03/12/2012 THROUGH  03/18/2012 THE VIRGIN ISLAND AND ST. MARTIN

MONDAY 03/12/2012 MOORED AT THE BITTER END YACHT CLUB, VIRGIN GORDA, BVI $30.00

     0 NM TRAVELED

With every passing hour new and larger vessels began showing up for the major “to-do” for the big boys. We scrambled for the binoculars (not that we needed them) as the 295’ Athenia glided into the bay. She ranks as one of the largest privately owned sailing vessels and is the pride and joy of Jim Clark, founder of Netscape. Her 195’mast towered so high into the sky that it sported bright red mast lights to better alert low flying planes. Poor little Quest was just a pimple on the butt of these big boys.

295' ATHENIA

TUESDAY  03/13/2012 MOORED AT MAHO BAY, USVI $7.50

     28 NM TRAVELED

 With more and more mammoth yachts and sailing vessels encroaching on our little haven, we felt it time to move on and give them their space.  We motored back to Tortola’s West End to check out of the BVI then ambled across to St. John’s Maho Bay.  So our new SVRS didn’t work so well.  Seems that we were supposed to file a float plan on line and get some number.  Who knew?  Nothing was explained to us when went to the office in person to apply.  The tender is getting to know these waters pretty well.  It was back to Cruz Bay for check in, some quick guidance from the officers on how to access the on line programs then back to Maho to meet up with the Morgan family, another Middletown Springs family that just arrived for a much needed vacation.

WELCOME MEREDITH, PAUL, MIRA AND EMMET

We had a great time with Paul and Meredith and their two kids, Emmet and Mira.  We barbecued dogs on the Quest for dinner with them and had a great time jumping from the boat and swimming in the wonderful waters of the bay. 

FIRST MEREDITH THEN
EMMET JUMP FROM THE
TOP OF QUEST

WEDNESDAY  03/14/2012  MOORED AT MAHO BAY, USVI $7.50

     0 NM TRAVELED

Today was a big day for Emmet and Meredith!  They experienced an introduction to scuba diving and young Emit, aged 10, said that swimming would never be the same.  He is living in the water and might be sprouting gills.  Both kids and parents seem to be having the time of their life and enjoying every moment of this unique experience at Maho.

EMMET AND MEREDITH, OFF FOR THEIR FIRST SCUBA DIVE EXPERIENCE

THURSDAY  03/15/2012  DOCKED AT AMERICAN YACHT HARBOR, RED HOOK, ST. THOMAS, USVI

       8 NM TRAVELED

This morning we moved Quest to a shallower mooring ball on Great Maho Bay while Dan replaced the zincs on the shaft and rudder.  He felt that shallower water would make the retrieval of any dropped parts much easier but, thankfully, no parts attempted to escape and soon the job was done.  We did a little swimming, signed off with the Morgan family and headed for Red Hook on the east end of St. Thomas.

We took on fuel, got Quest docked and Dan picked up the ordered part for our Garmin.  Since the old one seemed to be working just fine, he made the call not to install it until necessary.  He did, however, re-work the towing harness for the con-Quest and make a thorough check of the weather as we pondered making the crossing to St. Martin to visit with the Dick and Cheryl Hanson and Richard and Barbara Feingold.  Everything looked good and we planned out our travel strategy to proceed east.

FRIDAY 03/16/2012  MOORED AT PETERS ISLAND, USVI $25.00

     16 NM TRAVELED

After a little laundry, some light provisioning and lunch on land we headed out for a few hours sleep off Peter Island. 

SATURDAY 03/17/2012  DOCKED AT CAPTAIN OLIVERS, OYSTER BAY, SAINT MARTIN

     128 NM TRAVELED

By 12:15 AM we had released our mooring ball and begun our journey to St. Martin.  Funny thing, as we were pulling out of the bay, one of those large and brightly lit up sailing vessels pulled in and dropped anchor.  We are talking just after midnight!!! 

Remember that Garmin part that Dan decided not to install on the mast?  Bad call!  By 1:00 AM it was no longer functioning.  Thankfully the radar worked and we had our little back-up Garmin for guidance but the auto pilot did not work and poor Dan had to stand and actually steer the course of Quest until around 4:00 when the system miraculously decided to work again.  Weird!

It was a fairly uneventful trip (discounting the non-functioning Garmin) and by 8:00 AM we could make out St. Martin in the distance.  We aimed for the northern shore and the French side of the island, passed by Marigot, Grand Cass and Anse Marcel before heading south along the eastern shore.  With Tintamarre to our port and Ile Pinel to our starboard, we caught sight of the sweeping Orient Bay.  The Feingolds spend their time at a resort on this lovely stretch of beach.

QUEST AS FIRST SPOTED BY THE DICK AND CHERYL
DURING HER APPROACH TO THE ISLAND

JUST ROUNDING THE POIUNT AND MAKING OUR WAY
TO THE HARBOR ENTRANCE

Just after passing by Orient Bay we were on the lookout for the aid to navigation markers that mark the entrance to the protected lagoon of Oyster Pond.  Dan expertly made the entrance and now came the sport of trying to raise someone.  We had been trying to phone and email for 2 days and had yet to get any response.  Lucky for us Dick and Cheryl were there to greet us and began to search out some Pasqual, the Harbor Master.  No easy feat!  We watched a Moorings Charter catamaran pull out of the overcrowded docks and quickly took its place only to be told that this would not be acceptable.  We had pulled right into the middle of the Moorings much used dock and they had charters coming and going on this stifling Saturday.  After finally locating Pasqual, he evaluated the situation, showed Dan the only possible dock and we proceeded to move Quest to a spot right in front of the busy Dingy Dock Restaurant.

 Since Oyster Pond is on the border of both the French and the Dutch, I was unsure as to how to proceed with checking in.  Lucky for us, the Sunsail office had a computer that you could use to check yourself in.  This easy task did prove to be a little challenging as the keyboard is not the same as ours but close enough that I didn’t always notice the deviation.  What a bargain at only $5.00 though!!  Oh, and by the way, we are checked into the French side.  From here we can walk, drive or dingy to destinations on the Dutch side but must check in if we take Quest.

Here is a totally charming but unsubstantiated story on the division of St. Martin.  It seems that the occupying Dutch and French made arrangements to divide the island in a most civilized manner.  A Frenchman, armed with a bottle of wine, and a Dutchman with his gin began walking and the boundary was set where the met.  Since the French St. Martin is larger, perhaps the stronger gin slightly impaired the Dutchman’s ability to make tracks, leaving Sint Maarten noticeably smaller.  Like I said, this is just an enchanting little story.  

DICK AND CHERYL WELCOME US TO SAINT MARTIN

SUNDAY 03/18/2012    DOCKED AT CAPTAIN OLIVERS ON OYSTER BAY POND IN ST MARTINA

     0 NM TRAVELED

Dick and Cheryl, who are staying within walking distance to our dock, picked us up and we headed to meet Richard and Barbara for a lovely French breakfast of croissants, baguettes, fresh squeezed orange juice and dynamite coffee.  Ah, the French do know how to serve up a good meal. 

Later in the day we all met at the Hanson’s charming little cottage, perched on the hill overlooking the bay.  It was fun to cool off in the tiny pool, ogle over the spectacular view, break some bread together and catch up on personal news.

THE POOL ON DICK AND CHERYL'S DECK

THE VILLA OPENS UP ONTO THE DECK

THE HANSON'S VIEW OF OYSTER POND

  We also watched the scoreboard for finals in Indian Wells as John Isner attempted (alas only attempted) to bring down the mighty Roger Federer.  Close, oh so close!  John and Sam then gave it their all in the doubles finals against Nadal and Lopez.  What a great accomplishment to make it to the finals!  Next time we hope for the big win!