Friends and Journeys...

Christmas Eve we were invited along with Mark - Sealife,
to "Free Spirit" - Belinda and Jeans for drinks, dinner and pressies - what a great night...

Christmas Day begun on Our Rose with Champagne and Strawberries and more pressies...

For the first time, we sent out a Christmas Newsletter in Email form 

- very new to us techno dinosaurs, who have always sent post...

When Lynnette and Dean in NZ received our email, 

they sent us a message saying "wish we were there".  

We obviously said "you are so welcome, why don't you come"...

They booked!

We met them at Sint Maarten Airport on 28th December.

We were so excited - our first guests from New Zealand...

We got back to Our Rose just on midnight and toasted their arrival...

The next morning we went to Customs to add them to our "Crew List" and to clear out...

Before leaving we took them to watch the boats come through the bridge.

It just happend to be the boat owned by the "Victorias Secret" Owner...

We up-anchored and sailed to Saint Barthelemy (St Barths) for New Years.

What a spectacle of super yachts and people!

We begun New Years Eve in the style...

We so loved having everyone with us...

Belinda - our Aussie Friend from Free Spirit performed the Haka for us - AWESOME!!!

We ended up on the foredeck watching the fireworks...

New Years Day, we headed to an Island close to St Barths, ready to get up at 0100 to sail to the BVI's.

It was also another time for "goodbye" - we would not see Mark - Sealife until...

It was a overnight sail - a new experience for Lynnete and Dean...

As the time was going on, they were starting to relax

As we were nearing the BVI's the guys were enjoying "sea" talk...

As soon as we were nearing the anchorage, over the radio came...

"Our Rose, Our Rose, this is Seismic Wave"

Yayyyyy, Teresa and Brett 

As soon as we anchored, Brett came and took Richard to deal with the formalities

(shame they were closed), anyway, what else to do, but a rum or two

and homemade burgers...

so lovely to see Teresa and Brett...

We visited lots of anchorages with Lynnete and Dean, including

Bubbly Pools - Sea comes in to create the bubbles, then calmness follows...

Foxys Bar, purported to have the biggest beach party in the world at New Years and Trellis Bay, whose full-moon parties are well known...

I loved this...

Our Rose, in company... 

second photo is with "Free Spirit", who is bigger than us - a perception thing with photography

It was so special having Lynnete and Dean join us on Our Rose...

And another goodbye...

Really, it is only, "until we see you again"

We were sooooo lucky that Lynnete and Dean brought us requested items:

eg:  a hand-drill - cannot be found here

"pink pegs", the best!

Wrapmaster - the best gladwrap invention in the world,

Pineapple lumps - ohhhhhh home

A beautiful book on NZ (HOME)

Sint Maarten/St Martin

We had a lovely broad reach sail to Sint Maarten.

The small island is cut into two nations.  The story goes that some time ago a Frenchman and a Dutchman set off around the island heading in opposite direction.  The Frenchman with wine and Dutchman with a bottle of Gin.  When they met again, a line was drawn across the island, and this is how the border between French and Dutch Sint Maarten/Saint Martin was set.

This is a Superyacht haven, where they have a lot of work done on their boats.  The facilities are fantastic, as are the chandleries and contractors.

These next photos are a small sample of the boats here.  To get into the lagoon they close the road and open the bridge...

On arriving, we caught up again with Mark from Sealife.  Also we met Belinda and Jean on Free Spirit.

Mark organised for us to go on a hike.  It was "extreme hiking", however the views were well worth it.

It started pretty gently, with Jean and I "frolicking" in the long grass...

 It then became steeper and steeper...

For Christmas Day I glazed a Ham and Roasted Chickens.

I also made this "Christmas Gingerbread House", 

all was taken to a "pot-luck" lunch where we had a huge feast, lots of food wine and fun...

Very Merry Christmas Everyone...

And we move further up the Leeward Islands...

I was in desperate need for a haircut…  
I had been trimming my fringe, however felt it was well overdue for a professional.  
At Isle de Saintes there was this lovely salon...

However, language barrier – she only spoke French.  
I came up with a solution.  
I went to my appointment armed with my computer and used technology to help

Look who parked next to us...

We thought there was a unusual sound coming from starboard engine, 
so after clearing out of Isle de Saintes we sailed to Guadaloupe to see the Yanmar dealer.  

He was not concerned, so we will get this checked again in St Martin.

There were a lot of fish traps up the coast from Point A Pitre to Le Francois.  
It was a real obstacle course.   
We got up early and had a great 15 – 25 knot sail with the Screecher (getting up to 9.1 knot speed).  Seeing a big squall coming, 
we pulled in the sails and waited it out, before entering Indian Creek – Antigua, 
a tiny anchorage around the corner from English Harbor, where Customs and Immigration is.
We were the only boat in this tiny anchorage,
where we overnighted before heading to English Harbour the next morning to do the formalities.

Yay – it is now the official end of hurricane season!  
(Our insurance keeps us at certain latitude and longitude until 1 December)

We went ashore – LOTS of superyachts here.  It is the Superyacht show on this weekend coming and they are expecting over 100 superyachts – we won’t be here long!

We walked to Falmouth Marina where I had the most delicious drink – recipe as follows:

"Espresso Martini"

1 shot Espresso Coffee

1 shot Vodka

1 shot Crème de Caco

1 shot Crème de Café

Ice

Put all ingredients together – shake and pour into Martini Glass

After this, I was raring to go – so we then walked the trail over-hill from Pigeon Beach 
to Fork Berkeley – a lovely shaded “volcanic” walk.  

Check out this interesting Cactus and Richard pointing at Our Rose

We had a few days here getting jobs completed.  
We then had a gorgeous Screecher sail to Jolly Harbour.  
The water was a gorgeous Turquoise and we saw HUGE Hawkbill turtles along the way.   
We found that we had internet at the anchorage on the boat, 

so we made the absolute most of it and did a lot of internet catching up.

Next day we caught the bus – at this stage I must mention buses...
Buses in the Caribbean are Vans.  
They generally have slogans painted across the rear window or the top of the windscreen.  
They ALL play either “LOUD” Caribbean music OR rather religious broadcasts.  
They ALL drive very fast!  
No matter where you are, you just put your hand out and they will stop – no need for bus-stops.

Anyway, we caught the bus to St Johns.  

There were 2 cruise ships in, therefore the town was heaving with cruiseship tourists.  

We left as soon as we could.

We cleared out of Jolly Harbour and with the Screecher headed directly to the South end of Nevis

10 to 15 knots breeze, lovely sail.

We went to clear in, however Customs had popped out, 
so the lovely helpful Immigration lady told us to go enjoy ourselves and come back later.  
She even organized a hire car for us.  

The island has a nice feel, proud and clean.  
We stopped at the Botanical Gardens...

We went to Golden Rock, a Restaurant and Accommodation – just gorgeous!.. 

We stopped at a “garden centre” to get some more herb and vege plants.  
The lovely lady only had landscape plants, 
however she insisted on picking and giving us Starfruit, Giant Avocados and a bunch of flowers...

Next day we took the car ferry to St Kitts (Saint Christopher).  Look how close they have you park

St Kitts does not have the same feel as Nevis. 

This sign is advertising this…

  But you get this...

A lot of houses look like this...

Iles des Saintes

We had a "fast" sail to Iles des Saintes

The forecast was 20 - 25 knots.  It was over 30 all the way with gusts of over 40...

What a gorgeous quaint place...

Again, very french - however extremely friendly.

(These French islands attract predominantly French Tourists and French Cruisers)

We hired a car??? for the day

and drove around the island.

The first French settlers ventured here in the mid 17th Century,

and the neighbouring seas, subsequently served as the battleground for many a skirmish with the British

Their forts are amazing..

with pretty spectacular views also

 We hiked up 1000ft (300 metres) to another fort - again amazing view

Lovely beaches and colorful buildings...

Some Mornings Go Quite Different than Anticipated...

We went ashore to clear out of Martinique... 

the book said they opened at 0900...

When we arrived at 08:45, there was already a Cruiser Clearing out...

Next was 2 charter people...

1/2 an hour later I look at the form that we cleared in with 

and found I had already pre-cleared out for the exact day - over an hour ashore unnecessarily

 C'est la vie!

Back at Our Rose, it started to rain...

Up anchor, rain stops...

Forecast - 15 - 20 knots - screecher up and ready...

Very Excited about using Screecher again...

Start unfurling screecher, 3/4 there then...

"go downwind Jen, quickly"...

BANG! - broken halyard - this time our fault!  

(Yesterday when we set up the Screecher we were not thinking straight & had used the Spinniker Halyard by mistake)...

Complete Screecher now in water...

Half an hour (or more) later screecher back onboard, all lines tidied...

OK, here we go...

Next a "large" boat is coming straight at us...

We radio 

"This is Sailing Catamaran Our Rose, Our Rose, Our Rose, 

Vessel coming straight toward us, please identify"

We get a French message - No idea what they are saying...

They come within 10 feet of the back of the boat, it is now 30 - 35 knots

(what happened to 15 - 20 knots???)

They are all armed... Holy Shi*

It appears to be "Coastguard" - who are we?

We point to our flag - we point to our name "Our Rose"

They come so close to us - seas are interesting...

Finally give to A OK sign are head off

I am shaking that much, the only photo I got was them leaving...

We end up having a lovely sail to Dominica (though we were heading to Isle de Saintes)

When we were just getting close to our anchorage, this gorgeous vessel came in sight...

We kept the "quarantine" flag up and overnighted at Dominica.

Next morning, we headed to Isle de Saintes...

Forecast 25 - 30 knots

After yesterdays experience, we decided to double reef the main and jib...

Good Choice - ended up being 40 or so knots

GREAT sail to Isle de Saintes

"Life is Wonderful"