December 27 Saturday

Anticipating an early start we had stripped the dingy Friday afternoon. Stripping the dingy entailed taking everything out and removing the outboard. We normally have two gas tanks, cables and locks, the bailer and sponges, plus the outboard mounted on the dingy transom. We were going to tow the dinghy to Martinique across 20 miles of open water with the swells coming in off the Atlantic Ocean. We could do this because we were going up the swells and wind waves. If we tow the dingy down the swells and wind waves the little boat will surf on some waves and go past Changes or ram in to Changes stern. This is not desirable.

We were up before 6am and got Changes ready for sea by putting loose things on the port side of the boat so on starboard tack they wouldn’t fall down. I saw Andy and Sally go by on Sequel around 6:25. We were crossing with Sequel and Tomorrow’s Dawn to Martinique. We got all set and turned on the engine at 6:40 and left the dock at 6:44. We motored out of Rodney Bay and when we had enough sea room turned Changes into the wind and set the main sail at 6:54. We motor sailed around Pigeon Point then set a course of 10 degrees. The apparent wind angle was 30 degrees or less and the waves were a 4 to 5 foot swell from the ENE with 2 foot wind waves from 80 degrees on top. Conditions were such that we motor sailed the whole way. Being a little rough, Lorraine went down to sleep away slight seasickness. We had several waves splash on top of the bimini but with our starboard clear side curtain up, no water came into the cockpit except that which normally drips in along the channels of the fiberglass. As we got close to Martinique, the waves got smaller and Lorraine woke up. We arrived at the St Anne’s anchorage, took down the main sail and were anchored at 10:57 AM near Vision Quest and Walkabout. Later Sequel and Tomorrow’s Dawn anchored near by.

Not getting our dingy ready we borrowed a ride into town with Mike and Jean from Tomorrow’s Dawn. We tied up to the town dock and walked to the Bon Bon cafe where the check in computer is. Mike, I and Andy in turn entered our data into the computer and got our clearance in. This Cost 2 euros. This is by far the least costly clearance we had on the trip and this is a week end where every other place charges overtime. Just yesterday we checked out of St Lucia and they charged 100 EC$ overtime to clear out after charging 100 EC$ overtime to clear in. Everyone but Lorraine had ice cream while waiting for each other to check in. Internet is 1€ for 15 min, 2€ for 30min and 3€ for an hour. Needless to say, we didn’t do Internet here.

After clearing in the six of us ( Andy, Sally, Mike, Jean, Lorraine and I) walked down the street to a beach bar and ordered drinks. No sooner did we get our drinks then a lady came in the restaurant walked up to Mike and asked if he was from Tomorrow’s Dawn. When Mike said yes she said his boat was dragging. Off he and Jean went. We finished our and Mike’s drinks and went back to Changes getting a ride back with Andy and Sally. Here they had free internet which we hope we can get at the boat.

Later Rick and Peggy stopped by and invited us over for drinks on Vision Quest at 5PM. Bob from Walkabout swam over. We put the outboard on the dingy then all the rest of the stuff in her and were ready to go visit.
Lorraine made guacamole to take (using up the last part which was a pound) and we fixed drinks and at 5 made the short dinghy trip over to Vision Quest. Bob and Jeanne from Walkabout arrived just after we did. The six of us sat in the very comfortable cockpit and enjoyed ourselves for the next three hours.

The rest of the evening I read and Lorraine watched an old movie.

Phil