St Kitts and Nevis and it's raining!
Silver Bear
Ray Lawry
Sat 13 Mar 2010 16:44
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17:17.4320N 62:43.8090W
The first significant rain of 2010 for this part of
the Caribbean and windy aswell. It was good to have the cooler temperature for a
while, but the sun is out now and it will soon be back in the 30's. We
are glad it happened this week and not last when Ann and Chris joined us.
Antigua, and particularly English Harbour and Nelsons Dockyard, was a great
place. The British architecture and traditions are still evident like the Royal
Navy Tot Club, a group of ex-pats, who meet each day in different bars to
enjoy the sunset, share a bottle of rum, and bemoan the Navy's decision to
abolish the daily tot.
We spent a very enjoyable week sunbathing,
snorkelling and eating well. On Sunday evening we visited Shirley Heights jump
up where the entertainment was provided by a steel pan band and other
groups of musicians. Everyone seemed to have a good time and, not for the first
time in our lives, we were one of the last to leave. Earlier that evening whilst
walking through Nelsons Dockyard we came across Duncan Cooper a friend of Davids
and willing volunteer to do the return leg to Plymouth with me. He had arrived
the previous day from Cape Verdes and was also in party mode joining us for the
jump up.
From Antigua we made for Nevis arriving in thick
threatening cloud and heavy rain. Next morning we reefed down and had a quick
crossing to St Christopher (St Kitts) in 28knots of wind.
Christian the colourful (multi-coloured beard and
matching clothing) St Kitts tour operator gave us a first class tour of the
Island complete with beers, coconut rum and rum punches. Having spent his life
here he really knows his stuff and it was facinating to hear about the
history,traditions and wild life of the Islands. Basseterre the main town is an
architectural mix of colonial Britain and France as both claimed ownership at
various times. Sadly the splendour of Victorian Britain and colonial France is
now tarnished with Miami style shopping Malls, Kentucky chicken shops, Dominos
Pizza and Sub-way bars. Why do the Americans insist on imposing Floida
blandness on such interesting places? Even the bar staff have taken
to telling customers to "have a nice day".
Mr Cleverly will be pleased to hear I
eventually purchased a pair of Merrell sandles to replace my much loved Reefs
that had served me so well over the past 10 years or so. Unfortunately I hadn't
got back to the tender before the strap came away from the base of the shoe. I
managed to get a replacement pair which lasted 2 days before they too
started to fall apart. Chris's taunting and insisting I discard my
reefs has left me shoeless and $77 poorer! Anyway we are off to St Bart,s next
which is meant to be the St Tropez of the Caribbean where the wealthy,
stylish and trendy hang out. I should fit in perfectly.
 Another view from Shirley
Heights, Antigua |