Hi everybody, 

I forgot: People we met in English Harbour this week:

1. Sarah from Basingstoke, in the English Harbour immigration and customs building. She saves super yacht people from checking in by doing it for them. She had a BIG pile of passports in her hand.

2. Helen from Norfolk, the mother-in-law of the Italian guy, Matteo who won the Atlantic Challenge rowing race in his class. He wasn't expecting it. She said he got caught in Hurricane Alex near the Canary Islands and spent four days locked in his cabin which was 45 degrees C, spending every wave being almost rolled over. We saw his boat and it's amazingly small and still had his shoes tucked into the stirrups. 

3. Honey who's 9 and her sister, Spice, 7 1/2, who like to jump off the same pier we like to snorkel around and although they weren't sure about Fin trying to rescue them every time they jumped in, they remained good sports about it and did some excellent sand burying, followed by the 'bust out.' We lent them our masks afterwards and they enjoyed snorkelling but not as much as our girls enjoyed making friends! Friends! 

4. Although not human, I feel I have to mention the enormous Great Barracuda I saw snorkelling Bishop's Shoal reef today. I remembered from scuba diving that when you jump in, you should look around quickly cause that's when you see all the good stuff before it disappears. Not sure I was expecting that though... Still, barracuda very polite, behaved impeccably. New friend?

5. Franklin, who's making us a new awning so we can have a shady classroom at the front of Quest. He's got three dogs, including a local dog who is friendly to strangers if he's around but if Franklin's not there, you better watch out.. At this point we hoped Franklin wouldn't notice Fin's painted pink toenails..

6. Tony, from Falmouth, Cornwall who sailed to Falmouth, Antigua in a twenty-something wooden boat he built himself, called Splinter. He is anchored in front of us and last night on the eve of a big racing event here called the RORC 600, the wind has petered out and Splinter and Quest got to know each other a little better as all the boats in the anchorage swung round. Tony has had not one but two encounters with anchoring charter boats since he's arrived in the Caribbean. Hope Splinter doesn't suggest some kind of foreboding.. Go, Tony!

We are off round the island today, to Jolly Harbour. Grandpa says that if you got married there, they can do a good deal on divorce. Please don't tell the Captain though or he'll start smiling again ;)

Hope you all have a great weekend!