We arrive in Antigua in the early morning. Mooring in the very large marina at Falmouth Harbour. We have never seen so many magnificent super yachts or large motor yachts. It is Antigua's annual classic yacht week. Following this is their sailing regatta. Even though everyone admires BP, we look quiet small in comparison to all these great vessels.
Falmouth Harbour is in the south of this fairly flat island. It is only about 20 Kms top to bottom and the same approx. across. It has great history with next to us being English Harbour and Nelson's Dockyards.
Once we clear customs MB goes for a bike ride to find a swimming beach, but after a quick search returns to get JB to walk to pigeon beach only a kilometre from the marina. What a beautiful beach. White sand and crystal clear deep water. After a lazy swim and sun bake we walk up the hill to an old fort. There are lots of forts on the island, which was home to shipbuilding and maintenance of the British fleet especially during the Napoleonic wars. After lunch, we visit Nelson's dockyards with its old historic buildings and museum. It was built from the early 1700 through to the 1800's, it has great character. The buildings at now used as bars, restaurants boutiques and a museum. We have a drink at 'Hamilton's', ( named after Nelson's mistress Emma Hamilton ). Back onboard BP, we research Nelson's life. One of the great things about our travels is researching in-depth, places and people in history.
Thursday, we go by tender to our pigeon beach, set up our deck-chairs then read and swim. After lunch we hire a car to visit St. Johns, the capital. It is old, very colourful and busy because of the cruise ship that is in the port. Again there is interesting signage, street art and music.
We buy some local trinkets from a shop
'Shipwrecks'. We then visit the museum of Antigua which has an interesting geological and historical display, situated in the old courthouse building in the centre of town.
That night we go to a yoga class near the marina, called 'Yoga Antigua'. It is Hatha Yoga, led by Lyn. it is a one and a half hour serious session. It is humid, despite the fan and by the end we are covered in sweat but feeling good.
There are many restaurants and bars around the harbour. We take the crew to the well recommended 'Trappas' restaurant with its specialty goat curry.
Friday, we have our usual pre breakfast swim then laze away the morning working out the logistics of getting Dennis Roche onboard in the Bahamas.
There are some 750 small islands in the Bahamas. We have to find a charter flight from the closest main airport hub, and then work out where we will be anchored so we can connect.
After lunch we take our hire car for a tour to circumnavigate the island. The roads are narrow and in many cases very pot holed. The roads are punctuated with candy coloured villages. The signage is appalling ( all faded so you cannot read them). We go to the village where you can swim with large stingrays. Then onto the small fishing village of Parham. It is a quaint village with street names like 'lovers lane' and 'lover's walk'. Further north we pass the large 'Sir Vivian Richard's Cricket Ground'. He is known here as a national hero.
The northern beaches are surrounded by large villas and hotels but the roads are still very rustic and pot holed. We then come to Fort St. James, built to guard the harbour of St. Johns. It is a really interesting intact fort from 1732, but it sadly has been left to rack and ruin. But the cannons and defensive walls are intact.
We have dinner on BP, but hearing the loud music in the streets we cannot resist all heading off to the Mt. Gay rum party, which celebrates the start of race week in Antigua.
There is free rum, loud nightclub and Reggae music. A local entertainer dressed as an African performed with fire breathing and also did the lowest limbo ever seen. He looked like a spider squatting on the ground with his legs tucked over his arms and wiggling under the stick. Locals and visitors are all in a great mood. It is supposed to be a dress up hat party but no one but us has a hat on.
Saturday, we wake up with a fright because we have organised a yoga session at 8 am. But the rum party makes us sleep in. We make it at 8.15 and have a great session. Paul and MB go fishing, travelling some 15 nautical miles in fairly rough conditions to a seamount, halfway to Guadeloupe.
The seamount is about half a hectare in size and rises from 500 metres to 70 metres. We troll around the edge for an hour then we hook up on our first tuna, a mackerel tuna. Suddenly the birds start to appear and we get a small yellowfin tuna. Then several more are caught, all up 10 tuna on light gear.
Coming back to BP, we find a guy surfing in the harbour. We understand the swell is increasing and plan to surf in the morning.
Sunday. Flat calm and hot. We head off to church with our driver Anita. We have one of the best Masses anywhere.
The local people are singing and dancing and a very spiritual warm and kind priest.
After lunch we are invited to visit the 204 foot super yacht Athos. It was launched in 2010 after taking four years to build and costing 45 million Euros. What an amazing vessel, built in the classic style, beautifully varnished timber. It is a schooner rig with a mast 60 metres tall. When sailing it has a crew of 35.
Amongst the super yachts and large motor yachts, are the j class sailing boats here for racing week.
At the end of the day we have a swim and snorkel and try to find more waves. Then off to the infamous 'Shirley Heights' bar for sunset cocktails and dinner. This was a great evening with a hundred or so people, Rum punch, BBQ, tin drum band and a beautiful sunset. After dinner a raster band with more great singing and dancing.
Monday. We leave early for golf at Cedar Valley Golf Club on the north side of the island. This is an interesting, sloped golf course, with some good elevated holes, some with views of the sea. JB takes the lead in the first 9, but then falters, allowing MB to take another round in the Caribbean cup.
After golf, our taxi driver Anita takes us on a tour of the southwest side of the island. This is mountainous rainforest. We pass Jolly harbour and Crab point, with beautiful beaches and resort hotels. There are many pineapple farms and we buy a local Black Pineapple from a roadside store. These pineapples are black when growing and yellow when ripe. They are native to Antigua and very sweet.
Tuesday. We are going troppo! But we manage a walk and a swim. JB has her hair done, MB goes with Paul and Anita to St. John's to buy a new freezer. The boats large freezer is dead. We are waiting for parts from NZ and Italy for it. MB has a chiro session with local guy Mark, who is first class. We then manage a very hot and sweaty yoga session ( even with air con. ) and we manage to feel a bit more disciplined.
We finish the night off with a final first season episode of 'Deadwood', of which we have become addicted. This American Wild West history series has been fabulous and we are wondering how to get the season two and three. Maybe Brad can find out for us.
Wednesday we get up early for a walk and a swim. JB has a massage with a Jamaican women who is outstanding and is nicknamed 'Needle Fingers'.
MB goes to the airport to pick up Brad and Amanda who will spend a week with us.
Back on board we take them on a tender tour of Elizabeth Bay and Nelson's Dockyards, then a swim. Back on board we enjoy rum punch and margarita's. We go to dinner at the Italian restaurant 'Abracadabra'. Lobster bisque, home made pasta, grilled Mahi Mahi all of which are good.
The restaurant owners are very friendly Italians.
Back on board we start our first canasta match, Boys versus Girls. This is followed by a quoits competition. Lots of laughs.
Thursday. We walk to Pigeon Beach for a swim. Amanda has a massage with 'Needle Fingers', and loves it. We frustratingly wait for hours for our customs clearance to leave. We then head off out of the harbour. We have really enjoyed Falmouth Harbour. We cruise an hour to Green Island, on the east coast. This is a beautiful clear water anchorage surrounded by fringing reef. On the way we have chased birds feeding on bait fish chased by Tuna. No luck this time. Green Island is quiet small. We venture ashore to a beautiful beach and have a jungle walk to the other side of the island. We have a great snorkel finding some large Conch which we take back to eat. Back on board we youtube how to clean the Conch. After lots of banging of the shell with a hammer we eventually get the strange looking creature out and give it to the chef.
The underwater lights are on and lots of fish appear ( one of the great things about being in the wilderness ). We catch a dozen small yellowtail and a trevally. After dinner we have our Canasta comp. Boys vs Girls again. It is a very exciting finish with the girls winning. Brad and Janet go on to win the quoits after a play off from 3 all.
JB and Mick