We have found that when taxi drivers and other locals work out we are Australians, there is instant comraderie. Why is this so....in a word, CRICKET! The Caribbeans love their cricket and it is probably the strongest unifying force amongst the islands. Our taxi driver from the Barbuda ferry back to Jolly Harbour had been a fast bowler with some potential, but life didn't play out as his dreams would have it. He quoted scores for many of the Australian/ Caribbean matches and pointed out the arena in St John's where the matches were held. They have had a very successful season and it has been nice to congratulate them on their cricket prowess. Our driver also hinted that there was corruption in the Caribbean selection process, with each island wishing to be represented, regardless of the track record of the player.....same old story!
Next morning it was time to sail, but not before the boys had a session with the chandlery, $50 'restocking fee' was charged on return of a pump that was incorrect. The girls busied themselves in the coffee shop, catching up on wifi time and the boys caught up once they had got over the shock.
Trilogy sailed around 12:30 for Deep Bay located to the north of Jolly Harbour, but when we arrived we were less than impressed with the amount of wind that was whistling across the decks. We turned south again as we had noticed a few appealing long stretches of sand that we had passed on the way. There are 365 beaches on Antigua, all of superior quality and there are also 365 churches on this 280 sq kms island, population 80,000! We had to dismiss another beach because of the distinctive odour from the salt pan behind the beach and then settled for Hawk's Bill Bay. This was a long sweeping beach, but there was a difference that was immediately apparent but not explainable. The beach could only be accessed by a footpath around the headland, which gave the beach a feeling of remoteness. There were blue beach chairs scattered randomly along the sand which were untidy and some upturned. There were a few thatched umbrellas looking tatty, one small open sided shed and one coconut palm. The beaches are usually beautifully kept, with barely anything out of place. The beach was fringed by a rocky reef and there was a wide shallow stretch of water to snorkel across.
Once Trilogy was settled, we were in the water and heading towards the rocky cliffs to see what snorkelling would reveal. It turned out to be a very pleasant aquatic garden with a myriad of soft yellow coral fans waving in the 'breeze'. The fish were noticeably active, darting here and there, with occasional schools of fish hiding under a rocky ledges. There was a 'gully' between the rocks that had a sandy floor, which allowed for easy access back to the beach. We wandered the beach which was empty but then noted a couple of nude guys coming out of the water.....ah, ah, this was a nudist beach and we had inadvertently invaded their privacy! The evening was most pleasant but still no sunset due to a thick cloud bank on the horizon.
Our last day cruising day had arrived before we headed for Catamaran Bay Marina in Falmouth Harbour on the southern side of Antigua. The skipper was keen to get the Genoa and Staysail flaked and stored before the wind strength increased later in the day. We had to have one more snorkel and this time to a small rocky outcrop that Peter thought should be called Mouse Rock, due to the profile. From a different angle it looked like a hawksbill, and hence the name of the bay! We took advantage of the beach chairs, which was the first time in 3 months we had allowed ourselves to sink into the comfort of a beach lounge. When you snorkel ashore there are no beach towels, sunglasses or hats with you and we always cover our upper bodies when snorkelling, hence the lack of sun worshipping. We couldn't resist a little down time on the lounges under the shade of the only coconut tree and no one else on the beach....it was sheer bliss!
Back on board, around midday we up anchored and motor sailed comfortably along the west coast, before striking strong wind and swell once we turned east. It wasn't for too long as we shortly entered Falmouth Harbour and made our way carefully up the shallow waters to the marina, located at the northern end. This time we were required to do a Mediterranean anchorage, for the first time this trip. This means laying an anchor out and reversing against the anchor line towards the marina pontoon until stern lines can be thrown and secured. This all happened smoothly and this signified the last of our sailing duties. Trilogy was safely berthed and had not sustained any damage throughout just over 3 months of cruising.
There remains one more manoeuvre for Trilogy, getting it into the narrow pen for the haulout from the water, but that's another story!