FLYING HIGH
When last I wrote we were in Nonsuch Bay on the east side of Antigua. We stayed for four days in this lovely calm anchorage tucked in behind a reef. Unfortunately the kite boarders enjoy the calm too. There have been a few reports of the kites knocking the wind instruments off the top of masts. We moved away to a smaller bay to be on the safe side. We then sailed around to Jolly Harbour on the west side of Antigua to restock our perishable goods. We left Antigua on Saturday after spending a month circumnavigating the island. It is a beautiful island with wonderful anchorages on all four sides. So it was with a little sadness that we left to continue on our adventure.
Hermitage Estate
A TOUCH OF BRITTON
Our next stop was the island of Nevis which in the 1700s was under British rule for an extended time. Horatio Nelson was stationed here for three years as a captain in the British Navy in the 1780s. At that time there were 1000 whites and 8000 slaves on the island. We did a tour of the island and visited Hermitage Estate, c1640, where Horatio married Fanny Nesbit the daughter the Chief Judge in 1785. The estate is one of the smaller plantations but the house is believed to be the oldest existing wooden house in the Lesser Antilles. As you can see by the photos it is very nicely maintained.
Hermitage Estate lounge room & Golden Rock Plantation Estate
Views around Charlestown, Nevis
We also explored the main township of Charlestown. It was Sunday and everything was shut, I could take some photos without cars and people in the way. Not the case the following morning when we returned to visit the museum. The town was jumping, it was also the school's annual sport day and so the megaphone was blasting and the music was very loud; it certainly was a striking contrast.
PLENTY OF AMERICANS
We went across to St Kitts the following morning. This is a cruise ship destination and the town was flooded with tourists. The only way we could get to Customs was through the duty free shopping area. I guess in a predominately black society Andrew and I look like we are off the cruise ship. We were driven crazy by all the touts selling island tours, not to mention the fellow with three monkeys who wanting us to hold them for a photo opportunity; no thanks.
Basseterre, St Kitts
Andrew likes to joke with the touts by saying "What makes you think I'm a tourist? See my brown legs and sandals, that's a clue to tell you I'm not from the cruise ship on a few weeks holiday". We only spent a few hours in Basseterre, St Kitts as we decided over a cup of coffee to sail to the island of Montserrat that afternoon. We had a good sail on the wind and motored the last three miles to arrive at Montserrat at 7.30pm in the dark.
The erupting volcano on Monterrat
SMOKE AND ASH
We had no intention of exploring Montserrat as it is an active volcano and since the beginning of our cruising adventure this is volcano number six. It started erupting in 1995 and has destroyed half the island. We left the following morning and passed on the east side of the island to avoid the plume from the volcano; a dramatic view in the early morning.
PARLEZ VOUS FRANCAIS?
We had a fast sail at 60 degrees apparent and completed the 41 miles to the French island of Guadeloupe in 6 hours. We arrived here yesterday around 1.30pm. We are anchored in the peaceful bay of Deshais on the North West corner of the island. We checked in yesterday and enjoyed the ease of the French system where we can do a self check in on a computer terminal instead of having to find the Customs Office and navigate the language.
SO WHAT'S NEXT
This is our first visit to Guadeloupe and so we will be here for a couple of weeks exploring the island and enjoying fine cheese, pate and crunchy baguettes.
Love Candy xx
At 11:00 AM13/03/2014 (utc) our position was 16°18.46'N 061°47.88'W
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