Antigua and Barbuda

February 6 - 9, 2015 

9  - Dominica, 10 - Iles des Saintes, 11 - Guaeloupe, 12 - Antigua, 13 - Barbuda

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A - Jolly Harbour, C - Falmouth Harbour

This beauty was on a dock near us in the harbor.
Nero at 296 feet is the 40th largest yacht in the world.

Antigua is one of the yachting capitals of the Caribbean.  Many of the popular regattas originate here drawing entries from all over the world.  While we were visiting we saw over 20 mega yachts.  The largest was a whopping 280 feet! 

I didn't know anyone still put mastheads on boats and then we
saw these two: an American Indian and a dragon.
Fantastic works of art on these mega yachts!

The entrance to the fort and a cannon
guarding the entrance

English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour attract 100’s of cruising yachts each year.  It’s success began in 1745 when the harbors (that almost touch) became Britain’s main navel station in the Lesser Antilles.  Both harbors met the trifecta for secure ports.  They were easily defendable, with immediate access to the trade winds and they afforded excellent protection in a hurricane. The English Harbour Dockyard was completed in 1789 and thanks to restoration work it looks very much the same today.  The dockyard is now known as Nelson’s Dockyard.  Named after one of Britain’s favorite heroes in spite of the fact that he was not popular during his stay as naval commander and he didn’t like living in Antigua.  

These old forts never run out of
cannons or ways to use them.

Not exactly an original part of the fort,
but certainly British.  
Harry Potter fans - Brian thought 
this might be a portal to Hogwarts.

Restored buildings are now used for restaurants
and shops.

No erectile disfunction here---
The pillars were built in 1797 to support
the sail loft where the British Navy's
  sails were repaired.  

We walked to the dockyard and enjoyed poking around the old buildings.  However, arriving by boat the next day gave us a genuine understanding of what an exceptional harbor it is.  The narrow mouth has three forts protecting it.  Once an unwanted ship began to enter, their destiny was guaranteed….  With no way to retreat they were an easy target for the cannons on the hills.       

Forts on both sides of the narrow opening to the bay.

A good view of the narrow entrance and forts.

The last glimpse of Antigua.
Reefs, atolls and small islands make electronic
charts imperative.

A - Cocoa Point

Barbuda

Leaving Barbuda at dawn.  It's difficult to see the
island.  It is so flat.

Barbuda is the least populated, flattest and most natural of the islands we visited.  The island is only 62 square miles with an elevation at it’s highest point of 125 feet.  Most of the island is only twelve feet above sea level.  The 1500 residents are descendants of slaves that were brought to the island by the Codrington family.  The Codrington’s leased the island from England for one fat sheep beginning in 1685.  Barbuda was used mainly for growing livestock and root crops for the family’s estates in Antigua. 

Pulling the anchor.  We're on to our next island!

We were looking forward to walking the beach, but arrived to find rough water with continuous swells.  It was impossible to download our dingy.  As we discussed our options a neighbor came by in his dingy to see if we would like to join them for a ride to the beach.  He and his wife couldn’t manage their dingy in this wild surf alone.  Perfect!  We piled in, rode a wave up to the beach, had a great walk and made some new friends.  David and Jill on Sweet Chariot are from Australia.  They have  traveled around the world and are on their way home.  Back on Gotta Smile we convinced them (over a glass of wine) to go to St Barths instead of heading directly to St Martin.             

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!