(Blog No.66) Montserrat - Nevis

Catou
Paul and Sylvie Tucker
Sun 17 Apr 2011 03:18
The remains of Montserrat's capital, Plymouth
Montserrat's volcano
Approaching the lone 'rock' of Redonda
17:08.82N 62:37.81W
 
I omitted to mention that as we approached Montserrat two days ago, we motored into 'Little Bay' (just to the north of Potato Hill!) and spotted only one other yacht in the bay - and it turned out to be another Malo yacht (from the same Swedish yard as 'Catou').  There seem to be very few Malos about in the Caribbean - we only know of 'Maymio' with whom we sailed across in the ARC in Nov/Dec, and with whom we are hoping to meet up with next week.   This yacht was called 'Dreamcatcher of Jersey', and there seem to be nobody aboard.  However, soon after dropping the hook close by ' Dreamcatcher' we saw their dinghy coming out - and they were as surprised as us to see another Malo.  So we asked them aboard for a drink, and we ended up having supper with them, and we reciprocated last night when Sylvie cooked an excellent Thai chicken curry.  As we were eating dinner, the swell was building up and moving around to the NW so it was rolling into Little Bay and 'Catou' began to roll and roll at anchor.
 
By this morning at 0545 hrs, we'd had enough of the swell!  We got up and prepared for sea.  'Dreamcatcher' was doing exactly the same, so we said our good-byes, as they were heading for Antigua and we were off to Nevis.  They were having to motor into a head sea, while we set off on yet another fantastic (and fast) broad reach.  Nevis is only about 33 miles to the NW of Montserrat, and half way between the two islands is a large 1000ft high rock (about 1 mile across) called Redonda.  It has an interesting and colorful history. Phosphates were discovered there in 1865.  In 1872 the British decided to take the island over before the Americans did and it was annexed to Antigua.  At one time 100 people worked on the island, and a cable car system was used for getting phosphates down the very steep sides of the island to load the ships!  It's just amazing what our ancestors did to make a living!  The island was abandoned by 1930.  Back in 1880 the son of an Irish-Montserrat merchant was crowned  king of the island and the title was passed down through a very dubious lineage which was closely linked to the amount of alcohol that was consumed by the first and subsequent 'kings'! The third king, Juan II, tiring of his royal role, abdicated on 1st April 1998 and a certain Robert Williamson, writer and artist living in Antigua, announced that the role was passed to him, as he was on the 'short list' - since he was only 5ft 2 inches tall! King Robert was known as "Bob the Bald"
 
In 1978, when Antigua gained independence from Britain, they were keen to confirm ownership of Redonda, so a Post Office and letter box were set up there - and a series of stamps issued!   As we sailed by this morning, we were about 2 miles off (it's quite shallow around the island) and studied it through binocs.  There is still a ruined building visible high up on the hillside, but how anyone ever got ashore and climbed up it's apparently vertical cliffs I don't know.  An interesting little dot in the ocean!
 
We reached the beautiful island of Nevis by late morning, with it's 3200 ft peak clearly visible today.  The island was, as so many of the islands were, named by Columbus - he thought that the white clouds that are always surrounding the summit looked like snow - hence the name Nevis.  Almost immediatly we were abeam, the island took our wind and 'Catou' almost stopped dead!   So we handed the sails and motored up the west coast avoiding a number of reefs - and up past the charming capital of Charlestown.  We picked up a mooring just off the white sandy Pinney's beach just to the north of the town's jetty.  I have known Nevis ever since I first came to the Caribbean in the early 1980's, and it's always been one of my very favorite islands.  Nowadays, I just catch the ferry across from St. Kitts for a one-day visit each year to see our three customers on the island.  The islands history is closely linked with sugar.  It was one of the major sugar producers, in spite of it's very small size, and it really has a captivating charm with it's old colonial buildings and slow way of life. (When I first visited Nevis by air, the tiny bar at the island's only airport was a wooden building that leant at a precarious angle.  On one occasion I remember, after checking in for a flight, I went into the bar to buy a cold beer - and two chickens that had been busy pecking at the wooden floor flew aside for me as I approached the bar!)
 
One of Nevis's claims to historical fame was connected to Britain's naval history.  Horatio Nelson, who was stationed in Antigua with the British fleet met and married a young widow called Fanny Nisbet.  She was the niece of one of the island's plantation owners.  They were married at a house called Montpellier House, just a few yards from the present plantation house hotel of the same name.   You can see the original marriage entry in the old register of the wonderfully named Fig Tree church that is in the same parish as Montpellier.  Nelson took his bride back to England, and after his death in 1805, she was paid a life pension by the state and she settled in Exmouth in South Devon. Lady Nelson was eventually buried in Exmouth church.   Here in Nevis there is a Nelson museum, which is well worth a visit.  
 
The island has a serious problem with wild 'greenback' monkeys. There are thousands of them and they used to live in the upper mountainous area, but since recent hurricanes destroyed much of their food source, they are in the populated areas now (even in town).  They have become a real pest to the local population - their presence in Nevis is thanks to the 18th century sailors who brought them as pets from Africa on the slave ships.  There are many old plantation houses and sugar mill ruins still clearly visible to see on the island. The old machinery are huge pieces of cast iron - and the manufacturers names are clearly visible - from Scotland or Birmingham or other big manufacturing centres of Britain's industrial revolution days.
 
After our arrival today,  we dropped straight into the lovely water for a swim.  I then rang an old Nevisian friend and he came down to the local beach bar, off which we were moored, and we had a very relaxed lunch with him.  He took Sylvie and I into town briefly for a small shop and then back out to the boat in mid-afternoon.
 
We will leave early for St Eustatius (more commonly known as simply 'Statia' to everyone in the Caribbean). The island is not far from here.