Exploring Antigua

Jolly Harbour is an interesting place.  There is a marina if you are so inclined.  There are mooring buoys inside the harbour for $20 US.  Or, you can anchor just outside the harbour in a well-protected bay.  The marina is well equipped although we didn't find the staff overly friendly.  Maybe they were having a bad day?  We enjoyed the showers, and there is an extremely well stocked grocery store with prices much like at home… except the wine.  Our Tuesday night plonck that we pay about $10 for at home is $4.  So our wine stores are suddenly in good shape.  There is also a Budget Marine, which Glen is dying to visit.  He can make that part of his daily routine during the time Pam is at home getting a "Gran-fix."

Very smug about the $4 Chilean wine

We went to an Italian restaurant which has a Tuesday night 2-for-1 pizza night.  We had heard from several folks that it is a can't miss kind of place and Bobby, from IP350 Gra'inne, had made reservations.  The pizza is to-die-for… thin crust, baked in a big oven… alas not wood-fired… and they have about 20 choices, all of them fantastic.  Pizza was $40 EC so about $16 US each but with 2-for-1 it is a real bargain.  The place was PACKED!  They have two sittings; 6:30 and 8:30 and there is not a spare seat in the house.

Brilliant pizza

Back out to anchor in the harbour mouth and a nice night's sleep.  

Bobby and Leslie are going to give us a tour of their favourite spots around the island so next day we followed them, motoring to Deep Bay.  It is a protected bay with a spectacular, long beach.  Ashore on a high bluff there are the remains of Fort Barrington to explore and you can snorkel on the wreck of the Andes, a 3-master carrying pitch from Trinidad which caught fire and sunk in 1904.  One of the masts still sticks out of the water, marking the location of the wreck.

Murphy on the beach

Blue Pearl... along with Gra'inne

Looking out from Fort Barrington

Down into the fort

On Thursday we moved to a luxury development off Long Island called Jumby Bay, in Davis Bay.  We don't think riff-raff like us are welcome ashore but the swimming is great and so is the internet.  Lots of time to keep up on our boat chores and relax in the Caribbean sun!  Had a wonderful steak dinner on Gra'inne on Friday night.  First steak since Puerto Rico so it was especially good!

Shabby beach huts on Davis Bay

Keeping up with friends and family

Our route from Deep Bay to Davis Bay

We will spend some time at Great Bird (Big Bird?) Island on a mooring and perhaps Rabbit Island before thinking about heading back over the top towards Jolly Harbour on the west... and more adventures!