Back in Antigua
Simanderal
Michael Hughes and Ger White
Tue 18 Mar 2008 15:13
|
We much enjoyed our few days in Anguilla--some
swimming and sun--we spent an afternoon with a driver showing us round the
island--and a day on a couple of the outer islands, which are nature reserves
where you can take moorings during daytime but cannot stay overnight--coral,
reef fish--great snorkelling and lovely beaches. We had lunch on Sandy
Island--just a lump of sand a couple of miles offshore, surrounded by coral
reef, perhaps a hundred yards by 50, with half a dozen low palm trees and a
wooden shack/shade with a guy grilling delicious lobsters! Like the
cartoon image of a desert island.
On 14th/15th we sailed overnight to
Barbuda--anchored off Cocoa Point--half a dozen cruisers with 10 miles of the
most beatiful beach between us--great for swimming, walks on the beach etc. We
went with George Jeffrey to see the frigate bird colony--amazing--16000 frigate
birds in an area of mangroves--and George an interesting guy, I guess in his
60s, with a lot of tales to tell! A memorable trip in his boat in the
lagoon.
With a forecast of very big northerly seas building
Tuesday night, we decided to get back to sheltered English Harbour on the
17th--pity, we would have enjoyed another day to chill in Barbuda-- we pick up
my two sisters in Antigua on 19th. Talk in Antigua is all about the brewing
weather and financial crises in the markets. But it was a great day's
sailing--about 6 hours for the 45 or so miles with a lovely beam reach in winds
from 10 to 15 knots, sun and reasonable seas. Now moored up outside the Galley
Bar in Nelson's Dockyard Marina--where we will stay until the weekend when the 5
metre northerly swell is forecast to be
much diminished.
|