We started the journey to Sint Maarten with a day stop at Buck Island which is just across the bay from St. Croix. Buck Island is a national park and is known for its coral reef so we thought it would be a good place to snorkel and test out the new dinghy. There’s only one problem with testing new items….I am generally going to fail the test. Since we were not allowed to anchor Galt in the coral reef area, we anchored off the beach and hopped into the new dinghy. Bill has already named it Harry the Second because it did not take long for it to figure out how to escape the shackles like Harry Houdinghy the First had. We puttered our way over to the lagoon comparing the differences between the dinghies along the way. I decided that Harry the First was a Lincoln Continental….big, heavy, indestructible and a smooth ride. Harry the Second is a Prius….light, rough ride and could pop at any time. However, the ease of Harry the Prius far outweighs its limitations and we happily bumped along over to the reef. Getting out of the new dinghy was very easy and we jumped overboard to encounter a reef system that had tons of fish and huge coral structures. I was thoroughly enjoying myself until I looked up and saw two barracudas were floating right in front of me giving me the eye. Bill claimed they were just curious but they certainly looked hungry for a Sally snack to me! As we made our way back over to the dinghy, I began to realize that getting back into the dinghy was going to be a challenge. Bill went first and while he was not graceful in any way, shape or form, he managed to kick his way over the side of the dinghy and landed successfully with a thump. My turn….reach, jump, kick, push, pull, splash….repeat. No matter how hard Bill pulled, I could not get into the dinghy. I looked over to another dinghy and they were having the same issue so that made me feel a little less like an idiot. After about 10 tries and multiple bruises on my arms and ego, we were ready to give up and Bill was going to tow me behind the dinghy over to the beach so I could get in. Just then, a very nice couple on a small fishing boat yelled over that I could swim over to their boat and climb up their ladder in order to get into the dinghy. When I arrived, I grumbled, “new dinghy” as I pulled myself out of the water and the man said, “No way were we going to laugh…not on the outside anyway.” After a firm punch from his wife, we all had a good laugh and I stepped easily into the dinghy. So, first purchase at the next marine store will most certainly be a dinghy ladder!
Late in the afternoon, we left for our 18 hour trek across to Sint Maarten. It was a great ride with the exception of two hours of rain but luckily the rain occurred during daylight hours and let’s face it….Galt can always use a bath. Prior to leaving, Bill hired a guy to clean the bottom of the boat so Galt was feeling sassy and quick. Well, six miles per hour quick which is sassy for Galt! With the wind on our beam (aka coming in on the side of the boat which is the sweet spot for filling the sails), we made the 18 hour trip in only 15 hours. Bill even had to slow down the last hour to make sure we arrived after daylight. That’s a rarity! After arriving, we slept for a couple of hours and then headed over to Customs and Immigration to check into the country. Prior to arrival, we had to gather a list of required forms and items which I had emailed over to their customs agent prior to leaving St. Croix. Knowing how well Customs usually works, we took hard copies with us as well. Once we arrived, they looked at me like I was crazy when I told them they had all of the items in email. They started searching and finally located all that they needed. While checking in took an hour and a half for a process that should have taken fifteen minutes, I can say that the agents were friendly, helpful and had a good sense of humor. Plus, after watching our friend who arrived a day after us take two days to check in, we felt good about our hour and half! After check in, we raced back to the boat to prepare for the 11:30 bridge opening. In Simpson Bay, you can either anchor out in the harbor (which was very rough the day we arrived) or you can move into the inner lagoon which is as smooth as a lake. Needless to say, we voted for the lagoon. To get into the lagoon, we had to wait for the drawbridge which only opens 4 times a day so timing is crucial. We have not encountered a drawbridge since we left the Intercoastal Waterway in the States so I was nervous. As we approached the bridge, Bill called on the radio to the bridge tender and the tender said he would open in a few minutes. So, we waited in the harbor for the opening. All at once, the tender came on the radio and he began singing…..”The bridge is opening, come on through”….he was the first singing tender we ever had! Bill began our slow crawl toward the bridge and we evidently were not moving fast enough for Mr. Tender because he began singing on the radio again, “Move it, Captain, Move it. All gonna be okay!” which gave us a good chuckle…as if Galt could go any faster! After successfully clearing the bridge, we anchored in the lagoon and decided that Sint Maarten feels very different from the other islands we have visited so far. Because it is Dutch and French, the island has a very European feel to it and we imagine it is what the Mediterranean would feel like. There are bars along the lagoon that cater to boaters and we have really enjoyed the $1 beers which we have not seen since leaving the Dominican Republic! There are also tons of ethnic restaurants which is welcome given that we have had nothing but pizza and fried food in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Our first night, we went to a restaurant called, “Little Bethlehem” and had an amazing meal for only $8.00! We have also eaten at Dinghy’s which had great burgers and Lagoonies which had casual French food. We were worried that we would be gaining weight while here but that concern left quickly when we had to walk 1 ½ miles one way to the grocery store! No worries about getting enough exercise! The grocery store was well worth the walk as they had a cheese department and meat department like none we have seen. Just for the record, if you ever come to Sint Maarten, the grocery store register rings up the price in Dutch Gilders which are about 1.8 Gilders per US dollar….so when the register says your groceries are $365.00, don’t faint! I almost had a heart attack until we realized it was Gilders and not dollars! The main funny on the island so far is that while we are in a Dutch country, we have only met one person that speaks Dutch….and she just moved here from Holland four years ago. The story is that school is conducted in Dutch but the kids all speak English at home and in the community so while most people understand Dutch, they do not speak it. We have heard a lot of French and Spanish as well so it is really a melting pot of languages. This coming week we have rented a car for a few days and are looking forward to exploring the Dutch side of the island. How can you not look forward to an island whose most famous museum is called, “The Yoda Guy Museum!” Have a wonderful week and in the words of singing Mr. Tender, I hope “All gonna be okay!”
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AuthorSally Miller Archives
May 2024
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