Today was the “Lay Day” for the Antigua Sailing Week and I’d arranged with Steve and Angela as well as Egil and Elizabeth that we’d meet up at 11AM at the dinghy dock and we’d head around to Green Island, which Hans had recommended to us as one of the nicest anchorages in the Caribbean. After we’d met and dinghied back to the boat we watched The Maltese Falcon sail / motor past us. Those were the only pictures I took all day – somehow the thought of holding the camera never came to me all day.
We had a very long upwind slog heading to Green Island, which was only 7nm as the crow flies but we did significantly more than that getting there against a moderate swell and winds. But once we rounded the corner of the island and I saw the beautiful and protected anchorage I knew that the whole trip was worth it! After we picked up a mooring we proceeded to prepare salad and the steaks as well as burgers for grilling on the BBQ (I use the term “we” loosely, my principle task was staying out of the way and replenishing the refreshments). It was wonderful company and very relaxing day at anchor topped off by a very tasty meal, one of the best I’d had in a very long while. By the time we’d finished eating it was close to sunset, so I threw everything in the dishwasher and sink and we made our way in the channel surrounded by shallow water between the Green Island and the mainland of Antigua in twilight and then motorsailed downwind in a long and slow swell which rolled us around a bit. With 5 people aboard the process of entering Falmouth Harbour in the dark was very easy and soon we were anchored safely. Some rain showers came past which delayed my ferrying the guests back to shore for while, but they soon dispersed and made it back to the dinghy hour dry, but at a rather late hour.
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