PASSAGE TO THE LEEWARD ISLANDS

0600 Hours, February 12, 2015, North Sound, Virgin Gorda, BVI: We dropped our mooring line and retraced our path entering North Sound. With our thermal imaging camera we were able to safely navigate around moored boats and buoys before first light. We cleared the entrance to the Sound and had turned on an east course between Prickly Pear Island and Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island, as first light appeared.  As we passed Pajaros Point, the eastern most spot in the Virgin Islands, the sun was just beginning to rise behind clouds to the east. We had been protected in the Virgin Island's enclave since we had arrived two months earlier. We were now making a true ocean passage on a course, just south of east, to St. Martin. We had been talking to Chris Parker for more than a week and looking at Buoy Weather twice daly in searching for a weather window. Fortunately we didn't have to wait long. On this day the wind and swell were from the north west at 15nm an hour, and the seas were 5 to 6 ft. An ideal following wind and sea for our passage, which was unusual for this predominantly east trade wind latitude. 

As we approached St. Martin we were met by a school of dolphin. These dolphin were smaller and much faster than the Florida and Georgia dolphin we were use to seeing. St. Martin, Sint Maarten is one Island with two countries. St. Martin is the name for the French side which is the north part of the Island. Sint Maarten is the name for the southern Dutch side. Most, as I will, refer to this two nation Island as St. Martin. Even though these are two countries,  we were able to check into customs on the Dutch side and travel freely back and forth between the the two countries, by land and by sea, without having to check in or out of one or the other country. 

Much of the boating activity on St. Martin occurs in Simpson Lagoon which is a large body of salt water incapsulated by a peninsula that wraps around it on the west side of the Island. The boundary line between the two countries runs through the middle of the Lagoon. There are two entrances to the Lagoon, one from the main city on the French side, Marigot, to the north of the Lagoon, and the second from Simpson Baai, a cove on the Dutch side to the south of the Lagoon. Both entrances are blocked by bridges which are normally only opened on specified hours. The seas from the north east which were giving us a pleasant ride to the Island would be rolling directly in Marigot making an overnight stay their unpleasant. Because of the shape of the Island west of Simpson Baai I suspected the north west swell would cause a significant surge in this Bay as well. We were planning to enter the Lagoon knowing northern swells were predicted for several days. The last bridge opening on the Dutch side was 1700 hours. I was under the impression that we could not go into the Lagoon until we cleared customs and if there was a significant surge we would not want to stay on the outside. With this in mind our goal had been to reach Simpson Baai by 1500, which we did. 

As we entered the bay we could see 300 foot plus super yachts anchored in the bay rolling in a five foot surge that had rapped itself around the west side of the island and was coming in from the south west. 

After being cleared through customs (I found out we could have cleared customs after docking) I had to stand in a second line to pay the harbor fees so long I almost missed the bridge opening. Finally the lady at the desk said we could settle up when we left and I went back to the boat to get in line for the bridge. Before arriving we had decided to go into IGYs Simpson Bay Marina. This Marina was much more reasonably priced than their Yacht Haven Grande Marina in Charlotte Amalie. Not knowing where we would be in the Marina and if we would have room to lower our tender (which lowers on our port side) we left it down and pulled it through the bridge. A Marina boat which guided us through the bridge took the dingy and gave us instructions on placement of our fenders. We side tied, stern in backed up to the super yachts on A dock, which were med moored facing out into the Lagoon. 

After watching the sun set from our bow, which was facing west, we had drinks and dinner at Jimbos, an open air tropically decorated restaurant just outside the Marina Security Gate. Their margaritas were outstanding and their food reasonably priced.