Dot to dot on the Riviere Salee

It's been a warm mosquitoe-y night. A squall passing by has just dumped a load of rain on us. And by 4am the coffee is waking us up. The anchor's weighed. We can make out four sailboats aiming for the red and green blinking lights in the black waters.
Up at the starting point we find two catamarans, two more single-hull sailboats. We all mill about, careful to keep off the shoals as we wait for the booms to fall and the bridge to open. An American boat, "Romance", is first in line. But the current is too strong, their speed too slow. And they are soon broadside the entrance. Now they're hitting a piling at the other side. They're on the bottom! Will they be stuck in the mud under the bridge all day? No, freed and backing off, they're heading back to the end of the queue. The French are going through, then the American, "Full Circle", and then us, the two Norwegian boats. It's full throttle against the whirling currents, and we're charging into "Full Circle"s stern in front of us, avoiding them by going along side. We all make it through, "pani pwoblem". "Romance", too.
As we approach bridge number two the black sky is softening about the edges. The mango trees, their tight foliage now a silhouette in a grey-blue sky. Gold trim on the Eastern horizon. The mangrove roots are black stilts in the brilliant blue-green waters. White egrets flying low, scooping mosquitoes as they go. When we're not concentrating on keeping off the shoals it's a lovely dawn.
We're all through the last red-green gate, now in deep waters. The sails are hoisted and we're on the wind, doing our six knots. "Fatuhiva, 38', is pulling ahead. The autopilot steering, it's a good sail in steady winds all the way to Antigua.

Our only worry is that the cabin sole, "Babette"s floor, is full of water?! Hmmm. Luckily it tastes fresh, not salt. That's good. Is the water tank emptying itself?