17:00.583N 061:45.846W Happy New Year from Antigua (a little late due to blog posting problems!)
Irene IV - World Adventure
Louis Goor
Fri 7 Jan 2022 20:27
We have the great good fortune to be related to the so called “queen” of Antigua! Louis and I, through our maternal grandmother, can call Lisa Nicholson our first cousin once removed by marriage! Lisa married Desmond Nicholson in 1957, having recently met him aboard the 86-foot schooner Freelance. The Freelance was chartered from V.E.B. Nicholson & Sons and captained by the dashing Desmond Nicholson. “Desmond and I took a shine to each other, as the saying goes, and we were eventually married in May 1957." Lisa declares. This could explain why Desmond may have shirked some of his duties, as he regaled Lisa with tales of family and sea! Desmond died in 2006 and Lisa still lives in the beautiful house they called home for their entire marriage. They overlook the comings and goings of the world renowned Falmouth Harbour in Antigua.   Irene IV is named after our maternal grandmother, Irene (Peggy) Ronan, née Nicholson. We are proud to have her spirit aboard, both because she comes from a long line of seasoned sailors and because she was always the life and soul of the party! The Caribbean is full of stunning islands, each with its own special charm. Antigua, however, is hard to beat. The indigenous peoples called the island wadadli which means “our own”, now the name of a popular local beer. Her coastline is craggy and rugged, decorated with headlands, bays, and rocky outcrops with glorious reefs and shoals lurking just below the turquoise surface. Lisa’s daughter, Nancy, a celebrated ceramicist, has been our underwater snorkeling tour guide, introducing us to the splendors of Antigua’s watery world. We have made some new underwater friends on our various excursions:  Cushion Star Fish  French Angel Fish  Caribbean Puffer Fish  Sting Ray  Powder Blue Surgeon Fish  Caribbean Lobster  Lion Fish, which is not native and one is encouraged to kill! It is remarkable to note that we have have seen very little under water debris. Only a slice of Gin & Tonic lemon so far. We are gearing up to see much worse. The same cannot be said for the land here in Antigua. Sadly, evidence of extensive plastic water bottle use and a poor recycling infrastructure is everywhere. Meanwhile, Irene IV is being made ready by the, ever patient, Captain Stuart. We have had a special Christmas season with our families all together in Carib House, a glorious villa nestled in the hills overlooking the expansive Caribbean Sea. January 9th at 1pm is the departure moment that has been a distant promise for so long, now it is nail bitingly close! Follow the event here! From this paradise in the Lesser Antilles, we wish you all a Happy New Year, and we look forward to sharing our adventures along the way. Louis and Sabine |