2/19/2026 Anse Marcel, St Marten
Quiet but a bit rolling overnight, no rain, so no
interruptions to my sleep. The skies were grey but cleared by the time we
departed at about 0900. We motored east around the north end of The Flat Island
for a better point of sail to St Bart. We unfurled the main and jib for a close
reach south. The sea was running about 4’ on our port bow making for a rolling
ride. The wind was a perfect 12-15 knots keeping the sails well filled. Looking
east the next piece of land is Africa, truly the open ocean.
As we approached Gustavia anchorage the number of super
yachts was overwhelming. Several had helicopters on deck and many had lots of
toys deployed at their sterns. Further in were boats more our size at anchor
and even further in were moorings. We found a spot on the south side of the
fairway near Gross Islets, a series of rocks. It was about 30’ deep and you
could see the anchor all the way to the bottom as it righted itself in
beautiful white sand.
Once settled we deployed the dinghy and motored into the inner harbor to check in with the harbor master. The quay was lined with more super yachts, and the mooring field was filled with several beautiful classic sailing yachts and some interesting modern yachts. The check-in was the easiest yet. We had pre-checked online and had a reference number for the Harbor Master to easily find us and confirm arrival. We walked around the town for a little bit, with lots of beautiful boutiques and shops. There were very few signs of the damage caused by Irma, clearly there was money here and they wasted no time in restoring the town. There are a number of high-end shops that we have seen elsewhere in the world. They seem to like having St Barts listed as one of their locations, Hermes, Dior, etc.
Back on the boat we found the anchorage to be very rolling but not terrible. The winds were fair bringing the occasional rain shower.
2/20/2026 Gustavia, St Bart
Laundry day and chores before getting in the water to
snorkel the reef. The water was clear; the fish were plentiful and the corals
had good color; a very healthy reef. There were huge parrot fish, barracuda, a
wide variety of coral and schools of Damsel fish. As we returned to the boat we
were rewarded with a great sea turtle sighting.
Late afternoon we headed back to town for sundowners. Suzette was jonesing for something we did not have on board, a dirty martini. We landed at a bar called Bar de L’oubli, Bar of Forgetting. Suzette ended up with a Cucumber Martini, Dark and Stormy for me. It was dark but not difficult to find Raffaellesco with so many sea marks along the way.
2/21/2026 Gustavia, St Bart
Up at 0400 with rain and a rolling sea. At about 0700 we
found the neighbor attempting to leave single handed. He found himself caught
on someone else’s anchor. We know how this goes; this is not uncommon in our
little cove on Catalina Island. We dropped the dinghy in and rowed over to
help. We had him free and on his way in no time.
We had planned to leave this anchorage today, but where we
were going there would be no grocery stores so we went into town to provision,
The American Gourmet Grocer for most things, Foodland for eggs and the
Patisserie for bread. The espresso and pastries at the patisserie were too
tempting so we took a table and indulged.
Back on the boat we prepared for departure for the short trip
to Columbier Bay. The wind was high, but the sea was calm in Columbier Bay. We
picked up a mooring as this is a nature reserve. The water was very clear, and
we were greeted by several turtles. There were about 20 boats in the bay and
room for a few more. The wind howled all night but the water stayed calm, way
more comfortable than Gustavia.
2/22/2026 Columbier Bay, St Barts
In the morning, we walked the long beach. The sand was soft
and white with beach goers starting to populate the shore. You can only reach
this beach by boat or a mile long walk on a rocky trail. At the south end of
the bay, high on the hill, were the remnants of what was once a beautiful home.
At the beach they had a gateway to the property and a small stone pier. At the north end of the beach were a set of
stone steps that took us to the ridge at an isthmus in the island and we
checked out the other side. In the bay on the other side of the isthmus there
was full of sea grass floating in the water and washed up on the beach.
Returning to our dinghy on the beach we hung out for a while as people arrived
from the trail and from small boats. Sweet Caroline, a mega yacht we saw in the
harbor, had their crew setting up toys, chairs and a buffet for their guests to
enjoy.
A couple American couples had hiked in, and we did a camera swap for group pictures. We got talking to them and it turned out that the one couple was from the DC area, my old stomping grounds. The other couple were from the Hamptons, all happy to be here in the warm sunshine rather than the blizzard that the east coast was experiencing.
On the boat the wind was still blowing loudly so we turned on the generator for some battery charging, water making and a load of laundry. In the afternoon it was a snorkel exploration of the north edge of the cove, lots of colorful fish and we counted 9 turtle encounters. The wind finally settled down in the evening for a calm quiet night.
2/23/2026 Columbier Bay, St Barts
In the morning, we landed the dinghy on the beach, this is a
pretty big chore with new outboard weighing down the stern. A gentleman on
shore did offer to help but we managed. We climbed the stairs to the trail head
and walked the mile or so to a cove on the windward side of the island. The
trail had its share of rocky climbs and ascents but a reprieve from the sun
came when we passed through tunnels in the trees. At the end of the trail, we
came upon a brood of chickens and a bale of turtles. People were evidently
feeding them food scraps, so this was a popular hangout. We dropped down to the
beach and ran into the gentleman, RJ, that offered to help us on Columbier beach.
He was a real estate developer from the Hamptons. We shared with him that we
met Hamptons people yesterday and he said he would love to meet them. He gave
us some island tips then disappeared into one of the beautiful bungalows that
lined the beach. We stopped at the resort on the far side of the long beach and
lingered over coffee in this quintessential Caribbean setting. On the way back
along the beach, we ran into the couple from the previous day and told them
about RJ. We just happened to be in front of his house, so Suzette walked up to
the edge of the front patio and found RJ working. He came down and
introductions were made and a small world story began to form up, RJ had ties
to LA, DC and the Hamptons. Everyone was happy to be in this island paradise.
On the way back to the boat, we ran across a small herd of goats feeding on the hill side, they did not seem to be concerned about us. Back on the boat it was lunch and a nap for Suzette. I did some boat maintenance, engine fluids, water maker raw water filter, etc. We took the dinghy to the south side of the bay and anchored for a snorkel. This time I brought my camera and captured a few shots of the beautiful fish and coral, but not turtles! Back at the boat we jumped in and found ourselves surrounded by the biggest bait ball we had ever seen, they were everywhere enjoying the shade of our boat. Two huge, 4’, fish emerged and we followed them though I have not able to identify them, I think they are Tarpon. We are loving this little bay, the ebb and flow of boats, hiking, snorkeling and calm…so far. We have been enjoying dinner in the cockpit most every night. In the middle of the night, we laid out on deck and enjoyed stargazing and identifying the constellations, no light pollution.
2/24/2026 Columbier Bay, St Barts
It was a very quiet night, though we did get a few bumps
from the mooring ball. A beautiful sunny morning. We had planned to leave for
Saba today, but the Bay is too beautiful to leave. We needed some groceries and
gas for the dinghy, so we traveled a mile in the dinghy back to Gustavia. The
fuel station was self-service, very convenient. We stopped at the chandlery
first and it was very worthwhile; they had a few things I needed. The dinghy
with the new motor is much heavier in the davits so I bought a second strap and
ratchet to better strap it down when we are underway. Also, for the dinghy motor,
a spare key. We have noticed that many of the dinghies here have a solar
powered tri color light mounted on top of the engine. We thought it was just a trend,
but it turned out to be a safety requirement. At home we just need an all-around
white light, which I have here, we bought the tri color. Lastly, they had the
brass check valve I needed for the generator raw water feed. The prices seemed
reasonable considering everything else in St Barts is expensive.
Next stop was Foodland. They said they would be getting the
big tubs of Greek yogurt today, but it was a no show. We picked up fresh fruit
and veggies at the Gourmet Grocer and a baguette at the patisserie; a very
European way to shop. It was hot and sunny, and we were not ready to return to
the boat, so we ducked into Le Select, oldest bar in the Caribbean, so they
claim. Also, it is rumored to be the inspiration for Cheeseburger in Paradise. This
was a local and yacht crew hangout. A couple ladies accosted Suzette and were
gaga over her hair. We pulled up a chair and chatted with them for a while. The
one woman, Sue, has a home here stays for the winter. Her friend, Anne, was visiting
from Pennsylvania. We got a lot of local info and introductions to some other
locals at the bar. Evidently Jimmy Buffet played here routinely and, as a
result they are one of the few places aloud to have “A Cheeseburger in Paradise”
on the menu.
Back on the boat we cooled off with an afternoon snorkel.
The bay never disappoints, clear water and lots of fish. In the evening, we
were ringing our hands over the weather, high wind and big seas for the
foreseeable future. We wanted to go to Saba which would be a following sea and
a broad reach, not terrible even with strong winds and sea. Once we were there
the island provided very little protection for anchoring. The next leg would be
south with wind and sea on the beam, not ideal. The last leg would be a 50-mile
bash head long into the wind and seas, not fun. We will stay put for now.
We stayed up for the State of the Union address, it was more
of an awards show and Trump breaking his arm patting himself on the back. The
wind was picking up with some pretty big gusts, I saw 26 on the anemometer. We
were swinging pretty much all night in the shifty wind.
2/25/2025 Columbier Bay, St Barts
Up with the sun and wind, a good day for some chores, mostly
cleaning and installing the new check valve. I am always amazed at how quickly time
passes on the boat, always lots to do. After lunch we enjoyed a good long
snorkel on the south side of the bay. We counted 9 turtles as we toured around.
The special treat was a huge Spotted Eagle Ray, he did not seem to be concerned
with us so we hovered for a while before he flew away, just beautiful and
graceful.
2/26/2026 Columbier Bay, St Barts
The wind was howling overnight and into the morning, 20-30
knots. I was up early and sitting in the cockpit restitching my American flag,
it takes a beating. All of a sudden, the boat was moving funny, I looked up and
we were clearly getting closer to the catamaran behind us. I leaped into
action, shouted to the guys on the catamaran that we were loose, shouted for
Suzette to get on deck, ran down below to switch on the engine battery and that
is when I heard the bang as my bow swung into his bowsprit. I quickly started
the engine and maneuvered off of them. I headed out to sea to clear the mooring
field and access the situation. The guys on the cat were waiving franticly,
probably thinking hit and run. We picked a spot to anchor and get the boat
secured. A neighbor came by in his dinghy to check on us and let us know that
the guys on the cat were cool and assessing the damage. We asked him to let
them know we would come over and give them our information. I put my insurance
info on one of my boat cards and launched the dinghy. The owner was from
Sweden, Marcus, and he is cruising the Caribbean for a couple years. I checked
out the damage, and I was relieved to see that it was very repairable. His bow
sprit is an aluminum assembly that bolts on to a fitting on the bow. The impact
buckled the spirit at the fitting. He is headed to St Marten next; I assured
him that there were lots of services there and they could easily fabricate a
new part for him.
Back on my boat we had some marks left on the hull from the cat’s black rubber rub rail and some fiberglass damage at the point of impact. It was probably lucky that we hit where the anchor locker bulkhead tees into the hull. We will need some cosmetic work done. The mooring ball was still attached to my bow; we pulled it on board along with the ancient growth covered rode. We could see that the strain was too much and the line simply parted under the load. I had inspected the line when we first arrived and saw no evidence of wear, but that was a couple days ago. Note to self, inspect the mooring line every day or don’t moore!
The day passed quickly, not much boat traffic on this dreary
day, though our friends from the Hamptons arrived on a day boat to snorkel. We
deposited the mooring ball and line on shore for the park people to reinstall. We
debated reanchoring as we were passing within about 60’ of another cat behind
us as we swung but the anchor was holding well and I was confident that my 12mm
chain would not break.ere was an unexpected fireworks display in the evening.
2/27/2026 Columbier Bay, St Barts
It was a sleepless night with wind howling and standing
anchor watch late night as we were not far from the cat behind us and I did not
need another accident. The morning was quiet, so we decided to reanchor closer
to shore in an area that had opened up. We anchored in about 16’ feet of water
and the anchor set well. This bay is strange in that the south side experiences
a completely opposite wind from the north side and the is a north south running
current. At any given time, some boats are pointing in a variety of directions.
There was a nice breeze and a light overcast, a good day for
more chores. I cleaned and adjusted cabinet hardware, some of the cabinet doors
were not properly aligned which drives me crazy. I vacuumed under the floorboards
in the bilge; it is amazing how much dust and hair finds its way in there. I am
still working on my sunshade infill but not done yet. This will be a solid
version of the shade version that currently connects the bimini and dodger.
Our afternoon snorkel on southside revealed a large
stingray, turtles with remores attached to their backs and several plump Cushion
Star Fish.
A young couple on a Beneteau 37 relocated off their anchor
and on to a mooring, they were on a fairly short anchor chain for these winds.
She was on the bow pulling the anchor with the windlass. About the time she was
over the anchor the windlass seamed to jamb. He runs from the cockpit with a
big wooden mallet and starts beating on the windlass. He must know what he is
doing as the windlass relented and pulled up the balance of the chain and the
anchor. She takes the helm and maneuvers close to the mooring ball. He dives in
with a line in his hand and grabs the ball. She is still moving forward,
pinning him between the ball and the hull. She finally stops the boat, and he
manages to get a line on the mooring and hand up to her on the fore deck. Now
she sends down a bigger line, and they finish tying up to the mooring. He
climbs on board and just like that they are moored. Admittedly they succeeded
on the first try. After all that entertainment what will we do now…make pizza.
2/28/2026 Columbier Bay, St Barts
We got up in the wee hours for anchor watch, ironically
there was no wind and the boats were hanging every which way. A cat had anchored
to close for my comfort and as we danced around his stern came withing about 10
feet of my stern. At least it would be a soft bump.
It was an overcast morning, and the wind was just getting
started. The boat was reacting strangely to the wind, and we quickly determined
that the anchor chain was plastered against my starboard bow and wrapped on my
keel. The keel has a bulb on it that extends aft creating a hook that the chain
was now on. A neighbor had noticed our situation and jumped in the water with
fins and mask to provide some underwater eyes. We turned on the engine, and he
confirmed the prop was clear. Between the prop and the bow thruster we were
able to spin clockwise and the chain clear. Accessing the way the chain and
snubber laid against the hull we decided to make a longer snubber, so the
snubber rode would hit the hull and not the chain.
Looking at the weather, it was not looking good, 20-30+
knots of wind from the east and a 5-7’ swell from the east. We decided to stay.
We had friends scheduled to meet in Antigua in a week. We let them know the
weather conditions and suggested that they fly into Sint Maarten instead. They
were quick to respond to our notice and revise their flight plan.
My bimini Infill is almost done but still needs some
detailing. It is a slow process of tailoring and hand stitching to get it
right. With the high wind we are unable to use our lightweight fly for shade. The
bimini infill will give us shade and rain protection in the cockpit.
Below I worked on stowing some unnecessary equipment as we
get accustomed to the Caribbean. No need for a 230v fan or water filters, no
230v here and no marina visits. I seem to be getting less flow on the raw water
intake for the genset than I would like so I switched the intake to a larger
hose and through hull intended for the floor drain in the cockpit, but it was
not working at all. Perhaps that one is partially clogged; put it on the list.
In the evening it was dinner and an early bed with the
expectation that we would be at night with high wind.
3/1/26 Columbier Bay, St Barts
Wind overnight but terrible but no issues. We were going to
make our move today, just out to sea to check out the wind and waves and pass
the 3-mile mark, wink, wink. We assessed our tank capacity and wind and decided
not to go. Instead, we worked from the dinghy to clean and polish the marked-up
hull. It turned out well.
The marine reserve park police came by and gave us the run
down on the rules here and said that we could only stay 4 days. They assumed we
had just arrived. Guess we will be leaving in a few days. We loaded up the
snorkel gear and took the dinghy to the south side of the bay to anchor. The
park police came over and said we could not anchor the dinghy here and gave us
a park brochure for guidance. We took the dinghy back to the boat and dropped
in at the boat to snorkel. Lots of turtles, skates, starfish and a Spotted Eagle
Ray. This is always a great way to cool off in the afternoon and enjoy a shower
on the swim step. The wind was ripping when we returned and the rain came. The rain
continued on and off but the winds calmed down.
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