We slept reasonably well last night despite the Atlantic style roll, I thought that it was too much rum, and arose in good spirits to set off for Antigua.  Can you believe it, the wind had shifted around and was once again smack on our nose.  Why does this always happen to us?  We zig zagged across, riding a choppy sea with 18 knot winds blowing us along nicely at a steady 6 knots.  Breakfast was served on cook’s favourite tack but lunch was abandoned on the basis that no one really wanted anything other than to nibble at to quell the rising nausea. It was Stuart’s turn to win the chunder challenge today.  Pop was very reluctant to drink any water because it would inevitably mean a nauseous visit below.  As a medic she should know better!

We arrived at Jolly Harbour, anchored in the outlying bays,at 3pm where cook cracked open all the eggs for a giant scramble, served with smoked salmon because Antigua is after all rather sophisticated after our previous islands.  The four “children” then pottered ashore to choose a restaurant for dinner while Bob and I chilled peacefully with our Kindles and admired the beautiful view from behind closing eyelids.

We were getting a bit concerned as to what the four children were up to as we had expected them back in daylight when suddenly a pitiful Francesca clambered up the steps to announce that the dinghy had deflated itself on their return journey and she and her escort, Stuart, had only just made it back as it had gradually sank from under them, they had left Katie and Pop ashore to cut down on the number of rather long haul journeys, the bay was rather more outlying than we had realised.   Bob the hero immediately diagnosed the problem by the light of a torch and got the puncture repair outfit out again.

This conundrum, on a bank holiday where there were no water taxis and no one official to help, was resolved by Pop and Katie buying a ride with a very kind and helpful (and loud) American couple for the price of a gin and tonic having turned down the offer of overnight accommodation from the ever so helpful barmen.

Rather than the planned fancy restaurant we are now sitting down to Fray Bentos steak and ale pies, a relic from the Atlantic crossing that need using up, but they do make very good comfort food.