A Moveable Feast on Amazing Grace II

Alex's first introduction to sailing in the Caribbean was a two handed delivery of a 24 foot sailboat to Antigua from the English Channel, many years ago. The idea of going back to the dreary northern winter after that adventure was unthinkable and soon he and his mate were running a Bertram sport fishing boat in the remote and very quiet island of St Barthelemy. After some years of living in the Caribbean and because of the people he had met along the way, he moved to Nantucket Island, got married and raised a family. Little did he know that once the lure of Caribbean life gets in your blood, it is impossible to ignore it's constant call. After numerous deliveries from New England to the Caribbean and back, in many different sailboats, Alex bought his own sailboat and ventured south east, often via Bemuda, to the eastern Caribbean. When he is not sailing he is often engaged in electrical and electronic repairs on other vessels. His hobbies are cooking, sailing, exploring other parts of the world, photography and writing. He enjoys meeting new people and showing them some of the joys and delights of the boating life and the world as seen from the deck of a sailboat. He also teaches Tai-Chi and Q'igong on an informal basis to those interested in these extraordinary life enhancing and deceptively simple techniques. For those interested in modern day Shamanism, he also leads ceremonial fires, where each participant has the opportunity to silently commune with their spirit ancestors, nature, and the entire cosmos by using the fire as a receptacle for either manifesting new ideas or burning old and unwanted energetic patterns.

The idea of A Moveable Feast is to give you an opportunity to explore this part of the Eastern Caribbean, relax, eat well and healthily, swim, sunbathe, dine out, cook in, snorkel, lay on the beach, sleep late, snooze when you feel like it, sail the boat, help lift the anchor and hoist the mainsail and just generally enjoy life on the water. The views from the boat are always interesting and usually pleasing to the eye and the soul. Marigot is a busy anchorage and boats are coming and going at all hours. Charter boats, private boats, ferry boats, luxury yachts, mega power boats, sailing school skiffs, dinghies, row boats, they are all here and all contribute to the general mix that make St Martin interesting. At this time of year there is plentiful rainfall and the hill around town are vibrant green. The breeze is still cool, especially at night. In the daytime its hot and the midday sun is intense, so jumping off the back of the boat into the warm turquoise is a delight. When we visit other anchorages and harbors and especially the marine parks system of the French Islands, there are often turtles, rays and reef fish to be found.
Breakfast and a picnic lunch are included in the package but dinner and alcoholic beverages are not. There is plenty of room in the fridge and freezer for anything special you want to bring along and the cupboards are usually well stocked.
Bruce Farr is a well known designer of fast offshore and racing yachts. Beneteau, probably the world's largest and most experienced boat builder, took one of his designs and modified it to suit their clientele, cruisers and charterers who like going fast but are not out and out racers. The result is a blue water boat that is sea-kindly fast and comfortable, and fitted out below with excellent veneered joinery. And, because its a French design, a large galley/cooking area. There are 3 queen size berths, one forward in the master cabin and 2 aft. One is for the skipper, the two others are for the guest

St Martin/St Maarten is quite different from the Virgin Islands. Some of the sailing can be in open water and everybody's favourite place to visit, St Barths, can be a challenging sail when the trades are piping up. Its not for everybody. But if you have an adventurous spirit you will like it. If you are feeling more like hanging around tranquil beaches, dining out and exploring different restaurants, then Anguilla is a better choice and a more protected sail. There are lots of brilliant anchorages with the most amazing white sand beaches and restaurants on the beach to suit most tastes. The Anguillans are friendly and hospitable and laugh easily. St. Barths is more like an impromptu fashion show, where everyone is parading the latest fashion statement and closely observing your clothing.
One of the things its hard to describe is how well adapted St Maarten/St Martin is to boating. As well as a number of protected bays and anchorages, nearby uninhabited islands and numerous marinas, its possible to travel to many parts of the island either by dinghy or the local bus service. Lots of restaurants are accessible by water as well as land. There a 2 distinct cultures and its reflected in the cuisine of both sides. If you are more into steak, potatoes and cheeseburgers, the Dutch side is a good choice, But it also offers international cuisine from all over the world, as well as Creole cooking.
On the French side the cuisine is more traditional French. In almost every restaurant, after the bill is settled, the waiter will come by with a bottle of the house specialty, a flavoured rum infusion. Each restaurant has their own jealously guarded recipe for producing an unusual and delicious variety of Caribbean Rum. But be warned, its very smooth and goes down very easily, so before you know it you have sampled a good few glasses