Antigua

S/V Just Drifting left Kitts, Nevis and Montserrat for Antigua arriving there on May 26th.  The scenery of the islands where stunning.  St. Kitts looked like a picture of Scotland with its lush green farm land blanketing the hillsides.  The volcanic mountains of Nevis seemed to be those of the illustrations on St. Exupery’s,  “Le Petit Prince” (a boa that had swallowed a hat ) and the still active volcano of Montserrat was awesome to come upon.  So these views made for beautiful over night anchorages.

Montserrat

We had hoped to get to Barbuda but it was a tack to the north from Antigua.  Also, we had enjoyed a few days in Anagada at a similar out of the way island, flat and surrounded by sand and clear water.  We decided to enjoy 5 days in Antigua and her beautiful beaches and a noteworthy centre for Classic Racing Boats, and then to carry on to Guadaloupe.

St. John

We started in the capital of St. John and went to a local hardware store called Bargain Centre for a new toilet hinge and magnet lock (our panel board door would open on severe Port Tacks that we were on on this particular journey).  We bought beautiful fruits and vegetables at City Market and ate traditional food in the Central Square;  a fantastic lunch cooked and served by Beatrice.  I had tofu in a tomato curry sauce, pumpkin and green papaya and a salad with balsamic reduction and Wade tried every single type of fish cooked 5 different ways (the smoked herring was incredible!), spinach and plaintains both fried and steamed.  For desert we had a fluffy velvet cake with almond icing.  All this in a local, outside, typical Market place.  All this food prepared with love was $14.00 American or $35 EASTIES (East Caribbean Dollars)

There were many poor men wandering and gathering old produce or asking nicely for some money.  They were not bothersome and they were really very nice.  We left them a plate of food.  The streets were bustling with shoppers and men playing a game where they move seeds around 12 carved out bowls; woman selling produce and eggs from their gardens.

Deep Bay, Darkwood Beach, 

Rendez-Vous Beach

Darkwood Beach is a local favorite.  Local kids were playing cricket on the beach.  Snorkeling, we came across a lovely little coral garden just like one of those coral castles that you would see in an aquarium with a lovely variety of Sergeant Majors.  Rendez-Vous Beach is only accessible by boat or 4X4 so we shared it with a few other people and some campers that returned from the bay with a lobster and a dozen fish.

Ruins of Sugar Cane Production

English Bay

Most of our time was spent in the Scullduggery bar in English Bay or being patient with the free internet connection on the boat.  Actually, we toured the historical site of Fort Nelson’s Dock and enjoyed the museum and artifacts of Nelson’s ships such as the figure heads, muscats and pottery, as well as a bust of Nelson, a copy from England.  The bakery was phenomenal here as well and the sail making shop was pretty cool, and the cafe on the water served up a fresh and yummy chicken roti (curry in a homemade huge tortilla) which was enough for the both of us.

The Antigua Yacht Club Marina had a few huge Classic Sail Boats and we met a Canadian living in Seattle and on his power boat who had just purchased one for $20,0000.00 U.S.!  Yes, he was now into it for a couple of more hundred thousands, to be sure, but in the pictures, she was a beautiful sight.  Antigua and English Bay are home to Classic Boat Races and it is apparently packed here during the summer and at race time.  We missed all that but we got to enjoy meeting some local ex-Pats and cruisers who spend a lot of time here and those also heading south to Granada this season...mostly all at the Scullduggery!  Better than a Guide Book!