We thought that we would not cross from
Guadeloupe to Antigua until 2nd January
as the weather was not really good enough. It was still not the
best weather when we did make the crossing, with waves from a 4 metre sea breaking
over us on 3 occasions, and the wind often at 35 knots in the early part of the
passage. However, the sun was shining and we were well reefed so we
carried on. It was not one of the best Caribbean
sails! We arrived in English Harbour, Antigua
just after lunch and dropped an anchor just of the beach – and the
Calabash beach bar! We cleaned the boat, as best we could, and
hoped for another rain shower that would wash a lot of the dried sea-salt off
the decks and rigging.
John and Sue, some good friends of ours
had sailed up to Antigua ahead of us on their boat Swagman, and we ended up
having a late evening on board Talulah where we swopped stories of the miserable
crossing of the gap between Guadeloupe and Antigua.
But the miserable bits were soon forgotten and we laughed and joked about it
all!
Next day in Antigua see us doing a
little tour of Nelson’s dockyard, buying some spares for the boat, and
preparing her for the haul-out of the water and onto the ‘Hard’ at
Antigua Slipway, where she will spend the next couple of months until we see
her again and put her back in the water. It’s kind of sad to
be leaving her again. She is a good boat, kind to us in rough weather,
and fast when we want her to be. Comfortable either sailing or lying
at anchor, and businesslike when we being sailed and handled.
We leave her ashore chocked up on blocks
of wood on the 5th Jan. Anette and I go for our last
meal ashore in English Harbour – at “Catherines Café” –
a great French restaurant right on the water, and only about 25 metres from
where Talulah is parked. The get a taxi to the airport.
What next….? Not sure
yet. We have tickets to come back to Antigua
to put Talulah back in the water again, and we hope that we will use them
soon. There are 3 plans at the moment. Plan A is to bring her
back to Europe in late May or early
June. Plan B is to go out and sail her more in May, and then leave
her in Antigua for the Hurricane season, and Plan C is to sail her south in
May, and again leave her in Grenada for the Hurricane season.
The location of Talulah really depends on what we want to do at the end of the
year if we leave her in the Caribbean.
Sail further west or sail to Cuba
and Hispaniola……..not sure yet……..
The anchorage just off Deshais in Guadeloupe…..a very sleepy place, but good
protections from the easterly winds!
Looking into the anchorage at Deshais,
Guadaloupe
Beach Bar at Guadeloupe
Terrible photo of the Green Gecko that’s
been our ‘Buddy’ since Grenada. We caught him,
took him ashore then let him free…!
Nelsons Dockyard at English Harbour,
Antigua
Talulah ‘parked up’ ashore
at Antigua Slipway…..just 25 metres from a Chandlers and two restaurants!....how great
is that…?
The last view over the Coach-Roof of
Talulah across to Nelsons Dockyard
The Marina at Nelsons Dockyard in
Antigua
