#1: [13-Feb-04]

11-Jan-2013 -- When we set off from St. Martin on our sailing trip visiting the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean, we soon realized that our planned way back will bring us close to the confluence point 18N 63W. We also realized that this would be the second point we would visit on a sailing vessel and with the same crew as last time (58N 17E). However, the water would be at comforting 26°C this time.

So after two weeks of sailing in the fantastic Caribbean Sea and on the way back to the sailing base in St. Martin, we hoisted anchor close to Anse de Colombier on St. Barth Island.

With nice winds and waves up to 2 m we made 6 knots and took care to hit the confluence point as precise at possible after traveling about 1.5 hours, which worked out quite well. However, approaching from the Southeast, we had to tack soon after passing the point so not to hit the Hen & Chicken rocks 0.7 nm later.

The point itselfs lies about 1.8 nm to the south east of St. Martin. Looking West, Saba, being 887 m high, can be seen. To the south east, Île Fourchue which belongs to St. Barth is still visible.

In the Canal de Saint-Barthélemy between Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy islands. St. Maartens, Saba (with the 887 m Mount Scenery), St. Barthélemy and some smaller isles should be visible from this oceanic Confluence. Closest land are some bare rocks, called Hen & Chicks, about 1.3 km to NW.