17.00.51N 61.35.67W

JENNY
Alan Franklin/ Lynne Gane
Wed 26 Dec 2007 15:04
HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE AND A HAPPY HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR FROM ALL OF US ON JENNY
 
We have now done 60 degrees around the world only 300 degrees to go.Firstly a big thank you for all of your messages ,jokes,and advice it really keeps us in touch with home.Please do log into our blog as we try to update it daily when we are on passage.
 
We arrived in English Harbour on the 8th of December then sailed to Jolly Harbour on the other side of Antigua where we had some work carried out on the boat to re- bolt the wind pilot to the stern(it was moving on its mountings as we were transiting the Atlantic so we had to stop using it,also the cutlass bearing was changed and the hull antifouled with a particular substance for the tropics the European stuff does not work to well as it is meant for colder climates).The people in the yard at Jolly Harbour were really helpful although like all boatyards it was expensive in fact everything in this part of the Caribbean is expensive,I suspect its the same all over
Needless to say many of the boats are quite surprised at how quickly their sailing  funds are depleting 
 
English Harbour is preserved pretty much as it was in Nelsons day with the old buildings and quayside looking very picturesque but it is also very lively and also a short walk from Falmouth harbour where  the big superyachts are ,the other day we went to see the Maltese Falcon which is a space age type yacht very futuristic and very big 200 ft + all computer controlled with carbon fibre masts ,booms and pretty much everything else.There were also some very pretty traditional wooden yachts including Tenacious and an ultra modern Wally Yacht about 30 meters.
 
One of the highlights of our stay was meeting up with Paddy ( a friend from East Grinstead and her daughter Becky unexpectedly in Trapper's bar) and of course Christmas Day Caribbean style,with a number of local father Christmas's and a very colourful variety of clothing with a Reggae type band and some very skimpy outfits and that's just the men.All of our lot some 95 people sat down for Christmas lunch which started at 4pm and went on till after 9pm a long time between courses
 
Our way of life here is sunshine eating, drinking, socialising and doing the odd chore, today is getting the boat ready for sea again as we have been in harbour to long with staying here for Christmas. We will be leaving tomorrow towards Martinique,Bequi,Bonaire,Aruba.Then Alan will be taking the boat on to the St,Blas Islands and Panama with some friends Jon & Bon who are flying in from America while we go home for a very important wedding and join the boat in Panama.Once we go through the canal its a very different world indeed as we found out when we crossed the Pacific to French Polynesia in 2006 it will seem a very long way from home,but that is to come.When we return to the boat Ellie our youngest daughter will be coming with us and will stay until Austrailia it will be good for us and we hope for her she will certainly see that part of the world from a different perspective.(Tahiti,Tonga,Fiji etc)
 
Antigua is a great place with a lot of nice people always ready with a smile,must be the sunshine.Must go now have to check out with Customs