17:00.22N 61:45.65W

 

Gosh its been a while since we last updated the blog. Sorry, and thanks for all the emails of complaint on the matter - anyone would think we had nothing else to do...oh yeah, we dont! Ha, ha!

 

So St martin was cool. Spent about a week there in all tucked up in the lagoon. Then Pete and Linda, Ems' mum and dad, flew in to spend 9 days with us. We have done a whirlwind tour of the Leewards.

 

We hired a car in St Martin and toured around - could not persuade them into the delights of Orient Beach, but hey-ho. We then took a day trip over to Saba. Although we have been once, we could not get off the boat before as the weather was so rough. We always said we would love to go back. It really is lovely. So small, yet everyone is so friendly and the streets are so clean. Not sure I could live there but thoroughly enjoyed the visit. Anyone thinking of a long weekend there should consider staying at the Ecolodge - a very chilled out place set up in the rainforest. Saba rises to 3000 feet so often the top of it is in the clouds, hence its title "island in the Clouds". We hiked to the top which involved climbing 1064 steps in search of scenic views - typically it was covered in cloud and nothing could be seen! But it was a great hike!

 

Next up was a trip to St Barths (8 sq. miles) aboard the luxury sloop, Serai, with crew resplendent in Serai Crew T shirts - thanks to Bill and Nic. We spent 2 days here. Hired a car and toured the island - somehting else we have always wanted to do but never had the chance before. It really is a lovely island and I love it a little more each time I go back. I guess its the french influence, the food, the shopping and the beaches. Gustavia was very rolly though so we spent the night in Columbier instead - much nicer and meant that Linda kept smiling. She looked very nervous about the thought of trying to sleep in the swells sweeping through Gustavia.

 

With no time to spare we headed to Antigua (108 sq. miles), wanting to get there for Pete's 60th birthday on 13th December. It took us 20 hours. Not a bad trip but the swells were quite large - about 8ft. There was good wind though and we were able to make the bottom of Antigua in one tack before heading along the south coast to English Harbour. I love the history of this place and it makes such a great landfall after a  night at sea. Linda was very brave throughout. She enjoyed all the stars but decided to remain horizontal for the entire 20 hours. Pete stayed up and worked the watches with us before succumbing to sleep around midnight. Ems had a big squall on her watch but luckily by then we already had a reef in so she just got soaked! Not a happy bunny!

 

That brings us up to date. We sit here in English Harbour and are looking forward to a birthday dinner tonight. This afternoon we will go and look round English Harbour properly. Pete and Linda fly out on Friday and we shall leave here for Guadeloupe on Monday, weather permitting. This will be the start of our foray into new places and we cannot wait to see all that these islands have to offer.

 

This bring things up to date. We are still trying to put pictures on the site and failing miserably! Keep up the emails - we love hearing from you all.

 

Lots of love

 

J and Ems xxx