Barbuda - Still in Spanish Bay

SV Meshugga
Nicholas & Deidre Mace
Sun 17 Feb 2019 22:06
3 weeks..............

The week was spent with maintenance chores, usual boat work, chilling, snorkeling and beach combing.

We had more wind than usual this week, 20-25kn and this attracted Kite Boarders....

This crowd arrived on a motor boat, and were obviously beginners, as they sailed almost straight downwind in the bay along the coast, with the motor boat trailing them.

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These chaps are from the French Yacht in the photo, anchored alongside us. They were flying numerous country flags, and are on a Caribbean Kite Boarding/Sail trip. They were really good, sailing upwind with numerous jumps.

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We had a Green Sea Iguana come aboard at the port steps, scuttle up the stairs and fell into the engine compartment which was open.
We assembled a net to try ‘catch’ him for release.

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That did not work, so we set up ramp for him to get out by himself,

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but 5 days later, still unsure whether he was out, we finally spotted him. Poor fellow, he was more black than green. Nicholas put some gloves on, and we chased him out from under the engine with a stick, and around the engine compartment until Nicholas could grab him. A quick grab and fling out to sea. He swam away so can only hope he survives.

Cruising baking - no shops here

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Beach walks and combing
Hurricane Irma damage to beach homes.

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We walked to the ‘Castle Ruins’, which was no more than a turret with cannon/gun openings.

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Barbuda has many wild horses and wild donkeys, and we saw lots of droppings

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and eventually these 2 wild donkeys

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We went to the wild side - the East coast of Barbuda for a ‘look see’. The water and coast was wild.
Looking south

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Looking north

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Pano of the southern end of Barbuda

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Me and my bestie, having a beer break

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Looking back to the west side, Spanish Bay anchorage

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Back on our side, this is what the beach look like - strewn with shells

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Some snorkeling photos from yesterday
We dived further out on the outer reef and had great clarity and visibility.
Fan coral

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Juvenile Spotted Trunkfish

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Powder blue Ocean Sturgeon fish

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On our second dive, the visibility was not as good, but greater schools of reef fish.
School of Blue Tangs

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Finger Coral

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Pearl Wrasse ( LH corner of photo) at a cleaning station - note how he hangs vertically in the water, with gills and mouths open for the cleaner wrasse to do their job. Not a great photo of him.

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My first spotting of a Bar Jack. Often Ciguatoxic.

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Nicholas as always, was on the hunt..

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Our friends from St Maarten, Ron and Donna on SV Primula were in the bay. Great to chat and catch up.

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Take care, and have a good week.

Deidre Mace
SV Meshugga
E: Deidre {CHANGE TO AT} Mace {DOT} co {DOT} za
C: +1 754 213 7663
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