R.M.S. (Ros Multi-Services) Internet Café, Port Elizabeth, Bequia,
in the Grenadines, part of the Southern Caribbean island chain, (just a
minute away from the market complex and next to Mauvin's Model Boat shop,
just north of Doris Fresh Foods moments from the new
Bequia Customs and Immigration facility) was the best priced we could
find in the area, in April/May 2000. At that time Ros was charging EC$5.00 for fifteen minutes
and EC$1.00 per printed page (extra long sheets too).
The ladies who run
the establishment are helpful and the computers seemed to be
functioning well whenever we went there, which was daily over a
period of some weeks.
There are three PCs, facilities for plugging in your
own laptop, fax, telephone and, to the joy of those who are only
accompanying the one who deals with all that 'Internet Stuff', cold beers
can be obtained at EC$3.00 each just upstairs.
R.M.S. is open seven days
a week, until 7.30 in the evenings which is very convenient. 
Typing and photocopying are undertaken and so is customs brokerage.
The
use of the Internet Café's address is part of the service, should you
need to have surface mail sent:
Mail should be addressed to your full name and, if you have one, your boat
name, c/o R.M.S., P.O.Box 162, Port Elizabeth, Bequia,
St. Vincent & the Grenadines.
You can telephone Ros on 784-458-3556 or e-mail her, on rms@caribsurf.com
While
in Sint Maarten, June 2000, in the Netherlands Antilles, our
last port of call before leaving the Caribbean and heading
across the Atlantic to the Azores, we found two good facilities
in Simpson Bay or Simson Baai, as it is called in Dutch.
 There
are two offices on the Simpson Bay lagoon - one at the Island
Water World building, in the Cole Bay corner of the Lagoon,
which we didn't have time to visit, and the other at the Palapa
Center, just to the right of the drawbridge into the Dutch
side of the lagoon.
Going ashore at the dinghy parking area just
to the left of Palapa Marina, you reach The Mailbox by going out
to the street, turning right and, once behind Palapa Marina, you
will see that the long building you are looking at has a central
stairwell leading to the upper floor.
 At the
top of the steps, look to your left and you'll see the sign
hanging before the appropriate door.
Facilities include surface mail holding, phone, fax,
photocopying, secretarial services, and parcel pick-ups, amongst
others.
There is a notice board where cruisers can pin messages
and notices and the computer area is airy and
well-equipped.
Mail address: Palapa Center #13, Airport Blvd., St. Maarten,
Netherlands Antilles.
You can contact the friendly and efficient duty staff by
telephone during their opening hours which are 8am to 8pm on
weekdays and 9am to 5pm at weekends.
Tel: (599-5) 53890; Fax: (599-5) 53893; E-mail: themailbox@megatropic.com
 At
Lagoonies, the
yachtie bar in Cole Bay you will also find all the office
facilities available.
There is the added bonus of ice-cold drinks,
and other comforts, in
a convivial atmosphere which all helps to prevent a partner
becoming bored while you sift through the inbox...
The mailing address is 33 Wellington Road, Cole Bay, St.
Maarten, Netherlands Antilles.
Tel/Fax: (599) 54 45210; E-mail: lagoonies@sintmaarten.net
Next issue we'll tell you all about
Hortanet in Horta, on the island of Faial, favoured stopping
place for Atlantic sailors passing through the Azores
archipelago.
If you're arriving there before June, it's
easy to find, just cross the road from the marina, heading North,
take the first left, just after the little pond, and then the
first right. Hortanet is a few doors down on the right.
Want to find out if there's an Internet facility near
wherever in the world you are planning to go? Before you leave,
log on to http://netcafeguide.com
and take a look! If you have found a good Internet facility,
share the details with MarineZine readers - send us an e-mail
with us much information as you can!
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