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Archive for March, 2009

Dinner aboard KATMAR Author: Bob and Donna Mar 30

Some of our best memories of Sint Maarten are the times we spend with our friends Jan, Mirjam and Anna who live aboard the boat Katmar  (for those of you who don’t know, Jan, Mirjam and Anna used to own Bergy Bit)

As in other years, this year we were invited aboard Katmar for dinner.

 Jan and Anna picked us up. 

Anna, who is nine, has become a real little hostess.  She served us appetizers and our drinks as we watched the sunset over Simpson Bay.  dinner-sunset

 Sunset on Simpson Bay Lagoon

Anna had also set the table, complete with folded napkins, had made coleslaw and at the end of the meal cleared the table and served dessert. dinner-anna

 Our Hostess Anna

We were treated like very special guests…..

The menu for the evening, prepared by Chef Mirjam & her assisant Anna, was two kinds of quiche, quiche Lorraine and Leek quiche, two kinds of bread, green salad and coleslaw.  Dessert was a Dutch dessert called Flaav - chocolate or vanilla - along with mandarin oranges.dinner-on-katmar

 Dining at it’s finest aboard SV Katmar

We enjoyed good conversations and swapped sailing stories, as we always do……

If you ever visit the Sint Maarten we highly recommend dinner aboard Katmar, if you can get an invitation…..

To Jan, Mirjam and our hostess Anna - Cheers ! !  and Thanks for the memories…….

Category: Miscellaneous  | One Comment
A Visit to Philipsburg Author: Bob and Donna Mar 29

One thing we like to do when we visit Sint Maarten is to visit the capital Philipsburg and this year was no exception.

Our visit this year was on a Saturday which happened to coincide with the Library’s Spring Book Sale, so our first stop in Philipsburg was the Philipsburg Jubilee Library. 

Unlike other years where there was an abundance of books in Dutch and a limited number of books in English, this year there was a good selection of books in English! book-sale

The Admiral checking out the books.

The other thing we noticed was there are now 2 Book Mobiles.  Many primary schools here don’t have school libraries or even classroom libraries so Book Mobiles are used to visit elementary schools as well as people in outlying areas.book-mobiles1

Book Moblies

For my colleagues at the Sechelt Public Library (and anyone else who might be interested) the Philipsburg Jubilee Library has recently gone live - with online access.   Check out http://www.stmaartenlibrary.org/

The library offers books in English, Dutch, French, Papiamento (which is the indigenous language)  and Spanish, totaling more than 60,000 volumes.  I wonder how they organize their book trucks??

One interesting thing about this Library is the Check In/Check Out/Information desk is completely out of doors.  I talked to one of the Librarians who said this always is a challenge on windy and rainy days and lately there has been lots of strong wind.cki-cko

Check In /Check Out and Information Desk

After our visit to the library we headed over to the downtown Philipsburg and the Boardwalk. 

The main street of Philipsburg, Front Street, backs onto Great Bay Beach.  Front Street has been re-done to attract Cruise Ship visitors and in the last year a Boardwalk was completed on Great Bay Beach.  The Boardwalk is a favourite of tourists and locals alike.

We enjoyed our walk along the Boardwalk as it wasn’t too busy - only one Cruise Ship in port today and stopped for lunch at our favourite restaurant.

A Sint Maarten tradition for us, is to have lunch at the Harbourview Restaurant which  is located at the end of the Boardwalk. We weren’t disappointed.  Good food at a reasonable price with a spectacular view.harbourview-restaurant

The View from The Harbourview

If you ever visit Sint Maarten we recommend a visit to Philipsburg and a walk along the Boardwalk.

We also recommend that you take a local bus.  Next time we will tell you about The Sint Maarten Bus Shuffle……

The Admiral & Gilligan

Aboard SV Bergy Bit Sint Maarten

Category: Miscellaneous  | Leave a Comment
Friday the 13th - Rudder Repair Author: Bob and Donna Mar 28

A Special Note to L&B - What the ‘Helm’ - we are going to ‘Tiller’ you the story of the Friday the 13th - Rudder Repair.

 A continuation of Where oh Where is our Rudder! !

Once LJ delivered the rudder - The Admiral did some more minor repairs on it in preparation for re-installation.

LJ said he would be by on Sunday to re-install the rudder.  This was good news because LJ was set to go on three weeks holidays the following Wednesday!

8:00 am - Friday there is a knock on the boat - it’s LJ “want to get the rudder in - we will install it today  - I will talk to the Yard Manager about getting the hole dug” and he was off……

The rudder is about 7 feet long and there is only about 5 feet of clearance under the hull so a hole has to be dug to drop the rudder into in order to give the rudder enough clearance under the boat.

Just before lunch the Yard Manager shows up with the back hoe and starts digging the hole.   OOPS - Double Darn - the Yard Manager misjudges and wipes Bergy’s swim platform……. 

It’s Friday the 13th ………..

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Now if truth be known we have had many discussions about said swim platform since the gash it put in the dinghy on our way to Antigua and we couldn’t decide whether to leave the platform on or take it off - decision made….. and damage was minimal.

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Unfortunately the back hoe couldn’t get close enough so it also meant the Admiral had to finiah digging the hole.

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 By late afternoon LJ was back - in between - other jobs and the rudder was installed.  Everything went according to plan - bushings fit - rudder fit - after a rather rocky start - all was well.

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When we can we will continue to bring you up to date of our life ‘On The Hard’

The Admiral & Gilligan

Aboard SV Bergy  Bit - Somewhere in the Caribbean

Category: Boat Repairs  | Leave a Comment
Where or where is our rudder? Author: Bob and Donna Mar 27

Greetings again from Sint Maarten

Although we are now afloat we do have a few tales to tell of our journey from Boatyard to Water.

Our first major task upon on arrival was to check in with LJ who we had hired last year to remove the rudder and have new bushings made.

We did check in with LJ and were told the rudder was in safe keeping at his house and he would deliver it within a couple of days - which meant within the week Caribbean time. 

 True to his word we did see the rudder within a week but only as it rode in and out of the boatyard in the back of LJ’s truck.  Finally at weeks end with a little coaxing from the Admiral the rudder was delivered to Bergy Bit - I am sure it was glad to be home.

Now the Admiral could begin the job of repairing it and getting it ready for installation!

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Next post we will tell you all about the installation which is a story unto itself! !

The Admiral and Gilligan

Aboard SV Bergy Bit - Simpson Bay Lagoon - Sint Maarten

Category: Boat Repairs  | 3 Comments
Splash Down Author: Bob and Donna Mar 26

Greetings from Simpson Bay Lagoon!

We are now Afloat!

SPLASHDOWN was at the beginning of the week! 

Except for a bit of adjustment to the motor everything went well.  We found a place to park in the Lagoon and set anchor on the first try!

Hopefully over the next week or so we will be able to post a few Blogs to update you on our time in the  Boatyard.

The Admiral & Gilligan

Afloat  -  Aboard SV Bergy Bit - Simpson Bay Lagoon Sint  Maarten

Category: Sailing adventures  | 5 Comments
Heineken Regatta 2009 - It was a Wild Weekend! Author: Bob and Donna Mar 18

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Hello and greetings once again from Sint Maarten!

The wind is still blowing but today it is only about 16 - 18 knots!  A mere breeze compared to the winds for the Heineken Regatta (Mar 6 - 8, 2009)

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/sxmliving/sets/72157614919005552/                                                                                                                     Photo courtesy - Flickr -

It was really wild ride for the competitors in the Heineken Regatta!  There were sustained winds of 30 to 35 knots which caused organisers to change the course.  For those sailors out there take a look at this You Tube Video - even if you are not a sailor it is worth a look! !  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQKucPLPGd4

What they didn’t state in the press release was that the seas (swells/waves) were 10 feet plus. Keep in mind the boats you see on the video are 50 - 60 feet  - just imagine being out in those conditions in a 32 foot sailboat - No thanks! !

Unfortunately over the weekend the conditions only got worse and on Saturday a Yellow Alert was issued for the island as the winds were over 35 knots and the seas between 12 - 15feet.  In Hurricane language the first warning they give is  yellow, the next orange and the next red - which means hurricane.  If the winds and seas hadn’t calmed down by Sunday the alert would have been upgraded to Orange.  Mind you they didn’t cancel any of the races - just changed the courses.  We were glad we were still on the ‘hard’ in the boat yard.  

 

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On Saturday we took a bus into Philipsburg (the capital of Sint Maarten) and  had lunch at The Harbourview Cafe on the Boardwalk. Always great food there.  It was also a great vantage point to watch the second leg of the Heineken Regatta races. 

Photo by dmw2

The winds were so strong that in the beginning that boats were sailing only with their Mainsail up!  Even at that they were moving and heeled over 10 to 15 degrees.  Now keep in mind - the idea of a sailboat is to catch the wind in as much sail as possible - this is how you power the boat.  That morning the winds were so strong that it only took a little bit of sail- the mainsail to get the boats powered up and moving! !

This years Regatta had 237 entries on the first day and by the last day the number of competitors was  under 200.  There were boats de-masted, there were collisons, injuries, one boat sunk and some wild sailing.  The  local paper reporter the most serious injury was ‘mashed ribs’ when a sailor got caught between two colliding sailboats! !

We have seen some of the casualty boats over the past week or so as they have been pulled out of the water for ’surveying’ and or repair! 

It is a Heineken Regatta that will go down in history! !

Category: Sailing MisAdventures  | 2 Comments
Strong Winds & Dinghy Kites! ! Author: Bob and Donna Mar 09

Hello again from Sint Maarten!

After a lovely start to this year of sailing, warm weather with lovely breezes,  we have now been hit by a  ’big blow’! !

On Friday the island was hit by wind up to 40 knots and seas of 10 feet plus.
As conditions worsened Admiral Bob checked on our dinghy. It was taking a real beating, so before things got worse we decided to pull it out of the water.

Conditions worsened by the minute as we started the task of getting the dinghy out of the water.
First step - take the motor out of the dinghy as the dinghy is being tossed almost onto the wharf! One try and it was done! YEAH!

Next step - get the dinghy onto the dock without ripping it to shreds on the barnacles! Two tries and it was done ! Double YEAH! !

OK - so now the wind has kicked up and it is blowing at least 30 knots! ! ! We pick up the dinghy and start carrying it off the dock - so far so good but when we get to the end of the dock we have to turn the dinghy on its side to manoeuvre around the buildings dockside! Have you got the picture yet?? - 30 knots of wind, 2 people, one dinghy - instant kite! ! All I could think of as we picked up the dinghy was we are going to end up in the water! ! Luckily, for us, a couple just coming off their boat saw what was happening and came to our rescue.

The conditions have improved somewhat but we still have the dinghy out of the water and hope to put it back in, in the next day or two.

More on the Wild Wild Weekend - next time! !

The Admiral & Gilligan

Aboard SV Bergy Bit - Bobby’s Marina - Simpson Bay - Sint Maarten

Category: Boat Yard Living  | 7 Comments
Sunset on Simpson Bay Beach Author: Bob and Donna Mar 05

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

As promised here are some photos of our one of our favourite beaches in Sint Maarten

Simpson Bay Beach                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              img_37952

 Simpson Bay Beach is a  beautiful white sand beach that stretches almost 2 kilometers.

The beach is on the south side of the island so it is protected from the strong northeast winds, however in October 2008 it took a direct hit from Hurricane Omar which came in from the south.

 

 Simpson Bay Beach - Sint Maarten - February 27, 2009

 

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One of our favourite past times when we stay at the T-Shell Inn is to walk along Simpson Bay Beach and enjoy the sunset

 

 

 

     The setting sun on Simpson Bay - Sint Maarten - February 28, 2009

                   

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Sunset on Simpson Bay Sint Maarten - February 28, 2009 -

Photos by dmw2

Category: We've Arrived  | 2 Comments
2009 Caribbean Adventure begins Author: Bob and Donna Mar 02

Hello and Greetings from Sint Maarten!

It is good to be back in the Caribbean!

Driving in from the airport we felt like we had never been away.  It is hard to believe it has been a year.

We have enjoyed our stay at the Turqouise Shell Inn, which tomorrow comes to an end when we move aboard!  

We always enjoy our stay at the T-Shell Inn.  Located across the road from Simpson Bay a beautiful white sandy beach.  The rooms at the T-Shell Inn are very clean and comfortable with kitchen facilities and the staff - Carter, Marcus and Polly, always make us feel at home.  If you ever visit Sint Maarten we highly recommend a stay here.

As in previous years we have spent our first few days getting over jet lag and climatizing to this wonderful warm weather.  The climatizing to the warm weather took about 2 seconds, the jet lag on the other hand took a few days.

We have already begun working on”The List” The Admiral has prepared and hopefully will have everything completed in a couple of weeks.   At the moment we are working on retrieving Bergy’s rudder from storage - somewhere on the island.   We had the rudder repaired over the winter and the fellow who repaired it for us has it, supposedly, stored at his home.  He said he would deliver it Tuesday of  this week - which means on Island Time - we should see it sometime next week!  (For the non-sailors - the rudder is the part that steers the boat - a rather important piece!)

Despite Hurricane Omar in September ‘08 (more on that in a later post) Bergy Bit was in relatively good shape - we took on a bit of water but really nothing to speak of considering the damage that was done in the area.  Hat’s off to Bobby’s Marina for securing all of the boats well.

We had hoped to post a couple of photos from our evening beach walks but the Internet Connection isn’t allowing that today.  Perhaps another day.

As the sun sets on Simpson Bay we wish everyone a good evening.

The Admiral and First Mate Gilligan

Moving aboard - SV Bergy Bit - Bobby’s Marina - Simpson Bay Lagoon

Category: We've Arrived  | 4 Comments