We are sitting in Grande Case again, just chilling out before we head back to Marigot tomorrow in preparation for catching Brian and Lorna's flight home. We heard in both emails and the morning Ham net that Canada is in a major deep freeze. We wouldn't wish that on you folks. The high winds are causing the boat to rock, but it is still a nice place to hang out. The anchor is holding us well.
Our trip back from St. Barts was not without incident. We had spent the night in Baie de Columbier, rather sheltered and flat, but with wild winds. We had been here in a charter boat many years earlier with good friends, and named the bay "360 Bay", because the turbulence caused by the hills tended to spin the boats. We left early in the morning, with winds on the unsheltered water a steady 22 knots. We put up the smallest bit of mainsail, but flew all of our jib. On the broad reach back to
northern St. Martin, we spent a lot of time around 8 knots in the high waves and were back off the coast of Tintamarre in less than two hours.
The trip was very shaky, with lots of spray. There were times when it felt like we were free-falling in the cockpit. It was during one of these times that the windmill mast jumped right off its deck mount. We did our best to control the tower, while Dawn fetched me a harness and lashing. We figured that the most stability on board would be while the boat continued on its 8 knot course; so I crawled out and started to lash it down while we bounced along. It took a while, but the only casualty
was my stomach. I was queasy for a half hour after crawling back into the cockpit, but recovered to enjoy the rest of the sail. We'll reconstruct the mount the next time we get reasonably flat water. Just one of those things, I guess. I fix or renovate something aboard every day.
We also pulled a trick on ourselves upon our return. We could clear customs in Anse Marcel, just next door to Grande Case, so we thought we'd just anchor in Grande Case and walk or bus around. Well, Brian and I started out, and soon found that it is a round-about trip through the mountains, with the last mountain climb into a rather deluxe and restricted resort. While Lorna and Dawn went shopping, we bussed to the base of the mountain, climbed/walked over the mountain and down, did our paperwork,
but took a taxi back. Good, but unexpected exercise.
Last night, we went ashore to a restaurant called "California", and ate an expensive french meal with a close and wonderful view of the surf. We followed that with a stop at a little shop that provides "Ti Punch" for only a dollar. This morning, we confess that finding one dollar drinks is like pulling another trick on ourselves.
Tonight, our plans are to go ashore for another meal, this time a low-budget affair. We'll try to be good.
