PredictWind could fix the problem and I can update you again here.

I will continue adding the date (yymmdd) in front of the title to give time information.

I’m still in Sint Maarten, for the repair of the generator and outboard motor. This should be done in the next days. Then I have to stay a bit more for a to get my signature under a document confirmed by the honorary consul in St. Kitts.

Thereafter I cast off lines again heading towards The British Virgin Islands (BVI).

Until I cast off lines, I can be reached but normal emails. Pictures can be seen in my anonymous Instagram account p435_mare.

A bit chronological.

At 1430 on 24. Jan 2022 we dropped the anchor in Simpson Bay, just outside the of Simpson Bay Lagoon.

An unbelievable moment for the entire crew because with the dropped anchor the trans Atlantic crossing was at it’s end. There was just pure joy on the boat. We sailed 3020 NM in 27 days. Sailed with strong winds, weak winds and used engines when they was no wind.

We called, as prepared already in Las Palmas, Shore Support to make the inbound clearance. It worked well. A young man came by boat picked upb our documents and next morning we got the clearance document.

Next we needed a marina. So we went through the bridge which just opened a bit 20 m later and went into Simpson Bay Lagoon. Instead of using the anchor we tied MaRe at a buoy which was just free. Then called a marina on VHF and got a berth.

So we went into the marina. We were by far the smallest boat in the marina. The next smaller boat I estimate to 10 MiO EUR… The atmosphere in the marina was stiff. No contact to fellow sailors. The owners, if they were on board stayed inside their fully air-conditioned floating mansions.

However enabled us the get the most important things done.

N left ASAP to go by ferry boat to the neighbor island to finally meet C. I’m sure they enjoy traveling together in the Caribbean and Central America.

We others took in the evening a long walk to Sint Maarten downtown. Using the word “downtown”, I’m not really sure if this term can be used. I was surprised about what I saw. Except a handful of written Dutch words, there was nothing Dutch to be seen. All is fully US style. English is the only language to be heard. The US Dollar the second currency beside the Antillean Guilder or Florin (fls).

Today, we finally could move to another marina with normal size boats and the atmosphere is much better. We quickly had contact with other sailors. Neighbors helped with docking. We also met a couple sailing also a Privilege 435 catamaran. Lots of talks and exchange of information, a beer on board of MaRe, an offer to go together to Maribor on the French side of the island to buy SIM cards cheap and working on all Caribbean islands, and last but not least a dinner invitation. Sailors among sailors.

The person on watch was the first who saw in the early morning light Sint Maarten ahead and St. Barthelemy roughly at WSW. Next it was me. Then one by one came out of the cabin and looked at the horizon.

Now I’m really only writing about me and my impression.

I still can’t believe it that we crossed, with a very strong crew, the Atlantic ocean from Las Palmas to Sint Maarten. The only one I missed on this sail is the OBM. I’m grateful to the crew for this safe and pleasant trans Atlantic crossing. I hope the crew assembles again for another long sail.

As I’m writing these lines I had a look and saw that we crossed already the 3000 NM mark of the distance sailed.

We had nice winds, we had strong winds, and we had no wind. Since last night we are using the engines, mostly with the genoa, or we just sail.

Traffic has increased now. More sailboats, then freighters, tankers, etc. In all bays we see plenty of yachts via their AIS signal at anchor.

We got in contact with Simon of shore support in Sint Maarten. Once we are in the Simpson Bay, just outside of the Simpson Bay bridge (draw bridge) we will call him again and one of his staff will come on board to get our papers. Let’s see how the inbound clearance will work out and where in the Simpson Bay Lagoon we will get a very in a marina.

On board, I feel that all are excited to reach land, see and feel Sint Maarten. One of most likely can’t wait to meet wife again who waits for him in Sint Maarten since a few days.

An incredible voyage comes to end.

There is especially the Offshore App, which I’m using to get weather information, let you see where we are and read my notes about life on board. I tried all kind of possibilities to get the upload of notes running again. It simply will not work. Hopefully tomorrow I get information from PredictWind’s support.

I will upload again as soon it’s possible again.

The wind is also not kind to us. It almost died fully last night. Thus shortly after sunrise we set the gennaker to gain speed. As the weather forecast looks for today and tomorrow, we will have to run with the gennaker. This sail allows us to get enough speed to make it to Sint Maarten on the 24th.

Bathroom at starboard is open again. Water and air temperature is great. Barefoot route!

195 NM was indicated when I start writing this note. At the end it will be less.

As the wind blows mainly from ENE, the swell developed over the last days to one from ENE. Having to sail an averaged COG of 277 deg, today’s ride is a bit bumpy.

G needed to bake bread, which is on bumpy course difficult. Additionally we all wanted to take our seawater shower at the stern, A had the idea of a “shower & bread baking course”. He set wind vane that MaRe sailed downwind. It made all planned activities easier.

Then we wanted to celebrate the last 200 NM and could not. Beer was not cold.

Today we had the last muesli for breakfast. Also coconuts milk, fresh fruits vegetables are gone. But plenty of canned food is on board, grain for fresh bread, and beer and bit of wine. Having written about beer and wine, it needs to said, the beer or glass of wine is, voluntarily limited to 1 for dinner and a second one on day with some thing especially to be celebrated.
Safety first also in this respect.

Since this morning we see a lot of saragossa grass. I expected to see more large carpet size areas but, at least until now, we see only long streaks. It’s an interesting “grass” during over the Atlantic most likely in search of new living grounds. Access to Wikipedia will soon be possible again.

Due to this grass, G had to give up on catching fish. The grass sticks immediately at the lure. So, no fresh fish for the last 2 dinners. A pity, because his fish dinners were simply very delicious.

This morning I woke up as usual, went to the cockpit, and talked with A during his watch. We were sitting on port side rest area watched the sea and the clouds illuminated by the still bright moon. All is dream in infinite number shades of grey – not only 50.

On top of that there are the millions of reflexions of the moon light on the water. Moon river at is best.

We quickly came to the topic of the clouds and A used the nice expressions: “riding the clouds”. There are horse riders, wave riders, storm riders, and A, the cloud rider. He carefully watches clouds being not far away, adjusts the course a bit and gains additional speed by using the wind system of the clouds. Each cloud is a small, local low pressure area,
which helps us especially on our port side to gain some speed.

Sint Maarten, we are coming, 306 NM to go!

G caught his dolphinfish no. 6.

A hauled it in, then G took over again. I got an important lecture from G on the way to cut the bones out, peel the skin and the side organs.

An important thing I also learned is the importance of a good Japanese fish knife. As my Japanese friend S indicated already, a debahouchou is needed. It needs a gets a special treatment that it doesn’t rust. A good Japanese knife contains quite some carbon. That makes knives to keep their sharpness, but they rust also pretty fast. Maybe I keep it in an slightly oily piece of fabric.

So tonight another version out of G’s repertoire of how to prepare a delicious dolphin fish.

Bon appetite!

What I was afraid that can happen, is happening now. Iridium emails don’t work. Also up and downloads here don’t work currently. I try all possible to get things running again.

Beside above we are sailing pretty fast towards Sint Maarten.

Until we have a solution for the currently not working upload on tracking notes, I will continue to write notes because the problem will be solved one day. The sooner the better.

Today it’s a typical trade wind sailing day. Wind perfectly with 4 – 6 Bft from E, thus we are on a fast runing course. Our waypoint just out of the east coast of Sint Maarten, is straight W of us. Life on board does not require much activities. No sail manoeuvres except a bit of adjustment of the wind vane setting or pulling in the genoa sheet a bit or letting it out a bit.

As the AWS is around 15 and more knots, the air doesn’t feel so warm. Need to test the water temperature with a shower at the starboard stern.

G tries to get another catch of the day… He wants something else than a dolphinfish….

In the meantime he makes muffins…

PredictWind found the bug and is working on the fix. In the meantime I can upload all the notes I wrote along our sail using normal internet and no satellite connection. The date in the title is the date, I wrote the note.
******

In the late morning hours, the wind became unstable, caused by a big cloud passing by and also dropping a bit of rain. We changed to the S-tack which brought us a bit closer to our BTW (bearing to waypoint). Still the situation was not what we wanted.

N had the idea of using only the genoa because it allows us to sail about 30 deg more down wind. Less speed but also less distance is the rational. Looking at old data the idea appeared good. Thus, since about 1250 we use only the genoa. VMG (velocity made good) is more of less SOG. Thus, the idea proved to be good. Especially with the expected higher easterly winds.

DTW (distance to waypoint), the first waypoint about 10 NM E of the Sint Maarten, is now only 567 NM away.