Lagniappe: St. Eustatius

5/11/2017 We pulled up anchor in Simpson Bay Lagoon, St. Martin to head out at the 10:30 bridge opening. As we started going through the bridge, a squall hit with such a deluge of rain that we could barely see the boat in front of us. Of course, he couldn’t see well either and he slowed down as we exited the Lagoon. This was dangerous because we could not go around him and had no where else to go in the narrow channel coming out. We finally blew the horn at him and he moved on a bit. We got out as did Lequesteau and motored over to Ile Fourchue, St. Barth’s. We were in the squall the whole way over there and were soaked and cold. So much for stopping here to go snorkeling. Instead we made some nice warm soup and stayed in the cabin the rest of the day.

Greig and Caroline came over for some hot taco soup after our wet day.

5/12/2017 The next day we headed to St. Eustatius (Statia). There was NO wind so we motored the whole way. But we ran the watermaker so we at least got something else out of burning the fuel. We had read that there were moorings and free wifi in the mooring field provided by the National Marine Park there but neither was available. Apparently, the moorings were all removed because they were in disrepair and the wifi was down. So much for any benefits for the $30 we had to pay to the marine park. We wandered around Oranjestad and found a little bar with cold beer and soft drinks. We also found a place to buy a St. Eustatius flag as we didn’t have one for the boat. The next day we and Greig from Lequesteau hiked The Quill which is the volcano (Extinct). We hiked to the rim and then down into the crater. We expected a dry, rocky bottom with ash. Instead we found a primeval forest. Giant trees, ferns, boulders and very large birds. Kind of felt like we were in Jurassic Park. The hike was long and challenging. There are parts where you lower yourself (or lift yourself up, depending on which way you are going) using ropes and parts where you just have to scramble over boulders and grab onto branches and roots. It took us 7 hours from start at the dinghy dock and back. We were slow and also stopped in the crater and had a picnic lunch and stopped for a drink on the way back in town. But it was a great day, one to remember for a long time.

Passing the oil terminal on the north end of Statia

This pipeline running up the hill sure reminds me of Malongo, Cabinda. I sure hope that they don't have a mudslide and fire here like we had in Cabinda. I can't imagine what this bay would be like with oil flowing out into the water.

We walked through town to the beginning of the trail.

Saw lots of crabs along the trail

A pearl eyed thrush at a rest stop on the trail

On the rim looking down over the crater

Greg lowers himself down over some boulders

These trees were unbelievably huge. Supposedly some of the oldest in the Caribbean which have survived all the storms because they are protected down in the crater.