Week ending 9th March
Nightsong
Thu 25 Mar 2010 15:25
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Dear Blog
Back on board the boat with Libby, the Chadds and
Nicholsons after Polly and Matt's wonderful wedding - quite a rush to get to
Gatwick but we made it. Arrived Antigua 1630 and all piled into a taxi for
English Harbour, carrying my new dinghy which we got thru customs
without payment. Found the boat well but very dirty on deck (ash from
the Montserrat volcano 25 miles away) and the bottom incredibly foul with weed,
barnacles etc. A swim on the neighbouring beach for the crew while the skipper
started on the bottom. Excellent meal at a restaurant along from Trappas which
was closed on Monday night.
Shopping next morning while we waited for the new
main which hadn't arrived from SA. Tintin was great keeping me informed but alas
although the sail did arrive that evening, customs had closed so we had to wait
for the next morning for it to be cleared. It was lunchtime before the battens
and luff fittings had been done - and 1500 hrs before we were able to leave for
Green Island. A but disconcerted by the inaccuracies of the chart plooter map
but we eventually anchored safely with about 25 other boats in the lee of the
island. V pretty too. After a morning swim up anchor and set sail for Barbuda 38
miles away. New main looked good and we made the beach on the west coast
opposite the lagoon by 1500hrs. Jonnie dropped Mark and I off for a walk on
the beautiful pink beach but it was quite rough so the girls decided not to
come.
  After quite a rolley night, an early start
(0630hrs) the next day for St Barts 60 miles away. Soon deployed the Code 0 and
sailed throughout the day with a Dufour 40 which did quite well keeping up with
us - bottom still very dirty which didn't help but we were doing 7+knots for
much of the time arriving the lovely Gustavia about 1630hrs.
Anchored stern to, then the usual customs palaver,
then a great meal at the very close and excellent restaurant called Wall House -
thanks C's and N's since Lib and I were treated. After shopping and all the
customs formalities AGAIN we left for the lovely Anse de Colombier a 2mile motor
where we picked up a mooring close to the beach and spent the rest of the
day swimming,sunbathing and snorkelling.
Next day up at a reasonable time and left for St
Kitts a 40 mile trip - had to motor since the wind light. Very disapoointing
when we got there since the marina at Basseterre was full and not welcoming.
Decided to press on the 10 miles or so to neighbouring Nevis. Here we picked up
a mooring north of Charlestown off a lovely beach called Pinney's beach -
but had another rolley night. Decided not to go ashore since very rough but
set sail for Antigua again. Good beat in a E5/6 past the interesting Kingdom of
Redonda viewing Montserrat in the distance (but report from the harbour mistress
at Little Bay was that the harbour was v rough and uncomfortable so we
could not go there). Anchored in the wonderfully milky waters off Jolly harbour,
Antigua (Mosquito bay). Great swimming and too many rum punches
again!!
Next morning we motored round to English harbour
for a relaxing afternoon before the Chadds and Nicholsons left for home. We had
a good week although perhaps over ambitious in terms of distance sailed - it was
a big circle nearly 200miles in all !
BTW new dinghy although small takes 4 comfortably
and nice and light to lift on board
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