Arrival in Antigua
15 February 2017 | Jolly Harbour, Antigua
ICS
It was a windy night at anchor in the Saintes, and although our anchor held another boat near us was not so fortunate and dragged onto the boat behind them with much shouting and hooting, all at 0300 in the morning. We had decided that we did not want to get involved in hunting for a mooring buoy, and with the wind still blowing it was too far in choppy water in the dinghy to make the shore, so we set off early to go up the West side of Guadaloupe to the last anchorage before the NW tip in Deshais. We sailed off at a steady lick but once round the point and in the lee of the land the wind became flukey then died. We motor sailed up the coast hoping that Deshais was not going to be packed, but as we approached we could see yachts anchored what appeared to be outside the harbour in the bay. However once at the entrance it was clear there was room and we anchored OK in about 9 metres at the North side. We had 2 goes at this and before the second try I moved the chain connection to the single lower point on the anchor from the higher slot which runs the whole length of the anchor stock. The long slot is meant to give you the ability to pull the anchor up from the crown if it gets stuck, however we felt it did not set as well as when on the lower slot. I just had to be careful we didnt lose it over the side during the changeover!
We cleared in and out at Deshais which was a nice little town and had a drink in a bar overlooking the harbour very reminiscent of the TV programme Death in Paradise.
Up early the next morning for the 47 mile passage to Jolly Harbour Antigua, the wind varied from 7 to 27 knots and we were reefing, shaking out reefs, reefing and finally motor sailing. The anchorage outside the harbour looked packed but on arrival it had loads of room so we anchored in 3.5 Metres in a fairly stiff breeze, ironic after motoring for the last 2 hours.
The following morning we dinghied in to customs and cleared into Antigua, and later moved into the marina which had plenty of space. We then started the clean up and tidy up ready for G’s sister Jacqui who was arriving on the Tuesday afternoon for a fortnight with us.
Technical note: Still not heard from Inga as to what is the cause of their starter/engine problem.
Our watermaker electric motor stopped again so I removed it and refabricated one of the brushes (again), but made a better job this time as I could see the whole problem. Generator has failed again, it starts but then shuts itself down….its on its last public warning this time.
We shall cruise around Antigua with Jacqui before heading off to Nevis, once she has returned home.