For the first time in three weeks we are heading towards the south and Antigua, as Mike is due to leave Oboe next Friday.  So on Thursday we had a leisurely lunch, cleared customs and

departed the exotically but inappropriately named Sopers Hole, which is a very picturesque anchorage with expensive shops and friendly bar.

That was the start of our twenty hour passage skippered by Marcus that took us through the twelve hour Caribbean night.  There is not much to say about a night passage except that it is dark.

A sense of diary duty compels me to add that we had good winds but harsh seas and we averaged six knots for the journey. We arrived in St. Eustatius in a fairly ragged state

after the three hours on, three hours off watch pattern.  Some retired to dream in the comfort of their staterooms, others ventured ashore to stretch cramped legs and explore Oranjested,

the capital of this Dutch island.  In the meantime Mike, Marcus, James and Nigel were still in serious contention for the world snoring title!

Later, dinner was taken, with Nigel and Marcus eating on board, whilst James, Mike and myself arrived in style by dinghy at the rather swish Old Gin House restaurant.  A very pleasant meal

was enhanced by a superb flying display by the resident bat squadron, until a saucepan-sized spider arrived to share a portion with  James, who on returning from the ceiling informed us that he

was arachnophobic.

Today, Saturday, we moved Oboe down to St. Kitts where we are at anchor in Basseterre.  Dinner is now being prepared by our expert chef Nigel, and his youthful assistant Marcus.

You will be delighted to hear that Mike has finally broken his duck and caught two superb fish.  These two luckless individuals appear on tonight’s menu as tuna sushi and oven baked snapper.

Smells pretty good to me.

Lots of love from all of us to all of you.

Trev