Sunday, August 3, 2014

St. Barthelemy

St. Barthelemy, St. Bart's, or St. Barths-- many names for the same place.  We are here, currently waiting out Tropical Storm Bertha.  (Thanks, Andy, for the weather updates!!) We left Marigot late on the 28th after clearing out and fueling up.  After anchoring overnight at Anse Marcel where Ian and Maggy explored by dinghy and recommended, we motored 19 miles to Gustavia, the capital on July 29th.  Jon is happy to report that the newly rewelded motor mount brackets and alignment appear to be holding.  Although the seas were not calm but normal for trades, Jon was also able to rig and test a tiller autopilot directly connected to the emergency tiller for a couple of hours.  Surprisingly it maintained course within 5 degrees although time will tell what toll it took on the pilot motor.  The tiller pilot was bought with the idea to rig it to the Aires wind vane to guide the F40 but it didn't work that way.

After arriving we took a mooring in the outer harbor, only to be kicked off just before heading in to the port offices.  Released the moorings then started hunting for a place to anchor in the 20-30 feet of water.  Luckily, a nice gentleman in a catamaran spotted us and directed us to his friend's mooring. He would be out of town for a while and we were welcome to use it.  We gratefully accepted his offer and went to check in.  Nine Euros a night, which includes dinghy dock, showers, wifi, garbage and water.  The dinghy dock is across from the grocery store and the port offices have everything one would need.  Very friendly and worth it!.  We repaid our friend with a bottle of wine and a lot of 'Merci"s for making our stay here pleasant.

Today the sun is shining and the wind and rain of Bertha are a thing of the past. Time to move on!


Customs boat, leaving the fuel dock in Marigot.  They boarded us earlier in the week;
apparently remembering Toi Et Moi, crew waved and smiled to us

                        Sunset at Anse Marcel.  Beautiful, secluded anchorage but quite rolly.



Approaching St. Barth



Overlooking the outer harbor of Gustovia from Ft. Gustave/Lighthouse.
Toi et Moi between Jon and the cannon!
Saw these before entering the beach.  Finally asked someone what it was.
If you are going to smoke, take a can for your butts

Salt pond, beach and rocks along the eastern coastline
Saline Beach


Discovered these in St. Martin:  Kenets.
They are sweet and you can grill the seed. 
In St. Barth we discovered the kenet tree.
If you look closely you can see the fruit.
Food is definitely different
here!  On the streets of St.
Martin they were selling
bunches of these berries
for $1.  Didn't really know
what they were until we got to St. Barth.

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