Life Aboard SERENADA: Living on Island Time in Antigua

'leaving Guadeloupe at sunrise

Antigua's courtesy flag with our HYC burgee

Where does the time go? We have been on island time in Antigua. We had a good sail here, having waited for a mild weather window. Antigua's not far from Guadeloupe - about 40 nautical miles, and that took Serenada about 7 hours to complete.

We anchored in English Harbour, home to the historic Nelson's Dockyard. It has been beautifully restored. It was built originally by 1789 and served as Britain's main naval base in the Lesser Antilles.

English Harbour and it's close neighbour Falmouth Harbour are home to many sailing megayachts. The number and size of them are a marvel! We do fly the same Antigua courtesy flags though :)

We all fly the same Antigua courtesy flag

I have noticed that the megayachts are clique'ish .... the navy megayachts stick together on one dock, and the white megayachts stick together on another.

the navy megayacht dock

the white megayacht dock

I've also been taking notes. I think Serenada would fit in with the big boats after a few affordable additions....

customized dock box

customized welcome mat

'Private Yacht - No Boarding' sign

Check this out .... this megayacht's dinghy has features that even Serenada is lacking - a swim platform and an electric winlass for its' anchor. It's all so humbling!

dinghy with console, swim platform and electric winlass

We also saw, however, that even megayachts have their bad days. One had lost the top portion of its' (carbon fibre) mizzen mast.

a bad day

here lies the top half of the mizzen mast

It seemed that very little of the affluence found dockside, spilled over onto the island....

across the street from Falmouth Harbour Marina

runaway donkey

(on the road between English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour)

up on a wall and it's still a stretch

There are many reminders of Antigua's history. At the mouth of English Harbour are the remains of Fort Berkeley...

Fort Berkeley (top) with Serenada in foreground

(we are the wee red top)

Fort Berkeley

Guard House

cannons

Powder Magazine

meter thick walls held the gun powder stores

Shirley Heights was above us while at anchor in English Harbour. In the past it served as a Lookout Post for the British. We walked the Lookout Trail up to it.

Shirley Heights (hill top) with Serenada in the foreground

(we are the wee red top in the center)

huge yucca plants on the Lookout Trail

Shirley Heights, a former British Lookout Post

ruins of Officer Barracks at Shirley Heights

view of English and Falmouth Harbours from Shirley Heights

Today, Shirley Heights is best known for its' Sunday Night hot party. It draws a huge crowd, all of whom are there to enjoy the music, the rum punch, a great BBQ, and its' sunset views.

huge crowd at Shirley Height's Sunday night party

a picture of US!

steel pan band at Shirley Heights

view of Montserrat from Shirley Heights

4:30pm

6:30pm

8:30pm

We went up to Shirley Heights with Duncan and Fran, a visiting Canadian couple we had met just the day before, and had over to Serenada for sundowners. We had moved over to Falmouth Harbour by then.

Duncan and Fran

We enjoyed watching the neighbours while anchored in Falmouth Harbour.

laundry day

(and I think going to a laundromat is an effort)

taking the dog to shore and back

love the classic square riggers

Currently we're in Five Islands Bay on Antigua's west shore. It is secluded and dotted with deserted pristine white sand beaches. We took the dinghy ashore there to give it a cleaning.