Clearing out of St Martin

Tuesday, March 11th
Remember the confusion of clearing in?  Well, we feel like we have finally gotten the hang of St Martin, specifically French of St Martin and clearing in and out.

Port la Royale 

We originally cleared into the French side via the ferry dock customs office.  The recommended place to clear in is the Captainerier at Port La Royale Marina.  However each time the French officials cruised through the Marigot Bay anchorage and asked "Have you checked in at the Ferry Dock?" we could say honestly yes because we did check in there.  They came around 3 times that we know of during our stay in Marigot Bay and asked.  Special note - they DID NOT ask "have you been to the Ferry Dock to PAY your anchoring fee?"  They only asked us if we checked in and we did!  We are you don't ask, we don't tell peeps!  Collection of an anchoring fee is a new thing in Marigot Bay.  Apparently there has always been a fee but it was never enforced.  They are making a very weak attempt, haphazardly if you will, to collect.  Which sort of seems to be the French way of doing things here.  Very few cruisers actually pay the anchoring fee.  NONE of the French flagged boats pay!   

On the advise of the cruising community, we cleared out at the Port La Royale Captainerier.  Tom used the self checkout kiosk upstairs.  He entered the exact same info as was on our official paperwork clearing us in.  That is usually the best thing when clearing in and out of a country in general, no?  Therefore he listed us as being in the lagoon.  The fee was $7.  He then asked about getting our passports stamped again.  The official asked where we were going.  Tom said Antigua and Mr Official said "Oh.  Yes you must get your passport stamped and you can do that at the ferry dock."  

Because I had checked us in, I knew exactly where to go.  I DID NOT go to the little customs office at the ferry dock, but instead to the actual immigration window where departing ferry customers clear out and board the ferries.  I handed  Ms Official my paperwork clearing sv Honey Ryder out as well as our two passports opened specifically to the pages with our clearing in stamps.  I told her that we are clearing out of the country on our own yacht and that Mr Official at the Captainerier told me that I need to come here to get my passport stamped.  She stamped them both and I dashed back out the IN door (the only way back out)- hiding my face from Mr Ferry Dock Customs Official who was hang out and had originally checked us in on Jan 21st....just in case he remembered me and decided to inquire where we were currently anchored.  

34th Heineken Regatta St Martin - Sint Maarten

Sunday, March 9th

Heineken Regatta 2014

210 yachts of various styles and sizes have been competing in the Heineken Regatta here on St Martin. Saturday we got a front row seat as the course was from Simpson Bay (on the Dutch side) to Marigot Bay (French side) where we are anchored.  FM Radio rock station 91.9 here on the island did on the water live reports.  As they got close, Tom and I decided to jump in the dinghy and head out close to the finish line to see the action.  As we got closer, we realized s/v Brisa a Caliber 33 with crew Chuck and Debbie were anchored close by the finish line.  We asked to raft up with them.  Instead they insisted we come aboard to watch the various classes finish.  It was fun.  Thanks Brisa.

Chuck and Debbie

Then approximately 190 of the 210 stuffed into the Marigot Bay anchorage all around us.  In some cases the anchoring was very tight quarters.  Luckily we have an awesome anchor spot behind the only moored yacht in the anchorage.  No one wants to try to anchor next to a moored boat as they don't swing the same as an anchored boat.  Thus, no one tried to squeeze in near us.  Yay!

Super fast boat

Then the party started.  Dinghy water taxis buzzed all about picking boat crews and shuttling them ashore of the big shore party.

There were a ton of Russians here for racing

Stephen invited us over to sv Amaris.  He and his guest had raced on the sailing cat sv Teora.  Our friend Paul from sv Sonic Boom was there as well.  Our intent was to hang on sv Amaris for a bit and then go ashore for the big party/music.  However, we ended up staying onboard and chatting the night away.  Besides, we could hear the music just fine from the boat.  

There were some great boat names in the race

We got back to sv Honey Ryder around midnight and continued to listen to the live music until we went to bed around 1am.  St Martiners like their music!  It stopped sometime after 2am.

GunBoat

Pics below are for a specific friend of ours - taken from our dinghy

Crystal Clear Water

There was NO wind last night in Marigot Bay.  There was very little this morning.  With no ripples, we could see the bottom as if it was 2" below our boat.  

Carnival - The Adult Parade

WARNING - tons of pics

Butterfly people

Butterfly catcher

The kids parade was a week ago Sunday.  The adult parade was yesterday Sunday.

More butterfly people

Still more butterfly people

Wow - what a party.  Everyone was there.  I mean the entire island as near as we could tell.

See - everyone was there!

Big hats in this group

The costumes were amazing!

So pretty

Lots of face makeup but this guy went to a whole other level

She was working it!

So cute!

A few groups had live percussion.  There was one steel drum band.

Good sounds

Standard speaker set on the music trucks

The music trucks were bigger, taller, and much, much louder than in the kids parade.

Power line lifter guy

Another power line lifter guy

I say taller because most were too tall for the parade route.  The overhead power lines were quite a challenge.  You would have thought that someone would have said "no trucks over X height" but apparently they didn't.  However, they didn't let this stop them.  NO!  They just lifted up the lines as they slowly motored under.  Seriously!  Some guy on each truck had to carefully lift each power line up.  A power line lifter guy if you will.  Sometimes the guy was using a towel in his hand and sometimes not.  Just imagine....you finally get your shot at being on one of the DJ trucks.....as near as I can tell, to some folks this is the ultimate KEWL position in the parade.....only to find out you are the power line lifter guy.  D-Oh!  But we didn't see any mishaps or hear any sirens so I think all the power line lifter guys survived. 

Another power line lifter guy

This power line lifter is using a towel to lift the lines.

There was an Indian group. They were very impressive with their costumes and dancing  Monday morning we went into an Indian owned electronics shop to get a new headset for the iPad.  I asked the guy behind the counter if he had attended the parade.  His face lite up immediately and he said "YES.  Did you attend?  Did you see the Indian group?  What did you think?  I thought they were the best."  I told him we were impressed.  He said those costumes and dances were from the northern part of India.  I asked if this was the first year for the Indian group to be in the parade.  "NO.  We are in it each year.  Every year we pick a different part of India to show and represent."  Kewl, huh?!

You have to really trust your partner for this dance with sticks

Very good

Even the Canadians were getting into the parade - hee hee (fellow cruiser)

As I said, the crowds were huge so the people watching was an event in and of itself.

Even butterfly people have to eat on a long parade route

The parade slowly worked through the streets of Marigot (6 hours or so).  After the parade was over, the dozen + food booths kicked into high gear with food, drinks and their own music blasting.

Food and bev booth we stopped at to refresh and people watch

Tom was impressed with this lady's heap of ribs

Even though the party was still going strong, we were worn out and bailed.

Post parade - pre REAL party

Carnival - The Kids Parade

My personal favorite

A week ago Sunday, Tom and I went ashore in Marigot and stumbled onto the Carnival Parade for kids.

Check out this ride!  And her hat - two snaps!!

We hung around to check it all out and had a good time.

The music trucks

There would be a truck with loud music followed by a group of kids in colorful costumes dancing.  Then another truck and group.

Love the butterfly and butterfly catcher theme

The groups seemed to be by school or region of the island.  I am not really sure.

Each group had a different theme.

Some of the kids really knew how to move to the music.

Doing their dance routine

The white kids.....not so much.

Some have rhythm, some don't

Long lengths of dock line held by various parents helped keep the kids corralled on the sides and back of the group.  Funny use of dock line but it worked.

Dock line keeping everyone corralled

Parents with the dock line bringing up the rear

The head of each group wasn't always the oldest but really seemed to take ownership of their particular groups performance.

She really got her group going

Pretty, detailed costume headed up this group.

Ms Yellow had a tiny space to shuffle her feet forward on the pavement - tough assignment

One group did have their own percussion group vs a truck with loud music.

Check out the drum set - two buckets and two tins painted maroon

Besides the fun of the parade, it was a great venue for people watching - culture watching.

BFF's watching the parade together

All ages showed up to watch

Food booths and more music wrapped up the day.