Jolly Harbour, Antigua

Serafina
Rob & Sarah Bell
Tue 31 Jan 2012 01:02

17:03.96N 61:53.01W

Monday 30th Jan

Got up with good intentions for a very early start north to Antigua, but set off about 0645 hrs.   The anchorage had been really crowded last night with several very grand yachts including a tall ship and a beautiful American ‘gentleman’s yacht’ complete with amazingly active crew – they even had a stars jack flying, but taken down very correctly at sundown.   So there was lots of activity as we left as most people were taking advantage of a lull in the weather with a more easterly wind to head north or south, as there is quite a blow forecast for Tuesday onwards; and there was the added excitement of yachts having anchored over other’s anchors.

Initially it was flat calm with the Atlantic swell working its way around the top of the island.   As soon as we neared the northern tip the wind started to get up to 18 knots or so.   Very quickly we were romping along on a fine reach with a reef in the main and in the staysail.   The day was very grey and gloomy and it soon became apparent that we would be beset with squalls.  These went through with 30+ knots of wind and lots of rain, and the visibility was reduced to less than half a mile on occasions but coupled with big Atlantic seas and the knowledge that there were boats heading south on exactly the opposite course, it was certainly interesting! 

 Rob had to abandon his fishing attempts, but later as the weather improved he had another go.   This year we have found a lot of seaweed floating on the surface of the water, especially around the ends of the islands.   This is really irritating as it tends to get caught on the hook and has to be constantly released.   The sun made a fleeting appearance before we encountered further squalls as we approached Antigua.   We were heading for Jolly Harbour Marina on the west coast but could see many enormous masts in Falmouth as they have just had the Super Yacht Challenge weekend.

When we arrived at the marina at 1500 and were marking time for the boat-boy to arrive to lead us in, we watched another beautiful yacht unloading its racing sails and putting back its cruising rig with an inner hydraulic furlex, fixed bimini and the radar dome amongst other items of cruising kit.   The rigger was still up the mast as night fell!

William, the lovely boat-boy here, then pointed out that we had to go back out of the marina to customs.   You are not allowed to berth in the marina and walk around to customs a few hundred yards away, they insist that you dock outside their offices and check in there which, when you are only two people on board, is a bit of a fag.   So Rob duly trotted down the pontoon to customs to fill in the eight forms (the majority of which demand the same information) and with some complicated system of shuttling the papers between the three different offices there.

So we finally squeezed ourselves between the mooring posts into a berth in the marina by 1600.   Having done this unusual mooring system ( involving a spring line on to one of the posts and accepting your neighbour’s bow line as you are paired within the posts) before, we felt rather proud of our technique as we slid gently in reverse between two moored yachts, although  we have to admit that it was dead calm by now.

We have booked ourselves a couple of nights here to miss the nasty weather due and to try and organise some stainless work to cage the American gas bottles we are going to have to purchase which will not fit in our tiny gas locker.   And we also had a text from Halsway Grace to say that they were in a bay nearby so they are now coming to supper tomorrow night as Robin and Sue are picking up guests from here on Wednesday.