Bubba's Boat Diaries (#3)

Saturday 11-3-2012

Gustavia/Saint Bartholomew

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=17.904,+-62.857&hl=en&ll=17.904017,-62.856989&spn=0.043859,0.084543&sll=17.893317,-62.827892&sspn=0.087723,0.169086&t=h&z=14

 Arrival at Gustavia uneventful after sailing about 6o mins from Ile Fourchue.  Captured a mooring ball, then Captain Dave took all passports to customs.  While awaiting clearance, a yellow flag is flown and the vessel considered under quarantine.  Nobody is allowed ashore.  The crew chowed down while waiting on the return of Captain Dave.  Once cleared with entry fees paid, we are required to fly the French flag as proof we have cleared customs.  If questioned onshore, we must name Cutter Cat as our entry point.

 These photos taken on ship shortly after our arrival.  The planes were going right over our head, thru this small mountain pass.  It is hard to see in the photos but there are wind socks on each side of the pass.  Sometimes the socks pointed in different directions, showing the swirl created as the wind passes over the hills.

A contingent of us headed into Gustavia on Cutter Kitty for some shopping and such.  Gustavia is French West Indies.  Local language thus is French, and the currency the Euro...but nearly all speak English and everyone takes the great American dollar!  Still best to use credit card to prevent any locals from being funny with the exchange rate.  Bubba only scored a couple of Cuban cigars, but we did return with ice & other provisions.  Always an adventure on Cutter Kitty to safely transport not just the crew but purchases.

Dinner of quiche, soup, and one awesome fresh fruit dessert created by Deb G....after which we all crashed.  Bubba was down by 2200!!

Sundays plan is short voyage to Anse De Columbier.  This is a national part at the north end of the island.  Word is that since parks took over, the turtles have returned.  Hoping the rumors are true.

Sunday 11/4/2012  Anse De Columbier

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=17.9258,+-62.8702&hl=en&ll=17.921127,-62.866473&spn=0.021927,0.042272&sll=17.922944,-62.868555&sspn=0.010964,0.021136&t=h&z=15

Wind direction out of Gustavia provided opportunity to sail out a bit, tacking back inbound to Columbier.  Other voyages thus far have been fairly much set and go, with only minor adjusts to the genoa sail for tack.  Bubba joined Captain Dave at the helm for most of this voyage, trying to learn more navigation & sailing skills.

Seas were 3 to 5 foot swells with some larger.  We took a couple of really big dives over some larger swells which was kind of cool.  Bubbalicious rode this voyage laying in the stern.  Without the patch she probably would not be doing so well on this particular journey.  Good news is that once we anchor or moor, recovery is pretty rapid.

Back to the voyage, we learned some things about tacking that will prove valuable on our planned long voyage tomorrow.

Moored at Columbier, snorkeling began in short order.  Plan was for an hour of so of snorkel, lunch, then snorkel some more.  Island time however disrupts all plans, best not to make too many.

Starfish all over the bottom around our boat as we swim towards the shore and more shallow snorkeling waters.  Abundant sea life all around makes for loss of time.  Together with Bubbalicious we snorkel our way to the beach.  Columbier is a nature preserve, so this is a very clean and quiet place.  We are moored in a 3 sided harbor surrounded by cliffs similar to Ile Fourchue.  At the beach are stone steps leading up the cliff to a trail at the top.  We climbed these stairs to the top to be utterly astounded at the view provided.  The cliff overlooks the seas on the other side with views of the houses & villages of Gustavia, Ile Chevreau, and I. Fregate.  The waves crashing on the rocks of this harbor make it inaccessible by boat but are just awesome to watch and hear.  And, we have no camera because we snorkeled in!

We snorkeled back Cutter Cat, the rest of our crew trickles in as well.  The intent was lunch and more snorkeling, but reality is lunch and naps for nearly all!  After naps, Deb, Reese, Bubba, and Bubbalicious take Cutter Kitty ashore, this time with cameras and walking shoes.  Some great pics from this inland trip.  Another important item from this excursion, Bubba needs more practice driving Cutter Kitty....having not operated a john-boat in many years.  Not well executed but safely back to voyage another day.

View from the top, looking left

Bubba and Bubbalicious provide bourbon marinated salmon, almond couscous, and sauteed green beans for the meal...after all crew enjoyed one awesome sunset.  This one may have been the best sunset view to date on this trip.

After dinner we load up Cutter Kitty and journey over to the Muscade for cocktails.  Jose Cuervo makes this trip, where he found plenty of sliced fresh lime & salt awaiting his arrival.  Captain Bruce distributed matching shirts to the crew of both vessels in honor of our journeys this far.

View from the top, looking right

Deb and Reese

After cocktail hour we again end up on the tram in the darkness gazing at the stars.  No longer a full moon, along with less clouds, make this the best night yet.  Bubba wishes he could recall his astro-nerd days and identify constellations but has to settle for just enjoying the beauty of it all.  Despite all this activity, and with afternoon naps, the crew is berthed by 22:30!

Sunday morning Bubba's watch has dropped  an hour, no longer be daylight savings time back in the real world.  No extra sleep here!

Bubba and Bubbalicious at the top

Voyage today expected to be longest yet with plans to sail back around St. Martin to the Anguilla side of the island.  This to position us for visit to Anguilla in the days following.  Hopefully some calmer seas, favorable winds, and a great voyage.

Bubbas Boat Diaries (2)

Actual action photo the morning of 11/1/12, Bubba making more entries.  We are anchored in Orient Bay, Saint Martin.  https://maps.google.com/maps?q=18.05060,-63.0081&hl=en&ll=18.049582,-63.007493&spn=0.021911,0.042272&sll=18.106575,-63.021097&sspn=0.010952,0.021136&t=k&z=15

Wednesday 11/1/12

Mediation of the Captains, analysis of wind forecasts, and desire of crew to seek out Halloween festivities cancels planned voyage to St. Barts.  We instead motored across Orient Harbot to Orient Beach.

Arrival at Orient Beach lead to an extensive lesson in anchorage.  Bubba learns we don't just drop anchor.  The anchor must sink into the sand (without a rock base or clay underneath).  Once the anchor sets, the right amount of chain must extend for the depth, then the bridle is attached so the hull takes the stress of the pull and not the anchor chain.  Some good 1500 to 1600 RPM reverses to make certain the anchor ha set.  Then, a visual, as in swim out and double check from above.  This exercise took the better part of an hour.

Tuna salad lunch, then loaded up Cutter Kitty for a trip to Orient Beach to shop and hang out on the beach.  The natives will not leave you alone in their shops.  We are swarmed and offered bargains and or bartering on everything touched.  Bubbalicious got some stuff for herself and our babies.

Did Bubba mention as we walked to the shops, there is a big sign of welcome, along with a warning that nudity is prohibited?   Yes, Orient Beach is a nude resort.

 Feeling kinda awkward strolling down the beach with trunks on, Bubba found a spot for his towel and proceeded to get naked and free.  Not wanting to be left out, of course Bubbalicious had to peel off her suit also.  As much as Bubba likes the swimsuits Bubbalicious brought on the trip, he sure liked her as she was on the towel next to him.  There is something about a skinny dip that is quite liberating.  Bubba looking forward to St Barts at this point for this reason.  Bubba's tan lines caused one of the all tanned regulars to come visit us.  "Congratulations!  You cruise ship folks never come down here!"  Bubba informed the all tanned one that our cruise ship was anchored just off the beach.  "Oh!" was his only reply.

Our agreed upon rendezvous time for Cutter Kitty rescue arrived.  We could see Capt Dave coming since our ship was anchored in our view.  We all embarked into Cutter Kitty only to have a rouge wave swamp the dingy, depositing a bunch of water and kicking us sideways.  Too much water for the voyage, we had to disembark, pull the dingy to the beach, and drain the water. Second attempt successful and we returned to the ship.  The preceding sounds simple and dry, but, if you had witnessed the above crew and event, you would have laughed your ass off.  We did!

Back on ship for showers, dinner, and costume party.  All our wenches (including Bubbalicious) transformed into Biker Bitches with the men as Bikers.  A wonderful dinner of sis kabob a la Rhett and Kelly set the stage for a wonderful evening.  The crew from the Muscade skow, er, ship, came to party with us.

Following the festivities, all ended up on the tram in the quiet of the full moon (PERFECT for Halloween), sea breeze, and star gazing.  Of course some fell asleep (including Bubba), but it is just simply awesome to lay there in the still of the night and see the bounteous sky above.

Our Thursday plan to sail to St Barts, to anchor or moor at Ile Fourche, a small private island just NW of St Barts.  Expecting some great snorkels after a hopefully awesome 3 to 4 hour sailing voyage.

Friday 11/2/12  Ile Fourche

Voyage to Ile Fourche proved to be the first true sailing of the trip.  Only 12 nautical miles to cover over open sea, the captains were indeed accurate on the exceptionally favorable winds.  What was anticipated as a 3 or 4 hour sail ended up a bit over 2 hours.  The shortened voyage was a blessing because of 3 to 5 foot swells.  Like the old Bugs Bunny, "the boat was wocking and wocking."  Bubba struggled a bit but found serious solace on the tram.  Under the shade of the genoa, with water occasionally (actually, often) splashing thru the mesh as coolant, the motion of the ship was again like a big rocking chair or hammock.  No sounds save the crashing ocean, flapping sails, and the wind led Bubba to a stress level lower than ever.  Bubba never sees such a place back in the real world.

Leaving the serenity of the tram changes the preceding depiction significantly.  Exiting the tram means sitting up, then butt crawling to a hand hold.  No step taken in these seas without a hand hold.  The helm is one place where the motion lessens, but, other than the tram, that is it.  There is even a strap that will hold a cook close to the stove in these seas.  Not that any of this crew would attempt such a feat.

Bubba again had holding tank duty, requiring about 5 mins below deck.  NOT A HAPPY PLACE with the ship rocking like this, and no air conditioning under sail.  

About 2/3 of the way to Ile Fourche, Bubbalicious could not hold it any longer and had to potty.  She was forewarned that below deck was not a happy place but ventured anyway.  Back above deck she really had to fight the sea sickness, but breakfast stayed down!  She also discovered laying on the tram as a place to avoid the sea sickness.

We found an excellent mooring ball about 13:30, midway between the beach and 2 excellent snorkeling locations (starboard and port).  there is a relatively new wrecked catamaran beached off our stern on the starboard side.  The cliffs go right into the water with no beach on either side.  Under this water are tons of boulders and rocks that have formed coral reefs teeming with life.  We snorkeled for hours and realized we failed to bring an underwater camera like on our Cayman trip.  Bubba will certainly buy one at our next civilized stop.  Not having pics of these snorkel areas is a crime.  Spotted yesterday more fish types than can list, sea urchins (big white ones), one small male sting ray and one HUGE female ray, at least as big as our deck table (which by the way, all 8 of us eat together here), and a small 3 or 4 foot nurse shark.

An evening meal of grilled burgers after one gorgeous sunset led to more time on the tram in the darkness.

This harbor has zero ambient light as Ile Fourche is uninhabited.  We are also anchored in this harbor surrounded by mountains on 3 sides so it was DARK.  The star gazing was fabulous, including very visible Milky Way and several meteors.  Included as a finale was an awesome moon rise over the mountain to a nearly full moon.  Incredible!

Friday's plan is short voyage to Gustavia (St Barts).  Chart suggests 5 to 6 miles, not sure if we will sail or motor.  Captain wants to sail and not sure I want to argue.  There is something peaceful about nothing but the sound of wind and flapping sails compared to the hum of the diesels.  We ain't in any hurry anyway...riding on island time!