Fai Tira Blog 16.00 Local 1600  Friday 18th December

Fai Tira back in Antigua .   17:00.52N 61:45.90W

We are now in Nelsons Dockyard back on Antigua.  The yard was originally called "His Majesty's Antigua Naval Yard", it only became known as Nelson's Dockyard after a major restoration project which began in 1951 and is still ongoing today (a previous restoration attempt in 1932 was abandoned).

                     Entrance to Engish Harbour                                 At Anchore in Freemans Bay                                                      Let’s stay for Christmas                                                                                                                                                    

Brief history: Construction of the naval yard at Nelson's Dockyard began in 1725. The dockyard in English Harbour was the headquarters of the British Leeward islands fleet during the late eighteenth and early and mid nineteenth centuries.

Admiral Horatio Nelson served as a young Captain in the Caribbean Leeward Islands fleet for three years from 1784 until 1787 and during Nelson's period in Antigua the naval yard was greatly expanded. Nelson was the 26 year old Captain of HMS Boreas, based at the yard. The facility was closed down and abandoned by the British Navy in 1889.

http://www.paradise-islands.org/antigua-nelsons-dockyard.htm

Dee is arriving today and they will staying in one of the two hotels here.  Judy and my father arrive on Wednesday next week and will staying in the other hotel here at Nelsons Dockyard.

The last three days have been very interesting and I hope to convey this via photographs we have taken over this period.

First was the trip to Barbuda.  We transited between the islands in the company of Bionic.  The sail was a great beam reach in winds of 15 to 20 knots, Fai Tira was in her element achieving speeds of 7 to 8 knots.

                                                                                                                        Fai Tira in full flight.

                                                                                                     Bionic in overtaking mode.

We anchored up on the East coast of Barbuda and meet up with Natibou and Bionic and had a lovely meal in lovely company.

                                                                                                       The three BWR boats at Barbuda.

The next day I swam ashore and wandered the desolate beach and lagoon. 

                                                                                                          Desolate Island

We then up anchored and headed for Barbuda Harbour. This is where we hit the bottom during a squall in the middle of the night.

    We hit the reef here.

The next day saw us visiting the Frigate bird breeding colony. 

                Frigate Birds in mating mode

We then headed off into the Barbuda outback and had to turn back due to the heat and lack of roads.

                                                               Bike Riding in Barbuda

We returned to the boat and headed South to a more suitable anchorage and meet up with Bill and Sue on Camomile.  We had them over for drinks and nibbles and then hit the sack.

  Camomile with Bill and Sue

Wednesday saw us heading back to Antigua and Green Island where I went diving and we stayed for the night before heading to English Harbour and Nelsons dockyard.

Diving pictures.

Regards Pete and John.