Sailing Balachandravideo
Sailing to St Martin and BLASTED by a JET AIRPLANE | Sailing Balachandra E098
February 13, 2021 · 11 min · 5K views · French St. Martin
What this video covers
The crew of the *Balachandra* sailed from Antigua to Sint Maarten, covering the distance in approximately 18 hours while averaging five to six knots on a downwind point of sail.1:43 The vessel’s autopilot struggled to maintain a course in following seas, forcing the crew to hand-steer for much of the passage.2:53 Upon arrival, they bypassed St. Barts to avoid high COVID-19 testing costs and cleared into the French side of St. Martin using a simplified, free digital check-in process.5:28 The crew spent several weeks in the region, noting that grocery prices on the Dutch side are more affordable for general provisions, while the French side offers lower costs for imported European goods like cheese and baguettes.9:40 They visited Maho Beach, where jet blast from departing aircraft at Princess Juliana International Airport caused significant sand accumulation.7:30 The crew also utilized local laundry services and public bus transportation, which costs approximately $2 per trip.10:08
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