Antigua

Moonbeam
David and Lynn Wilkie
Sun 18 Dec 2011 15:20

 

We feel a bit lazy chillin’ out in Freeman’s Bay, English Harbour- but if we move we will lose our anchoring spot and we have decided to spend Christmas here! The anchorage is really starting to fill up now and the Christmas lights are appearing on the cruising yachts.

A month ago were on passage down from the USA; 6 months ago we were heading North in the USA; 12 months ago we were on passage from La Gomera to the Caribbean and 18 months ago we were in France! Definitely time to chill out!

Since we arrived in the Caribbean there has been virtually no wind so sailing is not an option- another good excuse!

Returning from Great Bird Island ( under engine! ) we anchored for a night in Falmouth Harbour which has now filled up with yachts for the Charter Show as has Nelson’s Dockyard. It is difficult to equate the current financial “crisis” with the opulence of these yachts and the expense involved in maintaining them- never mind chartering them!

 

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Approaching Falmouth

 

www.antiguayachtshow.com

 

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Falmouth and English Harbour are now so dedicated to “large yachts” that there is a general feeling among cruisers that they are not so welcome any more despite the fact that many small businesses rely on these yachts for their income which is perhaps more ‘reliable’ than the fickle superyacht trade.

We got the bus to St Johns, the capital of Antigua, and discovered that a budding Lewis Hamilton is working as a bus driver here. Walking around the town is quite dangerous as the ‘pavements’ (where they exist) are booby trapped with open drains and missing manhole covers and are a threat to life and limb!

Wednesday evening was a very amusing and enjoyable dinner, music and joke evening at the ‘Hot, Hot, Hot Spot’ .

Hopefully the boat electrical problems are now sorted with some new batteries – despite the excellent hydrometer readings!