12. Lagoonies

I found work with Five Star Yachting Consultancy, and got paid today. Big relief! I’ve been helping Andy restore two window frames for a motor yacht right across the lagoon in Porto Cupecoy. After cleaning them we reinstall them. Good work and so fun to be speeding across the lagoon in an awesome dingy. I wish my dingy could go fast.

Sandy Ground Bridge

The blue crane lifts up a section of the road so yachts can pass into and out of the French side of Simpson Lagoon. It’s quite narrow, but the dredged channel you need to follow all the way in is even narrower. Out of the channel, the lagoon is shallow. I’ve seen a couple of boats go aground and struggle to get off the bottom. The bridge opens only a couple of times a day. I went through the nine o’clock opening. It was fun in Marigot Bay with 5 or 6 other yachts all wanting to go in. We did a little dance, circling around, ready for the bridge to open, then waiting for the boats to come out, all lining up and motoring into the lagoon single file.

On the Dutch Bridge, looking to Simpson Bay

The lagoon is a strange place. I like it because I’m out of the waves, and it’s an easy dingy ride to pretty much everywhere. I like being near Marigot and Port Le Royal, but the Dutch side is good too, and cheaper. Everywhere there’s a mix of mega yacht marinas, expensive restaurants and 5-star hotels, and run down old workshops and boatyards, half sunken yachts and rusting old boats. Shipwrecks from a hurricane, or just abandoned by the owner.

On the French side of the lagoon, there are long term cruisers and live-aboards; couples sailing long term on a budget. Different people from the rich families and couples on two week holidays, chartering boats like so many in the BVI. There are also lots of old sailors, living on their own, camping in their boats. They don’t have much money either, but stay afloat by fixing each other’s boats and swapping parts. Lagoon monsters?  Mostly they’re lovely, kind and often offer to help, or recommend someone who can. But there are also lots of pirates; thieves who’ll steal your dingy or come on your boat at night.

Francois, a huge old Frenchman, with a grey beard and brown teeth came to see me in his underpants. Tight grey ones pulled up round his big belly; less pirate and more pro wrestler. He said it was nice I’d anchored so close to him. Eric, a weird looking stinky Dutch man, with even worse underpants, more like bikini bottoms…shouted at me not to anchor here, because I would drag. He was very grumpy.

I keep working on Sonic Boom. Dane gave me a car radio he had, so I’ve connected that, mounted a speaker, and got sounds. I’ve removed the salon table, and replaced the missing boards so that now I have a U-shaped sofa that converts to a double bed. Soon I will get the cushions recovered, which will make my living space much comfier, and better sleeping with 2 doubles and a single.