Fai Tira Blog 16.00 local  Sunday 13^th December

Fai Tira in Barbuda   17:36.77N 61:51.28W

The Caribbean adventure has started with us leaving the marina at Jolly Harbour to venture off to the island of Barbuda thirty miles to the north of Antigua. We got up quire early on Saturday morning to the sound of heavy rain.  We had prepared the Fai Tira for departure the previous night and had took down all the awnings.  It had bucketed down all night and we hadn’t thought to bring in all the cushions or close the hatches so everything was sodden.  I went to pay the marina fee’s whilst John did the engine checks.  We ate some breakfast called the harbour master on the radio and we were ready to leave but not before we had to refuel.  We cast off shouted our goodbyes and headed for the fuel dock which was only fifty yards away.  Halfway there the engine stopped!! but we had enough momentum to enable me to steer the Fai Tira in the general direction but not stop her.  Lots of shouting and throwing of lines ensued which made sure we arrived and tied up safely.  Inspection of the fuel system revealed the fact we had forgot to switch the fuel on at the tank stop cock after working on the filters the day before.    We fuelled up in Gallons which seemed strange and then headed off to a little bay just south of St Johns the capital of Antigua.  We had a great but short sail to the anchorage and was joined there by Bionic another of the BWR boats.  The bay was really sheltered from the strong wind, great for swimming and enabled us to have great night’s sleep with the anchor holding well in a sandy bottom.

Sunday saw us upping anchor at eight thirty after breakfast and putting a reef in the main.  We headed due north in a force six wind just forward of the beam.  Fai Tira was in her element ploughing through the large swell at seven knots.  Big blue waves came thundering over the canopy and drenched us, but guess what? the water was warm the sun hot and we were loving it.  Bionic a fifty foot Amel skippered by a Spanish man and wife team Jaime and Carmen followed behind going to the same destination.  We outpaced them for most of the journey but eventually they came zooming by.  The island of Barbuda is very low the highest point being only sixty feet above sea level.  Barbuda was discovered by Columbus in 1493 and became English in the 17^th century. The locals have kept the island relatively unspoilt keeping away the ravages of the hotel complexes.  We headed for the anchorage following Bionic around the coral to where another BWR boat Natibou was already anchored.  Natibou is a Outremer fifty foot catamaran from Sweden skippered by Hans and crewed by his wife Monica.  They came straight over to us to invite us from afternoon drinks and nibbles.  We had a lovely afternoon with them, Jamie and Carmen and will be going back for a BBQ later this evening.  Tomorrow we hope to explore the Island on our bikes if we can find a track to the town of Codrington. 

Bye for now.

Pete and John