Barbuda to St Martin

Hi everyone,

On Monday we departed Barbuda for an 80nm overnight sail to French St Martin.  The weather was perfect for a chilled-out downwind sail - 10-15 knots from the E.

Approaching St Martin

We spend most of the passage sailing under single-reefed main and double-furled yankee.  The WindPilot took care of the steering.  We saw a number of vessels over the shallow banks as we approached St Barts.  Several had no AIS which I assume were fishing vessels.  Others were yachts and cruise liners.

As the tracks below show, we gybed our way downwind in our usual manner, riding a shift from SE to NE which then settled in the E.

Track

Arrival Detail

Graphs

Here are the vital stats for the passage…

    • Distances/Speeds

        • Route Distance = 81nm

        • Logged Distance = 95nm

        • GPS Distance = 93nm

        • Duration = 19h

        • Average boat speed = 5.0 kt

        • Average speed over ground = 4.9 kt

        • Minimum boat speed = 3,5 kt

        • Maximum boat speed = 5.8 kt

    • Weather

        • Minimum wind speed = 4 kt

        • Average wind speed = 15 kt

        • Maximum wind speed = gusts to 19 kt

        • Apparent wind angle range = 120 to 160

        • Seas up to 1m

        • Swell up to 2m

        • Few small cumulus clouds, half moon

    • Engine

        • Total = 1.5 hours, mostly at start as we weaved out through the reefs & bombies

St Martin from the Anguilla Channel

Dinghying towards the passage into the lagoon

In the passage with Ile Marine on RHS

We arrived at 0930 yesterday.  A couple of hours later we dinghied in to Ile Marine to clear in.  Ile Marine has its own dinghy dock as shown in the photo above.  The clearing in computer is just inside the main entrance.  Fill in one electronic form and present your boat registration and passports for a store staff member to check and you're in.  Too easy!

Yesterday afternoon was spent filling our water and diesel tanks and jerry cans.  There's a fuel dock next to Ile Marine.  Always good to have full tanks.  And diesel was 1 Euro/litre which ain't bad either.

Today we did the laundry and gave the boat a good clean.  She even got a new ensign to mark Australia Day.

Happy Australia Day everyone!