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.
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.