Antigua

17 00.0 N 61 47.0 W

Antigua has two important harbours that sit side by side – Falmouth and English Habour. Their potential as ports that were easily defended was recognised around 1723 and work began on dockyards. This was to be Britain's main naval station in the Lesser Antilles.

Antigua is beautiful and I hope we get to stay here for a while – Antigua hosts 2 famous yacht racing events each year – The Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta runs from 19th – 24 April and we are anchored in the middle of the bay with first class views of the yachts. After a break of a few days the “racing” boats have their regatta. Both Regattas are sponsored by their individual rum company which in turn offers caps, t-shirts etc for those who purchase the required number of rum drinks. Parties are held every night – purchase 3 rum drinks and you get a ticket, 3 tickets gets you a free red cap – these caps are highly sought after and we have one – it is a matter of debate as to whose cap it actually is but it does fit me and looks very nice :-)

We have made Falmouth Harbour our temporary home – the bay is large and does not have a swell – yea !!! To those who may consider I place too much store on a calm anchorage or complain about a swell a little too often just picture our normal day ….... get up tired and cross because of a bad nights sleep, get out the tupperware container of granola and bowls – milk and yogurt from the fridge – just then the boat rolls and the eggs and margarine fall out of the fridge onto the cabin sole – the lip comes off the margarine of course which then splatters up the walls – my hands are still full of milk and yogurt, which when placed in the sink so I can clean up the mess fall over and spill their contents. Expletives are sounded and the mess cleaned up – meanwhile the bowls are sliding backwards and forwards on the bench making a screeching noise. The kettle is boiled for our cup of tea and just as I am pouring the water into the cups another roll and the cups fall over and I now have weak boiling tea running around the kitchen bench and have to start over again. Beginning to get the idea ??? That night I decide to make a fritatta (with the few unbroken eggs) and potato chips in the oven I actually crack the eggs, beat them and get them into the pie dish without mishap – just as I go to place the dish in the oven the boat rolls, the dish is now on the tray in the oven whose gimbals allow to rock with the roll of the boat but I am stopping that rock by holding the oven still while I place the dish. The contents of the dish pour over the back side of the oven that is now at a strange angle, run down the back of the oven and onto the base leaving an omelette looking mess in its path – did I mention that the drinks I had prepared also tipped over ?? Combine this with moving around a rocking boat – feet fall lower than expected as the floor dips, hips get bumped into corners and nothing remains in place – I should mention the terrible affects on ones stomach as well but will leave that to your imagination – now to bedtime – gentle rocking is wonderful when sleeping – comforting and relaxing. More than gentle rocking is nasty – you have to hold onto the edge of the bed to prevent from rolling onto your partner, once you eventually fall asleep the rolls appear to get bigger and shorter in duration and your hand no longer has its grip on the side of the bed so over you go, the only other solution is to use all your muscles to keep in one place leaving you with a tired sore body the next day. A calm anchorage is as close to heaven as I can get on a boat.