On March 5th, the kids were bursting with anticipation, waiting for Grandma and Grandpa to arrive in Antigua for their ten day cruise on Nahanni V. Soon after we greeted them at the airport, they doffed their shoes for sandals, and jumped into a cab with us bound for English Harbour.
Wavey helping Gramma with her shoes
So excited!
Simon and Gramma
Despite their long day of travel, they had no time to rest and put their feet up. It was Sunday night in English Harbour and that meant only one thing: party in Shirley Heights. John and Simon dropped their luggage off on Nahanni V, and met us up the hill with the commanding views of English and Falmouth Harbours at sunset. The rhythms of the steel drum band, the rum punches, and the delicious BBQ got them quickly into the island mood. By dark, we were dancing in the thick of the crowd to the reggae beats.
Atop of Shirley Heights (photo taken by Carol)
Steel Drum Band (photo by Carol)
Views of English and Falmouth Harbours (Photo by Bob)
Bougainvillea (photo taken by Simon)
Dry vegetation at Shirley Heights (photo taken by Simon)
Liming with the grandparents
Nahanni V in Tank Bay, English Harbour (taken by Bob)
Watching the sunset (taken by Bob)
Though the party went on a bit longer, our tired crew called it a night and made our way down the hill (most in a taxi, Simon and John hiked down a cactus-lined path in the dark) and we met up at the beach. We hopped into the dinghy and made our way back to the boat where we were anchored in Nelson's Dockyard. Bob and Carol did not bat an eye with their new mode of transportation. In the light of the moon, they both climbed up the stern ladder to their new home for the next ten days.
Nahanni V at anchor (taken by Bob)
Breakfast on our first morning (taken by Carol)
Nelson's Dockyard is situated in English Harbour and recently became an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along with several forts, the Dockyard was completed by the British in 1745. It was the home of the famous Admiral Horatio Nelson, who spent his early career here. The British found it was the perfect place to keep the Royal Navy's fleet ship-shape in this natural hurricane hole. Ships were careened and overhauled, sails were sewn, and supplies were stocked within the Dockyard.
The old sail loft where boats would bring sails in (taken by Carol)
Nahanni V from shore (taken by Bob)
During our visit to the Dockyard Museum with Bob and Carol, we learned what life was life in those early days of the dockyard. British sailors posted here often saw their mission as a death sentence, as many of 30% died from disease (malaria, yellow fever), excessive rum (which we found out was likely to be poisoned by lead), tough living conditions, and poor hygiene. The Dockyard came into ruin after 1899, when Britain no longer had a use for the place. The restoration started in the 1950's and the place is now part of the National Parks Authority.
Simon as Horatio
Soldiers in Museum (taken by Carol)
It was fun to poke around the place and imagine life in Nelson's time. We lingered around the old stone buildings that once housed sail lofts, copper, lumber, pitch and tar, as well as the infirmary where barbaric measures were taken to "treat" soldiers. We bought pastries in the bakery that once baked bread for Nelson's men.
Entrance to the Dockyard
Capstan in the Dockyard
We easily settled into life in English Harbour. After visiting the Dockyard, we ventured further to explore Falmouth Harbour and the marinas where the mega yachts carry the rich and famous. We visited the beaches, shopped, ate pizza and spent time relaxing in the hammock.
Getting around town
Dinghy dock
Beach Day at Pigeon Beach (taken by Carol)
Simon and sea urchin
Chilling on the beach (taken by Carol)
Enjoying beach life
Builder at work
Burying Simon
Transforming Wavey into a mermaid
Beach days (taken by John)
Snorkel man (taken by Carol)
Grandpa trying to get through his Maclean's in the hammock (taken by Carol)
Launching the dinghy (taken by Bob)
Kids in old British phone booth (taken by Carol)
Checking out the mega yachts in Falmouth
Mega yacht shopping
We even got to hike out to Fort Berkley, for great views of the harbour and sea.
We enjoyed cooking for this crew, and especially loved the fact that the dish fairy had returned. (The dish fairy disappeared when Susanne left, and miraculously returned when Carol and Bob arrived.) This meant I was now able to cook to my heart's content, and take a little rest after dinner while the galley reset with clean dishes.
Lunch!
John's famous Pina colada night
We enjoyed some of the biggest avocados I have ever had
Lunch
Happy Bob (taken by Carol)
Pizza night
Breakfast (taken by Carol)
Dinner
Taco night (taken by Carol)
BBQ man (taken by Bob)
While we were in English Harbour, there were two interesting arrivals. In contrast to the classic sailing yachts and the mega power boats, there were two rowing boats that arrived on different days, ending their transatlantic voyages.
Talisker Race - boats row from Canary Islands to Antigua for months
One of the arriving boats
Update to race arrivals
Another vessel was propelled by a man who was paddling the boat like a paddle board. How anyone paddles standing up in 4 metre ocean swells is beyond me--I have a hard enough time standing up. We didn't meet the chap who had completed this monumental task; soon after his arrival, word had it that he was taken to the hospital for a check-up. However, Simon and Bob did row over to check out the boat the morning of his arrival. See http://www.lonelyplanet.com/news/2017/03/14/chris-bertish-transatlantic-stand-paddleboard/
Transatlantic paddleboard
Checking it out with Grandpa
Simon checking out the paddleboard
After several days in Nelson's Dockyard, we decided to weigh anchor, and sail up the west coast of Antigua to Jolly Harbour to spend a few days.
Leaving English Harbour
As the wind had been blowing hard for a few days, the waves were about three metres, and a bit steep as we left English Harbour. We assured our crew that we were likely to endure a bit of a rough ride for about thirty minutes before we "turned the corner," and got protection from the shore. Not being one who adores sailing, Carol was none too pleased with the first thirty minutes. However, she rallied once the waves settled and she enjoyed the rest of the 90 minute voyage. (Yes, she is still talking to us.) No one lost their lunch, and I was pleased with how resilient and adaptable our new crew were.
Underway to Jolly Harbour
The waves are just starting to abate
Arrived and smiling!
We anchored outside of Jolly Harbour with dozens of other boats. It was a ten minute dinghy ride into the Jolly Harbour complex which is a community of condos, private docks and a large marina. We were thrilled to find the Epicurean, a fine grocery store (expensive, but well-stocked) and a few shops to wander around in.
Nahanni V in Jolly Harbour (photo taken by Paula O'Neil)
(photo taken by Paul O'Neil)
Simon was excited to get the sailing dinghy out and show off his sailing skills throughout the anchorage. Donning his life jacket and radio, we watched as he spent more than an hour tacking back and forth until we could barely see him. As he returned to Nahanni V, the wind became a little gustier. Luckily, he was close by when he was overcome by the wind, and capsized. I was already snorkelling, so I swam over, and John jumped in the inflatable dinghy for the rescue. Two other dinghies also stopped to help bail and right the boat. Another boat that was just in the process of anchoring, grabbed a line so we could stop drifting out to sea as we got him up again.
Sailing in Jolly Harbour (all photos in this sequence taken by Bob)
The Capsize
The Rescue
Secured by neighbouring boat to prevent us from drifting off to sea!
While we were in Jolly Harbour, we had the good fortune to be invited for dinner by some fellow Canadians, Kathryn and Rick who were acquaintances of Bob and Carol. We arrived at their condo and tied up at their dock, where their boat sat hauled out. We were joined by their neighbours Paula and Michael, who were escaping the cold in PEI. We enjoyed a wonderful evening with a delicious meal and great conversation. We were sad to leave our new friends at the end of the night, and motored off by dinghy as the choir of peeping frogs came out.
On our way for dinner
Kathryn and Rick's place (taken by Carol)
Bob, Carol, Paula, Kathryn and Rick
Wavey, John, Simon, Michael and me
Kathryn serving a lovely cake
Having a great night
After Jolly Harbour, we went a few miles north to Deep Bay and anchored off the beach. There once was a thriving hotel complex onshore here that John and I visited in 2002, but news was that it had recently closed. We beached the dinghy here, and had the place pretty much to ourselves to play on the beach. There was a wreck in the middle of the bay that John and the kids snorkelled over, but due to the swell, the visibility was poor.
Beach day in Deep Bay (taken by Carol)
Sea treasures
Beach to ourselves
Sunset in Deep Bay
The days were flying by and it soon came to the day before Bob and Carol had to leave. We sailed another few miles north to St. John's, the capital of Antigua, and anchored in the putrid waters right next to the cruise ship terminal.
Nahanni V in front of the cruise ships in St. John's, Antigua
Cruise ship terminal
After days of being at anchor in natural settings, the city was a noisy (and stinky) contrast. We went ashore and wandered through the streets noticing the stark differences between the shopping streets that were glitzed out for the cruise ships and the regular streets of the city. We ate at a restaurant that had a steady stream of locals getting take out, and sampled real Carribean food (with drinks) for the same price a few drinks would have cost at the cruise ship terminal.
Shopping streets
Sun setting as the shops close
Wavey girl
Party catamarans docked for the night
Having a drink on the last night
We spent our last night together watching the cruise ship lights twinkle, and listening to the the soca beats blare from onshore. The kids put on a variety show for their grandparents, which included several rounds of Wheel of Fortune using their Bananagram game letters.
A new mantra in saying goodbye to our wonderful guests
Before leaving for the airport, we had our last screaming game of Dutch Blitz (a daily occurrence on board.) The kids sadly put the cards away and we loaded our guests' luggage into the dinghy.
There wasn't a great dinghy dock to land to unload their luggage, but somehow, we managed to get everyone and everything ashore on one of the commercial docks. (By now, Bob and Carol could scramble up any old seawall.)
As the taxi for the airport came, there were tears as we said goodbye to Grandpa and Gramma. There was also tremendous gratitude for an amazing visit and the opportunity to have so much fun together.
Final hugs before departing
Safe travels!
We headed back to the boat, weighed anchor, and returned to the clean waters of Deep Bay, where we prepared for our next adventure in St. Maarten.
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