Escape From St Martin

Monday, March 10th.

Marigot

Port la Royale area

I say escape specifically because we've been here for so long - since January 21st.  Although we are not in a hurry, this seems like a long stop.  We have had a wonderful time here but for whatever reason, we have had a difficult time breaking away from this two country island.

Lagoon

Why?  I am not really sure.  There were interesting things to see and do, plentiful resources both provision wise (yes, I am starting to look like a baguette...pointy on both ends and soft and round in the middle) and yacht wise.  Most of all, there is a very vibrant cruising community filled with extremely interesting characters.  All combined, I guess it made it easy to stay one more day and than another and another and so on.

Dutch side

Movie -Children Of The Wind

Actually this is a documentary about the windsurfing kids of Bonaire.  I had first gotten wind (bad pun) of it from Kansas Sailing Sista Judy.  Over a year ago, she sent an email about this documentary with a link to the trailer.  I think they may have been looking for donations to help finish the film if I remember correctly.  

Anyway, flash forward.  Friday (March 7th) we heard an interview with the director of "Children Of The Wind" on 91.9 FM a rock radio station in St Martin and regatta radio during the Heineken Regatta. As part of the events ashore during the Heineken Regatta, there would be a free showing of this documentary Sunday afternoon on Kim Sha Beach.  A Sailing movie?....actually windsurfing - but whatever.  Free?  Boom, we are there.  

I am not going to tell you the story.  You need to go see it for yourselves.  It was good.  Afterward, by chance....not really.....I spotted her and of course went over....we met Daphne Schmon, the director. They have already won numerous awards with this film.  She's been touring around the Caribbean showing it.  I asked what was next.  She introduced us to one of her main camera guys and said they were headed back to New York to work on editing of their latest project.  It's a documentary about three different generations of women in the slums of Kenya.  It tells the ins and outs of why these slums came to exists and life in the slums but from a multi- generational female voice.
Click here Children of the Wind for more info.
  

Dinghy Lights

Our dinghy light kit

FYI - the Dutch side of Sint Maarten is really cracking down on cruiser's and their dinghies.  The Dutch Coastguard has been stopping cruisers at night as they dinghy around the Dutch side of the lagoon to check and see if they have their all around white light and flares.  They have given stern warnings to some and expensive tickets to others.  Gossip has it, they gave one lady a ticket only a short distance from a dinghy dock.  She had just set out and had her all around white light on board the dinghy but had not yet put it up.  She tried to tell them this, but they wouldn't go for it and gave her a ticket.

Our dinghy light pole for the all around white light

While most states in USA have strict dinghy requirements, down here we have not really run into any. Or at least any that are enforce....until now and therefore this has cruisers here in a bit of a tizzy.  Finally, the French side of St Martin doesn't really seem to care if dinghies have lights at all, thus the numerous dinghies flying through Marigot Bay at various times of night with NO lights at all.  Yeah - it happens quite a bit.

Thanks to our good friends Tim and Kim, we have awesome red and green clip on lights along with our all around white light on the dinghy.  Many have asked about these kewl lights.  They are not required but really help other dinghy and boaters see us at night.  Additionally, we look really nautically official so hopefully we won't get stopped by the Dutch Coastguard and asked about our non-existent flares!