17.00.51N 61.35.67W
JENNY
Alan Franklin/ Lynne Gane
Wed 26 Dec 2007 15:04
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HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE AND A HAPPY HEALTHY AND
PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR FROM ALL OF US ON JENNY
We have now done 60 degrees around the world only
300 degrees to go.Firstly a big thank you for all of your messages ,jokes,and
advice it really keeps us in touch with home.Please do log into our blog as we
try to update it daily when we are on passage.
We arrived in English Harbour on the 8th of
December then sailed to Jolly Harbour on the other side of Antigua where we had
some work carried out on the boat to re- bolt the wind pilot to the stern(it was
moving on its mountings as we were transiting the Atlantic so we had to
stop using it,also the cutlass bearing was changed and the hull antifouled with
a particular substance for the tropics the European stuff does not work to well
as it is meant for colder climates).The people in the yard at Jolly Harbour were
really helpful although like all boatyards it was expensive in fact
everything in this part of the Caribbean is expensive,I suspect its the same all
over
Needless to say many of the boats are quite
surprised at how quickly their sailing funds
are depleting
English Harbour is preserved pretty much as it was in Nelsons day with the
old buildings and quayside looking very picturesque but it is also very lively
and also a short walk from Falmouth harbour where the big superyachts are
,the other day we went to see the Maltese Falcon which is a space age type yacht
very futuristic and very big 200 ft + all computer controlled with carbon fibre
masts ,booms and pretty much everything else.There were also some very pretty
traditional wooden yachts including Tenacious and an ultra modern Wally Yacht
about 30 meters.
One of the highlights of our stay was meeting up with Paddy ( a friend from
East Grinstead and her daughter Becky unexpectedly in Trapper's bar)
and of course Christmas Day Caribbean style,with a number of local father
Christmas's and a very colourful variety of clothing with a Reggae type band and
some very skimpy outfits and that's just the men.All of our lot some 95 people
sat down for Christmas lunch which started at 4pm and went on till after 9pm a
long time between courses
Our way of life here is sunshine eating, drinking, socialising and doing
the odd chore, today is getting the boat ready for sea again as we have been in
harbour to long with staying here for Christmas. We will be leaving tomorrow
towards Martinique,Bequi,Bonaire,Aruba.Then Alan will be taking the boat on to
the St,Blas Islands and Panama with some friends Jon & Bon who are flying in
from America while we go home for a very important wedding and join the
boat in Panama.Once we go through the canal its a very different world indeed as
we found out when we crossed the Pacific to French Polynesia in 2006 it will
seem a very long way from home,but that is to come.When we return to the boat
Ellie our youngest daughter will be coming with us and will stay until
Austrailia it will be good for us and we hope for her she will certainly see
that part of the world from a different perspective.(Tahiti,Tonga,Fiji
etc)
Antigua is a great place with a lot of nice people always ready with a
smile,must be the sunshine.Must go now have to check out with
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