We did it!We left St. Martin, without having to turn back, like many others who leave the lagoon after months and have some kind of boat problem from the moment they get “outside”.It was a close call, nevertheless…
On the last day of June, about a month later than hoped for, we arrived at Irie after one last errand that kept us in St. Martin until then.A certain “flower” in a certain Business made it her “point” to mess up another order that we expected there two (!) weeks prior.When we finally retrieved that envelop (the Wirie logo stickers), we were finally ready to leave.So, from the moment we possessed the prized envelop, we hoisted the dinghy and pulled up our main sail, only to discover that its shackle was broken…Ooops!Sail down, anchor back down, dinghy down and Mark on a mission.It was after 12 pm, so the stores were closed on the French side (lunch break).Mark rushed to the Dutch side, to scout the marine stores and –luckily- found the right size shackle.Our lunch was postponed and we were on our way again before 2 pm.
The goal was Ile Fourchue in St. Barth, but it was getting late.The first stretch went all right along the north coast of St. Martin, actually veering away from the island, tacking off the wind.When a huge squall was visible from the corner of our eyes, we made a wider turn, away from our destination, towards Anguilla.Not good.To prevent sailing back from where we came on the opposite tack, we decided to motor.The wind was not very favorable and time was running out.Just when we settled on spending the night at Tintamarre, a nice island east of St. Martin, the wind shifted North East.Hmmmm…That was a chance not to be missed and we changed course a slight bit to sail at a steady pace to Ile Fourchue after all.The last 2 miles, the wind died completely and we motored into another rain storm into the deep bay with free mooring balls, just before dark.We made it to St. Barth!
Ile Fourchue was nothing special, but gave us a good night’s sleep.The following morning, we sailed on to Anse de Columbier, a beautiful bay on the northwest side of “mainland” St. Barth and our favorite stop so far.Mooring balls are free to use, the water is as clear as in the Bahamas and the beach is wide, pretty and quite remote.The only way to get to Columbier is by boat or by foot.A 20-minute hiking trail brings you to this beach from a small town called Flamands.Mark, Darwin and I followed this trail in reverse a few times, to buy fresh baguettes and try to get online to deal with the Wirie website.
One evening, we got company from our friends Ellie, Tom and Jens on Madonna. It was awesome, to have drinks and dinner together, away from the oh-so familiar lagoon and exchange the few stories we gathered so far.They just finished a little sailing vacation to Tintamarre, St. Barth and Statia.In the morning we had a wonderful breakfast on the beach.We all felt like vacationers!
Another day, Mark and I decided to check out the capital Gustavia by boat.This big harbor is full of mooring balls and anchored vessels and is pretty deep.It took us an hour to find a place to safely anchor, a mile away from town.For this spot, we had to pay more than 12 euros (16 dollars), because the fees are calculated by surface area, and –yes- we are a catamaran, a little bit wider than most other boats.A mooring in front of Gustavia, deep into the harbor and close to all the conveniences and services was cheaper, but … none were available. The town does offer free showers for everybody and the port authority provides a garbage disposal and free WiFi, included in the fee.The WiFi signal, however, is weak at best and never reached the area called Corossal where we were anchored.For water one does have to pay nowadays.
Needless to say, if you know Liesbet and Mark (and their tight budget), we only lasted in GustaviaHarbor one night.We did utilize our time well with internet business and grocery shopping the first afternoon and a historical walking tour and filling our water tank the next morning.The tourist office provides nice maps and a written walking tour of town and that is the best way to see what there is to see.Mark and I walked along the harbor, to a couple of fort sites with good views and read about an array of historical buildings dating back to the time of the Swedes.Gustavia is a pretty city, clean and with a French attitude that is more than tolerable.Lunch in Le Select was the reward for a hot morning of walking – and to Mark – for a genuine effort to drag behind me and listen to the information in the brochure.
The same morning, we also walked across the island to St. Jean.The statue of an Arawak Indian at the roundabout represents all the symbols of St. Barth.The airport here is interesting in regards to the little planes that land over a hill and then practically drop down to the landing strip.An impressive act of competence and an awe-inspiring sight!
Since we were so fond of Columbier, we took our Irie back there. The wind was howling down the mountainsides and picking up a mooring ball became a huge challenge.In the process, we bent two boat hooks and lost one of them together with my hat.Lots of yelling.Not a good scene.But, we were still happy to be back in a peaceful harbor with a long beach for Darwin to enjoy.
In St. Barth, you can check out 24 hours before leaving the country.This meant, we had to go back to Gustavia for this event.We had been communicating with the agriculture department of Antigua, our next destination, about temporarily importing Darwin and things seemed to become more painful than we thought.Darwin has been totally in sync with the UK regulations and requirements for four years, but yet, for some countries that is not enough.He has a micro chip, all his health records and all the needed vaccinations.The last thing we read in an email from Antigua was that he needed a current health certificate, a rabies vaccination that is less than 1 year old (the one he has is good for three years and he is approaching 2 and a half years) and a performed lyme disease test, something we have never heard of or needed!
Instead of taking Irie back to Gustavia again, we chose the more adventurous option.We hiked to Flamands and hitched rides to town, with Darwin.There, the vet inspected our dog, proclaimed very healthy, and gave him a pet passport, with a current health certificate and the proof of another rabies shot in it.Price: $50.Armed with all the right paperwork and the thought that, if a test for lyme disease is really necessary it could be performed at our destination, we were ready for Antigua.The only thing between us and this popular island was a night crossing to the south east…
Irie is a Fountaine Pajot Tobago, a 35 foot catamaran with a beam of about 19 feet. She was born in France in 1998, and spent her childhood in the Caribbean, before arriving in Maryland, USA.
Irie used to be called Big Trouble, when she belonged to her previous owner. This guy neglected her and she sat idle for almost five years. She also didn't like her name, which we experienced the minute she became ours. From the moment we cut her old name in half, by removing the first part, she behaved a little bit nicer, but it wasn't until the "Trouble" left the transom that our problems started to disappear.
When she received her new name, she became a happy girl again, feeling healthy and almost as good as new. She got a lot of new, improved and fixed body parts, and is ready to perform as our house, transportation device and toy!
Oh yeah, "Irie" means "(It's) all good/all right" in Jamaican (Creole). "Irie, man!" We hope our lives will be Irie, and yours too.
It's Mark
Mark is in his mid thirties and was born in Connecticut, but grew up in upstate New York. He lived in Massachusetts, before moving to California, his favorite state. After living "the American dream" for ten years, he decided that wasn't his thing. Becoming a wise, and adventurous man over the last couple of years, he gained a lot of travel experiences and great insights.
He hates ignorance, traffic, and Johnnies*. The things he loves are being single-focused and working on our boat. Both occupations can last forever... He also likes hiking, listening to good music, and just chilling. His biggest passion is sailing, and that's what he is doing right now. For this exciting trip south, he is accompanied by his two beloved dogs Kali and Darwin, and his wonderful girlfriend Liesbet.
*A Johnny is a macho wannabe, revving his engine, and trying to attract attention with a modified car and/or loud music. If this person is Latino, Johnny is pronounced in Spanish.
It's Liesbet
Liesbet is from Belgium and still speaks English with a little bit of an accent. Her name is pronounced "Leezbett", but since a lot of people don't really get that, they call her all kinds of things. Americans like their abbreviations, so it's way easier to just call her Lb (also meaning lazy butt).
Her biggest passion is traveling, and... trying new things. That's how she ended up with Mark, and on this boat. She's pretty flexible, adventurous and easy-going; a must for her kind of life. Some people call her "crazy", but let's just stick with "different".
She adores Kali and Darwin, and actually likes all animals, except mosquitoes, the only living creatures she purposefully kills. There's not much that she really hates, other than rudeness, cruelty, hypocrisy, and helplessness. Oh, and sometimes Mark's single-focusness.
She's all excited about the prospect of seeing new places from another perspective (the water), and hanging out with dolphins, and other wildlife. Although, she does miss living in a camper, but that's part of her laziness.
It's Darwin
Darwin is an Australian Shepherd mix, with a pretty tail, and handsome face. He's eight years old, but behaves like he's one. This "pup" is still very playful, a little dumb sometimes (in a doggie way), but knows darn well how to steal your heart. He can be so funny, rolling over in the grass, being eager to do tricks, making funny noises and looking very innocent.
Darwin hates to get his toes wet, especially after it rained on the grass. He also doesn't like to be rinsed off, have his nails cut or get a brushing.
He loves to annoy his sister Kali, nipping her or grabbing her leg to get her to play. Or sometimes just chewing on her. He also likes being chased by other dogs, retrieving toys from the air, water, and floor, digging holes in the sand, swimming, hipping you with his wet butt, licking good smelling air, eating treats, and wagging his tail. But, most of all he loves to be with us, whatever we do. He's a happy boy!
It's Kali
Our special girl is also an Australian Shepherd mix, with a fluffy tail. We think she is part Collie, since she's pretty tall, and white with brown spots. Her face is very cute. She survived an awful disease as a puppy, and used that strength through her whole life. Kali is already ten years old now, but she covers that up very well. She still appeases Darwin once in a while by giving him some playtime, but is getting slower every day.
Kali is obsessed with balls, sometimes a little too much. She loves human food, but is not allowed to have any. Except on her birthday, when a deliciously cooked steak awaits her. She likes to sniff and stroll around, doing her thing, knowing that we're around. Rolling around in the grass is one of her favorite things, but what she likes the most is being in the water. She can literally wake in it for hours, wagging her tail, pawing rocks or digging for imaginary things, occasionally sticking her whole face under the water surface, and telling us how much she likes doing this. That high pitch bark gets old after a while, though. She is terrified by thunderstorms and fireworks, or everything producing a loud boom. She also doesn't like fake grass.
Kali and her unrelated "brother" Darwin are well-traveled puppies, and of all the Central American countries, they liked Mexico , Belize, and Costa Rica the best. Why? There are lots of beaches, calm water, and no leash law!
Disaster struck in our happy family, just when we were ready to explore and have fun in the "real Caribbean". Kali died in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, on December 26th, 2008. To understand what happened, read the blog "Goodbye, Sweet Girl" of January 2009. We all miss her very very much.
The goal was Ile Fourchue in St. Barth, but it was getting late. The first stretch went all right along the north coast of 
morning, we sailed on to Anse de Columbier, a beautiful bay on the northwest side of “mainland” St. Barth and our favorite stop so far. Mooring balls are free to use, the water is as clear as in the 
One evening, we got company from our friends Ellie, Tom and Jens on Madonna. It was awesome, to have drinks and dinner together, away from the oh-so familiar lagoon and exchange the few stories we gathered so far. They just finished a little sailing vacation to Tintamarre, St. Barth and Statia. In the morning we had a wonderful breakfast on the beach. We all felt like vacationers!
Needless to say, if you know Liesbet and Mark (and their tight budget), we only lasted in 
The same morning, we also walked across the island to 
In 
Instead of taking Irie back to Gustavia again, we chose the more adventurous option. We hiked to Flamands and hitched rides to town, with 
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