Life Lessons

Some lessons you learn slowly in life, some you learn really quickly.

Lesson 1- Don't stand with your toe over the hatch coaming
Leaving St. Barts I neglected to make sure the anchor well hatch was tied back as we hauled anchor, a swell caught the boat, my toe was over the hatch opening and....this picture tells the rest of the story.....

Ouch! Lesson learned and no apparent lasting damage....

Lesson 2- Do what the customs lady says and always with a smile
The Leewards are a collection of islands that are Dutch, British and French. All have different languages, currencies and regulations (sort of like Europe before the Common Market). Some are user friendly and some, like St. Kitts, are labyrinthian. When we checked in (two separate offices), I was told we HAD to fly the St. Kittsian flag. I told the woman in immigration that our boat was a charter and there was no flag aboard. She looked right across at me and said "you're getting a flag or a large fine"...so off we went to get a flag. Now, one would think there would be a marine store on an island nation but no. Instead , after an hour of asking various authorities, we were directed to the visa office where we were told that you could buy a flag, they weren't sure the price but you to have exact change in EC $ and the flag was about $US30+/-. Yikes. Seemed nuts, so we trundled off to the nearest tee shirt shop and for $5 bought our flag as well as a smile from the immigration woman.

After we resolved our immigration issues we had a quiet day exploring the town and ran into a school parade.

It was supposed to highlight the professions the kids wanted to be. Here are the "professional athletes".

All in all St. Kitts has been a friendly and more "authentic" island than St. Barts. The people are great and the island has a certain "lived in" beauty .

Here's my nav station. On the chart, St. Kitts is to the top and Nevis at the bottom. Should be just a five mile sail.