Pete,

Not trying to be argumentative because I really don't know with absolute certainty what the explanation for the rough sail to St. Bart's is, but many years ago and long before the days of the regularly scheduled bigger boats from Swaliga up to the present day ferries, we used to do the smaller sail cats over and back.

It was explained to us on several of those early trips the trip over would typically be quite rough because we were sailing against the tides (waves?), we'd quite possibly be a little damp on arrival and we might end up motoring under most of it, but the good news - we would probably enjoy the sail back since we'd be returning under sail and with the tides as opposed to against them. And for that matter, we were given the same explanation regarding rough trips to Saba. This sounded reasonable to me but do does your explaination. Perhaps a combination of both?

I will share though, among some of my fondest SXM memories were those day trips to StB and the actual sail back to SXM on those small cats with the wind whipping the sails, a little Caribbean-Buffet type music playing on the tape deck - Yes, I said tape deck! - and a cold libation in hand as we glided across the waves with the waning sun glistening on the water. Those are the memories I will forever treasure. The trip to St. Bart's - not so much! And DH, once he learned of the option to fly over and sail back, never made the boat trip over again though his overall preference was to fly round trip to both Saba and St. Bart's.<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

And as a post script, upon arrival back in Philipsberg, we were able to enjoy many a sun-downer at Chesterfields at that big round table with one of the boat captains we came to know well along with his first mate-wife who used to meet him there after the trips. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" />