The Continuation of Bobthebuilder's Caribbean Adventure - Feb to May 2011
 

We all love and use our offshore boats in various ways whether it be racing, poker runs or a lunch or weekend run with friends. For me, while I enjoy all of the above, I also like to travel some distance and see new places and meet people of similar interest. Many have enjoyed following along on some of my past travels and friends here on OSO and Facebook have asked that I continue to document my latest travels.
Last month I shipped Team PREDATOR from Florida back to St Thomas, USVI in preparation for a deeper run into the Caribbean. In late February I spent a week in the US and BVI with friends I made there last year. Here is a link to a series of 65 pictures I took over the coarse that most recent week: http://www.flickr.com/photos/2099098...7626162511080/
OSO Expat was initially instrumental in enticing me to come down and join them on the Leverick Bay BVI poker run last year and I cannot thank him enough. Here is a link to that 1,300 mile or so run down from Ft Lauderdale to BVI in May and June of last year: http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/g...adventure.html
Anyway, I have just recently returned to the Islands for Team PREDATOR and on Monday March 21st made the 90 mile crossing from BVI to St Maarten, so the next phase of my Caribbean adventure is officially under way. It is currently quite windy so no travel plans for a day or so yet other that a day trip today out to St Bartts and back. Our next planned port of call is Antigua later in the week. Hopefully, the many islands will offer enough protection that Team Predator can continue to make its way further south through the eastern Caribbean. Friend James Glover flew into St Maarten yesterday to help crew the boat until we finish up this phase, hopefully as far south as St Lucia. We will then put the boat away on Monday March 28th and fly back north. The plan after that is to return in April with a new crew for another 9 days or so exploring the Grenadines before heading back north toward the BVI. Going northbound, we will visit some of the islands that we previously passed by. The weather and sea conditions of coarse will determine if we can maintain our schedule but will see as much as we can and share with you. The final part of this will be to be back in the BVI for Memorial weekend to do the 2011 Leverick Bay poker run. After that, back to St Thomas for shipment to Florida and a return to normalcy.... whatever that is ! LOL
As on past trips I have activated my "SPOT" tracking device and you can see where we have traveled by clicking on this link: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/f...JbWs8tmcPVS9Vs It was not activated for the Virgin Island portion but is now and shows the crossing to St Maarten.
So follow along if you like and I will post pictures and commentary as I am able.

Bob Barnhart

1) getting hauled out of Sea Star Line in St Thomas

2) Have just cleared Customs at West End BVI, and 25 miles out to Saba Rock Resort by dark. Made it. David and friends met me off Peter Island. .

3) David in the Tiger

4)Team PREDATOR at Saba Rock Resort

5) View from Peter Island

Living the dream :drink: Looking forward to the photos!!

Safe travels my friend !!!!!

Bob,

Haven't met you yet but have followed your adventures. Looking forward to tracking this adventure and meeting you sometime during the season this year.

Jon

I can listen(read) to Bob's stories all day long. Bob you are the man. I would love to have the knowledge and hardware that you do! Good luck with everything and be safe.



Dave

Gotta love the pics and stories Bob - Keep it up!!! And be safe!! Hope your son is enjoying the 43!! I know we did!!

Have a safe and fun trip Bob see you
in florida in april.
Rick :boat:

Great Adventure Bob! Always interesting to read your post about your travels.

Bob,

I just watched your slide show, what a beautiful location, thank you for sharing.

You are obviously having a great time.

Enjoy the rest of your time down there, see you on the 2nd.

Bob,
You are my hero! Have fun on your expedition!
Dean

Looking forward to following this trip my friend!!! Have fun!!

Have a safe and fun trip!!!

Looks like you are having a blast! Wish we were going to be able to make a FMO run this year, but the schedules just didn't line up. Maybe next year :drink:

Just got back from the Grenadines....beware of the rum punch!...have a great trip and be safe

Have truly enjoyed following your adventures and look forward to this one.

Stay safe...have fun...and take lots of pics for the rest of us.

Awesome travels Bob, have a great time.

Beautiful pictures! Thanks for posting. Be safe and have a great trip!

awsome pictures Bob take lots more pictures Have fun and be safe

I was gonna say this as well, but you are definately on my hero list, and it is a short list.

Take care and God bless for being able to do it.:coolcowboy::coolcowboy:

Pics
 

1) Saying goodbye to David ( OSO Expat ) and Chrissann before leaving for St Maarten from BVI on Monday afternoon. The 90 mile crossing took 3hrs averaging only 30 MPH in 3 meter waves. There were absolutely no other boats out there making the crossing on Monday. I knew I just had to make that crossing and once out there travel would be much easier. Forecast is looking great for the rest of the trip.

2) Approaching St Maarten. I could see the Island 36 miles out. Great visibility.

3) There were at least 24 Yachts well over 100 ft in the marina. I felt kinda small. LOL

4) Helm with "SPOT" perched on top.

5) Simpson Bay Marina where Team PREDATOR is until tomorrow. Leaving for Antigua by noon or shortly after in just 2 meter seas. LOL Check SPOT if you have a chance.

More pics
 

1) Smiling James

2) Bridge that separates Simpson Bay from the open sea.

3) Cruise ships in port at Phillipsburg, St Maarten

4) Rocky shoreline as we cleared St Maarten for St Bartts today

Well at least you are joined by a fellow canadian there! the second boat in pic 3 (desination fox harbr too) is owned by the man who started tim hortons

Thanks for sharing!!! You are our Hero.

Be safe.

1) Approaching the harbor at St Bartt's

2) Harbor pic

3) more harbor

4) Leaving st Bartt's. You can see St Maarten in the distance. Just 12 miles.

You are right. That would be Ron Joyce. i think he takes the boat up to his place in Nova Scotia in the summer.

Have fun and be safe Bob...I'm already kicking myself in the azz for not coming!!!:picard1:

On our return to St Maarten from St Bartt's we stopped in at Phillipsburg before returning to Simpson Bay Marina. Very nice beach front and boardwalk setup to cater to the cruise ship trade.

All being well the next set of picture will be posted at Antigua.

Bob

Love following your adventures Bob, keep up the good work.......Will you be headed back toward St. Maarten around April 28th-March 1st ? I just booked a few days down there for my wife and my anniversary.....would love to buy you a drink and show my wife what she will be doing in about 10-15 yrs when I retire........lol...........enjoy!!!!!!!

Rick is another Canadian from Barrie, ON. He has an interesting life chartering his boat out. He shared a lot of knowledge of the Islands with me that has been helpful. I do plan on being back in the BVI for the poker run in late May.

Thanks Johnny. I wrap up this part of the trip on Monday when I will fly home from St Lucia. I will return mid April for another 10 days and there is a good chance I will be back up in St Maarten in late April so if you are following you just might catch up w me on some island. Would be nice to meet.

Bob

Fantastic, Bob! Such unbelievably beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing. Safe travels.
:)

That would be great Bob, if the timing works out.......we will be staying in St. Maarten but traveling to Anguilla and St. Barts.......I will be following your travels on this thread, I will be in touch.........good luck, safe travels and enjoy !!!

I really enjoy reading your post and the pictures are really nice. I am from Antigua, and I hope you have fun there. Be sure to check out the Nelson's Dock Yard/English Harbor region of the island. You'll miss Sailing Week by about a month.

Thank you, modvp. We set out for Antigua today about 1PM and turned back after just going 5 miles or so. The wind and seas had not settled down as forecast. Waves were 3 M and we were going straight into them so not a good ride. The forecast for Friday is much better so I decided to wait until then rather than get beat up again. We are going to be at the marina at Falmouth Harbour if you are near there and want to look us up Friday afternoon.
Bob

So Bob did u say u were going to Antigua or Anguilla today ? LOL
 

Well today was one of those days where your plans get changed but for a reason I guess. We set out for Antigua and we were not very far out when I knew it would not be a pleasant trip. The wind and seas had not settled down as forecast so I aborted todays attempt. It is 110 miles and we were going straight into 3 meter waves so I thought better to go tomorrow when the forecast calls for 1.5 M waves and a slight shift in wind direction.
Rather than have a lost day we grabbed a u turn and did some cool things. First we drifted off the end of the runway to watch and photograph the planes landing at SXM. There are beach bars close by where people sit and watch for hours and then there are those that hang onto the chain link fence while the blast of jets taking off lifts their feet off the ground while they cling to the fence. I had heard about it and had to see. Will be downloading pics later and see what we have worth posting.
From there we ran about 12 miles across to Anguilla and up the shoreline to check that out. Very beautiful beaches and water color there. From there, back across to the north coast of SXM and into Grand Case, St Martin ( french side ) and then make our way down and around the coast and back into Simpson Bay Marina. It turned out to be a great day after all, just not Antigua. We will try again tomorrow.
Bob

You are correct, he had it in toronto harbour for about two weeks last summer, and he has a "little" 63 fairlane that is docked behind me at ontario place.

Bob, I am sorry to hear that the seas were that rough. If you are going to be at Falmouth Harbour, be sure to go to the Catamaran Hotel and see Fiona Bailey, she is the owner of the small but tranquil hotel. The Bailey's are the proprietor of parts of Falmouth Harbour.

Bob, I live in Maryland...I will send you a PM.

Got it. Thank you Avery. Very helpful and greatly appreciated. I hope we get to meet some day.
Bob

Anguilla pics
 

A few pics of Anguilla just 12 miles +/- from St Maarten. Very beautiful waters, great diving and beaches. The last pic is St Martin as seen from Anguilla.