready to go...got to the market area early and enjoyed some superb local musicians just jammin'...a real farewell treat...my face leaked again...Mark got a few small quiche at Serafina's before catching a taxi to the airport...

To our Captain, for an unforgettable experience!  We had only dreamed of doing this...and sharing your maiden voyage with Grand Cru was an honor for both Mark and I.
Thank you.

Helen...thank you for the company...the great sandwiches...sharing a zofran buzz with me...and my introduction to Tags...safe travels back home...
Tim...Mark learned a lot from you and enjoyed the time spent during the sail...your knowledge will be well used in the future...thanks for the laughs...(and he loved your shade of green)...
Greg...thanks for all the technical support and your dedication to seeing her sail is greatly appreciated...

I have to turn the blog back over to it's creator...Greg...I had fun filling in...

Last but not least...Mark...you rock! I love you.

tttfn
Fran



The Call of the Sea

And when we finally reach the shore
And when the sails are furled
And when the boat's at rest again
And earth is part of our world;
And when the bottom's scrubbed and clean
And when the paint is new
And everything's fresh water seen
And bathed in the morning dew

Will you remember the endless swell,
The sting of the salt sea sprays?
Will you remember the singing wind
Those forever lazy days?
Will you remember the flying fish
The dolphins that leapt so near?

Will you remember the birds that flew
In that perfect summer sky?
And the little fishing boat we met
Rusty, but proud and dry?
Will you remember our brave little boat
As she drove forever west?
Will you remember the songs we sang
And all the thoughts that we expressed?

For if these visions stay in your mind
And do not fade away
The call of the sea will be in your blood
Until your dying day!

                                        -John Aldworth