Kelcey Chandler-Yates and Jim Yates present...

UnderSeaPhotoVideo.com

Feb 2nd, 2001
Well not a heck of a lot going on in the past few days-we are now back in the USVI and somehow we are glad of it.  We have been here for a couple of days doing boat maintenance-lots of stainless steel polishing!! In addition, the boys are working on their lessons so maybe they can send off another test before we leave for St Martin next week. I sold another 200$ worth of earrings today and traded another 200 away for paintings and wood bowls for the boat.  I have a deal with myself that I cannot buy anything that I do not have to have unless I trade for it!!!  Luckily, most places want to.  We found this great stainless BBQ on Tortola however, that is way out of our price range so it is our goal to sell enough earrings while we are here for cash to pay for it so we can have it shipped to St Martin.  I am really sick of the one we have as Jim burns everything on it-hence I do a lot of kitchen cooking just to be able to eat!!  The problem with BBQs on boats is that they rust so you need to get very high quality to begin with or you rust out in short order.  The one we have is good quality but has no temperature control to speak of so everything on the right side of the grill is "charcoaled!"  Well enough for tonight-thanks much for all your e-mails- once again to reach us direct on the boat e-mail us at wcz6306@sailmail.com I can't put this in the website proper as then we would get lots of junk mail so here it is for all of you!!!

Feb. 7th - Passage to St. Martin
9:15am, well here I sit not so sure I should be as we are on our way to St. Martin.  7foot swells and 17knot winds-not so bad except the wind is at our nose, in our face, you know blowin waves at us like crazy.  Not as bad as the Trinidad passage-yet.  Fishing is what I like to do best on these crossings- Jim already caught a small barracuda. ---I am sure I will have more to write as this passage continues-it is only a 22 hour one this time but that leaves plenty of spare time this eve during my shift.  For the past few days, we have been spending time with our friends on St. John-the Uzzels.  It was our intention to sail over to Fish Bay and spend the day with them.  That was last Sat., here it is Wednesday, and we just left this am!  We had a great time.  They own a piece of property high on the hill overlooking a good chunk of the southern side of St. John.  To the east we had a beautiful view of the cliffs and to the west an incredible view of fish bay in all its colors and beyond that all the way west to the Spanish Virgin Islands!  To imagine it put your self on the California coast on 101 high in a paraglider surfing the wind 500 feet up and you are about there.  The lot is very steep so breathtaking views are available from every room. Nelson and Vickie have been building this house for 6 years.   The fact that Nelson is in construction and hurricane Marilyn swept up the slope taking a wall with her did not do much for the speediness of the project but the wait has definitely paid off.  Beautiful hand laid rock walls with stained glass windows, rock fountains, and slate floors and polished slate countertop, not to mention the deck and of course the hot tub all added to the inviting nature of this rustic gem.  The great food and margaritas did not hurt either!  Needless to say when invited to stay----we did!  While we were there Nelson taught all of us how to use his lathe.  We enjoyed it so much.  The boys were great at it making a wine glass and a candlestick.  Chris even made a conch smusher to tenderize the next ones (I think I'll let him use it---I can still feel that icky slime on my fingers!)  Jim and I both made bowls.  The down side was I spent 6 hours on mine and my neck was speaking to me by the end of the day. --- Vickie to the rescue!!!  Yes the massage therapist-- - this is her house!  Not only the view, housing, good food and company but massages too!!!  Did I tell you that they have a quality washer and dryer too!!!  This IS the way to live! The merits of land-based living are many. The people you meet-we are so fortunate-as beautiful as their home is it was the warmth of their hearts that kept us!  I hope that they will meet up with us down island.  Friends for life I have a feeling!  It was sad to say so long last eve but the truth be know, we miss our little home on the sea and it's time to venture past the next wave. Back to the passage - luckily I don't often get seasick cuz the waves are rolling at a quick pace.  I think this will be so long for now as the screen continues to jump and the keyboard is a sliding! 10:15pm, the down side to sailing the big blue is definitely the crossings!  WHAM-BANG- POW-SNAP-it is like the soundtrack of an old Batman and Robin cartoon.  As the waves hit us, I watch the radar for others who may cross our path too close Those cruise ships are awesome but not when they move in front of you in the middle of the night!  This eve we are blessed with a full moon that I must say is quite spectacular.  As it glimmers, droplets let loose from their waves backlit thereby creating a suitable substitution for the stars which it has obliterated with its overwhelming presence. ----Don't watch too closely, just when you feel the serenity and a sense of peace flow through you those stars turn to bullets and your face stings as I suppose a fly feels when the swatter hits with out the intended purpose of the kill being obtained.  Back inside, wipe off the face, it may dry but until a good douse with fresh water, it will carry the grit of the sea further explaining the saying "old salty dog".  My feet feel it too, like a crystal sand beach for all during the daylight hours the salt water has evaporated leaving a crust on the deck only dilution can cure.   Only to stare at the radar a bit longer.  I see two vessels within the 6-mile ring-time to go back outside. and so it goes throughout my shift. You may say why would you want to live on the ocean in a small craft. The answer is the reward----our love for the sea and all it has to offer comes at a price-the price of the unknown is always in waiting over the next wave, the reward hides there also. We have arrived-20 hours 15 min.-now to clean the boat-- Till next time-Kelcey & family Ps-Chris is doing well and thank you for all the e-mails and posts in the guest book--

Feb. 8th  Simpson bay, St. Martin
What a culture shock!  This place is a happening place!  That is if you like happening places which I do but right now is a bit too much after paradise-I chose to stay on the boat till Jim dragged me off to explore around 5-- we stayed in town for a whopping 1 hour-- it will be interesting to see how my viewpoint changes as time moves on.  Since I have nothing, positive to say today I will give you a bit of geography.  St. Maartin/Martin is and island divided in two.  The North side is French and the South is Dutch.  There is the larger landmass to the east and on the west of it is an area where land encloses a huge shallow lagoon, which has entrances to both the north and south by drawbridges.  The bridges lift at 9am and 5 pm each day so you may pass through from Simpson Bay in the south to Marigot bay to the north.  It is very mountainous and quite beautiful.

Feb 10th
Picked up Mary Ann, Jim's mom the night of the eighth at 11pm so yesterday was very low key.  She came with the required 200lbs of luggage filled with mostly glass for earrings as well as books and movies.  The am was spent storing it all and the afternoon boat shopping for "parts" and a lot of yacht gawking! As there are so many mega yachts here, you expect Prince Charles to be walking along the dock any moment!    Today we had the boys finish taking tests (no they didn't have them done in time to send them off in St. John-too busy learning how to build stone walls and working on the lathe!)  We sailed over to Philipsburg, the next bay to the southwest and went into town to search for a digital camera.  We found and bought one for much less than I thought possible and then proceeded to play with it all afternoon getting quite the funny shots!  As soon as we find an Internet place, we will send some off to our wonderful Webmaster David Yarborough, to put on the site.  Tonight we decided to break out the kiln and fired our first "Lady Starlight" hand made earrings.  They turned out very nice and we plan to peddle them tomorrow after I fire another kiln full that I have an order for back in St. John.  I now need to look for a distributor here in the Caribbean!  Nick is jazzed about the whole earring business and I had to send him off to bed tonight at 11 while he was helping me bend wire for them.  We had Mary Ann cutting, nick bending and me gluing the wires to the base glass tonight for 3 hours but now it is midnight and all are asleep so I best say goodnight.  The wind was gusting to 40knots tonight and teaming rain so I thought I would spend some time at the computer--- -and yes, I am glad for the two anchors we have out!  Keep those e-mails coming-glad to hear from you all, including those of you I am getting to know through e-mail!  Night-

Feb 14th
For the past few days I have been under the weather with stomach cramps, headache and a stuffy nose so hung low, made earrings and whipped the boys through the final stages of their tests!  Now they can start a new lesson.  The test part is the hardest because they are such perfectionists!  Mary Ann has been having fun shopping, as a true tourist should.  We found a cigar shop that carries fine scotches, cigars and classy gifts that the lady wants to buy/trade earrings for scotch and cigars---Jim is in heaven!  We will take them buy on Saturday when there are no cruise ships and the woman has some time to view the earrings and we have time to scope out the cigars!  St Maartin is not as beautiful as the BVI but then again it has been so windy we have not really been able to go anywhere.  We began a trip around to the north/French side of the island but got to the corner where we had to turn up into the wind and the seas were so high and current so strong we thought Mary Ann was going to loose her cookies.  We were making no headway so we turned back.  Yesterday we decided to head through the lagoon to the French side so here we sit in the middle of the lagoon- icky water but no swell and lower winds than in the bay. It is actually a great place to be because you have good shopping and restaurants as well as the infamous "parts" stores.  Jim is servicing the engines, changing the fuel filters and replacing the water pump on the starboard engine.  We are also having a new bimini made as our current one has a 12-inch rip in it.  Hopefully the wind will die down so we can explore the north and west sides of the island and get some good diving in.

Feb. 17th
On the fifteenth, we moved out into Marigot Bay. There are many boats out here and the water is a bit murky but much better than sitting in the lagoon in 3 feet of water!  We enjoyed swimming and exploration of the French side of the Island, bee lining to the bakery for pastries Jim and Mary Ann were craving and then off to a restaurant to sample the crepes! The wind has begun to die so tomorrow after we pick up my mother, Sally, we will prepare to sail to St. Barts.  Yesterday we took a nice hike up the mountain to Fort Louis built in the late 1700's.  This thrilled the kids and our new digital camera got a good workout taking pictures of the canons and the wide expanse of turquoise water below! Good Ole Lady Starlight was in most of the pictures but due to the height of the fort was just a speck in the frame.  After exploration of the fort was complete, we walked the mile to the "cheep" grocery.  When we arrived, we understood the gaunt frames of the French population! The food is so expensive who can afford to eat!!  We picked up our basics and humped them back to the boat glad to know that at least the baguettes are inexpensive and good to boot!  Today after the boys finish their studies, we will take the bus back to the Dutch side to trade earrings for cigars.  We were told of another "cheaper" grocery so we will seek that out too.

Feb 18th, 2001
This am read until 9am-another Wilbur Smith flick-then cleaned up the boat. ---Highly exciting day!!! But then went shopping at the "reasonable" grocery store and picked mom up at the airport-it is great to see her.

Feb 22nd, 2001
Well it has been a bit between updates---obviously, we have been having fun! ---St Martin was fun for the ladies to see and play ---we took them shopping and to the bakery every morning-then off to St. Barts---we enjoyed that too for a few days-the beautiful people go there so there were lots of large motor and mega yachts there with lots of pushed and prodded young women with their older "catches"! - We are now in Saba--- after a long 6-hour jaunt with the spinnaker up and low wind with calm seas we arrived with only one seasickness-Nick of all people!  Too many bananas I guess!!!  Or as he says-too much reading in the lower cabin!!-I "forced" them to study on the way over!  OOOOPS-- he was revived by the time we arrived in port-tomorrow we do the old land tour---lets see if it is half as good as it was 10 years ago when I was here.

Feb 25th
The trip to Saba was very much fun-The ladies made it through getting on and off the dinghy in rather large surges and climbing up steep stairs and ramps.  We had the taxi pick us up at the bottom of the hill and took us for a day tour of the island.  We usually walk, ride bikes or take the dollar buses around islands but Saba is unique as it is ALL so steep there is no way we were going to walk or ride it and there is no dollar taxi's soooo. It was all well worth the effort though as the Island is quaint and beautiful with scenic overlooks literally at every corner-and there is not but an eighth of a mile between corners!!! Anyhow, we had fun listening to the history of the island and learning about the people and their lives.  After the island tour, we scooted back to St. Martin in time to anchor for the night.