Waiting for water

True Colours
James Scrimshaw
Sun 16 Feb 2014 17:56

Position 17:00.18N 061:46.99W

Still in Antigua.  Toby left on Thursday (his flight was delayed for 2 hours but he still made his connection in New York and should be in New Zealand by now;  presumably the delay stemmed from the snow storms in the Eastern USA -  seems unbelievable when we are sat in such sunshine and heat).  On the night before he left the four of us (R, J, Toby and Oli) went to a wine tasting meal at Catherine’s restaurant on Pidgeon Beach.  Very smart (thank heavens James had put on long trousers for the first time since Xmas lunch). Canapés with 2 wines, then 6 courses each with a different French wine specially selected by the importer (Bollinger with the dessert). Expensive, but the food was delicious, the wine plentiful, and it was a great experience.

While we’ve been here we have finalised some of the arrangements for returning home.  We have booked flights for 8th May (with airmiles > £200 each), and now need to finalise arrangements for True Colours’ summer storage at Jolly Harbour, storage of contents, and our on shore accommodation while she is being laid up.

Yesterday we went with Oli to Jabberwok bay, where he was kitesurfing.  Conditions were pretty good and he had some great kiting before we packed up just in time to miss a rain shower.  The sand on Jabberwok is incredibly fine, and in the wind was going everywhere – if you sat for a while (as we did!) you ended up covered in a cream coloured coating – particularly where suncream had given an adhesive for it.  So after lunch at OJ’s, we just had to go for a swim in the sea to clear it off.

Our plan had been to clear out from customs today, refill with water, and then set off to Guadeloupe tomorrow morning.  But we have put it back by a day (seems like we never leave on time – but hey – we are in the Caribbean) as the fuel dock at Slipway – the only place we can get water – does not open on a Sunday.  So tomorrow we’ll water the boat, fill the petrol can and possibly top up with diesel, then return to our mooring to leave first light on Tuesday.  Destination is  Deshaises, an inlet at the north end of Guadeloupe’s west coast, where we should be able to anchor and clear customs.  About 45 miles with wind on the beam, so hopefully 8 hours or so.