Antigua

Mor Toad / Moy Toad
David and Jocelyn Fawcett
Tue 24 Mar 2015 12:05
17:00.22N 61:45.65W

We arrived here on Sunday after an excellent 7 hour sail. Wind 13-14 knots the angle a bit tight because of a strong current between the islands but making just over 6 knots and at one point the cruising shute was brought out ( last seen in The Atlantic) to help us along. Clear blue sky and almost flat calm certainly no Atlantic Swell as we crossed the open water between Guadeloupe and Antigua.

Monserrat could be seen clearly to the west but cloud covered the tops so we couldn't see the volcano smoking. We did make up a song about a MonsterCat along the way;-)

Having had this great crossing one of the best sails for a while we then came into English Harbour. It was quite full of yachts and not easy to find a space and we had quite some difficulty in getting the anchor to hold with several people on their yachts shaking their heads and saying not a good place to anchor!! Finally we managed and David went off to sign us in with some urgency as immigration closed mid afternoon and we wanted to be able to leave the boat and try and walk up Shirley Heights for the Sunday night BBQ and Steel band.

The only slight problem was we were anchored with the stern of the boat sticking into the channel as the anchor had dragged a bit before we'd come to a halt!

David finally came back having spent sometime filling everything in on the computer at immigration and customs in duplicate triplicate etc! Not his scene so very much in need of a beer.

We then decided we should try and re anchor. One poor guy singlehanded in a catamaran had tried several spots to anchor and didn't manage and went off round to Falmouth Harbour ( where he was spotted today) . We did several journeys round the bay looking for space and hopefully better holding and after trying another spot with no success ended up back in the same spot but managed to re anchor without getting the stern In the channel. Quite a palava. The first time in the whole trip anchoring has been a problem and it certainly hasn't been just us. There are two French yachts anchored in the channel tonight!

We made it ashore walked up quite a steep rough path (but we needed the exercise) with Merryn leading the way to Shirley Heights. We needed a beer and food and we could hear the music playing.

The views over English harbour and surrounds were magnificent with the sun starting to go down. Great steel band, plenty of people up there with the same idea. Drinks were obtained and tickets for food and the children danced to the steel band. Great atmosphere. We didn't have to wait too long for food and we were all pretty hungry. Just before the sun went down we headed off back down the path as although we had torches it was a pretty rough path to negotiate in the dark. We all got down safely and made it back to the boat and bed - it had been a long day.

So yesterday Monday after a good nights sleep for everyone we had a wander round the harbour full of super yachts, Nelsons Dockyard a well restored historical site with boutique shops, restaurants and even more importantly a laundry and someone that dealt with Raymarine electronics who would come out and look at our plotter which needed an adjustment. David and I wandered over to Falmouth Harbour and the others walked over the hill to Pigeon Beach and spent couple hours playing there. All in all another good day and I had a good swim from the boat to beach and back again.

Today we are heading to Green Island .