17.04N 61.53W – Jolly Harbour – Antigua – West Indies!  Forgive me – the excitement of reaching land, civilisation, gorgeous food, alcohol, friends and parties was just too much and I went AWOL for a few days!

After our Force 9 experience, the weather cleared up and on the morning of our arrival we were greeted on Monday 10^th of December with strong sunshine, fluffy white clouds, azure blue sea, light winds and a very pretty shoreline below the wonderful landmark of Shirley Heights (don’t call me Shirley) - deceiving in its way as some of the most treacherous reefs of the area lie just to the right of our entrance into Jolly Harbour where we were headed.  Very tempting to see the stretch of empty sea and take a quick shortcut but looking at the charts the longer route was strongly advised!!  We followed Rascal in as Zippy do da had already berthed.  I decided at the beginning of our journey to make each country’s flag by hand and had pre bought all the colours I would require but remembered with a start that although I had had 22 days to complete the Antigua and Barbuda courtesy flag it still lay unfinished in the depths of our cabin somewhere – there then ensued a frantic sewing operation assisted I am ashamed to admit with a fair dose of superglue which had a violent steamy, smoky kind of reaction to the ‘black’ elements of the flag as for some reason I had forgotten ‘black’ and had made do with a snipped up shopping bag from Morocco -presumably not made of cotton!! Anyhow, once my flag (which actually resembles a small pillow) was hoisted it looked pretty presentable (I thought).

Well, finally pulling in at 10.30am what a wonderful welcome we had – lots of friends from the Rally including the organisers and Michael’s Jacqui all jumping up and down on the little wooden jetty, waving and shouting congratulations.  Christine from BWR presented us with a bowl of fruit which was a great touch.  The harbour is so quaint, lots of one storey, wooden clad ‘condos’ – apartments or flats to you and me – right on the water’s edge, painted in all sorts of bright Caribbean colours, each with a private jetty for their speed boat or yacht. (Around 400,000 US Dollars in price for a two bedroom edition) Volcanic hills, lush green (seasonal) vegetation covering red earth and dramatic skies reminded us of our home in Spain.  We berthed at the tiniest little jetty where apparently even the super yachts dock to clear customs and port control.  This bit was rather laborious with three different forms for each member of the crew and with all the obvious distractions it took five times as long as normal to complete!  For the princely sum of 16 US Dollars we were given permission to cruise Antigua and Barbuda waters for one month.  Many Rally boats are in the Marina proper but we have opted to stay just where we arrived, in the bay, with more breeze and a feeling of space.  A few other Rally yachts are here with us.

By 12.30 we had stripped every bed and bunk, every pillow and cushion, gathered all the stinking towels and putrid, mildewed clothing ready to go to the highly recommended and local laundry –  Everyone hires golf carts here to get around the resort and Jacqui was no exception so off we went with her and our embarrassing load – 630 EC Dollars to return tomorrow!  Then lunch….. and a beer……and talk and tales of the crossings……and back to the jetty to meet each new arrival…..and showers…….and shopping for fresh produce……it all felt so good!

We hardly had time to turn around before the welcome party laid on by the OCC – Ocean Cruising Club - over at Castaway’s Beach – so into the dingy and a quick blast  across the bay – this was the view looking back…………..

And a lot of rum punch was consumed by all.  Oscar met up with the younger crew on other yachts and after dinner they all went off to a night club in English Harbour whilst we slopped off to bed – but guess what?  We had all managed to stay reasonably dry for the whole Atlantic crossing (apart from my wave in the bed episode) but that evening whilst we were out the heavens opened – apparently the edge of Tropical Storm Olga which we are very pleased to have missed at sea – and through the little side portholes which we had left open to air the boat our mattresses and the meagre remains of  bedding had got soaked!  We endured a very soggy night’s sleep and a lot of blame was tossed back and forth!!

The last two days have been a whirl of a serious cleaning - in the galley for instance every single piece of cutlery and crockery, every cupboard and all the contents of those cupboards, the cooker, microwave, toaster, kettle – you name it – was covered in a film of tacky, sticky substance!  We could have made a wig from the hair we found under the cockpit slats and really the accumulated filth of five people at sea for 22 days surprised even me! We miss our pressure jet washer and Henry the industrial ‘hoover’ but we are getting there slowly.

Yesterday the Minister for Tourism gave us a very educational tour of the island including the sugar mills……namely Bettys Hope where there is the saddest little museum giving the original details of the wretched lives (and deaths) of the slaves who toiled there. Naively I hadn’t realised that most of the slavery in this country was due to the craze for the sweet taste of sugar and its by product Rum in Europe – and of course the greed of man to get rich at any cost – namely the exploitation of fellow man.  Mostly in ruins now, it felt a tortured spot to me and wandering around the mills, the main house and outhouses was a very moving experience….. inducing a  share of guilt and shame for my countrymen of yesteryear’s actions.   

In high contrast, we then scooted around to Falmouth and English Harbours to enjoy the sights of the Superyacht and Charter Show in Nelson’s Dockyard……… we will berth there for Christmas so we familiarised ourselves with the surroundings, rather tight entrance, and unusual berthing methods – the stern warp (rope) needs to be around 150 foot long to tie up to huge bouys set way back in the harbour.

We finished up at OJ’s beach bar for a scrummy traditional Caribbean lunch and it hadn’t changed one iota in the ten years since I was last there!  Even the flotsam and jetsam ornaments were the same and still in place! However, the singing fish on the wall had lost his batteries and thereby his will to sing!

One of the other yachts here on the Entry Pontoon is Bacchus proudly, skippered by our eldest captain, now in his late 60’s.  He had had trouble all day connecting to mains electricity and finally called an Electrician who turned up after dark.  Asked to step forward and have a better look at the terminal Keith inadvertently stepped into the canal running between shore and pontoon and has severely damaged all sorts of tendons and ligaments.  Luckily we have three doctors and two surgeons on this Rally and Hugh came to administer!  I missed my medical moment as somehow I didn’t hear a thing amid all the kafuffle that surrounded us!  With his leg in a blow up traction bag, Keith had to remain in his cockpit last night but with many well wishers passing by he looked very merry in the circumstances on a mix of medication and whisky!!

The food is great here, the supermarket the best I have seen since Waitrose, the beaches idyllic, there are parties nearly every night and everyone to socialise with but in between all this we have a lot to do.  The Twistle needs fabricating repairs to the stainless steel loop whilst the auto pilot, water maker, sails, ropes and blocks all need attention.  We have a skipper meeting today at 9.00am to discuss Panama and then its back to work………………..

Keith returned from the Hospital this morning on crutches with a plaster cast as his ankle is broken - which is a major problem when you are just two up on your boat as your crew have just gone home the day before!  Michael and Jacqui get on particularly well with this couple and have offered to crew with them, to enable them to continue their journey, until Keith recovers and they reach the Galapagos Islands.  After the ‘Captain’s Briefing’ today we have had confirmed that the next ‘leg’ of our journey to Panama’, and through it, will possibly be the most demanding part of our entire circumnavigation.  Apparently we can expect fierce winds, ‘square’ seas (a new one on me!!), tricky navigation through tight channels and a bucket load of reefs – can’t wait!! Fortunately Paul has sailed in these waters before so understands the challenges ahead.

So!  Now we are down to four and within a couple of days we will be cruising………