LORD'S PRAYER LOG, Part 28:
Friday, March 03, 2000
0626 Sunrise
0818 Lord's Prayer is underway from St. Kitts to St. Barthelemy (St. Barts) - a
trip of some 49 NM. St. Barts is an island of French heritage and the
customs/port folks presumably are on duty until 1800 daily. With this in mind we
are making a lazy morning departure. We have heard much about the Baguettes and
the French cuisine at St. Barts. We are told that it is an island where one MUST
hang out for a bit. And so we are looking forward to our arrival with great
anticipation. One other piece of intelligence we have received is that, "It
is expensive But it is worth it!" So we shall see! The dinghy is in tow
astern with the outboard and oars etc loaded aboard Lord's Prayer for the trip
across the patch of open Atlantic water. The wind is forecast to be out of the
east at 15 kts. We will slip around the south end of St. Kitts to pass through
the Narrows between St. Kitts and Nevis. Once clear of the shoals we will take
up a course of 340 degrees True for a straight shot to St. Barts. We are keeping
our fingers crossed that the wind will have veered enough out of the NE into the
E so that we might fetch St. Barts in a single tack. Again, we shall see.
0950 Abeam Booby Island, we heave up the mainsail and haul out the jib. We fall
off the wind onto a close-hauled starboard tack working our way clear of the
shoals with engine assisting. Boat speed is 6+ kts in 15 kts of easterly wind.
We will maintain this heading for about 3 NM and then fall further off the wind
onto a reach for the leg to St. Barts.
1011 We turn to a heading of 340T for St. Barts. As we leave Saint Kitts behind
we reflect on some of the curious things we learned about it. As at Barbados,
the government owns the sugar industry. But whereas in Barbados the harvesting
is done by machine, it is still cut and loaded into carts largely by hand in
Saint Kitts. The locals do not do that labor. Migrants from Guyana are brought
in to do it. There is a narrow gauge railroad that encircles the island; it is
dedicated to picking up the cane and bringing it to the single central factory
where it is processed into brown sugar, molasses and rum. There are some
hotel/resort projects around the island that were started by outside enterprises
and were subsequently abandoned after the builders apparently ran afoul of the
government and the laws. It would appear that these builders just walked away
leaving the construction partially completed - just as it stood. We learned that
Saint Kitts and Nevis are holding elections on the 6th of this month. We asked
Michael B(our tour guide) what were the issues. He was not able to tell us but
he did say
that things had "gotten crazy". Everyone was "just too
emotional". As a result he does not talk to anyone about it. He was however
able to point out his Prime Minister's home and show us his Prime Minister's
picture on some of the many political advertisements that are all over the
island. We also observed politicians in trucks with loud speakers on top driving
about haranguing the populace with their particular brand of politics.
1434 As we sail to Saint Barts, we pass Sint Eustatius and Saba off to port.
Both of these islands belong to the Netherlands. At one time St. Eustatius was
the center for trade in the West Indies. That is not the case anymore, however.
1645 Lord's Prayer is anchored in 23' of water with 85' of chain over a sand
bottom at Gustavia, St. Barts. Position: 17-53N 062-51W.
1700 I go ashore in the dingy and clear into St. Barts then return aboard.
1800 Bob Dawn & I go ashore together in the dinghy for a walk about the
waterfront and to have dinner.
1818 Sunset
END OF LORD'S PRAYER LOG, Part 28
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