Gustavia, St. Barths 3-30

Tracy and I go ashore for a much needed coffee from one of the cafes. Manage to get a working internet connection for the first time in several days. Weather reports are so-so for the return crossing. There are surf warnings and high north swells coming in from the Atlantic.  The wind should be around 15 knots, and sea’s 8’- 10’. Keep reminding ourselves that this is downwind, and we won’t be bashing into the waves, so it should be fine.

While on line, I do some checking on the fish we saw yesterday. I thought the thing on their heads looked familiar, so I did a search for remora pictures. Sure enough that’s what they were. So, not sharks, but they were still creepy the way they kept coming in closer and closer. There are photo’s of divers with the remora stuck to them. Noah is worried and wants to know how to get them off. He thinks he read a book where they poured rum on it to get it to let go. Seems believable, as rum is the solution to just about every problem here in the Caribbean.

No luck finding a good bakery, but we pick up a baguette from the small grocery – no, its not the same. After fixing breakfast for kids back on boat, we all go in to look around. High on the list is to find the fishing store we read about. There are lots of high end shops here, but not much for the ‘regular guy’ look. (obscure movie reference to the classic Rodney Dangerfield movie ‘Easy Money’).

For lunch we stop in to Le Select. This is the place where Jimmy Buffett wrote ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise’. He still drops in from time to time to play. Andy, we didn’t see the CIC burgee at Bitter End, but we did find one here. There were a few names written on it, but the only one I could read was Holly in 2007.

 

After lunch we head towards the fishing store, but they have closed it down. Looks like we are on our own again. We bought a new lure at the marine store the day before (owned by the same family) but there were no fishing experts there to ask questions. By now its getting hot! Gustavia is built on the base of the  hill surrounding the bay, and it blocks all wind. This is the first real hot day we have had since arriving at St. Martin. So we cut our visit short, make a quick stop at the grocery and head back to the boat for a swim to cool off. We are anchored far enough out that we have a great breeze and its much more comfortable.

Kids work on school work and we start preparing the spare cabin for when the See’s arrive. They will be here in 3 days, and we are all excited to have our first guests. We’ve got lots of plans for where to take them in the BVI and are really looking forward to sharing our experiences. 

Dinner plans once again get scrapped, and we just stay out on the boat. We have a great sunset, and while sitting on the bow, watch the full moon rise up over mountains behind Gustavia. Before it comes into view, it looks like sunrise over the mountains. The entire sky is lit up. When it appears it is perfectly centered on top of one of the peaks, and looks like a giant ball sitting on top. Truly amazing.

Side note: While typing this entry I watch a roughly 60-70 foot sloop motor into the anchorage. It’s a very new looking, all white, boat called the ‘Black Pearl’. He’s moving along at about 4-5 knots and starts to turn – with his bow thrusters. I mean seriously, do people forget that they have a rudder?