Heading for the Virgins

We are back in Anse Marcel at noon on Tuesday, where we almost went nuts with the jet skis; but they are quiet so far, and we have run in and cleared customs and immigration using the dockmaster's computer. This place is certainly beautiful enough when the little buggers are not present.

We have spent all of our intervening time in the northeast part of the island - indeed the last full day enjoying Orient Beach. We got out for a lovely Creole lunch at Chez Leandre on the beach, and got to walk the complete crescent of the long beach. The sail over there was fantastic, with us putting the main up all the way for the first time this season, and cruising closep-hauled in 12 knots of wind, making 6-7 knots in a kind sea. Sometimes we forget what Cat Tales can do for us when the conditions are reasonable.

We've continued to battle wheat moths, removing material, cleaning, and trying to catch each little bugger. We've caught a few of the "caterpillars" and many of the moths; and the new hatchlings are dying down - last one was over 30 hours ago, so we're hopeful that we have stopped the cycle. Dawn has reorganized all the foodstuffs, and there are new rules and procedures to be followed in the future. Nothing is safe in any plastic bag. Heavy plastic containers will replace all retail containers, and volumes of all materials will be reduced.

The trip to St John, USVI, is about 95 miles to the closest anchorage, so it looks like we might start moving out of St. Martin at midnight. Chances are, if we are sleeping well, we'll say heck with it and leave at 2 a.m. The weather should be good with 10-15 knots from the north-east, and the seas are down from days of low wind; so we should have a lovely time, with both of us catching some sleep before the sun makes that impossible. We will likely survive if we have to anchor in the dark, but we'll avoid that if practical.