A Simpson Bay Lagoon social life has suddenly sprung up out of nowhere. Why? Because we now know the kids crowd.
On Saturday, we took the kids to a children’s play meet on “Explorer’s” island (aka Grand Ilet), a small uninhabited island just west of Witch’s Tit, the aptly named headland next to our anchorage. There we met a bunch of friendly cruising families with children of all ages.
We pulled up on the beach as the late newbies we are, and right away Mike from Saskwatch and John from Dark Horse came over to welcome us. Mike had accosted us in the friendliest way in Marigot the week before, telling us about the gathering. John is our Brit anchorage neighbour who is married to a Canadian from Halifax.
Niamh befriended a German Kiwi girl her age, whom we took to Marigot beach yesterday for a swim. Today Niamh is with that family on a day trip to see some donkeys and explore a bit of St. Maarten by car.
We’ve also been invited to a birthday party of sorts, again at Explorer’s island, today at 5pm. There is another boat here with 2 kids Blake’s and Niamh’s ages; today the boy turns 15. Both John and then later the b-day boy himself with his mother dingied over to invite us to the party. Two invitations to a stranger’s b-day – it’s enough to make you feel welcome.
The La Vagabonde crew also dropped by yesterday morning to say hi before pushing off to Anguilla with Riley’s mum. And then later that same day we ran into the Colorado couple whom we met last year in Nanny Cay while shopping at Budget Marine. It’s crazy. It feels like we know people here. All these cruisers are tripping over each other, but everyone is friendly, helpful and happy to be doing it.