CURRENT LOCATION: Anchored in Mosquito Cove, just outside Jolly Harbour in Antigua
17 04.612' N, 061 53.679' W
Of late, we have been pondering the next step in our cruising explorations. There are many places to choose from, considering the launching point of this centrally-situated island of Antigua.
Barbuda is one possibility. Descriptions from our guide book entice us with an indication that, "For the dedicated into-the-heart-of-nature diehard, Barbuda is heaven on earth." And continues to paint a picture by stating, "The area is dotted with coral, teeming with every kind of fish, and is excellent for snorkeling. ... There are endless pink beaches with nary a soul on them. The largest of which is unbroken for about 11 miles."
Another option is heading toward Guadeloupe, in particular the southernmost Iles des Saintes (The Saints). Again, our guidebook indicates that, "This is an irresistible group of islands, with idyllic Gallic charm. ... Borg de Saintes is an adorable seaside town, sparkling clean and picturesque." Recently, there has been some social unrest in Guadeloupe due to a general strike, but we are hopeful that things will soon settle and any residual effects of the strike will be unfelt on the islands of The Saints, as they are somewhat removed from the mainland of Guadeloupe.
Across a short passage from The Saints lies Dominica. This island nation has been recommended to us by friends and fellow cruisers for its inland excursions. Again, from our guidebook, "Greenery erupts from every square inch, thrusting its way upwards, curling, stretching, climbing, and falling, till the whole land is covered in a verdant tangle of trees, vines, shrubs, and ferns. ... In addition, there are such unusual natural phenomena as a boiling lake and hot waterfalls, to say nothing of the more usual sulfur springs and crater lakes."
Closer to Antigua, in view from our current anchorage on a clear day, we could consider a visit to Montserrat, home of the Soufrière Hills Volcano, or we could sail to the country of St. Kitts & Nevis. Of course, either would require that we give up a little of our hard-earned eastward progress.
Beyond the next few months, we are also beginning to consider the details for our offshore passage from Antigua to Bermuda, then onward to the Chesapeake Bay. Ideal timing for this journey would be late April through early June. This gives us a fair amount of time yet to perform Caribbean explorations.
So, here we sit in a comfortable anchorage with a reasonably good internet connection (the ideal circumstance for contemplation of our future plans). We have a boat full of charts & guidebooks and access to the world wide web to fill in any of the gaps in our research needs.
Meanwhile, our surroundings provide access to everything we need for enrichment of the soul. We can take a jog out to Reeds Point, go for a swim, or take a walk on the nearby beaches. Even staying on the boat provides an excellent vantage point for watching other sailboats set upon some absolutely stunning views.
Just to give you a better appreciation for the beauty of our surroundings, here is a brief pictorial tour:
The jog out to Reeds Point gives a wonderful perspective from which to view our anchorage:
A swim over to The Cove provides the opportunity to walk along a beach with exceptionally fine sand beneath your bare feet:
Alternatively, it is an even shorter swim from our boat to the beach lining Mosquito Cove:
From there, the view of the curving lines of the beach with a backdrop of the boats at anchor is wonderful:
In addition, this beach is rich with beautiful shells (something we did not encounter much in Culebra):
We don't even have to leave the boat, though, to get wonderful views. By day we can sit in the cockpit and look out to our southwest to see a gradient of blues leading off toward an uninterrupted horizon:
And in the evenings, we make it a point to watch the same horizon in hopes of catching the another green flash. Even in the absence of that elusive visual phenomenon, every evening brings a beautiful sunset:
So, dear Reader, we hope that you will understand if the blog entries to come over the next several days lack the high-seas adventures and land-based explorations you have come to expect. Instead, we will simply be enjoying our current surroundings and thinking about the things to come. Rest assured, though, that when we finally do weigh anchor you will read about it here.