Oana’s departure day

Wednesday 30 January, St.Maarten day 3: AirFrance or AirChance? That is the question!

With the news of snowy weather across Europe we check FlightStats and are relieved to see the AirFrance plane has left Paris on time and is on the way here as per schedule. Maybe “AirChance” will prove reliable for once!

In the morning, I (Glen writing now!) was planning to go see the progress on the vang but an email tells me they won’t start on it till the afternoon. So while Oana puts finishing touches to her packing (she is a packing guru!) I get into the engine room to remove the 2 large capacitors in the high-pressure pump for the watermaker. The motor for this HP pump is wound for 3-phase, but as we run it on single phase 220VAC it needs these large capacitors. Just lately, when running the water maker the generator voltage is getting dragged down to below 208V. Last time it did that, these capacitors needed changing. If we can get new ones anywhere in the Caribbean it will be here in St. Maarten.

Just before lunch Oana receives a text saying the flight will be delayed by 3 hours, now departing at 19:50. Damn, that means she will miss her connection in Paris! This is a bit odd, because it looks like the plane will arrive into St. Maarten on schedule. So why the delay to depart we wonder? Then, just 10 minutes later we receive another text from AirFrance … this time telling us the flight will now leave on-time at 16:50. We guess the previous text was sent in error. So it’s all go to get to the airport.
After an early lunch aboard we head into Lagoonies with Oana dressed for winter and her 22kg bag! From there we catch a taxi for the 10 min drive to the terminal.

Then a downer again. At check in we are told the flight IS actually delayed till 19:50 due to bad weather in Paris. What the heck! Yes, this is the kind of fun you get with AirChance. Well, at least it’s a real reason this time, not due to a strike by air traffic controllers, or caterers, or pilots or the people who maneuver the aircraft steps – they each seem to take turns at striking in Paris airport! But this time it’s weather …. or so they say!

So, 3 hours to kill until Oana needs to go through security. It’s wait in airport, or back to the boat for tea or a 15 min walk to the Drift Wood and Sunset Beach bars at the end of the runway. We choose the latter.
The runway famously ends right on the Maho beach and there are many dramatic YouTube videos showing aircraft landing just a few meters above the sand … and of people being blown across the sand as big jets take off. While having a beer or 2 we observed both of this instances. Amazing that they allow people in the flight path so very close to the runway, while aircraft land and take off. We watched a Delta flight take off and there was literally a sand storm across the beach due to the blast from its engines!
We are back at the airport for 6:30pm and our sad farewells. We will both miss each other for sure. We haven’t spent a days apart for nearly 2 years now. Aren’t we soppy!

With a bit of shopping in my bag I return to Cloudy Bay. I had planned a happy hour drink at Lagoonies – but I was a bit late. I kill time in the evening looking at maps and watching a movie.
Lots to do tomorrow. Time to get busy and fix a few things.