September 6 - Irma the Beast

This posting will be my final "Mowzer" blog post, but while it marks the end of this particular chapter, it will definitely not be the end of our journey.

I am posting this to share our story with all those who have asked for an update on Mowzer. What we can't forget is the sheer incomprehensible level of devastation for those people who live and make their livelihood on these special islands.  We are not alone in the loss of our boat and we sympathize with the many others who have been similarly affected.

Let's rewind back a few months to set the scene.  We had left Mowzer on St. Martin for bottom repairs and a paint job at Polypat boatyard.  She was situated in the yard, just west of Marigot by the lagoon entrance on the French side.  The repairs were planned for about three months out of the water and then life took a turn as we changed plans to return to Ottawa.  In June, Henry returned to the boat to prep for hurricane season and check on the repairs.  Given we were to remain in Ottawa for a while, thankfully he also took the time to remove and ship home most of our belongings and precious mementos of Mowzer life.  While we knowingly left Mowzer on an island often targeted by hurricanes, we weren't planning on being onboard and we filed our plan and received approval from our insurance company.  Little did we know that the hyperactive hurricane season of 2017 and September alone would host not one or two, but FOUR major hurricanes, three of which would make landfall in the eastern Caribbean.

September 6 saw the arrival of Irma with a direct hit that devastated the islands of the north-east.  Barbuda, the island where we had so much enjoyed viewing the magnificent frigate birds was completely annihilated with 95% of structures destroyed and all residents permanently evacuated from their home island.  Saint Martin was next in line for this hurricane which sustained wind speeds of 295 km/hr for over 36 hours and on the morning of September 6 we can only shudder to imagine the conditions on the island.

The first images we viewed showed the twisted and flooded remains of the boat-yards just outside of Marigot and at this point we could only assume that the worst had happened to Mowzer.  Reports came in over the next few days, from friends and strangers alike all sharing stories of horror and devastation and although we were miles away, it was a visceral feeling of dread that took up roost deep in our bellies.

*Meteo Express (Facebook page)

It took another 6 days for Irma to pound through the Virgins & islands west, to finally diminish and die away over the mainland U.S. and by then we had watched category 4 Jose brush to the north and were now cringing as another formed off the coast of Africa.  Adding insult to massive injury, Maria wound herself up to category 5 and this monster took a more southerly route right through our beloved Dominica and the U.S. islands of St. Croix and Puerto Rico.  Between Jose and Maria, more tropical storm force winds and copious amounts of rain made lives even more miserable on St. Martin and compounded the damage left behind by Irma.  Thankfully it is now almost November and the end of the 2017 Hurricane season will soon be proclaimed to be one for the history books.

With communication and power outages on the islands, limited reliable information was difficult to find, but finally on September 13 we were put in touch with marine surveyor David Duong who was in the process of documenting many of the boat yards in St. Martin with his drone footage on YouTube. Here was our first glimpse of Mowzer:  at 4:16 in this video Mowzer appears bottom, slightly left of centre with a monohull leaning up against her - no mast, no bimini, keels collapsed.

As you can see the picture is not pretty so we launched an insurance claim and cutting quickly to the end of our story we have now had the boat surveyed and proclaimed a total loss.

The pictures from our survey report tell a more detailed story.  It would appear that the monohull leaning up against her helped push Mowzer over on her keels and come to rest on the boat next to her.  The aluminum RIB dinghy is amazingly still on the davits but is cracked and has bent the davit structure.  The aft port quarter is fractured, the hard-top bimini is completely gone, the mast lies bent and twisted on the ground in front of the boat and the list goes on and on.

Our insurance (Skipper's Plan backed by Aviva Insurance) has acted quickly and efficiently, especially considering the volume of catastrophic losses they must be processing and we are satisfied with that part of the outcome.

Irma may have taken Mowzer, but we have memories, experiences, the fulfilment of dreams and the most amazing, expanded set of friends who have supported us throughout the whole ordeal.

The following pictures were taken by the surveyor (Harbor & Ocean Services Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Florida) and provided in the report to our insurer:

Now, let's remember happier days as we plan our next adventure.  Irma may have taken Mowzer but the pursuit of the simple lifestyle and the dream will continue!

R.I.P Mowzer

Martinique to St. Martin ... and On To Canada!

It's been a while since I posted here so to close out 2016 I thought I should do a little catch-up on our adventures since we were last hiking on Martinique.

Ah, Martinique!!  One of our favourite islands in the Caribbean and would that we could still be there.  However, Mowzer needs some warranty work and the yards here are just too busy to fit us in until later in 2017, so off to St. Martin we went on word that we could be hauled and repairs started before Christmas.

Martinique, as always had her grips on us and just as we were leaving we lost a set-screw in the pin that held the boom to the mast.  After our initial shock, we turned around, effected our repair and were on our way again a few hours later.

Just one little set screw, stripped of its' threads, caused a heart-stopping moment as we got ready to hoist sail and head north.

We had the perfect weather window for our trek north.  We could have done it all in one go but we decided to enjoy ourselves and took day sails instead:  

• Martinique to Dominica, 
• Dominica to Guadeloupe, 
• Guadeloupe to Antigua, 
• Antigua to St. Bart's,
• and then a small hop from St. Bart's to St. Martin.  

As the rainy, squally weather cleared over the first couple of days we were treated to sunny skies once again.  Along the way we met up with friends, firstly in Anse d'Arlets we had a final dinner with Laura & Jerry on their charter boat.

From under her thick duvet of early morning cloud, Martinique awakes to the sunrise.

We caught up with Joe and Greg on Serenade as we reached Dominica, and from there to St. Martin we were boat buddies.  It was still raining heavily on the island and we were treated to views of spectacular waterfalls and a 'river' of freshwater run-off along the coast.

Waterfalls from above and you can just make out the colour change of the fresh water running south along the coast.

Early morning sun lighting up the water and Serenade's sails.  What perfect conditions!

As we approached Guadeloupe we were treated to a rainbow over the anchorage and then a little squall as we anchored - seemed to be the routine we had hit, but on this occasion we were able to celebrate with a little reunion.  Bill and Wendy on Overstreet were already in the anchorage.

Rainbows mean sunshine and rain - we were already in the sunshine so we assumed we might be about to get wet in the anchorage.  Not for long though and then we were primed for a beautiful sunset.

And so the days went - up and sail early for 8-10 hours and then settle into an anchorage for the night.  Conditions were near-on perfect with beam reaches between the islands and easy-to-dodge squalls few and far between.  Once we reached Antigua we were hoping for the forecast northerly factor in the winds as we made our turn north-west towards St. Martin.  Unfortunately, the winds do not always listen to the forecast but we weren't complaining - calm conditions for a motor-sail, no drama, and a mid-afternoon arrival in St. Bart's.  The only excitement we had was when we were just over 10 miles off the coast of St. Bart's and running in 70-100' of water, we could just make out a freighter up ahead that appeared to be stationary.  Once we were in range with our AIS we were confirmed, he was anchored - and RIGHT on our rhumb line!

Easy for us to tell that freighter wasn't moving, with the peaks of St. Bart's in the background.

Really?  Right on our rhumb line to St. Bart's.  Diversionary tactics were called for.

Not that exciting in all reality - just a little tweak on the auto-pilot, and mostly a way to break up the day.

Once again, under sunny skies we headed on the next morning to make the bridge into the lagoon at St. Martin.  As a first for us, we carried right on through the causeway bridge, which is a swing bridge with an in- and an out-channel, proceeded just over the border onto the French side and dropped our hook.

Just two of us going through the bridge on that day.

We settled into the anchorage and with our arrival the winds picked back up to howling level and the sunny skies took a break.  We had timed our trip perfectly!

The sun said farewell for a few days with a nice showy sunset on the clouds above.

Our home in the French-side lagoon, just below "The Witch's Tit".

They may be stormy skies, but a little ray of sunshine created the perfect light for an evening sail.

While we awaited our haul-out date and hoped that the winds would die down a bit, we socialized and caught up with new and old friends.

One of our favourite spots - Little Jerusalem for most excellent shawarma, this time enjoyed with Jo and Greg.

Here's a new one to try - an interesting combination!

St. Martin is a wonderful cross-road where people heading north, south, east and west all converge.  Here we met up with first-time Canadian cruisers Matthew & Kathleen on Kinship (friends from Ottawa) and Tess & Al on Ingomar (from St. John's, NFLD.)  We then reunited with Danish friend Peter on Mandalay and with that we had quorum for a hike and a beer or two.

Matthew, Kathleen, Tess & Al joined us for a lovely French meal on a patio in Marigot.

Getting lost up on Pic Paradis - it's amazing how quickly the path can become overgrown in the rainy season!

Our haul-out date arrived on December 15th, and ironically it was the only day on the forecast that had winds under 20 knots.  We hightailed it over to the yard early in the morning and before the winds could change their minds, we were lifted out and settled on the hard.  

Getting the lift straps carefully positioned.

And quick as that Mowzer was lifted by the crane and carefully positioned in the yard.  The whole operation took about 15 minutes.

A dusty, dirty yard is not a fun place to stay so we were very lucky to get an apartment right on Marigot Bay, about 15 minutes walk from the boat yard.  A friend of a friend of a friend owns the place - so wonderful what a good network of friends can accomplish!

Our living room and a tiny kitchen.

The view from the bedroom and patio completely made the stay delightful!

Mowzer now has to sit on land for about four months, so being homeless for a while we decided to head back to Canada for Christmas and spend the holidays with family.  On top of that, we celebrated my amazing mother's 93rd birthday with everyone in attendance except Jim, who joined us by Skype from Belgium.

93 years strong - celebrating with the family.

Winter has of course arrived in Ottawa and with fresh eyes we are enjoying the winter views.

Changes in latitude.

Favourite Islands Part 2: Anguilla to Dominica

Still on a quest to see if we can figure out our favourite East Caribbean island - here's the second instalment.  Here's the first instalment if you missed it.

Anguilla
Just a scant 6 miles north of St. Martin, Anguilla is a low-lying limestone island that is quickly making a name for itself with high-end boutique resort and villa tourism.  There is one main anchorage on the north side, Road Bay, and a number of small fishing harbours scattered along the coast.  Getting to the shoals and islets that lie along the north shore is an expensive proposition (extra cruising permit required) and is really only enjoyable in calm weather.  We have been to Anguilla twice and both times have enjoyed the island more by car than for its water-based activities.  The history of Anguilla is quite interesting with their relationship with Britain and we enjoyed speaking to a passionate local historian and learning a bit more about this island.  The locals are friendly, understand tourism and there are many opportunities for great eating.
     Love:  Small and easily accessible by car
     Hate:  Not much to do if you don't have a car

Road Bay is the main anchorage

The little museum makes for an interesting diversion.

Fishermen bring in the catch at Scilly Bay.

Sint Maarten / St. Martin
Sint Maarten (the Dutch side) the mecca of all things boating related and it's island neighbour St. Martin, the first of the French islands.  The two halves are so different and yet exist so well side by side.  We come to Sint Maarten to do boat work, buy stuff for the boat and have stuff easily shipped from the States.  We then go and drop the hook on the other side and enjoy a much more relaxed stay with all the benefits of the French territory.  The lagoon is one of the most amazing features since by dinghy we can access so much on both sides.  We love playing on St. Martin with friends since there are many great bars and restaurants, pretty beaches and usually so many assembled cruisers that just hanging out on each others' boats is a great time.
     Love:  You can get anything you need for your boat here
     Hate:  This island is BUSY!!

A parade of boats entering Simpson Lagoon under the lift bridge on the Dutch side.

Mega yachts and big sailboats - all part of the scenery.

On of our favourite hangouts - Lagoonies.

On the French side, the fun little town of Marigot with the lagoon in the background.

Ladies of the tourism office dressed in traditional Creole costumes.

St. Bart's
We haven't spent a huge amount of time on St. Bart's but what we have felt here was that we could be in the French Riviera.  High end shops and boutiques, a charming little gallic town, well dressed residents and visitors - this place exudes luxury.  Anse Colombier at the north end of the island is the perfect stop-over spot with free mooring balls and beautiful clear waters.  We've heard that this is THE place to be on New Year's Eve.
     Love:  Perfect for a short visit
     Hate:  The anchorage at Gustavia (we stay in Colombier.)

The pretty little town of Gustavia is wrapped about the inner harbour.

This is probably the only real Louis Vuitton shop in the Caribbean.

St. Bart's is one of those islands with a crazy little airport - just look at this approach!

Antigua & Barbuda
Two islands ...

Barbuda is one of the most isolated, barren islands you will have the pleasure of visiting.  Miles and miles of white sand beaches, the scantest population, an interesting topography with an inner lagoon, relatively flat island, rising to low cave-studded cliffs overlooking the Atlantic.  Visit in the winter months and you will be amazed by the Frigate Bird nesting colony - it is a sight to see!  Plan on being there in calm conditions and with a well provisioned fridge so you can stay a few days.  This is the place to achieve your inner peace.
     Love:  Peace & serenity
     Hate:  Water-taxi ride or a long wet dinghy ride to get to Codrington

The beach on Barbuda - really, there is nothing here!

Except of course the Magnificent Frigate bird - you have to go see them.

Antigua is the complete opposite - this is a busy island and in the winter months hosts a number of top-notch regattas.  What is amazing about Antigua and sets it apart from most other islands is that with its extensive reef and island system, you can find anchorages on all sides of the island.  After the hustle and bustle (and regatta party time) in Falmouth and English Bays on the south side, heading around to Nonsuch Bay on the east side is much like turning the clock back to some untold time, or instantly finding yourself on vacation.
     Love:  Multitude of cruising opportunities
     Hate:  Don't let vendors confuse you with USD vs. ECD - that's a 270% ripoff!

No charge, just stand on the beach or the cliffs and watch these incredible speed machines race for the start-line.

The colours of the water fill the spectrum of blue.

Lots of resorts on Antigua - this is a high-end one on Long Island at Jumby Bay.

Catch some wind action on the east coast at the kite school on Green Island.

Back in Falmouth, the Classics are lining the docks.

    
Guadeloupe
The biggest of the French islands and the seat of the Antilles Administration offices.  It is not however the most 'French' of the islands - it is the most 'Creole'.  Here you get the most in-depth feel for the French Caribbean and the island-style cooking is delicious.  Guadeloupe is made up of two bridge-joined islands, each with a very unique character.  There are also a number of outer islands including Marie-Galante and Les Saintes.  There is so much to see and do on all these islands, many rum distilleries to visit, ruins - old forts - history galore.  Point a Pitre (the biggest but not the capital city) is a gritty working class place with great energy in the daytime, not sure I'd want to be out on the streets after dark.  One of our favourite hikes of all time is on the south-west end of the island - Souffriere Volcano.
     Love:  Diversity - so much choice
     Hate:  Difficult and sparse anchorages, language can be an issue if you have no French.

Pointe a Pitre on Guadeloupe is a totally cosmopolitain city.

But the outdoor market is still the place to get the best fruit and veggies.

Ah - what's not to love about French Creole cooking.

Welcoming you to Les Iles des Saintes - the doctor's house.

Learn your history of the pivotal Battle of the Saints at Fort Napoleon - this one didn't go so well for the French.

Wander the quaint streets of Grand Bourg des Saintes.

Dominica
Ah, the nature island.  Dominica is like finally getting to the cottage for that long anticipated summer wilderness vacation.  Everywhere you go on Dominica is like walking through a tropical nature conservancy or a garden.  Take your pick - literally.  Fruit drips off the trees, lemon-grass grows everywhere, the farmers will give you roots from their gardens.  The lush forests that cover most of this island, clinging to the steep slopes of nine volcanos make for the most excellent hiking along the Waitukabuli National Trail.  Some of the friendliest people you will meet live on Dominica and hiking along the roads involves a multitude of stops along the way just to lime with the locals.  It's irie mon!
     Love:  Getting in shape - hiking on Dominica / PAYS organization in Portsmouth
     Hate:  Breaking my personal rule here to write more than a short phrase because this is a complex topic.  When we first visited Dominica we saw poverty everywhere.  To our North American eyes, these people lived in poverty.  What we now see is a population that lives close to nature.  No-one is starving on this island.  There are some individuals who are poorly clothed and wander the streets but there is usually an underlying issue of physical or mental illness and we see this every place we visit, including back home in Canada.  What has created the greatest need on Dominica was Tropical Storm Erika that devastated the island in August 2015.  Villages and roads were wiped out and people lost everything they owned. So I guess what I 'hate' about Dominica is actually my own interpretation of what I see on the street and I really need to get over myself.

Dominica is rugged, green and wet.  Magnificent waterfalls carve their way through the landscape.

The Waitukubuli National Trail encircles the island in 14 segments.

Following the trail and getting close to nature.

From the largest tree...

To the shiest bird...

To the power of Mother Nature in the Valley of Desolation, you can see it all on Dominica.

And then finish it all off with some delicious hand-made chocolate.

So that's instalment two - stay tuned as we look at the inner Leeward Islands from Saba to Montserrat.