Easter in St. Martin

Since arriving back to Marigot Bay on the French side of St. Martin, we have been more diligent about our daily school routine. There are lots of kids around, so after school, we are usually swimming and hanging out with friends.

Observing starfish after school

School's out!

Swinging off the rope at the side of the boat with our new Dutch friends

Malea and her mermaid tail

John, Malea and Simon sending Wavey aloft to the spreaders

Wavey working aloft

Jeff from So Blessed was great in taking the kids "surfing" on Malea's surfboard. The kids had trouble getting to standing as it was their first time. Malea is quite a pro!

Malea making it look easy

One afternoon before Easter, we popped over to Explorer Island (small uninhabited islet in the Lagoon), and saw some families decorating Easter eggs. They invited us to join in. 

Egg decorating on Explorer Island 

Our friend Shera from So Blessed

Erica (Mom of three, who organized egg decorating) from Sea Schell

Artful eggs

We returned to Explorer Island a few days later when we were invited to a birthday party for Ayla aboard Sea Schell, who was turning 14 years old. There were several families, lots of treats, a bonfire, and an island to run and roam. It was fun to meet lots of cruising families.

Birthday party 

Building the fire (Ayla is in middle in green shirt)

Jeff from So Blessed

Playing with fire

That's some BBQ, Simon!

The kids weren't sure if the Easter Bunny would find us on the boat this year. He must have borrowed a dinghy or something, because the boat was filled with chocolate when we awoke Easter Sunday.

Beginning the egg hunt

Easter waffles

On Easter Monday, we got up early, grabbed our masks and snorkels, and headed to the Little Divi Beach Resort for their annual underwater Easter Egg hunt. We arrived just in time to see organizers sending about 1250 hard-boiled eggs to the depths of 3 to 13 feet. There were about 200 people collecting in the water, plus lots of spectators cheering.

Here is Wavey's account of the day:

I was just about knee deep in the water when I heard someone say into a microphone, "Get ready ! "I then dove into the crystal clear water. The water was cool but not cold. I stood up (now about chest deep) just in time to hear the sound of a woman saying, "GO!" I pushed off the sand swimming with all my might. I saw a cluster of eggs on the sandy bottom of the ocean. I swam down to grab them. "Great!" I thought.  I swam around looking for more. The underwater photographer took a lot of great photos of me too. I came out to exchange the eggs for tickets about three times. 

After all the eggs were found everyone came out with their final collection and traded them for tickets and the second phase of excitement began! All kinds of prizes were won, including a two night stay at the resort, a GoPro Hero 5, and lots of coupons for all different things! We won: a two tank dive at The Scuba Fun Shop, a gift certificate for a local German restaurant, and one free yoga class at the Joga studio. We also won a t-shirt, some stickers, three free sailing lesson coupons, and a pin. I had a great time at the Little Divi Bay Resort!!

Getting ready for the hunt

Simon and Wavey joining the 200 people getting ready to dive for eggs

Ready, set...

First bag of eggs

On the way to cash in the eggs for tickets - they got about 35 in all

Little Divi Beach Resort near Philipsburg

We hope everyone had a great Easter!

Getting Blown Away in Maho Bay

After we dropped Granny off at the airport on April 3rd, we still had our tour guide Rufus waiting to take us back to the boat by taxi.  He was cool with stopping at Maho Beach to watch the planes take off before we returned to Philipsburg. 

Maho Beach has become a big tourist attraction over the years. It is a little beach right at the end of the airport runway where you can see planes taking off and landing. There is usually a big wave that breaks on the beach when a plane lands. At take off, the jet blast blows people, sand and everything else towards the water.  It is noisy, exciting, and a little freaky at times. 

Ready for take off

We timed our first visit to Maho Beach perfectly to see the large Air France plane take off.  It was amazing to see items being ripped off people, and stuff on the beach get blown away. Wavey was not happy with the sand burn she got on her legs from the sand storm that blew up when the plane took off.  It was an experience for sure!

See other videos on You Tube for a better idea of what happens here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlTNj6IWey4

Over the next few days, we made our way to the French side of the island, and returned to Marigot with the plan to focus on school and some projects we have been putting off for months.  We anchored close to a hotel, where we could get free internet on the boat, with a good signal after midnight. (If you are wondering how I have been catching up on blog posts, this is the reason!)

So, as I was bingeing on Facebook late at night, I noticed that our friends Susan and James (from Kingston, Ontario) just happened to be on a cruise in the Eastern Caribbean.  I sent them a message asking if they were coming to St. Martin.

As we were getting up the following morning, I got a message stating that their cruise ship was just arriving in Philipsburg (where we had just been for a week!), and that they would be at Maho Beach for the day.  The kids did not balk at postponing school for the day. We raced through breakfast, grabbed our beach gear and hopped in the dinghy. We motored into the Lagoon and across to the Dutch side to the Pink Iguana, a bar and nightclub close to the airport where we left our dinghy. 

                           


From here, we walked half a mile to the beach where we met Susan and James and several of their friends!

Kathryn, Wavey, Simon and Susan

Susan, James and John

It was a brilliant way to spend the day swimming, catching up and eating great food at the Sunset bar and restaurant.

This sign just seems to attract more people 

Susan on the beach at the end of the runway

Crowds at Maho

Susan and her quesadilla

Watching for planes

Wavey and the Green Bear on the beach (This bear from Japan apparently makes appearances all over the world.)

Nacho boy

Quesadilla girl

Wenda and Lesley

Kent and Jeff

Just a small plane

After a whirlwind of a day, we hugged our friends goodbye and walked back to the dinghy. While we were having a drink at the Pink Iguana (as payment for leaving our dinghy there for the day), I explained the meaning of the word, surreal to the kids; the day had a dreamlike, uncanny, and magical feel to it. It is not everyday you get to hang out with your family and good friends on a beach with breaking waves and planes landing all around you!


We are planning on being here in St. Martin (French side) for a couple of weeks. We are going to hunker down to get some work done, clock some Bomeschool hours, and hang out with some other cruising families here.  Life aboard is never dull.

 

Cheers,
The Crew

Adventures with Granny in St. Maarten

It was finally the day of Granny's arrival. We took the bus to the airport early to meet her, as we wanted to get there in plenty of time. The kids were hopping around, constantly checking the arrivals monitors. She arrived right on time, ready for her Caribbean adventures!

Her hotel was right on the beach and was a lovely spot to take in the great views.

Patio along the boardwalk

View from the hotel dining room

First meal together at hotel

Lois having breakfast at the hotel

On the other side of the hotel, there were streets lined with stores filled with jewelry, clothing and electronics. We poked around several shops and Granny treated us to some lovely treasures and some necessities (Wavey had just blown out her flip flops). 

Outside the Shipwreck Shop where Wavey found a great new bathing suit (Photo taken by Simon)

Street view from behind the hotel (Photo taken by Simon)

The beach was lined with beach bars and restaurants that were packed when the cruise ships were in town. We returned to eat at the Lazy Lizard as we enjoyed our food so much earlier in the winter.

Lunching at the Lazy Lizard in Philipsburg

Simon's "best ever" jerk chicken sandwich

Wavey's amazing sandwich and perfect onion rings (photo by Lois)

We got a late start to our second day with Granny, as we had some boat chores to do. We ran out of water aboard, and we had to come in to the marina to fill up with water and fuel. While we were doing this, the kids went to Granny's hotel and hung out with her on their own. (Again, no photos--what happens with Granny, stays with Granny...)

Later in the day, we hopped on a local bus (actually a minivan with as many people crammed in as possible) and went to the French side to Marigot.  We walked a lot around the town, and ended up having an early dinner at one of the restaurants along the Port La Royale marina next to lots of pretty yachts.

Marigot

Lobster by the marina in Marigot

Pizza for Wavey

My amazing mussels (Canadian, of course) in curry sauce

If it seems that we were eating most of the time, well, we were.  I was enjoying eating out immensely; breaking out from the galley.  However, when we weren't sampling some of the best food on the island, we were checking out some of attractions on the island. 

On day three, we took a cab to the Butterfly Farm to observe the gardens and amazing insects. We had a tour of this enclosed garden by Pamela, an Australian ex-pat who certainly knew her stuff about all things butterfly. We learned the difference between a chrysalis (made by butterflies) and a cocoon (made by moths). Butterflies like fermented fruit, which is why they are always drunk and can't fly straight. It was a great review of the life cycle of a butterfly which we could see all around us in different stages. (Photos below were taken by Simon.)

Chrysalides waiting to turn into butterflies

Chrysalides of various butterflies

Owl butterflies

Giant Atlas Moth - this amazing moth stays in its cocoon for six months and then lives for only five days!

Swallowtail caterpillar

We rubbed fermented fruit juice on our fingers and the butterflies came and licked it off.

Wavey observing mating butterflies

Simon's Owl butterfly having a taste

Wavey and Owl butterfly

Monarch

Beautiful colours!

Blue morpho sitting still (which is unusual!)

(taken by Lois)

After having a bit of a rest following our excursion, we decided to head to The Greenhouse restaurant, as Friday was lobster night.  We had a lovely meal sitting outside beside Bobby's Marina. The kids entertained us (and neighbouring tables) by playing with the candles at the table. 

Kids pretending to burn their fingers in the battery powered candles at The Greenhouse restaurant

Later, Wavey at the hotel under the bougainvillea tree at night after she decorated the bar with pink blooms

On our fourth day, we decided to take a cab to the French side to visit the town of Grand Case, which is known as the gastronomic capital of the island.  The gorgeous beach is lined by loads of restaurants offering mostly French and Creole cuisine.  There were some interesting shops and galleries dotted here and there and we poked into a few.  As we were getting hungry, we decided to stop at a Ocean 82 (www.ocean-82.com), a scrumptious French restaurant with a spectacular view of the beach.

Dining in Grand Case

Lois' gazpacho

My beautiful Seafood Pot

I just about cried when the waiter brought me out this warm delicious gluten free dinner roll.
And then he brought another one! Merci!

Kids playing on the beach below us, while we finished our meal

The kids were really lucky to each have a special night with Granny.  They got to sleep in a big bed, snuggle with Granny, have a long, hot shower, and indulge in the breakfast buffet to start the day off. (John and I didn't get a sleepover, but we did sneak in a few hot showers while we visited--ohhh, it was so nice!) 

On Simon's night, their peaceful slumber was interrupted by a parade that went through the streets, a sort of warm up jump up in preparation for Carnival. It was complete with floats, food and drink trucks and loud music. They got to watch it from Lois' balcony.

Jump Up (photo by Lois)

On Sunday, and Lois' last full day with us, there was not a single cruise ship in port.  Except for her hotel, the rest of the beach was pretty much shut down. It was the perfect day to spend on the beach, swimming and lounging with a good book. It was decadent to rent beach chairs and umbrellas. It felt like we were really on vacation.

Beach day

Last night on the town!

Wavey's early birthday passion fruit sorbet

On Granny's last day, we took a tour of the island that started with a visit to the Parrotte Ville Bird Sanctuary, and ended at the airport. Our guide Rufus, a native of the island, was a wealth of knowledge on both sides of the border.

Parotte Ville Bird Sanctuary opened a little more than a year ago by some plant and bird enthusiasts. They have created a garden that is labelled by the names of the plants and their common medicinal uses. The owner also has a little museum, and they were happy to display items from the last couple of centuries.

Feeding the parrot

Blowing a kiss

Bird magnet

Bird trying to pick the button off the top of Lois' hat

I love birds, but admit I get a little freaked out when they are near my head. John is about the same, but he held it together a little better than I (at least on the outside.)

Everyone looks so calm. I am freaking out a bit with this bird on my shoulder

OK, now this is getting too personal (taken by Lois)

Wavey hanging out in the taxi after the birds

Holding (fake) gun used in the Pirates of the Caribbean 2 filmed in St. Martin

Border between the Dutch and French side

We pulled over to the side of the road about the same time that about four other tour buses did. There was no apparent reason why everyone was stopping, until we saw the iguanas. Living along the shore of a salt pond, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of iguanas living here. With the sounds of the taxis stopping, the iguanas emerged from the mangroves and came out to feast. Other tour operators brought lettuce from the store, but our guide brought out weeds he pulled from beside the road, which the iguanas seemed to prefer.

Feeding iguanas

Feeding frenzy

Amazing creatures

We made a brief stop on Orient Beach, which is a famous, long beach that is swimsuit optional at one end and clothing mandatory on the other. Our driver stopped at the place where the ends meet. The beach was packed, and we got to see a few people strolling starkers along the beach, and others clad in swim suits. The kids were keen to swim naked on the beach, but were not enthusiastic about seeing adults letting it all hang out. Due to our schedule, we did not test the waters. You will have to use your imagination, as I took no photos.

We arrived back at the airport just in time for Lois to get her woolies back on for the plane ride back to Ontario. Goodbyes are always hard for our crew.

Getting some last minute lovin'

As is our tradition, we chased and waved until we could no longer see Granny as she disappeared into the security gate. We reflected about our wonderful visit and the good feelings that still linger...