We arrived at Jolly Harbour, Antigua after a very nice overnight sail from St Bart's with a 6+ knots average for the trip and on a single tack it was much better then expected. We were pretty tired for check in and followed the rules by bringing Moosetracks into the harbor in case Customs wanted to board us and only Devin going in. Well the dock was full of dinghies so we took a mooring ball, then found couples waiting to check in, so much for rules?
We stayed the following day to check out the harbor and look around, but found little here and no buses to nearby towns. We managed to learn even more about Digicel phone coverage when we added more money to our account to find out this is a roaming island, despite our phone indicating it wasn't, and our balance disappeared in 10 minutes.
Well enough of civilization, we want seclusion, so we are off to Barbuda on a windy morning being mindful to arrive to reef strewn Burbuda at mid day or later to be able to see coral heads with the sun behind us. We are well healed over with reduced main and headsail in 20-28 knots but we are averaging 8 knots all the way across for a really exhilarating sail.
We arrive at Low Bay just by the Lighthouse Bay resort and off of a 17 mile pure sand beach that looks stunningly white but on close inspection is quite pink too. We enjoy the rest of the day at anchor and the pure delight of 6 boats in 17 miles of anchorage! We hear a Dutch boat call the local guide for a tour of the Frigate bird sanctuary and we follow up and get booked as well.
The following day we all meet on the beach for the ride across the lagoon which is behind almost the entire 17 mile beach. The beach itself is possibly only 30 yards wide at places and not more than 100 yards for the parts we walked. George Jefferies is the local guide and he is prompt at 9am, however the booking got a little mixed up and we find out they are going ot give us all a few hours in Cordrington at 10:30 before bringing us back, a nice detour for us at no extra cost.
So off we go with the White Witch crew to see the Frigate birds. There are several hundred birds nesting in the mangroves and all vying for the small area they nest in. Not sure why they are so social when nesting but it does make it easy to see they as they are all crowed together.
 |
| The Frigate Birds |
 |
| Typical Mangrove outcrop for nesting |
 |
| Some Boobies here as well |
The all black birds are mature males, the white chested birds are females and the juveniles have a white head and chest for both sexes. The chicks are white as you can see. The birds do not mate for life, the male attracts a female by blowing up the large red sack on their throat and dancing rigorously. After the female chooses the male, he gathers twigs to build a nest with the female actually building while he fetches twigs. The male then helps incubating the single egg with the female. After birth the male is around for a short while before flying away, leaving mum to bring up the chick. The chicks start to leave the nest for the trees at 10 weeks and starts to fly in 3-4 months. It takes 2 years before the juvenile birds are ready to breed so a lot of juveniles are around during the following nesting season.
 |
| A confused male still trying for a mate - season is over dude! |
 |
| Close quarters living |
 |
| Crew of s/v White Witch |
 |
| No it's in focus - it's just this fuzzy chich |
 |
| George taking us to Codrington |
 |
| Codrington docks |
The walk around Codrington is a little like the Bahamas, the streets are sparsely housed and several are run down and abandoned. Unfortunately there is no horse racing today, there is every other Sunday but not this weekend. There are 5 churches for the 1600 island population and two airports! We find only one food store and a digicel store, we missed the turn for the 2 restaurants but did stop for a beer at the snack shack by the jetty. Any a quiet place with not a lot going on, nice if you like that sort of thing.
 |
| A horse tethered in the front yard |
 |
| One of a few stores - closed of course |
 |
| Typical street |
 |
| Town foot traffic |
 |
| A Wadadli beer to finish |
 |
| Back at the beach - Moosetracks is behind me |
We have to have a little beach walk on the stunning white-pink sand so we take off for a long walk on the lagoon side and then return on the bay side.
 |
| Pink sand |
 |
| Cross to the lagoon |
 |
| Does this look Pink? |
 |
| Beach bar, not sure if it opens? |
 |
| The stunning bay side beach |
Next we sailed Moosetracks to Coco Point and off the resort at the point, avoiding the reefs by tacking out well off the island. We meet up with s/v Nauti Dog again as they have been here for several days. The beach here is very long too and has Coco Point resort at one end and the ruins of the K-Club in the middle. It is a stunning beach too.
We walk Chester the next day with Karen and Michael along the beach. The abandoned K-Club properties are very sad to see, once the playground of rich and famous it's in a sad state just now.
 |
| K-Club bar and beach |
 |
| A k-Club chalet |
 |
| The K-Club pool |
Princess Diana brought her boys here a long time ago and you can see how it once was from these pictures.
 |
| Princess Diana at the K-Club pool |
 |
| In it's hey day |
Robert DeNero and an Australian backer are buying the remainder of the 99 year lease for $250M if the local government and people approve it. The locals are not known for allowing development so it remains to be seen if it will take off. So thankfully we are here before construction and money makes this a possible no-go zone.
 |
| Collecting sticks at the K-Club |
 |
| Chester |
 |
| The sticks are a big hit |
The next day we snorkel the reefs of the beaches at the K-Club with some nice large corals but unfortunately not a lot of fish. Michael does find a turtle to swim with though.
The anchorage here has its share of mega yachts and some small tour boats but for such a large place it's delightfully empty and a joy to explore.
 |
| The beach off the K-Club |
 |
| Far end |
 |
| Near Coco Point - s/v Nauti Dog is on the far right. |
 |
| Coco Point resort |
 |
| Visiting tour boat |
We hope you all have a wonderful spring and Easter.
