Position: 17:04:41N 61:40:42W

A couple of hours beating to windward into the Atlantic swell from Falmouth Harbour served two purposes – firstly it reminded me of what sailing Nutmeg from the Caribbean to the Azores was going to be like – hard!!  It also got us round to Green Island, a lovely little spot on Antigua’s East coast.  After sailing in through water 6m deep and clear as crystal, you round up in the lee of Green Island and drop anchor in an idyllic anchorage, perfectly flat water but the lovely Trades blowing through and keeping us cool.  The water is that milky turquoise colour which looks as if someone has touched up the photos.

Nutmeg at anchor, Green Island

We spent some perfect time here, doing what I know we will always remember as our best quality family time – school work and jobs in the morning, followed by lunch and an afternoon in the dinghy and on the beach.  The girls are so happy in their routine.  It doesn’t sound much, but we are living such a self-contained, happy life that I think we will look back on this when we are back in the UK and I am working 12hrs a day, Sarah is juggling her business with school, kids, housework etc, and see this as the time when we got it right.

There are a couple of beaches to explore, plus a small island and the reef which protects the anchorage from the Atlantic swells.  This makes for lots of things to go and explore, so we spent time in the dinghy, watching the pelicans diving for fish, rowing and punting around the shallows.  The girls discovered hermit crabs, conch shells walking along the bottom, and spiky sea urchins.  However, the highlight of the day was when Millie spotted a sting ray.  He was just floating around in the shallows, gliding over the sand.  We also saw a few turtles coming up for air near the boat.

Looking at hermit crabs, Green Island

Sting ray, Green Island

Of course, no idyllic time at anchor would be complete without some serious time spent on the beach, so with a backdrop of kitesurfers carving up the shallow water behind us, the girls had me employed on some civil engineering projects and we had soon carved out our own harbours, slipways and rivers in the sand. 

Whilst we were on the beach, a young child came up to join in the play with our girls, and dragged his somewhat reluctant parents behind him.  We got chatting and discovered that the parents were off a very shiny black Swan 90 which was anchored behind us.  The wife was very glamourous but I have to say I don’t think either of us has seen someone look so uncomfortable as she did, playing with her son on the beach.  I don’t think money buys you happiness.

Mima in her element

We met a lovely couple on a yacht called “Kelly’s Eye” and swapped information and plans with them.  We may set up a radio net with them and a few others who are sailing back in “normal” boats in the coming few weeks.

Millie watching the kitesurfers