Ready to Go!

A popular April day on Orient Beach, St. Martin

Even more umbrellas for the tourists on Orient Beach!

Aspen's broken part.  I thought you wanted to see what we were waiting for!  It is the black plastic piece on the right side that decided to break.  Luckily it wasn't the steering that is on the lower left side!

St. Barths to the south of St. Martin

S/Y Aspen – April 11, 2014 – Log #120
Aspen Position: 18 degrees 02’ N  063 degrees 05’ W
Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten

The critical part for Aspen finally arrived!  Captain Steve managed to install it as well so we are now ready to head further north to the BVI's.  Well, as soon as the weather cooperates of course.

Based on the GRIB files, Monday looks like a good time to sail across the dreaded Anegada Passage to visit Aspen's home for the coming hurricane season.  Of course the GRIB files are usually wrong but at least they give us a good reason to leave Sint Maarten and the great time we have had here.

Connecting with sailor friends from 5 years ago on Sint Maarten was fun and it seems that they have aged a little, but not us of course!  Even though no one recognized us at first, until Maria always remembered their names and their boat names, a spark of recognition finally happened much to everyone's delight.

Some of the foodie highlights during our stay on Sint Maarten include:
1.  Simpson Bay Yacht Club - Happy Hour
2.  Lee's - Great red snapper
3.  Pineapple Pete's - Great rack of lamb
4.  Harbour Queen - Fantastic ribs
5.  Andy and Cheryl's on Orient Beach - Everything!
6.  La Piment in Orient Village - Fabulous French food
7.  Carousal - Ice cream to die for
8.  Greenhouse - Rueben sandwich & the live bands
9.  Papagayo's - Taco salad with a great view of the sea
10.  McDonalds and Burger King - American food at last

Now that we have been here for over one month, also making repairs to Aspen and spending lots of money at the convenient chandleries that are well stocked with boat parts, we are finally ready to leave.

I casually mentioned to Maria that since we have a full fuel tank, extra fuel in our jerry cans, and probably enough food to last 6 months maybe we should just head west and visit Panama and the Pacific again instead of going north to the BVI's . 

I can't really write her reply in this G rated blog!

Sail on, sail on Aspen...