8 January, 2001

This is the log of the charter yacht, Aludra Star, out of Anse Marcel, St. Martin. Alec, Rob and I, together with Tammy Ender, Brian Proctor, Dee Rodeghier and Mike Schmidt flew down from Minneapolis on TWA yesterday. Except for a few problems with luggage, it was our most uneventful trip to the Carribean so far. And as the driver waiting for us said, "have a beer and enjoy your vacation."

The charter base here at Port Lonvilliers is quite elegant -- more posh than the places we've stayed in the BVI -- with at least two security checks on the way in. It was nearly 10pm before we went to dinner, which was excellent and surprisingly inexpensive -- although it will take a while to get used to prices in francs.

Brian gets credit for the first "best of the day" -- he heard a pager in the airport, and it wasn't his. Tammy also nominates the lamb she had for dinner.

11/01/01

I'm the first one up this morning as we lie at a mooring in Ladder Bay, Saba. We motored down from Marigot on Wednesday, hurrying to assure ourselves a mooring (1 of only 7). No problem, mon -- there were only two other boats here. The water is deep and clear with a lot of marine life, but it is a rather long dinghy ride to Fort Bay, the only good place to go ashore and where you clear customs. The road from Wells Bay is blocked by construction and the stairs at Ladder Bay look formidable -- and in both places you'd have trouble getting your dinghy off the shore in even the light surf. We know, because we did it exploring the road up from Wells Bay.

Due to the length of the dinghy ride we decided to send only half the crew ashore for dinner, which was a good idea since we needed to be rescued when the outboard wouldn't start. Tammy, Brian, Alec & I finally made it to Pop's Place, where we chatted with "Hurricane Hugo" while Pop called Vinnie to get us in a taxi. Vinnie took us up the steep and twisty "road that couldn't be built". We had a lovely Carribean meal at some place run by a relative; Tammy's red snapper was super. The crew on board had to make do with what they could scrounge.

On Thursday, Brian and Tammy arranged to dive with Saba Deep while Rob and Alec chose to climb the stairs all the way to Bottom. Both were adventures that they hope are well documented with photographs.

This is indeed a different place than St. Martin. Tuesday night we anchored close to the dinghy dock in Marigot -- only took two tries! Had dinner at the St. Germain, which was excellent. Dining out here is remarkably cheap but we got stuck with a $43 cab fare. Tammy found me a good deal on a replacement pair of flippers though. Le course du change est 7:1, which helps a lot.

Clearing customs has not been a problem at all, but we may label this "the cruise of the accursed dinghy."

13/01/01

We had a rolly night moored at Ladder Bay and some of us felt a little queasy this morning. Tammy and Brian decided not to dive again, so instead we motored to Ft. Bay and had a lovely breakfast at the "Inn Too Deep". We then sailed 5 hours to Statia -- winds about 15 from the SE and a pretty big swell. Boat sails better if not pinched; GPS indicated up to 9 knots of boat speed but the boat's instruments don't show anything interesting or useful. The tracking feature on Dad's GPS is very helpful, however. One more minor breakdown -- Rob pulled the engine shut-off loose, but I was able to shut her down manually and it turns out that the remote works anyway.

Statia has a very picturesqe harbor front, but it's also a working harbor with traffic all night. We again had our choice of moorings and clearing through customs was uneventful. Tammy and Brian took a taxi tour and found a Chinese bar. Their driver, Bobby, recommended the "Stone Oven" for dinner and Renaldo at the Golden Rock Dive Shop showed us pictures of Hurricane Hugo's damage. Goat was la specialite de la maison at the Stone Oven, and we enjoyed both it and the kingfish served family style. The day was so pretty that no one would commit to a "best thing of the day" so we played a few rounds of "group therapy" instead.

13/01/01 pm

We left Statia surprisingly early after Tammy made a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs and red snapper (that she'd bought from a fisherman on Saba yesterday). There were complaints from the crew that Pinktoe got the lion's share of the fish; they were ignored. We sailed a reach (about 35o magnetic) all the way to St. Barts, with the boat making 7-9 knots in about 15 mph winds. We encountered our first very light rain showers as we left Saba but that was quickly forgotten when Rob spotted a pod of dolphins. We tacked back and had good views of 7 or 8 of them including a baby and its mother. They didn't "play" with us but stayed close to check us out too.

We arrived in Gustavia before 1pm but couldn't check through customs until they reopened after lunch at 2:30. Again, no hassle but it does help to have crew lists printed in advance. We tied up stern to the newer, south shore quay; that seemed to go OK considering it was our first time, but SURPRISE, the anchor pulled loose and we had to do it over. That activity was complicated by Alec pulling up two other anchors that had been lost by somebody else and a group of locals who watched us until I asked "jetez la line, si vous plais" and then they got up and walked away.

The crew went their separate ways for awhile. Tammy and Brian won't be able to dive here tomorrow -- the only place open seemed rather disreputable. Dee, Mike & Rob rented scooters to go exploring, and Alec and I stayed on the boat watching people and boats. There are some beautiful boats here as well as some so large as to be obscene. There is a green tri-hull that is so big that it has a swimming pool on her third deck! We reunited for dinner at the nearest restaurant, the Wall House, after Brian had a close encounter avec l'eau. It turned out to be surprisingly elegant and they treated our disreputable group very well with champagne and "caviar" in the lounge and fresh table settings for each of the five courses. And it wasn't THAT expensive. There was surprisingly little nightlife for a Saturday night, but it was still after midnight when we retired. The last activity of the day was Brian doing minor surgery to treat the nasty stings Tammy got diving on Thursday -- hope they're better today.

14/01/01

Today was a shore day. Dee and Mike left early to explore the island's beaches on their motor scooter. Jim wandered around town until he found a boulangerie and then brought back croissants. Tammy & Brian decided to rent a jeep (same price as a scooter) and also explore beaches. The island is so hilly that you really do need some form of transportation. Rob didn't like the scooter experience, so he went with Tammy and Brian. Their favorite beach was at the end of the airport runway while Mike and Dee preferred Governor's Bay. We had lunch back at the Wall House and then went to a bar called the Santa Fe to watch the Vikings fiasco. The bar was full of NY fans too. Ugh.

Alec stayed at the bar to watch the Ravens play while Tammy and Brian had a "date" at Eddy's. We called Dale in Minneapolis and Terry & Barney on St. Martin, but we still don't know exactly when or where we're going to hook up. Dee and Mike treated Rob and me to dinner at a brand new restaurant at the head of the bay; it's only 10 days old and we were about their only customers. For a town that supposed to be the Riviera of the Carribean, this place is very quiet! We've shared our whole section of quay with only three other boats.

Tomorrow I want to check the engine, fill the tanks, and get the cell phone activated. Then we'll motor to Anse Columbier for lunch and a swim, then on to the bridge at Simpson Lagoon.

15/01/01

Contrary to popular belief, this boat has not shrunk a foot per day but instead has become a luxury liner that rocks one like a baby -- I have survived the hundreds of stings on my arm through surgery by Dr. Ballast poking me with a hot needle and bad rum provided by Catnap -- poured on the arm folks -- not ingested -- although there has been a great deal of that happening also -- as I sail off to the next port of call, my thanks to the crew -- oops that would be me also -- and happy sailing -- see you next year -- where ever the boat will sail.

--- The Angel Fish Queen

---Betty Baracuda

--- Dr. Ballast

OFFICIAL DRINK OF 2001 CRUISE: Slimmery Slug Slog Slush rum (lots) banana lime pineapple juice orange juice coconut milk BLEND WITH ICE

Tomorrow is crew change day, and the crew's entries tell me our first week has been a success. The last day of the week went almost as planned. We motored to Anse Columbier for a swim -- the snorkeling is best away from the beautiful beach -- and Mike grilled the rest of the chicken breasts for croissant sandwhichs. Wonderful! We sailed a very broad reach toward Sint Maarten but the wind died and we had some time constraints, so we started the iron jenny. This did give us the freedom to dip into Little Bay to see the resort where Tammy and Brian will be staying. It's a pretty spot, and Dr. Ballast is looking for a bed that doesn't move.

We cleared Sint Maarten customs just before they closed and contacted the Simpson Bay Yacht Club for a slip while we had a short wait for the bridge to open. No problem -- except the marina was going to send a dinghy to guide us through the shallow entrance, and we didn't connect. We got some apparently bad advice from a boat that was anchored off Snoopy Island and ended up running aground -- very gently thanks to Alec's light hand on the helm. We shifted crew weight and were able to back off. We didn't know which way to go although there was a marked channel only 100m away. We were near an empty mooring and picked it up. We put Tammy ashore by dinghy to meet her kids and tried to get help from the marina. About 7:00, Howard heard our radio call (largely by accident) and he appologetically came to fetch us. He surveyed the water depth around us, pushed our bow around, and led us in on the OPPOSITE side of the channel! We looked pretty competent tieing up to the gas dock though, and we gratefully went to the Italian bar just outside the marina for drinks and snacks while Brian hailed a cab for Little Bay. We traded phone messages with the Texas crew and settled in for our quietest night yet.

16/01/01

Crew change at Simpsons Bay went smoothly except that the dinghy to guide us to our overnight slip showed up just as Rob was ready to leave for the airport. They use inflatable boats as tugs here, and it works very well -- the woman driving didn't seem interested in swapping jobs with me! Rob returned right on schedule with Dad, Jeri and Roger, and the Texas relations showed up for a late lunch. We replenished and then depleted our beverage stocks before walking to the "Dockside" for another excellent dinner. Alec and Brett seem to be hitting it off, although there will be hangovers in the morning. Jeri, Tina, Dad and I returned to the boat while the others went to the casinos. Maybe somebody will win enough to pay for the next vacation?

We sail for St. Barts tomorrow at 8 -- bridge opens at 9. After that Roger wants to sail to St. Kitts while Barney and Brett would like to dive off Saba. We'll see what the weather favors.

17/01/01

We made it out of the Simpson Bay Lagoon without incident although prudent boat handling wasn't the rule for everyone else. Roger and Jeri made eggs for everyone, but Roger was below decks too long and was struck by mal de mer. Barney and Brett slept in while Tina reached for St. Barts. We stopped at Anse Columbier again for a light lunch and snorkeling. Jeri got her first snorkeling lesson, and we actually got Dad in the water too. We then motored into Gustavia and anchored on the second try. Customs was not a problem, but the whole town is without water due to drought. The ladies went shopping but the grocery store was already closed. We had another excellent dinner at the Wall House disrupted somewhat by political discussions. Alec and Brett are looking for action, Roger & Jeri are out for a walk. The rest of us are going to bed about midnight. Tomorrow we sail to either St. Kitts or Statia depending upon weather and time of departure.

18/01/01

The day started out with Jim finding the "local" bakery, Boulongerie Choisy, and coming back with an armload of inexpensive croissants. We dinghied across the bay for some shopping; groceries were really quite convenient but it took us awhile because the selection of foods is quite different -- only a little beef and no fresh chicken, but lots of fresh fish and a big selection of cheeses. Some things are imported from the US and others from France. Roger and Jeri bought snorkeling gear, and we left Gustavia about 10. We motored through rain showers and Alec was impatient to start sailing. The wind gods were not cooperative however, and we bobbed in the swell for about 45 minutes, making no progress at all. Pinktoe got impatient and we motored the rest of the way to Orangestaad even though the wind finally came up (from the SE again). We arrived about 1600 and picked up the last remaining ball. Jim, Barney and Brett went ashore to clear customs and arrange for diving tomorrow. We hiked up the old slave road to the fort to find immigration and phones. Nobody seems to even notice the Tina doesn't have a passport. The hike was steep but the weathered stone, the sea view and the variety of flora made it worthwhile. I haven't been able to call home yet; maybe we can activate Alec's cell phone today.

The boat crew refreshed themselves with a swim, shower and beverages. We walked along the beach trying to decide on a restaurant for diner and selecting "The Old Gin House." It was an elegant setting but they were out of many things and were having trouble with the staff who were trying to decide whether to kill or merely fire the cook. Well, it was a Carribean experience.

People retired early, or at least I did. These moorings are well protected from wind but even the gentle swell produces a lot of rolling of the boat -- not the best for cooking or sleeping. Another rain shower blew through during the night, and it was quite impressive to see how quickly the deck sleepers got down below. We found room for everyone. Current plans are to stay on Statia tomorrow, but I would like a better mooring. Sailors coming north from Antigua told us that the marina on St. Kitts isn't very comfortable, so I don't know what we'll do after that.

19-20/01/01 (late entry)

I missed yesterday's log entry because we were all still asleep when the taxi arrived to drive us to the foot of the Quill, but more about that later.

Barney, Terry and Brett took two dives on Friday. They were very impressed. Terry even got to touch a shark! Alec and I moved the boat to a slightly more sheltered mooring and set a stern anchor, which is a lot of work when you have an all chain rode! We also found good snorkeling above the old wall that runs parallel to the shore. Tina even spotted a live conch. Jeri is becoming more comfortable snorkeling too. She and Alec made kabobs sans skewers on the grill for supper, which was excellent (and not just because we were all tired and hungry)! The anchorage was still too rolly for good sleeping and everyone is looking forward to a slip and hot shower tomorrow night.

Which is why we were all asleep when the taxi arrived. After some discussion, Roger, Jeri, Terry, Barney, Brett, Tina and I decided we'd still climb the volcano -- we'd been advised not to do it without an early start. It was a strenuous hike -- the "trail" is essentially a run-off ditch. Everyone but me made it all the way to the top and then Tina challenged us to climb down inside the volcanic cone too. This hike was aided by ropes strung along the trail and a few branches nailed together to form an occasional "step." We did see more wildlife in the cone -- butterflies, small lizards, and a runner snake. We found hermit crabs all the way up and goats have the run of the place. We scrambled up and then down, everyone thankful that we suffered only a few bruises and minor scrapes. We were also glad to see the taxi waiting and stopped to make phone calls and buy bread and ice on the way back to the boat.

We left for St. Kitts about 12:30 lunching on ham and cheese sandwiches as we got underway. It was an exhilerating sail making 7 knots close hauled in 15-20 knot winds and 10 foot seas. We took enough water over the bow to give everyone salt water showers even after we reefed main and jib. Unfortunately the wind was right in our teeth out of the SE, so we decided to motor along the coast once we were somewhat in the lee of the island. It's a very picturesque scene of palm trees, cane fields, and small villages, but no protected anchorages. Port Zante Marina was confusing because of the reconstruction, but people were helpful and we followed the tenders from a cruise ship in. Hurricane damage is still apparent within the small boat harbor -- there are no finger docks and you tie up with your stern on pilings. The silly little step in front of our roller furler actually made it fairly easy to climb off over the bow.

We had to take a taxi ride to the customs office in the commercial harbor, where a young officer scrutinized our documents carefully. We then discovered that Roger and I didn't have $12US between us, and no one could cash a $50 traveler's check -- we thought we were screwed, but the young man offered to come by our boat after 6pm to pick up the money. (But he didn't; I'll mail it after we get home.) No showers or toilet facilities, but the taxi drivers are very anxious to make your acquaintance. "Juni" arranged for us to be picked up at 8 and driven up the coast to the a local restaurant, "Splatt-nik", were we had fresh caught lobster, ribs and chicken. No one had fish -- it's still mahi-mahi month.

Back to the boat and I went to sleep right away, and now our log is back up to date. Long sail to St. Martin tomorrow but the wind will be to our backs all the way.

21/01/01

Pinktoe's crew can move when it needs to! We were up and out of Port Zante by 7:15. We left the dock smartly and motored up the west coast eventually spotting the restaurant of last night. The wind remained SE as we cleared the island although the 10' seas were more easterly. We had a five hour broad reach on course 355o past the east coast of Statia pausing only to reef the jib and later let her out again. It took another two hours to tack into Marigot harbor, where we found a spot to anchor quite close to the dinghy dock. The hook held on our second try and we should have a calm night.

Clearing customs was no problem even though it was a Sunday. Roger, Barney and I hiked through the Marina Royal district in search of whiskey and strawberries, pausing for a daiquirie on the way. Alec "stretched" the rum by using the 151 proof in the strawberry daiquiries he made on board. Roger and Jeri declined my offer of shoreside accomodations to celebrate their first wedding anniversary but went off alone for a romantic dinner. We toasted their happiness at the Mint restaurant -- the one with the palm trees growing through the roof. We were their only customers, so service was fine, as was the food. One of our FRS radios has failed so we had some difficulty with communication to get Roger and Jeri back on board. There apparently being no nightlife on this side of the island, Barney, Brett and Alec set off for another late night at the Sint Maarten casinos.

22/01/01

Last day of sailing. The bad boys (Barney, Alec & Brett) rolled in from the casinos about 5:30, just in time for Pinktoe to discover that the anchor was dragging. Alec wished me a boozy good night and could not be roused once he went horizontal. Maturity must bring staying power, because Barney and I were able to reset the anchor (in only three tries). We went ashore about 10:30 to shop the open air market. Terry and Tina supported the local economy in good fashion. We had another fine lunch at Cafe sur le Mer, and Tina (who has earned the pirate name of "Madame Goat") was adventurous enough to try the skate -- quite good.

We had a lovely sail up to Anse Marcel -- this boat could be quite fast in flat water -- and Brett, Terry and Tina dinghied to the beach. We radioed in and Frank met us at the gas dock. (We used 157 liters of diesel in two weeks). He backed the boat around with impressive ease, and the Aludra Star was safely returned to base without any major problems at all. Barney was able to get a suite at the Hotel Privelege. Everyone was happy to clean up on shore, and we had our last dinner in the same open air restaurant where we had our first.

Le voyage est fini.