Deep Bay and St. John's

Despite the fact we have done very little, we have had a busy couple of days.  We had a very good first night on the boat.  Maybe we consumed a little too much rum but enjoyed a solid eight hours of sleep gently rocking in Hermitage Bay, Five Islands Harbour.

We were up at the crack of 8 am ready for the day.  After a hearty breakfast and an hour or two reading the news via the free Wi-Fi floating across the bay from the Hermitage Bay Resort, we created a grocery list and headed back to Jolly Harbour for shopping.

Re-entering Jolly Harbour

A Few Shabby Homes On the Way In.

The grocery store was well provisioned except for fresh fruit.  We decided to stock up for the seven days until the girls arrive.  In addition to some chicken and sausage, we thought 4 dozen beer, 10 bottles of wine and a couple of rums would see us through.

We Drew The Line At Chicken Feet

We Needed A Little Help With Transport

Back to the boat, a walk on the beach, a late lunch, and an afternoon beer set the table nicely for a nap before sunset.   That was followed by grilled pork chops and a fresh chilled Sauvignon Blanc for dinner before finishing the day with hours of conversation solving the world’s problems.

The next day we woke to some wind with heavy gusts.  It was a great day to sail.  Captain Glen planned to sail us around the corner from Five Islands to Deep Bay.  The plan was to take a circuitous route to add to the excitement of the sail.  It wasn’t going to be a full (all sails) day.  Previously the Genoa (or jib) sail had separated from its connecting eye and was unusable.  It was furled around the bow rigging.  After clearing the bay (and avoiding a reef) we hoisted the main sail and the staysail.  We were just starting to fly through the waves when Captain Glen’s face took on a look of grave concern.  Not knowing exactly what was happening he peered over the cockpit only to see that the jib sailed had unfurled and was flapping in the wind.  It was whipping itself against the steel rigging like a sinner self-flaggellating back in medieval times.  With all the loose sail in the wind, the boat was confused at best.  It wasn’t a case of simply running to the bow to lasso it.  It was cracking like a whip in the wind and could have caused serious harm to anyone seeking to intercede.  We turned into the wind toward shore seeking shelter in the lee of the island.  Yan Diesel was running full out straining as we made for safety.  We finally escaped the wind, and with Jinder at the wheel, Glen was finally able to wrestle the sail to the deck in a manner that would have made a rodeo cowboy proud.

With the excitement over we managed to chug into Deep Bay for a well needed and deserved cocktail, and some lunch.

The afternoon activities proved to be much less exciting but most enjoyable just the same.  We hiked up to Fort Barrington.  It was a battery (cannons) and lookout during Admiral Nelson time in the 1700’s.  This area was controlled by Britain until late in the last century.  Drivers still use the British form of driving on the left.  The short scramble up the rocky trail afforded us a fabulous view of the city of St. John’s (the capital of capital of Antigua and Barbuda), the open Atlantic and Deep Bay.  After posing for a few pictures it was back down and a beach walk to a beach bar for ginger beer rums and a dip in the Deep Bay.

Our Target Destination Was In Sight

Through the Mangroves

Past the Bridge

I Think It Was This Way?

Stopped For A Pic (and Rest)

Made It

Cannon Ball Room

St. John's

Deep Bay Beach

Our Second Target - Beach Bar

Ginger Rums In Sight

Murphy the Dinghy ferried us back to the Blue Pearl and we settled in for another gourmet meal prepared by Jinder and a few more cocktails enjoying another Caribbean sunset.

An Unexpected Guest in the Bay