Antigua

Well, we finally completed our tour from St. Martin to Barbuda and are back in Antigua. This chart shows the route we took from St. Martin to Nevis, St. Kitt's, back to Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda. I know for you non-sailers you're looking at this and thinking, "Why didn't they just go from St. Martin to Barbuda. It looks like you took the long way." Well, we did but by sailing this route we had a better point of sail making for more sailing, less motoring and more comfortable conditions. We also wanted to visit all these islands. Now when we leave Antigua we'll have a good point of sail to head to Guadeloupe.

The sail from Barbuda to Antigua was a good one but eventful. We had good wind and seas and were cruising along at over 6 knots. A squall formed between the islands but we managed to cross just in front of it getting 28 knot winds but none of the rain. About an hour into the trip Jim went below deck for something and yelled , "there's a porthole open down here." I have always been afraid that I would forget to close one someday and well, someday came. Of course it had to be the forward porthole, over the bed and on the windward side. We had been taken spay in for the last hour. The corner of the bed was soaked, the spray was hitting the teak wall and door to the head and running down and puddling in front of the starboard settee. What a mess! I had my work cut out for me when we arrived in Antigua.

Then when we arrived outside Deep Bay, Antigua and went to furl the genoa the line jammed. No amount of coaxing would free it so we fall off and drop the genoa and lash it down.

Here's Jim maneuvering around the genoa as he sets the anchor.

Deep Bay is a pretty anchorage on the west shore. There is a resort there but at this time of year it was almost empty. On the hill between Deep Bay and the entrance to St. John's are the ruins of Fort Barrington.

That's Merengue all by herself in Deep Bay.

That's all we have to show for the past two weeks in Antigua. A few days later, I came down with a bad bout of flu. I spent a week in bed with a fever, chills, cough, well you get the idea. Jim hung the quarantine flag on me! It was good that we had moved to Jolly Harbor the day I got sick because there are all the conveniences we needed like a pharmacy and nice grocery. We've now moved to Falmouth Harbour where we'll do some exploring while we wait for good weather to head south.