S/V L'ORIENT

OK- I'm sure nobody feels sorry for us because our yacht doesn't get internet when anchored off this town in Marie Galante, Guadeloupe. But this place is an enigma.......a stunning island with only one safe anchorage.......and that anchorage is off a hamlet where everything is sketchy and the people are kind of angry. How angry ? We rented a scooter and drove 15 miles to a cafe to avoid the one right in front of the boat in St.Louis (we were scolded there a few days ago). I really wanted to go gangsta on her when she yelled at me in French/creole that there are no more sandwiches. "Maybe if you say it even louder I'll understand, you one toothed freak". But on a happier note, the rest of the island is amazing. Rugged, beautiful, and wonderfully Caribbean..........but with those French touches we love, like great food, wine, and would you believe chocolate rum ? Marie Galante Today we will continue our tour de Guadeloupe and also go for a hike. Next ...

Morning Baguette Delivery Iles des Saintes, Guadeloupe......we love this place. This morning at 7:15 am, the baguette/croissant delivery guy comes to our boat (exactly when he said he'd arrive). "Your bread, sir". If only the French had colonized every island in the Caribbean....... Today we actually had a bit of stress in the morning (although living on a yacht in the Caribbean makes that a relative statement). We are moored on a buoy fairly far out in the harbor. Two problems ensue.....first, it's a bit more rolly due to the swell......second, we're further from the wifi signal we are tapping into so internet is slower. This morning a boat on THE PERFECT MOORING BALL left this morning. Shazam, we spring into action...............Tom fires up the engine, Kirstin mans the bow with her buoy-harpoon (the device you grap the buoy with)...........and 10 minutes later L'ORIENT is living large in the high rent buoy district. Today's activities are ...

Ahh, boat life......for the uninitiated, living on a boat amounts to living inside a machine.........a machine that is your vehicle, powerplant, kitchen, bathroom, shower, communications center, shelter, and toolbox. Being in an environment characterized by salt water, salt air, and the relentless UV rays of the sun.......(you guessed it).......things break. Our boat (an Amel Supermaramu 2000) is among the most systems-heavy of cruising yachts. This boat was intended to make a cruising couple as independent of land as possible.........huge fuel and water capacity (and the ability to make fresh water out of sea water); 3 refrigerators, lots of storage, etc. But most of all, everything is designed for convenience (and it seems complexity)..........example- the toilets flush electrically !!! To maintain our domicile, we've had to become engineers, electricians, plumbers, woodworkers, fiberglass guys, painters, and tech-geeks. After 4 years aboard, you learn to pick your ba...

We returned to L'ORIENT on April 30 and held our collective breath. We had never been off our boat for even 2 weeks since we moved aboard......much less 9 weeks. Everything was OK and we quickly bought food, fuel, and prepared to get out of Jolly Harbor. Our time in the US was productive, if a bit wierd. I gradually got used to working and living out of a suitcase.........even having a bit of fun with business meeting introductions....."so, Tom did you fly in from Washington ?"........"No, my commute was a bit further." We were able to visit parents, kids, cousins, and friends......which was nice. We also were able to purchase some hard to find boat parts. As of this writing we are in Deshaies, Guadelope.........a notorious internet and wifi black hole. We just found out that the SIM card we bought in Antigua (36 miles away) doesnt work here although Digicel operates networks in both countries. More evidence that we are aging.......our ability to use...