18:12.38N 063:07.10W Anguilla, meaning eel....long thin and flat island. Anguilla has the most incredibly beautiful beaches, but this is the most expensive place yet, our clearance in (which included a cruising permit) was US$ 120 for 2 days! And, despite there being some 40 odd miles of coastline one is only allowed to Moore overnight in 2 places on the North of the Island. We took this opportunity to pop over to Sandy Island, the morning we were approaching slowly weaving through the surrounding shallow reefs a local charter catamaran was passing us moving away, he said not to bother as the surf was too wild and you couldn't get the dingy ashore......he really didn't realise he had just thrown down the gauntlet to The Captain James Buchan! So we picked up one of the only 2 mooring boys, prepared the dingy and watched the massive surf breaking around the shore. James counting the waves and positioning in his mind the tiny dingy break. Other American yachts and catamarans came, saw and left.....James held fast! So, with leg brace cast aside, we set off holding on tightly, getting tossed about wildly (this is something Dad would do, I thought once again)..we took on a huge breaking wave as the bow went under before being spat through into the churning shoreline, once again I jumped out to swim ashore and limp up the beach whilst James single handedly wrestled the dingy ashore, hauled it up the beach with one finger (poetic license) and ordered a Red Stripe with a high five! So whilst enjoying a few cold drinks in the hammock under the palm trees we sat and watched the other failed attempts to get through, James with a big smirk on his face.
