Antigua

Though we arrived in Antigua about three weeks ago, we've made two trips north to Barbuda and have spent most of our time there rather than Antigua. Nothing against Antigua.... we've just been entranced by Barbuda. In between we headed a little farther off shore to do some fishing. And some catching!

Mahi!

We spent some time in Deep Bay on the northwest coast of Antigua and then went around to the south to see the spectacle of the Classic Yacht Regatta. Some of the boats were the old original classic yachts and some were replicas. Some were big - Elena at 137' - and some were small - Cora at 24'. They were all interesting. 

We walked the docks and went to a party (or two) and managed to be out at one of the marks during one race day as we were on our way to Nonsuch Bay around the east side of Antigua.

Athos and a little Carriacou sloop fly their spinnakers for the downwind leg

As always, there were errands to do, some of which took us by bus into the capitol St. John where we were able to get some local produce at the big daily public market.

The #17 buses that run across the island to St. John

 Seen around Antigua

We heeded the warning and tied our fu..... dinghy elsewhere.

After the hustle and bustle of Falmouth during the classic regatta, we sailed over to Nonsuch Bay and picked up one of the free moorings off Green Island for some classic Caribbean peace and quiet. Green Island is a private island, but a few very relaxed security guards said we were welcome to "Walk anywhere you want to mon, just be careful."

Saralane in Nonsuch Bay

It's getting to be that time of year again.... mango season! We walked by this tree a few days in a row and finally were able to pick a few ripe ones. It always seems to be coconut season and with our bounty from Barbuda, we've been eating coconut in some form or other every day. I get about two cups of coconut milk from each nut and then I dry the grated meat to use in other things. I've made coconut palettas and coconut/banana palettas a few times, but we eat them so fast that I haven't gotten a good shot yet. Along with the pineapple, christophene, fig bananas, sweet potatoes, limes, passionfruit and local herbs we got at the market in St. John, I'd say we're eating pretty well. 

From upper left: Coconut Mango muffins, fresh coconut milk, ripe mangos, grated coconut meat. 

Coconut chips

Having spent another week in Barbuda, we're back in Antigua and are making plans to connect with some friends we made last year in the Bahamas who are also here. I'll have another Barbuda blog soon. After grumbling about the crappy sail to Barbuda the first time (me, not Skip) I am happy to report that I may be an ocean sailor after all. Meaning that perhaps I just have a different definition of a 'good ocean sail' than others do. On our most recent sail between Barbuda and Antigua we had higher winds and much bigger seas than before and the sailing was fantastic! The wind was from just enough of a different angle that the dynamic of wind/waves/Saralane worked beautifully. So indeed.... it's not the size of the ship, it's the motion of the ocean.