We stayed in St. Martin too long. That you know. But yesterday, we made the 10-hour sail from St. Barths down to St. Kitts. With a change of scenery came a change of perspective and a chance to reflect on the positive side of our time in St. Martin. For us, the best part was the people we met or unexpected ran into.
We expected in St. Martin to have a friend or two come and visit – it was the easiest place to fly into that we were going. Will’s co-worker Matt (he is the one on the last video that we forgot to properly introduce – whoops, sorry Matt!) was the first to come. He had a well-timed wedding in Vieques and planned to meet us when we got back from Utah. He was the only visitor aside from my parents who we allowed to make plans before our trip since we knew exactly where we would be on December 14th. What was less expected were the second visitors we had. The day after Matt left, I got an email from my cousin saying she had the travel bug. I told her where we were and just like that, she bought a ticket. Two days later, she and her boyfriend arrived to spend a week with us. Gotta love that spontaneity! Although it was too windy to go anywhere, we had a great time exploring the island, sneaking into all-inclusive resorts and getting to spend quality time together. This time, the longest we have spent with each other in our adult lives, was the best Christmas gift I could have asked for.
We had also hoped to run into fellow cruisers and friends who crew on yachts. If we had only been in St. Martin for a week or two as we had planned, that wouldn’t have happened. Due to our extended stay, we not only got to meet up with said friends, but also made new ones. The day after Christmas we found ourselves having drinks aboard a $3 million sailing yacht, a Discovery 67. Our newly made friends, a couple our age, have been this boat’s crew for the past few year. This vessel was not just twice as long as our boat, it was twice as wide and more luxurious than most houses I have had the privilege of being invited into. Before going aboard this beauty, I was impressed by any sailboat that had a freezer, a water maker or a toilet with an electrical flush – the luxuries that I occasionally dream about. This gal (and the $250,000 annual maintenance costs) was in an entirely different echelon. Nice to look at, but boy am I glad that we are not responsible for her. Maybe next time we will get invited to one of the over-the-top mega yachts we have recently seen in St. Barths – I cannot even imagine what you would get for $100 million…
The most surprising run-in though was with my colleague – he’d get mad if I called him my boss, so I’ll just say he is one of the most senior people at my company. Out of the blue, I get an email from him a few days before New Year’s asking us which island we were on. He was on vacation and thought he might be able to take puddle jumper to meet us somewhere. Ironically, the hotel that he was staying in was just a 5-minute drive from the bar where we were checking email. He drove out and instead of asking me too many questions about when I was coming back to work, took us out for the nicest meal we have had since our trip began.
Now, we are sitting at a near-deserted anchorage in St. Kitts. There is no wind or wake to speak of and our boat is gently rocking. The sun just went down and the frogs have begun their night song. Three days ago, we were feeling stagnant. Worried about the future. Scheming about other adventures that we could take. Now that we are back on the move, it feels like we won the lottery to be able sit in the middle of nowhere and watch the stars come out. I am glad we had the angst of being in one place too long. It is sometimes difficult to get perspective while you are in the middle of an experience. To see the lows and periods of anxiety, frustration or boredom for what they are – and to recognize how and why they were valuable. The time in St. Martin was not the first, and it surely will not be the last when we will feel that way. But boy, does it feel good to move on.