Passage to Statia
Thursday 1st Feb 18
That was a wet one, no rain but plenty of spray, we got soaked near enough all the way through. The wind is on the beam so we are going quite fast but the waves are a good 2,5 m and it is a little bit frisky. Fast passage though, with magnificent views of St Kitts as we follow its coast from south to North. The white cliff of Statia is visible from miles out and we are glad to be in the lee of the land where the waves abate to something a bit more sensible. The wind however blows right up to the moment we drop anchor below Oranjstad perched on the cliff. From here the town nearly invisible, even the fort is hidden. Only a few old buildings nestled on the very narrow strip of land between the shore and the rock face. The sea has been at work here and you can see the remains of foundation of buildings all along the seafront, long gone. Statia was a major free port in the days of old and you can still imagine the hustle and bustle.