Only just in time!

Oriole
Sun 25 Dec 2011 16:07
Falmouth Harbour, Antigua.                      17:01.07N  61:46.28W

We finally made Antigua on Monday afternoon with a forecast that the weather was going to deteriorate in a big way on Wednesday.  It certainly did and we have had some heavy squalls and the wind has been gusting up to 35 knots with big seas outside and an occasional yacht dragging its anchor.  Our anchor is firmly attached to the ground in a very sheltered spot at the top of Falmouth Harbour so we should not go walkabout.    We are very glad to be here in good time for Christmas with mostly easy sailing although for the final passage from Guadeloupe we had brisk headwinds which were heading us nearer to Montserrat than Antigua.  Antigua is very busy with the usual plethora of enormous superyachts of which Gitana, which Andrew skippers, at 112 feet is one of the smaller ones.  He is flying the RCC burgee from the masthead when not on charter and when the owner is not aboard and on the occasions he is able to receive RCC  members for a quick visit.  The burgee is 3 feet high and 6 feet long so we did not have much trouble locating her.
                                  
 
 
Gitana and the six foot burgee.
 
 
 
Burgee lowered and ready for charter on Boxing Day.
 
The alterations and updating or our systems which we completed in Trinidad have been a great success so far and it was well worth going through all the hassle.  Our fitting out experiences this year were probably no worse than usual although perhaps we made it sound more horrendous than it was, as we were desperate to get away. We have received a blast of sympathetic comments by email which we really appreciate.   We have caught up with many friends, both waterborne and land based and it feels quite like coming home.  In fact we possibly get a bigger welcome here when we come back than when we return home, where some people have not even noticed that we have been away!   Here the return of the yachts in November and December is like the swallows returning for the summer and we are welcomed with as much enthusiasm.  After Antigua Race Week in April ALL the yachts disappear and the season finishes with the bang of a closing door.  Many of the businesses close and the last yacht to leave turns out the lights. Right now it is all systems GO and Christmas will be a big party. We send our very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all of you who take the time to read our blog.