Sailing off the mooring

Ukrainean captain Sergei shows off his skills by hoisting anchor and the main jib and staysail to aweigh at Antigua

Headless man found on Gustavia street

Should I call the Gendarmerie and report this crime?

Wearing my navigation chart just in case

Last evening on board SPV Star Clipper at St Barthelemy, Gustavia harbor. The Swedish shipping line owner, Michael Kraft, has just come on board to do quality control over Christmas week!

Le Select

St Barth's famous cafe offering the Burger in Paradise as the Jimmy Buffett song promised...

Leaving Guadeloupe

Splendid maneuver by the captain as he raises his anchor at Les Saintes and sails out of the anchorage.... although he does have the engine running ! The Star Clipper sails out at sunset between the rocky outcrops guarding the little bay and we steer W by NW leaving the main island of Guadeloupe to starboard. Then we settle down to captain's dinner with Lobster and Baked Alaska in the lee of the island!

Ziplines in the Antiguan rain forest

A dozen Zipline transfer lines slice through the rain forest canopy across deep ravines and jungle - this line is over 350 ft - just a little faith needed! Two stainless steel cables and two trolleys lend some confidence to the venture - it seems to improve considerably before the short last transfer and your safe return back to the good ship Star Flyer....

Star Clipper at anchor in Antigua

Time to experiment with my new App called Hipstamatic. This photo enhancing iPhone app has about a dozen different lenses that can be selected and then another 6 to 8 films style to select. There are several other options but just messing about with the combination of films and lenses gives enough variations to swamp you! After much experimentation there are two lenses I like and a couple of different films I keep returning to. This is a combination using Hipstamatic Kaimal Mark II lens and Kodot XGrizzled film.

For more fun Hipstamatic results check out http://www.panoramio.com/user/2134453/tags/Hipstamatic

Sugar Cane Central

Nevis small footprint in the Caribbean owes much to its bygone fame as one of the main sugar cane production centers hence the iron cauldrons for sugar reduction. Now it is left with converted mills into splendid top chain resorts such as the Hermitage, the Golden Rock, and Montpellier - once a Lady Di retreat.

Cruisers are worked hard

The inmates are running the ship... passengers are put to work hauling the main staysail as we leave Nevis. No grog being handed out here!

How do you make a Maltese cross?

Stamp on his foot ... of course!

Last time we were onboard the Star Flyer in Tahiti, we sailed under a Luxembourg flag... some deal with the EU benefits from having a ship built in Belgium. Now we are under the flag of Malta with the Maltese Cross flying on the stem of the Star Clipper. Apparently Malta is one of the few Euro zone countries where payroll taxes are not mandatory for the multi-national crew on the ship. Our crew hails mostly from India (engine room and deck hands), Thailand (dining and kitchen), Sweden (sports and social), Russia (sail riggers), Polish and Ukrainain (captain and officers who trained in the Soviet Navy tall ships) - and us the common cruisers mostly from US, UK, Canada, Germany, and a few other motley sources.

Moored alongside Eclipse

Sharing the dock at St. Marten is the mega-yacht Eclipse with Larry Ellison's Oracle II moored right behind her.... have we arrived at the right dock? Almost... Star Clipper awaits us... 98 passengers on this trip!

Made it across the beach to the runway

Always fun landing at St. Maarten and frightening the living daylights out the people tanning themselves on the beach... runway starts 50 ft from the beach and it is a short runway so they have to get their little wheels down as fast as possible!

Landing on the sea at St. Martin

ETOPS waypoint Bermuda

Two engine jets are regulated by ETOPS rules which limit the distance
to the nearest airport should one engine fail (never mind two
engines!). The flight from Philadelphia makes a direct course to
Bermuda, and with the island in sight in the distance makes a gentle
right-hand turn towards the island of St. Maarten in the Caribbean.

Experimenting with Hipstamatic filters

Next flight and time to waste sitting in Philadelphia and experiment with the John S lens and Kodot XGrizzled film... after they removed the lavatory pumping truck!

Breaking hard at Philly

City o Brotherly Love does not look so welcoming at 7 in the morning, however we are only here for a few minutes then onto our long ETOPS flight down to SXM.

Early morning flight out of DCA

Always a lot of anticipation at the start of a trip, will we make the flight, will we get bumped, will the flight be delayed, etc, dozens of things to go wrong which we have experienced most of in our recent travels. Nothing like a weight lifting off you as the plane gets airborne, at least you are now on your way. Here we are at Reagan National waiting for baggage to load in the wee hours of the morning....

Kofte on the grill ce soir!

Playing with Hipstamatic filters

RYC Visitor

This little creature got greedy and found himself trapped in a crab pot! There was a small amount of fish bait left in the trap which attracted this possum.... he went in the trap the same way the crab does, had his fill, and proceeded to the second chamber where I found him. After consulting with animal control and Google we decided his fate... release.... he does more good than harm! Not the fate reserved for groundhogs!

Bumper Blue Crab Haul: 40!

A Visit from Irene

Just a little excitement on Saturday night.... Hurricane Irene tracked 87 miles east of us out in the Atlantic off the Eastern shore and wrought floods, high winds, and power loss. Three days later several thousand folks in the Northern Neck are still without power, however, we were designated as being in the tropical storm zone and our power was returned within 36 hours. Now we await the arrival of Katia forming in the Cape Verde islands. The scene above is Water Lane and Hoskins Creek at about noon on Saturday as I returned from my first shift at EMS. The Northerly gusts up to 50 mph sent 20 to 30 ft spray over the low lying houses on Coleman's Island seen beyond the channel markers. Click on the photo to see full size.

Rappahannock wine cruise

Back Home to the Rivah!

One of my favorite places to eat out.... Sunday evening and not a boat in sight! Capt Faunce's crab, Morse Farms sweetest corn and Vault Fields Chardonnay..... all thanks to the Farmers' Market! Glad to be back in Tappahannock and back on the Rivah!

The Ochre of Roussillion

To the Northern side of the Luberon valley we make a date with the market on July 14 - Bastille Day - a national holiday! From the market place we can see the ochre cliffs that gave this village it's raisin d'être - red, yellow and brown pigments from the banded layers that were a critical element in artists palettes in the late 19th century.

Farmers' Market

Saucisson sec - basic dried and cured pork sausage in it's many garlic, herb, seasoning variations is a staple French snack or lunch charcuterie fills an entire booth - not recommended prior to amourous encounters....

Macaroons for Dessert

Is this the same delight as we picked from Harrods last May?

Dessert to Remember!

Ile flottante = floating island of meringue on a chilled custard lake.. while in the bottom left lurks a lemon which has been emptied and refilled with lemon sorbet... accompanied by a flaky crispy toffee wafer... then follow it with coffee and baba au rhum... then bed and sweet dreams!

Bastide de Marie

Last evening in Provence takes us to Menerbes and to a hotel called Bastide de Marie. The resort has it's own vineyards with fine wines and electronic gates to keep out the riff-raf... the kitchen in full view has a large staff toiling over a stream of delicacies served by a delightful team of young ladies.. three hours later the gates open to let us out, somewhat poorer in cash but richer in experience of fine cuisine of the Provencale region.

Les Deux Garcons, Aix-en-Provence

Les Deux Garcons, infamously reviewed because of the bad waiter attitude yet revisited some four decades later!

No Trip to France is Complete Without....

... a dozen oysters, a cold dry white wine, and some vinegar/shallot mignonette dressing... Aux Deux Garcons, Aix-en-Provence, scene of Margaret's 21st birthday celebrations!

Working Mill

Self Trained Pigeons

Pigeons have learnt they have about a minute to land on the left of the water wheel on the mill, rotate clockwise, and fly off as the paddles dips into the stream.....

All the Gear You Need.....

Capturing the moment in sight and sound with my Nikon D80 (left the D300 with 18-200 mm lens at home), my iPhone 4 for video and non-intrusive photography, also used for blog updates over cell network or better still wait for a wifi connection for free! The quiche is not for real men but it does keep the energy levels up just like recharging equipment at every opportunity is a necessity!

Farmers' Market Thistles

Mas Coccinelle

The inside court of our Villa in Provence - all windows and doors are covered in locked wrought iron grills to prevent burglary which is endemic to most of France...

A Week in Provence

Our little hideaway in Oppede-le-Vieux has thick 2 foot thick local stone walls and massive ceiling beams that stay cool in the heat of the midday sun. It is called "Mas Coccinelle" - ladybird house!

Public Art

At the Marquis de Sade's castle several ultra contemporary pieces of art jump out at you. This frame is 10 ft high, and about 12 by 12 ft sides. Hanging blue plastic tubes at about 6" intervals give a very weird affect as you walk through it! ...like a blue rain shower??

Campanile in Lacoste

Overlooked by the Marquis de Sade's castle lies the beautiful village of Lacoste. The town gateway is domed with a bell in an iron framework and the narrow cobblestone lane leads up to the castle above town where the evil Marquis lurks...

Marquis de Sade's Summer Retreat

The word sadist originated with this gentleman's sexual frolics in his castle at Lacoste - his remote retreat in the Luberon. Not much left of the castle - two rooms only. The Marquis spent as many as 32 years of his life imprisoned for his outrageous (in those times) books, novels, plays and views. Most of his work was written while in prison!

Weekly Public Wash

Bring your dirty laundry to the village washing trough! Only a few decades ago, before the middle class French affluence, wives would bring the dirty laundry to the communal wash place and have a god gossip too! Looks like washing machines have won the day!

Where are the Truffle Potatoes?

The 60 euro menu ($90) at the Jules Cesar is a packaged 5 course starting with Creme Brûlée of Fois Gras, Bass fish course over black rice from the Camargue, Lamb with mashed potatoes(?), cheese course and dessert.

Hail to Cesar!

Some ten or more years ago we spent a few days in Arles at the Hotel Julius Cesar.... the name was much more impressive than the rooms... however the restaurant did redeem the experience!

Back to the Amphitheatre

Roll back to 53 BC and this was just being built.... major restoration under UNESCO world heritage is now in progress... this month the arena is being prepped for bull races, bull fights and concerts!

Stop for a Quick Beer

Local brew - La Cagole - a Brew from Marseille - quite refreshing in the noon hour with a hot sun chasing us all day...

My Seat at the Roman Amphitheatre

Ah-ha! Found my seat at the Arles Roman amphitheater - over 2,000 years of spectacles ranging from the usual gladiator, slaves and lions to modern day bull fights and musical concerts. What would you have seen from seat #26 over two millenniums???

Al Fresco Dinner at Le Petit Cafe

Top of the hill at Oppede-le-Vieux on a summer evening, having a splendid fixed price menu (29 Euros) surrounded by 50 other diners, young children playing, cats peering over the edges of the roofs, dogs sniffing around the tables, and a horse riding party taking a ride through the square!

Farmers' Market - Coustoullet

Sampling of floral produce - sunflower and thistles... beautiful !

Farmers' Market Music

Not all Farmers' Market musical acts are what you expect.... at least they are enjoying their Sunday morning....

Farmers' Market - Provence

The cheese makers booth has cow, goat and sheep's milk cheeses in mild to sharp extremes, from fragrant to really smelly, aged from a few weeks to several months, finished in regular rind, vine leaves, straw, or ash - can I offer you a sliver to taste she says!

Mussels by the Boatload!

Auchan - a major player in the French Hypermarket business has produce beyond the wildest imagination of Food Lion shoppers - one part of the fish offering is a dinghy boat full of ice and 3/4 full of mussels, the rest of the boat is full of live Dungeness Crabs - what a delight! I bought Brittany fish soup, rouille, croutons and gruyere shredded cheese for a special lunch!

Cistercian Monks Lifestyle

There are six monks at the Abbey of Senanque near Gordes in Provence who really have it figured out - they grow beautiful Lavender, fields an fields of it, and sell all kinds of variations in the abbey shop. However a 24 hour day split into 8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of work and eight one hour prayer sessions does require a commitment beyond self... not ready for that yet!