Our sailing trip to the islands of Saint Martin, Saint Barts and Anguilla - December 16-23 2006.

A video clip with some of our sailing moments...


Day 1: Oyster Pond to Orient Bay (Ilet Pinel)
Day 2: Orient Bay to Anse de Colombier (St. Barts)
Day 3: Anse de Colombier to Gustavia
Day 4: Gustavia to Road Bay (Anguilla)
Day 5: Road Bay to Crocus Bay via Sandy Island and Prickly Pear Cays
Day 6: Crocus Bay to Grand Case (Saint Martin)
Day 7: Grand Case to Oyster Pond

Day 1
We chartered a bareboat from Sunsail's base located in Oyster Pond, Saint Martin. Here it is, Manatee, a Beneteau Oceanis 393 sloop:

We left Oyster Pond in the afternoon and after a 2 hour sail we arrived in Orient Bay and anchored next to Pinel Island. We enjoyed the beautiful beach and hiked on the rough terrain to take some pictures:

Our boat, Manatee (middle) lies in the sheltered anchorage offered by Pinel Island.

Nice view of the sea from the top of the island.

Day 2
We left the next morning, passing by Tintamarre Island, heading towards Saint Barts:

Eric at the helm during the passage to Saint Barts

After a 6 hours sail we dropped anchor in the beautiful Anse de Colombier in Saint Barts and enjoyed an afternoon on the almost deserted beach:

We snorkeled around the bay and followed the colorful fish around the coral reefs:

Nurse sharks, right under our boat - Eric was very proud to swim next to them:

We got few squalls but usually they were over in about 5 minutes, offering us nice rainbows:

Day 3
Next day we headed South and anchored in Gustavia, the capital of Saint Barts:

We strolled by the megayachts and enjoyed a dinner in a local restaurant:

Marius, next to "Excellence III" which by the way, you can rent it for $385,000 for one week - quite a bargain ;)

Day 4
From Gustavia, we took an 8 hour, 32 miles trip to Road Bay, Anguilla:

In Road Bay, Anguilla, we spent the afternoon on the beach and visited some wrecks (a must for Eric!):

Day 5
The next morning we left for the Sandy Island, a small but beautiful island surrounded by turquoise water, not far from Road Bay.


The island was completely deserted when we arrived there:

The wreck of a wooden boat lies on the reefs on the northern shore of the island:

From Sandy Island we sailed another hour to Prickly Pear Cays, another picture-perfect island with white beaches surrounded by the most beautiful water:

We snorkeled in the reefs surrounding the island:

Later we had a lunch of barbequed mahi-mahi - too bad we did not take a picture of it...

From Prickly Pear Cays, we headed back to Anguilla, this time we anchored in Crocus Bay where we spent a rather rolly night.

Day 6
The next morning we visited Little Bay:

We snorkeled, surrounded by schools of fish, watched the pelicans diving for fish and admired the strange vegetation adorning the cathedral walls. The pictures really don't do justice to this place:

From Little Bay, we started our trip back to Saint Martin, this time towards Grand Case, on the French side:

We arrived in Grand Case, few hours later:

And spent the evening in town:

Day 7
After a very windy night, mixed with reggae music from the restaurants laying on the beach, we started our trip back to Oyster Pond and after 3 hours of rough seas sailing we arrived at the Sunsail base where we returned the boat:

The kids enjoyed a swim in the marina pool:

The charts for our trip:

Day 1: Oyster Pond to Orient Bay (Ilet Pinel)
Day 2: Orient Bay to Anse de Colombier (St. Barts)
Day 3: Anse de Colombier to Gustavia
Day 4: Gustavia to Road Bay (Anguilla)
Day 5: Road Bay to Crocus Bay via Sandy Island and Prickly Pear Cays
Day 6: Crocus Bay to Grand Case (Saint Martin)
Day 7: Grand Case to Oyster Pond