Big yachts at Falmouth Harbour, Antigua
PASSEPARTOUT
Christopher & Nirit Slaney
Tue 5 Apr 2011 12:42
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Customs and immigration officers in the
imperial uniform of Antigua & Barbuda did their best to keep us out of
their islands, which we've since heard are a paradise for weapons traffickers
and drug smugglers, but we eventually played the game by their rules and
made a short visit with Gil & Batya Tagar. On the way in we were buzzed by a
yacht which looks like one of the 'spare' hulls built for the last America's Cup
Challenge. In Nelson's Dockyard we saw Steinlager III, the New Zealand Maxi
last seen two years ago when we were on the start line for the Malta Rolex.
Needless to say we didn't see much of them after the start, just a red
smudge disappearing over the horizon. Gil and Nirit craned their necks to view
the masts on The Maltese Falcon which weigh thirty five tons each. Batya and I
were impressed with the lines of Mike Slade's ICAP Leopard and a collection
of 100 foot SWANS. There's no end to what you can aspire to, right?
A couple of days later we found the world's largest
sloop, MIRABELLA V at anchor outside Simpsons Bay Lagoon, St Maarten. The
following morning her skipper took her in through the lifting bridge
channel with just one foot to spare on each side.
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