Think we’re more in ‘livaboard’ than ‘cruising’ mode right now but hope to shake this off tomorrow.

We’ve spent the last few days doing basically nix, and rethinking what we do between now and parking the boat for hurricane season in Trinidad.  It seems we've got a lot happening with the business this year thst might benefit from my input, plus we've decided to sell our big UK home and buy something smaller (so we don't need to rent it out and would have a home to unlock and walk back into when we revisit).  Combined together, those things have made us decide to get back to the UK three months earlier than we'd originally planned.

So still currently parked up on anchor in English Harbour and alternating twix eating on shore at some pretty nice restaurants, or sharing meal prep on board either Swagman orTullulah and scoffing too much grog.

Paul and Annette arrived on the 2^nd after an equally gruelling bash up from Guadalope and seemed pleased to slide into the relax mode close by.  They remained at anchor also for a few days before slipping their catamaran at Antigua Slipways as they are due to return to the UK by big bird early today.

We’ve spent one day touring round the island by hire car to check out some of the other anchorage areas and marinas from the shore side. 

Have to say I’m impressed.  But then I am with most new places we see!

Antigua is however a lovely island – and one can see why so many Brits favour this as a place to buy a Caribbean holiday or retirement home. 

Very relaxed.  Clean and organised by Caribbean standards.  Warm welcoming  people.  Superb landscape and beaches.  And not tooooo expensive.

For example, we carried over more than 100 bottles of wine as we’d been told it is expensive over here.  It’s not.  Even in a good restaurant one can find a pleasant Cab Sav for less than 80 EC$ - that’s around £12 – so cheaper than the UK!  Still, it was good we carried so many as in moving it all yesterday – realised we’ve only got 50 left in stock!  So much for moderate consumption.

Or another example is that one can build a stylish 2 bedroom beachside villa in a gated type development for actually less than £200K.  Not bad by anyones standards in this day and age.

We now aim to head out of here tomorrow for a week in other locations before slipping Swagman also at Slipways and returning ourselves to the UK until April when we'll come back down here to take part in Antigua Race Week.

It the week remaining before we slip, we want to hit some more idyllic locations close behind Green Island up on Antiguas eastern shore.  It is only a 10 mile beat but provided there's not too many others there it could see us parked behind the photographers dream empty beaches. all palm trees and turquiose seas, with nothing but platform reef twix us and the rollers coming in from Africa. 

The weathers looking better.  It has steadily improved.  We still have seen some very heavy rain at times - but when its not pouring down – the suns real hot. 

Accordingly doing lots of swimming from the boat and adjacent beaches – but not sure we’re keeping fit.  The liver does take most of the bashing.

We took time out yesterday to climb the hill walk from the beach opposite our anchorage up to Shirley Heights as part of a fitness regime.  It’s the old lookout post established in Nelsons day and quite a steep climb for a mile.  Good exercise in the muggy heat.

Interestingly - we overtook loads of hermit crabs also climbing up the same damp pathway.  These are those little red crabs that take a sea shell and live in it to protect them from predators - only their heads and legs stick out.  So what are these little critters doing climbing 500 metres up a rock face away from the ocean?  I've absolutely no idea.  So will have to check it on the web if none of you can give us the answers...anyone know?

Took this shot from the top lookout.

You can see how close English Harbour – in the foreground and where we are anchored – is to Falmouth Harbour behind it.  It’s only a five minute walk or 10 minutes by dinghy from one to the other - if the sea is flat.  Tried that earlier today when it was lumpy.  A very wet ride coming back.

Typing this as Sue uses up the last of our fresh water on a shower.  As English Harbour has a mangrove swamp behind – we can’t readily use the water maker here – so will have to fill the tanks from the fuel dock before we leave tomorrow.  One pays for fresh water over here – but it’s not a lot.

We’ve got Slipways preparing a quote to do several jobs for us whilst we're away.  

We’re flying out via BA next Friday and hope by the time we’re back in April with the family for Race Week, to have a 220v generator, a freezer, plus the ultimate Caribbean luxury of aircon, hopefully all fitted and working.  Hopefully.  Plus a new bottom job using super deadly local antifouling as the Caribbean underwater bugs don't appear to be put off but the regulated EU antifouling we've got on at present. 

Finally, we're also getting the boat measured for a Caribbean Racing Handicap next Thursday before we fly out, so with good luck, good crew, we'll be trying hard to keep up the Hanse performance reputation in this events performance cruiser division.  Should be fun.

After Race Week we'll then head off south and blat down to Trinidad and the orginally planned lifting out of the water for storage during the summers hurricane season.  We'll then fly back to the UK again until November and finish off the business and domestic affairs.

Now this has been bashed out and agreed, we're both looking forward to spending the UK summer at home.  It will be the first time we've done that in six years. Garden parties and walks in the forest.  Sounds good.

Will update the blog with places visited before we fly out.  Have to say we've a few misgivings on heading back to sub zero weather after being in the sun since May last year, but will be good to catch up with old pals and who knows, maybe even squeeze in some skiing before summer arrives!!!!!!

You take care......

John and Sue