Wrecks and ashes
Oriole
Sun 14 Feb 2010 16:26
Nonsuch Bay Antigua
17:04.650N 61:40.223W
We are anchored in exactly the same
spot as we were last weekend in the wilds of Nonsuch Bay within site of the
beach where Rob popped the question to Dani. On Monday morning we had to
return to civilisation to do some serious internetting to protect our home from
developers!
Andrew returned from his charter with
Sea Shuttle still afloat and heaved a sigh of relief that he
had looked after her for eighteen action packed months without putting so much
as a scratch on her. He is now happily on the job market and a delivery
crew are starting back to the Med this week. Rather them than him.
It was a mistake to mention
Montserrat last week as on Thursday there was a major eruption and we understand
that a large proportion of the mountain has disappeared. This we cannot
see at the moment but what did materialise was an enormous cloud of ash that
went up to 40,000 feet where it found a westerly wind which pushed the ash
cloud over Antigua and then down to Guadeloupe and Dominica. The sky went
very black blotting out the sun and ash descended putting a fine layer all
over poor Oriole. It got everywhere and everything you touched or trod
on felt gritty like sand on the pub floor. A major cleaning process
followed the passing of the cloud.
More socialising of course and Andrew
came 'home' for some of Mum's cooking and flies out of Antigua
today.
He saw us off from the foredeck
of Sea Shuttle as we returned to Nonsuch Bay to take up where we
had left off last Monday.
As we approached the entrance there
was a stark reminder that pilotage mistakes round here have dire
consequences!
Within the last 5 days one of the
reefs protecting the entrance had claimed a nice looking yacht of about our
size. It does not look as though there is any chance she will come off although
I guess there is a possibility at the spring tides next week. We have
not heard the story yet but no doubt the word will get around. This is only a
stone's throw from the reef which claimed the Swan 80 Ongiara this time
last year but luckily she was salvaged and has just been
relaunched. We will take care!
On a happier note - Sunset over
Nonsuch Bay last night.
Our next guests arrive here in 10 days
time so I guess we will not go far in the meantime.