Antigua - Montserrat

As we are still in Antigua. . .the schoolwork is still getting done every day. Dad has been busy fixing the bilge pump on our side of the boat . . .safe to say Rebecca and I can shower in our own showers once again. I went for another run . . .getting lost in my mind once again. I’ve tried to convince everyone on the boat to join me on a morning run but no takers thus far . . .lazy crew members! After a morning of schoolwork, the afternoon was filled with polishing stainless and scrubbing the green moss off the bottom of the boat.

Mom feeding the birds

Foot rub

I got Rebecca up at 6:30am for a hike/jog along a 1 mile trail. Surprisingly there was hardly any complaining at all. . .I was very impressed. It was a good morning and was followed up by schoolwork. In the afternoon, my dad went to go get the dinghy to go ashore and came back saying the dinghy was gone. My dad grabbed the binoculars and saw the dinghy on a beach on the other side of the harbour. My dad had forgotten to attach the dinghy to the boat. . .us girls were so relieved it was something we weren’t responsible for this time! So my dad got in the kayak and started paddling over to where the dinghy was. He brought the dinghy back covered in sand and water and took me back to where he left the kayak on the far off beach. I paddled the kayak all the way from the beach back to the boat. My arms were killing me as the water was very choppy and I was paddling against the wind. I collapsed back onto the boat so relieved to be back. That evening, I treated my mom to a foot rub. As I was massaging her feet my dad came out and started dancing to Mamma Mia. My mom and I laughed so much. He then hopped into the dinghy with his beer and watched the sun go down. My mom got in the dinghy with her drink too and they floated behind the boat for a while.

Drunken dinghy

We have been having trouble over the past week with our online visa applications as we have had to get photographs redone and we’ve had to get bank statements sent and proof of houses etc. They really are thorough in these applications. But eventually we got the applications in and appointments have been booked for our interviews. So we all have to be in Barbados by the end of June.

On Wednesday evening my mother and I went for yoga whilst my dad went to play racket ball with our South African friend, Dino. Yoga was exactly what I needed to loosen up from my tough paddle the other day. We did yoga as the sun set and it was really great. After yoga we went to Trappas for dinner. A great dinner was accompanied with great conversation. We chatted about sailing, family, the future. . .and after a great night we all headed for bed.

Dad and Dino

We had planned to head off to Barbuda on Thursday but we discovered that the grey water bilge pump on my parent’s side had packed up, so the day would be spent replacing that. A South African boat named Alleycat arrived and anchored behind us. Two couples came on their dinghy to say hello and we ended up having afternoon drinks with them at the Seabreeze café. It turns out it is a very small world as the couple who owned Alleycat sailed with Lee and Kerry in the Sand Blas islands the previous year.

Alleycat

The next day, my dad, sister and mom took a trip to St. Johns as my dad wanted to buy a new pair of takkies to play racket ball. Once they arrived back to the boat, I went for a quick run whilst my dad headed to Temo’s Sports to play racket ball with Dino. All the girls arrived later for dinner. I decided it was time my wedges had a field day again. . .so with my bag in hand, I expertly maneuvered my way into the dinghy and out of it with my shoes on. We had a nice casual dinner with Dino, Debbie and a few others at Temo’s. Debbie invited us to do a hash with her the next day. . .and given our first hashing experience in Trinidad, I jumped at the opportunity gladly.

We arrived at Galleon beach at 4pm on the dot for our hash. It started a bit late but by 4:30 we were climbing up the side of the mountain to Shirley Heights. My sister and mom walked with a few people at the back whilst I was up the front with three guys and one girl. We ended up taking the wrong trail and getting lost. . .luckily all the trails end up at the same place so we eventually found our way back to the beach. Once my sister and mom eventually arrived back at the beach, I found out my sister had fallen and sprained her ankle. . .she sat on a twig when she fell so my mother and the lady they were walking with all went pale as they thought it was her ankle cracking! My mom came back with a few more grey hairs. . .We then went for a quick shower and met Debbie and Dino at a different beach for a braai with them, and two couples from Zimbabwe. It was a great evening filled with chats, laughs, meat and sangria.

Hash!

My parents <3

The next day we tackled some more schoolwork. I came outside to great bursts of laughter and found my mom and dad swimming behind the boat dunking each other and having a jolly ol’ time. My heart warmed as I realized how blessed I was to have them as my parents. . .30 years together and they still laugh and play like two love struck teenagers. That evening was our last in Antigua and we met up with Dino and Debbie one last time at the weigh in and prize giving for the fishing competition. My dad and I got a few more lures to play with in hope of catching us a nice juicy fish of our own. My sister and I made our way to the henna tattoo stand and treated ourselves to a tattoo that probably wouldn’t last long on a boat. Commotion was going on as they brought in the big fish of the competition to weigh. . .my jaw dropped as this massive fish was hung up in mid air. The yellow fin tuna that hung before me weighed 175 pounds. We walked to the end of the dock to watch some of the fish being filleted and as fish after fish came through. . .fillet after fillet was being sold. I saw a new way of filleting a fish. . .slit open the throat by the gills and pull the stomach bag out. . .then fillet away. . .I much preferred how we fillet our fish. . .far less messy. We decided to grab some dinner and I saw a sign board saying Trini doubles. . .I haven’t had doubles since my last run with Robert in Trinidad. I eagerly waited in line for my double. It wasn’t anywhere near as good as the ones in Trinidad but it still had that familiar taste that I love oh so much! We said farewell to Debbie and Dino and headed back to the boat.

175 pound Yellowfin Tuna

Dino and Debbie

Monday morning was my last run in Antigua and I decided to go big. I ran all the way up to Shirley heights and back. . .I arrived back to the dock an hour and a half after leaving just in time to be taken back to the boat before my dad went to clear customs. We were getting the boat ready for departure when we ended up having a very twisted halyard. . .so up the mast I was sent to untwist it. After sorting that out we departed for Montserrat. We picked up a tuny on the way, which we ended up throwing back. We flew the screecher the whole way and arrived just before sunset. We look forward to exploring a new island. Especially this one that still has an active volcano, which destroyed the main town only eight years ago. . .lets hope we aren’t around for the next eruption. . .

Montserrat in the distance